Eleven Lawrence-area soldiers who’ve spent several months in Iraq are expected home in time for Christmas.

“The return ceremony for the 824th Quartermaster detachment will be December 23rd at the (U.S. Army Reserve) armory there in Lawrence. We don’t have a time yet,” said Charlene Gemar, public affairs specialist with the 89th Regional Readiness Command Headquarters in Wichita.

City bids troops farewell (1-11-04) Call-up takes teacher to war (1-10-04) Assistant principal called to National Guard duty (1-6-04) Family bids soldier farewell (12-27-03)

Gemar said her office would have a starting time established by noon today. The time will be posted on the Journal-World’s Web site, www.ljworld.com, as soon as it’s available.

The unit worked with Iraqi officials on projects involving water quality and oil-field technology.

Deployed in January, the unit has been in Iraq since February. Its members returned Monday to Fort Riley.

“For my wife and I, this is the best Christmas present ever,” said Jim Pilch Sr., whose 37-year-old son, Jim Pilch II, is a staff sergeant in the unit.

Pilch said his son called him at 5:30 a.m. Monday from Atlanta to let the family know he was stateside.

“They’d flown to Rome and then nonstop from Kuwait,” said Pilch, a retired insurance agent who lives near Vinland.

“This is such a relief,” he said.

Jim Pilch II is director of laboratories at Kansas University’s department of petroleum and chemical engineering.