Perhaps the folks at The Atlantic should have considered a move further north.

To Bangor, Maine.

Now, I'll concede that I've been something less than impressed with Bangor each time I've been there, each time on the way to somewhere else (like the far-more-fashionable Bar Harbor, where we catch the Cat to Nova Scotia).

D.C. it . . . isn't.

But then, D.C. doesn't offer this, either, I suspect:

BANGOR, Maine Tired and bleary-eyed, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, based at Twentynine Palms, Calif., were finally back on U.S. soil after seven months on the front lines in Iraq.

But they were still many miles and hours from their families and the homecoming they longed for. Their officers told them they would be on the ground for 60 to 90 minutes while their chartered plane was refueled.

So they disembarked and began walking through the airport terminal corridor to a small waiting room.

That's when they heard the applause.

Lining the hall and clapping were dozens of Bangor residents who have set a daunting task for themselves: They want every Marine, soldier, sailor and airman returning through the tiny international airport here to get a hero's welcome.

Even if the planes arrive in the middle of the night or a blizzard, they are there.

Composed mostly from the generation that served in World War II and Korea, they call themselves the Maine Troop Greeters. They have met every flight bringing troops home from Iraq for nearly two years � more than 1,000 flights and nearly 200,000 troops . . . .

Having lived through a time when returning military personnel were reportedly reviled in airports by their civilian counterparts, and sometimes spit upon, or held up as objects of ridicule - or far worse - I like this report of homecoming ever-so-much better.

To the point where I cannot read it aloud to TLOML without having my throat constrict, my words trailing off, in sheer admiration for the spirit of those returning . . .

And those who understand the importance of making them feel at home again in the land they have more than proven they love.

Not much status in Bangor.

But obviously no shortage of good people.

Update:

But there may be a shortage of resources:

Since 1991 and the Gulf War, the primary goal of the Maine Troop Greeters has been to meet and greet each and every military man and woman passing through the Bangor International Airport in Bangor, Maine. The Troop Greeters are an informal group of veterans and civilians dedicated to showing our troops our deepest appreciation and total support for the sacrifice they and their families have made.

They've done a wonderful job, and we can't express enough our gratitude toward them. But now they need some help:

Our web site needs your help. Hardware disasters are preventing us from processing and uploading pictures to our site. We are looking for a corporate sponsor to help get us back on line. In return, we can only offer our eternal thanks and an explanation of your generosity on our thank you page, plus an updated website! If you feel you can help, please use our website email to let us know how to contact you.

The information comes from Mudville Gazette, which passes the request along.

So now it's our turn.

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