One woman told an airman she knew, "Let's go sign in and get outta here," as she quickly led him through the crowd toward a place where the airmen had to complete some paperwork. Another airman fought back tears as he held his young daughter and patted his wife's pregnant belly. Some airmen were already celebrating with bottles of beer.

Before Rogers arrived, Harris talked a little about the ongoing conflict in Iraq and the role of the United States.

"I hope we're doing some good for the people over there, because that's what we're there for," she said.

But in a cold, damp hangar after months of communicating by phone and e-mail, U.S. strategy in Iraq seemed to matter less to Harris than the huge welcome her friend and others were getting. For Harris, who has been on the other end of a homecoming many times, the cheers of a raucous reception never get old.

"Man, I tell you, it's great," she said. "There's no other better feeling."

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com