For Ricardo Vargas, coming home to his wife and three daughters Thursday meant the beginning of a new chapter.

“It’s very exciting,” he said. “I don’t have to break their heart again and say I’m leaving.”

Vargas, of West Chicago, was deployed to Guantanamo Bay in early 2015. He was stationed there as a military police officer for the Army for about a year before he injured his knee and was sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for rehabilitation.

On Thursday, Vargas surprised his daughters at home. A few hours later, his wife, Nicole, surprised him with a trip to West Chicago VFW Post 6791.

When they arrived, about 40 family members, friends, city officials, firefighters, police officers and veterans were gathered to greet Vargas with a warm welcome and thank him for his service. They formed two lines with more than a dozen American flags and yelled, “Welcome home!” as a stunned Vargas walked through the doors.

“I excepted to just hang out with the family, unpack a little bit, and they were like, ‘Oh, let’s go out to eat!’ and they brought me here,” he said. “I literally don’t know what to say or how to react, I’m just thankful for everybody that showed up and supported me.”

The idea for the surprise stemmed from Gary Elementary School, where Vargas’ oldest daughter is a first-grader. One of her teachers, Irene Panson, asked Nicole if she would like her husband to be greeted by members of the American Veterans Motorcycle Riders Association and the Warriors’ Watch, two groups that attend homecomings, funerals and other events to honor military members.

Panson’s husband, Craig, took the reins and arranged for people from both organizations to be present Thursday. Vargas was presented with some tokens of appreciation from both groups, including a string of red, white, blue, gold and black beads representing the U.S., Gold Star families and all POWs and MIAs. “It’s important to give our guys and gals the welcome home they deserve,” Craig Panson said.

A medical discharge concluded Vargas’ 10-year military career, which included active duty in Cuba and a long period of service in the Army Reserves.

Vargas said he is still thinking about what to do next, now that he’s home for good. In the past year, he has been home only twice, and his visits were quick, lasting just a few days.

“It’s been really difficult without him,” Nicole said. “Every time he comes the kids are joyous and every time he leaves the kids are a mess again and you have to pick them up. It’s hard.”

To have him home, especially in time for the holidays, she said, “feels like a tremendous blessing.”