Neighbors Give Hero's Welcome to Returning Soldier

As soon as the Nelson family said goodbye to patriarch Lt. Col. Tom Nelson last October for his one-year deployment to Afghanistan, .

A few weeks after Tom deployed, the family moved a few streets away to Lyrac Street in Oakton, gaining even more of a support system in the process. Whether they were offering babysitting, meals or opportunities to have a little fun, the neighbors did their best to provide Nelson's wife Tricia and their children — Maddie, Katie, Patton and Landon — with everything they needed.

Now Tom's year in Afghanistan is up, and the Lyrac Street neighbors wanted to make sure he felt welcome upon his return. As the Nelsons headed to Baltimore to pick Tom up at the airport Thursday night, neighbors adorned the street with American flags from the intersection of Lyrac and Wayland streets to the Nelsons' driveway and posted signs in their front yards.

Though the Nelsons would not be arriving until late Thursday night, the residents wanted to make sure the family knew how excited and thankful they were for Tom Nelson's return, neighbor Dawn Matthews said.

"Tom served our country and it's the least that we could do to show that we're thankful for his service and we're so excited that he's come back," said Valerie Newby, whose husband coaches youth soccer with Nelson.

Some neighbors don't know the family well, but they were more than happy to contribute to the welcoming.

"How could we not participate? Everyone is delighted to. This man has been away from home for a year and worked for all of us and he's coming home OK," said Jean Guptill, a Lyrac Street neighbor.