It’s always a heart warming moment when a soldier returns from a long tour of duty overseas, but Friday one local soldier had the red carpet rolled out for her, literally.

David Elliot spared no expense to surprise his fiancé with a big homecoming.

“I didn’t get much sleep so it was like Christmas Eve when you’re waiting for presents the next day and you’re anticipating it for the whole month so yeah I was nervous like a little kid” said David Elliot.

While several members of Warriors Watch Riders with flags in hand wait patiently for Sgt. Shannon Bruce to step off the plane, several of Bruce’s fellow Airmen arrived, as well as the Panama City Beach Mayor, Gayle Oberst to join Elliot in welcoming Bruce home.

As Sgt. Bruce appeared in the distance, the red carpet was rolled out to welcome the 18 year veteran soldier home from Doha, Qatar. Sgt. Bruce left for deployment in August. As a defense paralegal, she helped provide defense services to 30,000 Airmen in the Middle East. Now stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Bruce is glad to be home.

“I was very homesick, but I knew I was coming home to a good man. I think one of the most difficult things was since we’re planning wedding and trying to plan it from a distance” said Sgt. Shannon Bruce, Technical Sergeant U.S. Air Force.

With more surprises coming her way, Bruce was ecstatic to see their dog, Shilo and treated to a limousine ride home, escorted by Warriors Watch Riders.

David Elliot and Sgt. Shannon Bruce have set their wedding date for May 12, 2012.