I like the Irish Wolfhounds, Keith. We generally have German Shepherds here, and they aren't all that American. Perhaps Pit Bulls would be more appropriate.

I can't remember the last time I even heard of a homecoming parade for US military returnees. We have 50 states with multiple parts of multiple units in each state. Some go, some come back and if we had a parade every time a unit came home (and didn't ship out again the next day) it would just be parades, all the time. There may be something in a larger city or several when it's all over, but my guess is these guys will be recognized on Veteran's Day or Memorial Day and the end of the war will be celebrated the same way Vietnam was. If we learned anything from that slog down the Big Muddy, we will at least welcome home the individual soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.