JONESVILLE &045;&045; Susan Bean’s bumper sticker put into words the hard times many of the families have had since the 1087thTransportation Company left for Iraq.

&uot;This guard family is Enduring for your Freedom,&uot; the sticker read.

The official word on the arrival date of the 1087th Transportation Company came Tuesday and the supporters are wasting no time getting ready.

Wednesday night vehicles with blue and white car flags for the 1087th on the windows lined the shoulders and business parking lots of U.S. 84 in Jonesville but none of them had occupants.

That is because all of the owners were working the streets, putting up flags, yellow ribbons and pictures of each of the Jonesville detachment for the homecoming celebration.

As the decorating was underway, the gloomy emotions of the past months gave way to smiles and hopes to see the troops soon.

The troops are expected to arrive at England Airport in Alexandria at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon. After arrival, they will head to Fort Polk, get a 24-hour leave and then go through outprocessing.

That will take anywhere from four to six days, according to the 1087th spokesman Lt. Michael Stevens.

The family support group has been anticipating these days for weeks and has been making posters and getting arrangements for their welcome home celebration.

They will put up posters all the way from the Louisiana 28 junction with U.S. 84 to Jonesville. The group said they want all community members to line the streets for the parade the day the soldiers come home, which will be sometime next week.

After the parade, they will have a reception at the Jonesville Armory.

&uot;They’re heroes. They’re the VIPs,&uot; said Susan Bean, whose son, Scott, is in the 1087th.

The family support group is ready to roll out the red carpet, literally, for the heroes welcome home. Teresa Coplen said she ordered a 100 foot red carpet for the troops to walk out on. &uot;They’ve been gone for so long, they need a heroes welcome and the red carpet rolled out,&uot; Coplen said.

Not only will balloons, posters and many decorations be waiting, but so will the families that have not seen their soldiers in months, some not since their departure Feb. 9, 2003.