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Community Corner

Another Welcome Sight

East Hampton turns out to cheer the return of two service members.

It was a slice of Americana.

Flag-waving residents packed the East Hampton village center green Saturday evening to welcome home - and thank - two local heroes.

Air Force Senior Airman Nicholas Pawlak and Marine Lance Corporal Kristopher Schonagel returned from overseas recently, and in what has become an East Hampton tradition as of late, the veterans removed a yellow ribbon adorned with their name from a tree at the village center while friends and neighbors looked on.

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Pawlak, who served in Afghanistan, arrived back in the states a little more than a week ago.

“I did not expect this,” he said following Saturday’s festivities. “I didn’t think so many people would gather to welcome me home.”

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For Pawlak, the key to keeping his homesickness in check while he was away was staying busy.

“But after work, days off, when you’re not doing anything, your mind kind of wanders back home,” he said. “The more I worked out there, the better it was.”

Schonagel served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been back in town just a few weeks.

“This is wonderful,” he said, echoing Pawlak’s sentiment. “I really appreciate the town putting this on for everyone.”

While he was away, Schonagel didn’t have much time to ponder what his homecoming would look like.

“Mostly we’re just thinking about the person to the right of us, and making sure they’re safe,” he said. “You try to keep your eyes and mind on the task.”

While two ribbons came down Saturday, another was hung, that of Army Specialist Roger Boulanger, who deployed to Afghanistan recently.

Ann McLaughlin is the driving force behind East Hampton’s Yellow Ribbon Welcome Home Program. She felt compelled to act after watching her grandson, Purple Heart recipient, Army Sergeant Arron McLaughlin, return from war with little fanfare.

Sgt. McLaughlin served a tour of duty in Iraq, and later, Afghanistan, where he was injured.

“When we finally saw him, we got to the airport and there were maybe 30 of us there to welcome him,” Ann McLaughlin recalled. “Coming home, I said ‘wouldn’t it be great if the people of East Hampton had a chance to welcome these servicemen home.’ They can’t all go to the airport. That’s what started it. Even though my grandson didn’t get his big ‘welcome home’, we’re doing it for everybody else.”

Navy Commander Michael Flatley was the first local veteran to receive a proper hometown welcome upon his return in June. Ann McLaughlin plans to welcome local servicemen home “until there are no ribbons on the tree.” And when that day comes, she looks forward to replacing the ribbons with a simple sign: “A big ‘thank you.’”

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