Their "welcome home" kiss - captured on the front page of the Fort Riley Post - looks like that of many soldiers' homecoming from Iraq. What makes the moment different for David and Lillian Granados is the fact that Lillian knows the emotions of such events not only from an Army spouse's point of view, but from a soldier's perspective as well.

The Granadoses are both enlisted in the United States Army. David, who grew up in Racine, is a generator mechanic with the 1st Maintenance Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB). Lillian, originally from Arizona, is in the supply division of the 101st Forward Support Battalion (FSB).

The couple met while in basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He was attracted to her determination and "toughness" in the face of adversity, and she appreciated his skills as a listener.

"He was a good person to talk to," Lillian said of her husband. "We were really good friends in basic. If I was having a hard time, he would make me feel better. We talked a lot, and once we finally got together, things got even better."

"She's a hard worker," David said of Lillian. "Whatever needs to be done, she'll do it. And look at her. How could I not be attracted to her?"

Such admiration eventually turned to love and within a couple years, the couple was married. Today, their home base is Fort Riley, Kan. That's where they started their life together and that's where their son, Warren, was born earlier this year. It is also where David first greeted Lillian and Warren when he arrived home from his yearlong tour in Iraq in mid-August. All three of them came to Racine a few weeks later, to visit with family here.

Deep understanding

While here, David, 22, said that spending a year in a war-torn country, apart from his family, was definitely difficult. Even though he and Lillian could communicate fairly often - via internet phones, cell phones and webcams - it was tough to be so far away. David said he is grateful to have been able to come home on temporary leave for Warren's birth in March, but otherwise he could only hear about what was happening back in the states.

"If there are problems at home, it is hard to not to be able to do anything about it."

The fact that Lillian understands Army life, does make things easier, the couple agreed.

"The kind of work I do would be hard to explain to others, but she knows everything I'm talking about," he said.

In simple terms, David works with a variety of equipment from vehicles to power generators and weapons. But, there is so much more to serving in the military and only someone whose been there can fully understand, he said.

While she ended up being stationed in Fort Riley for most of her service, Lillian's unit was scheduled to go to Iraq in January of 2006.

Those orders were canceled, however, before they took off.

Sudden changes in plans are something that you learn to live with in the military, the couple said.

"Where you end up all depends on where they send you," David said.

"We really don't have a lot of say in what happens at this point," added Lillian, 20.

Keeping on

The couple does know, however, that they will be living the military life for at least another five years. While still in Iraq, David re-enlisted until April of 2012. Quite a few of the soldiers in his unit of 300 (all of which returned from Iraq) also re-enlisted, having received bonuses for doing so, he said.

"I like what I do," said David, adding that he is considering pursuing a career in the military. One of his goals is to attend officer's school.

Re-enlisting also seems like the right thing to do for his family, said David.

"I want to be able to take care of my wife and son and the benefits we get are very good."

Lillian, too, chose to remain in the Army when she was given the option of leaving while pregnant with Warren. Eventually she would like to return to school and study photography, and she feels that their next location, in Fort Carson, Colo., will allow both her and David more opportunities. They chose Fort Carson as their new duty station when David re-enlisted.

Meanwhile, the Granados' enjoyed spending some leave time here in Wisconsin in early September. They took in Milwaukee's Indian Summer Festival, the Milwaukee Art Museum and a few other attractions. But mostly they wanted to share time with family, including David's father, a Caledonia resident who is also David Granados. The senior Granados, who is also known by the American Indian name Eight Eagles, said he is very proud of both his son and his daughter-in-law.

"He (his son) comes from a family with a strong history of military personnel," said David's father, who served four years in the U.S. Air Force, including time in Vietnam.

Many members of his family have made successful careers in the military, according to the elder David.

"They served 20 years and then went on to get real good jobs in the private sector."

The younger David said he is also very proud of his work as a soldier in the U.S. Army. He also said he would like to see the troops come home from Iraq.

"I think the Army is doing a good job over there, but I think the troops should have been pulled back long before this. A lot of people over there have been there six or seven times."

That doesn't mean, however, that David wouldn't do what he had to, if he was called to active duty again.

"You just suck it up and drive on."

Military life isn't for everyone, he said.

"It is what you make of it. There are a lot of ups and downs, but there are a lot more ups."