Army soldier returns from boot camp days before Christmas

DAYTON — A United States Army soldier returned home Monday following two months of boot camp to be with his family, just in time for Christmas.

“He’s been gone since October 17,” said Rachel Olinger, the mother of Pvt. Kevin Smithson.  “It’s going to be wonderful,” she added as she waited for her son to exit his plane.

Smithson spent seven weeks training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina.  And now, he’ll be able to spend the holidays with his family, including his 2-year-old daughter.

“I feel complete...extremely happy. I can’t even express,” Smithson’s wife Danielle said.

Smithson arrived back in Dayton around 9 a.m. after getting off his American Airlines flight and was embraced by his family.