U.S. base in Afghanistan celebrates news

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan ?The mood on a U.S. base in the war zone was celebratory early Monday.

For one soldier, in his first day in the theater, it was a historic day.

Army Maj. Erik S. Archer said he heard the news from the soldier who he's replacing.

"My guy that I'm RIPing in with knocked on my door said, 'Hey, you gotta come see this, the president is announcing that they got bin Laden,' and I didn't believe him at first," Archer said.

"This is my fourth time overseas, and I went and saw the president. And ? it was just goose bumps to see all the people outside the White House clapping and cheering. It's a national moment, I think."

Troops watching the announcement were mesmerized, Archer said.

"What matters the most that someone who did so much damage to the United States 10 years ago is done," he said. "We heard the news on the TV. And everyone in the room, there was silence. It was electrifying that this person that did so much damage and harm to all of us here was finally done, and I think that's the end state and that's what matters."

Another soldier, Spc. William Baxter, a parachute rigger with the 101st Sustainment Brigade, was more succinct with his thoughts.

"OK, he's dead. Can we go home?" he asked.

His thoughts were echoed by Spc. Wesley Gibbs, from Division Signal Co. H&H Battalion.

"I'm happy," Gibbs said. "Maybe this process will go a little bit faster now, and we can all go home to our families."

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