DADDY'S BACK FROM IRAQ RESERVISTS RETURN; TEARS FLOW.

Byline: Jennifer Radcliffe Staff Writer

Tears streamed down Maj. Lorenzo Daniels' face Thursday as he embraced his wife and saw how his two children had grown since he went off to the war nearly a year ago.

``See how big they got? They grew tremendously,'' said Daniels.

``It was pretty emotional - and I'm pretty tough,'' said his wife, Mylene. ``I haven't had a day off since he's been gone. It's very hard being a single mom.''

Veterans Day was homecoming Day for Daniels, a Riverside resident, and 38 other members of the 20th Mobile Command Battalion, who left for active duty in January and served in a support capacity in Iraq and Kuwait.

Strangers who witnessed their LAX homecoming burst into spontaneous applause for the uniformed Army reservists, while their family and friends - given just 18 hours' notice of their return - broke into tears.

``It makes us think of all the other wars and all the other soldiers. And, of course, all of the soldiers that haven't come back,'' said Robin Lefkovits, 49, of Camarillo, there to meet longtime friend Maj. Kathleen McDonald of Thousand Oaks.

``I never expected all of this,'' said Maj. Darlene Pellatier of Reseda, tears streaming down her face as she embraced friends in front of dozens of flashing cameras. ``I feel like a movie star, but the nice thing about this is, it's genuine.''

The reserves helped move crucial supplies, equipment and troops to front lines in the war.

The soldiers said they're eager to catch up with their families, hit the golf course and enjoy home-cooked meals now that they're back in Southern California.

``I've been waiting a long time for some homemade gorditas,'' said Liliana Ramosperez, a 24-year-old reservist from Van Nuys, eyeing her mother hopefully.

Specialist Vicki Villalobos, a 49-year-old from West Los Angeles, said the soldiers now face the difficult task of transitioning back into their normal lives.

``The American people don't realize the sacrifice (soldiers) make, and I'm not just talking about the major life events,'' she said. ``It's the routine. It's that sense of stability and home that they miss.''

Family members must understand that soldiers' entire perspectives could have changed, she said. Things that were once important or difficult, such as paying bills or doing job-related paperwork, just aren't as tough anymore, she said.

``Let them talk about what they experienced and be forgiving during that period of adjusting. That support would be so welcoming,'' Villalobos said. ``If the civilian could just say 'thank you' more to those of us in uniform, it would just mean so much.''

Jennifer Radcliffe, [phone]

jennifer.radcliffe(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Tears run down the face of Maj. Lorenzo Daniels as he's welcomed home by his daughter Sienna on his arrival at LAX on Thursday.

(2 -- color) Master Sgt. Nemi Mosquera holds his grandson, Dennis Sotomayor, 2, who was at LAX to greet him after his return from Iraq.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Lt. Col. Richard Wandke salutes during a wreath-laying ceremony including JROTC members from the Coast Guard. For more, see Pages 3, 10.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer