Cloverdale’s Jessamyn Sobecki-Engle isn’t complaining. But the National Guard staff sergeant will admit it was a pretty mild, quiet welcome that awaited her when she returned home from a difficult and sorrowful tour in Iraq four years ago.

But that was then. Now, Jessamyn is helping to coordinate today’s welcome-home for the third and final group of National Guard soldiers to return to Petaluma’s armory after serving with valor in Afghanistan.

 
Especially because it’s Thanksgiving week, she hopes a huge, spirited welcome will greet the large group of combat engineers that’s expected to arrive at SFO at about 1:30 this afternoon and then start toward Petaluma in an escorted caravan.

Jessamyn envisions waves and cheers from the highway overpasses and along the streets as the entourage exits 101 at Washington Street and takes Payran to Jefferson and on to the armory on Vallejo Street.

“These guys really had a tough year,” she said.