The Kirkland Fire Department sounded sirens as the community cheered and waved American flags outside of Army Maj. Michael Tremblay’s home welcoming him back from Iraq last Thursday.

“It feels great. It’s been a long time,” Tremblay said after he stepped out of a limo followed by a Kirkland Police car and into his cul de sac with wife, Christy, and daughters Maizie, 5 and Cienna, 2. Christy had taken her family out for pizza before surprising her husband with the welcome home celebration, organized by the Yellow Ribbon Club, a volunteer group in New Jersey which works to support the troops.

“We’re just happy to have him home,” Christy told several reporters assembled in front of her home. “He’s been gone a long time, so it’s a good homecoming.”

Maj. Tremblay, 37, returned home Wednesday night, after serving a year-long tour of duty in Iraq. A graduate of Western Michigan University’s ROTC program, Tremblay recently received the Bronze Star.

“There’s so many true heroes over there, day in and day out and I don’t think they’re recognized enough,” Tremblay said, adding that his welcome home was “unbelievable.”

To help her daughters remember their father while he was away, Christy had them write letters often and she also put photos of him throughout the house.

Christy’s mother, Denise Michaels, said she is grateful the community stepped up and helped the family while Tremblay was away.

“You just find community in different ways and that has been the strength, just seeing this happen.”

Neighbors, like Mavis and Gordon Montgomery, helped Christy with everything from childcare to yard work. Gordon came over regularly to cut the Tremblay’s lawn.

“I have a lot of compassion for Michael and his wife,” Mavis said, whose 23-year-old son, Austin – a Naval nuclear engineer – left this week for a sixth-month deployment to the Persian Gulf. “It’s hard having a loved one away.”

Local businesses also stepped up to donate services for the celebration, including Brittany Flowers, which provided the yellow ribbons that aligned the Tremblay’s street and front yard.

Family friend Michael Gaskill attending the event with his wife, Lynne, and six children, said he personally doesn’t believe in war. But the Kirkland Congregational Church, which he attends with the Tremblay family, “honors the people who have made the commitment and go over there and fight for our way of life,” Gaskill said, adding when a church member goes off to fight the war in Iraq, the congregation keeps a candle burning on the alter to honor them.

Gaskill also wanted his children to see “a hero who went off and was away from his family for a year,” Gaskill said. “So I want them to experience that and say thanks for protecting our way of life.”

In a few weeks, Tremblay will go to Texas to be an operations officer for the Army. But for now, he will enjoy what time he has with his family.

When asked how she felt to have her dad home, 5-year-old Maizie said “Happy.”