Belizean/American soldier returns from tour of duty in Iraq

The B.D.F. has been active in Haiti, and much further away in Iraq, a thirty-six year old Belizean/American soldier was until recently on the front lines.   Erlyn Cassasola returned to Belize after serving in the war for an extended period. His family was at the Philip Goldson International Airport to greet him on arrival this past Saturday. Erlyn says he is grateful for the opportunity to serve in the US military, but credits his family for the values instilled in his upbringing. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was also at the P.G.I.A. for the homecoming.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The reunion of a thirty-six year old Belizean/American soldier and his mother after successfully completing a tour of duty in Iraq was exactly the kind of homecoming this son of the soil had dreamt about since being deployed to the war-torn country by the U.S. Army.  United States President Barack Obama recently announced the gradual and complete withdrawal of troops from the Middle East since occupation in 2003.  Among them was Erlyn Cassasola.

Erlyn Cassasola, U.S. Army Specialist

erlyn cassasola

“Coming home is always great, you know what I mean, if the mission is complete and the president says come home it’s time to come home. Belize is a great place and America has been very good to me but it’s always great to come home.”

Cassasola is among a number of Belizeans enlisted in the United States armed forces.

Margarita Cruz, Military Liaison Officer, U.S Navy

“We have many Belizean/American soldiers and officers serving the U.S.  They actually joined from the U.S. and the serve our countries honorably and we have had about three Belizean/U.S families return home.”

What makes Cassasola’s visit home all the more special is that he is also on a mission to pay respect to the persons who were instrumental in his upbringing.

Erlyn Cassasola

“It’s not only to celebrate me coming back but it’s more along the lines of celebrating the values and the respect, the integrity and the personal courage that you all display everyday that I recognized when I was in a place where it was a lot, a lot of that was lacking.”

Present to instill those values in Erlyn as a child growing up in Belize during the seventies was his mother Penny whom he formally greeted with a coin handshake, a military symbol of appreciation.  For her the feeling of seeing her son was overwhelming.

penelope cassasola

Penelope Cassasola, Erlyn’s Mother

“It’s exciting and it’s a relief because you know when your children are separated from you there’s a concern but I always trust God for safety and I live by faith and not by sight so I know he was in good hands.  I know that he’s been trained to protect himself and his brother and his fellow men, his fellow soldiers and they do the same too.  In fact they tell me that they are his family now.”

The Cassasola family plans on making the best of Erlyn’s visit by sightseeing and spending quality time together.  His homecoming was facilitated by the U.S. Embassy in Belize when they learned that he had missed the reception held for officers returning to the United States from Iraq. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.