BANGOR, Maine — Bangor International Airport held its annual Maine Troop Greeters memorial brick dedication ceremony the Friday before Memorial Day, remembering seven troop greeters who passed away this year.
The brick dedication is a tribute, honoring fallen troop greeters for their commitments to greeting American soldiers at Bangor International Airport when they return to the country after serving.
Each year, new bricks engraved with the names of greeters who passed away the previous year are placed at the airport's pavilion alongside other bricks honoring troop greeters who died.
According to Bangor International Airport's director Jose Saavedra, greeters have welcomed 1.6 million troops over the past 21 years.
"A significant amount of people reach back out to us and say, 'I flew in through Maine, and the welcoming team was there when we got back in and touched down on U.S. soil," Saavedra said.
Richard Tinsman, the board chair of the Maine troop greeters and a veteran himself, said stepping on U.S. soil for the first time after a deployment is significant. The experience is emotional for soldiers and for greeters.
"They look tired, they're exhausted, they've been traveling for days in different time zones," Tinsman said. "When they hear the applause from 30 to 40 troop greeters here, their smiles just light up the hallway. They are literally dancing on their feet when they get to the line to shake our hands as we say, 'Thank you for being there for us.'"
During the ceremony, Pastor Steven Nute, who duos as a veteran and troop greeter, took a moment to share his emotions as he honored fallen greeters who he has served alongside for years.
"As looked down, walking over these names ... it struck me," Nute said. "For those that are gone this year and the names that I quickly looked at, that I love ... for those that I love on these bricks are honorable."
Because of the airport's geographic location, Bangor International Airport is often the last point out of the country for troops who are deploying and the and first point in for ones who are returning.
When soldiers pass through the airport's Maine Troop Greeters Museum, many donate pins that get tacked on the walls, and badges line the ceiling.
"When I came home, it was my parents here, and that was it," Nute said.
With his cane in hand, Nute said there were no greeters for him years ago when he served, but he recalls many times when he has given troops the kindness he would've wanted.
There are 130 bricks with names on them. Five of those are for Troop Greeter Dogs, and one of those five bricks has two dogs' names listed, because they worked as a pair.