Members of the 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division will be returning to Fort Riley from a deployment to Europe. In Junction City the Military Affairs Council Director Craig Bender is working on a welcome home event for those troops that would be held in the August time frame.
Bender is wants to host it at the Junction City Athletic Training Center, 935 E. 4th Street. "The plan is to make sure they've gone through reintegration, block leave and do an event for them." Bender noted that in an earlier welcome home event two and a half years ago the All America Beef Battalion served food, there were bands, commanding general's mounted color guard and even bounce houses.
There have been attempts to contact the All American Beef Battalion. It's possible a Taste of Junction City activity could be organized where local restaurants could participate instead. "Right now we're leaning at being down at the Athletic Training Center, maybe kicking it off with an obstacle course event. The batting cages will be down there, same thing, bounce houses, music, food."
Bender is hopeful that Soldiers and their families could eat free at this event or receive vouchers that would allow them to be reimbursed. More planning and preparation will continue for the welcome home.