In front of large crowd of grateful Casper residents, area school children, military veterans, members of the Patriot Guard Riders motorcycle group, friends and family, a Casper man who served in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army was given a proper welcome back home.

Spc. Colton Sasser was given a hero’s welcome at the Casper-Natrona County International Airport Monday.

Sasser says he’s happy to be back.

"I was proud to serve the United States, but, coming back to Wyoming - I mean, we take care of our own, and there's no other place like it in the United States," Sasser said. "To be respected by my home city and state, you know, that's all I could ever ask for."

Sasser served in Afghanistan with the Army’s 4th Infantry Division. He was injured while behind the wheel of an armored vehicle after hitting a 200-pound improvised explosive device. Sasser, along with another individual in the vehicle, suffered severe injuries, while Sasser’s squad leader died in the blast.

Sasser says he was overwhelmed by the community’s support.

"To everyone that has shown me support, I would just like to send my thanks to them," Sasser said. "We still have troops that are overseas, and, if every troop could get something like this, it'd be great."

Prior to his return to Casper, Sasser had been rehabbing his injured legs and back at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., and at another hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

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