BY MARY WICOFF
Signs in front of Georgetown businesses proclaim, “Welcome home, Pearman brothers” or simply, “Welcome back, Travis and Sonny.”
The brothers, however, don’t understand all the fuss.
“We don’t look at ourselves like we’re heroes,” Travis said. “We just went over there and did our jobs.”
Travis, 27, was a staff sergeant and Sonny, 21, was a sergeant with the U.S. Army Reserves’ 1008th Quartermaster Co., sta-tioned in Iraq. They were with different platoons, but they were only 2 miles apart for four or five months.
The young men returned home recently after almost a year overseas.
“Everyone says, ‘We’re proud of you,’” Sonny said. “We figure it’s just our job.”
Travis, who lives in Catlin, has been in the Reserves 10 years and plans to return to his career as a plumber. Sonny of George-town, who joined the Reserves in 2004, will report to Camp Attebury in Indiana on April 16 to train soldiers in combat situations for a year.
A lot of people are so happy the men returned home safely that a homecoming celebration is set for Saturday.
Their mother, Janet Myers of Georgetown, is thrilled to have her sons home.
“The pressure cooker is gone,” she said.
“I missed the comedy between them,” she said, watching the brothers roughhouse with Travis’ son, Sam. “It’s so much fun to watch them and listen to them.”
She and Melissa, Travis’ wife, helped each other get through those long days.
“We reminded each other through faith to be strong,” Myers said. “You have to trust everybody’s prayers were being listened to.”
Melissa, who had her hands full with Sam, almost 3, found it helped to have a routine so she didn’t dwell on her husband’s ab-sence all the time.
The brothers, who graduated from Georgetown-Ridge Farm High School, said they’ve always been close. But their shared experiences and brushes with death have brought them closer.
They also made, and lost, friends during their tour.
“We went over as brothers,” Travis said, “But we came back with a lot more brothers. I’d do anything for my guys.”
The Pearmans were with combat service support units — Travis in plumbing and Sonny in transportation. But that didn’t mean their jobs were safe.
Travis said he had 12 close calls and Sonny, a handful.
“Every time you go in a convoy, you take a chance,” Sonny said. “It’s a matter of timing and place.”
Travis’ platoon was housed in a former agricultural college, and Sonny’s platoon lived in tents with sand floors. Travis had better living conditions, but his area was more dangerous and he often had to engage in firefights with the enemy.
How does it feel to be home?
“It feels great,” Sonny said. Getting behind the wheel of a truck and abiding by the traffic laws is taking some getting used to.
“Over there, we own the roads,” he said. “We can go down the middle of the road.”
Travis appreciates the food at his fingertips, adding, “It’s the little things people take for granted.”
Sonny said everyone should have the chance to experience the conditions overseas. “Cherish the little things you’ve got,” he said, such as running water, electricity and sanitation.
While overseas, the brothers appreciated getting video letters and e-mail from family.
Myers and her daughter-in-law made sure their phone calls with the young men were cheerful.
Melissa said, “They have to be focused on their jobs, so we had to be upbeat.”
The Pearmans are concerned about the American public’s perception of what’s happening in Iraq.
“We’re winning the war every day,” Travis said.
“We’re helping the people. People want us there,” Sonny added.
And even though they’re embarrassed by all the attention they’re getting, both said they appreciate the support.
“It’s awesome people are supporting the soldiers,” Travis said.
Their father is Curt Pearman of Hillsboro, Ind., and they also have a sister, Heather Marrow of Westville.
COMING UP
A homecoming celebration for Staff Sgt. Travis Pearman and Sgt. Sonny Pearman will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at the American Legion post in Georgetown.
