Just A Guy in My Neighborhood

I first met Joey Bozik and his wife Jayme last Monday. It just a quick chat between the new couple about to move into the neighborhood and someone who has been there a little while. Today, they got the keys to their new home. It happens every day, right?

A Hero's Homecoming: Jayme and Sgt. Joey Bozik. Jayme is due with their first child Christmas Eve. Joey's jacket? Kevlar.

Not unless you consider having your keys parachuted by the Black Daggers after an overflight and landing by a flight of Blackhawks in the neighborhood "normal."

Airborne Express: SOCOM's Black Dagger jumpers brought the keys to the Bozik's new home.

Blackhawks Down Home:A flight of three Blackhawks overflew the ceremonies before landing on some of the undeveloped lots in the neighborhood.

I took some more pictures that I will post later and I'll write a bit more about Operation: Coming Home in the weeks ahead, but in the meantime, here is an account of Sgt. Joey Bozik's homecoming that should warm your heart:

The house was built by Operation Coming Home, a group of military veterans who are now real estate agents and home builders. All the material and labor were donated.

The mission of "Operation Coming Home" is to provide injured war veterans with free houses that they call "Hero Homes." Bozik was the first recipient.

The home was built with special features to make Bozik's life easier, including radiant heat floors, easy-access cabinets, a sprinkler system and appliances with special hinges and levers that make opening doors easier.

Bozik and his pregnant wife were moving in Monday, because Oct. 27 is his "Alive Day" – the anniversary of the day he came out of coma from his injuries.

Veteran's and volunteers in the community provided the lot, the labor, materials and furnishing to say "thank you" to a soldier and his wife for the sacrifices they have made in defense of liberty.

There's a right way to spread the wealth around.

It happened here, and with your help, it will happen again.

Update:One of Joey and Jayme's biggest supporters is milblogger Blackfive, who has an extensive trove of articles about what they gone through to get to where they are today.

Original

First Update (pictures)

Second Update

Third

Fourth

Fifth (pictures)

Sixth (pictures)

Seventh (wedding pictures)

Eighth

Ninth (Love Story)

Tenth (Green Ramp Reunion - pictures)

Eleventh (Welcome Home! - pictures)

Twelvth (Joey and Phil Mikelson team up)

Thirteenth (pictures)

Fourteenth

Fifteenth

Sixteenth (White House Visit)

Seventeenth

Eighteenth (Receives Bronze Star)