Military homecomings are a familiar sight in Hampton Roads, especially following the return of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to Naval Station Norfolk this weekend.
But for one Norfolk sailor, the reunion with his family came with flashing lights, sirens and a surprise his two young daughters will likely never forget.
Damage Controlman 2nd Class Jeffery Zimmerman, who serves aboard the USS Mahan (DDG-72), returned home Sunday after nearly 11 months deployed with the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. Instead of a traditional pier-side reunion, Zimmerman partnered with Norfolk Fire-Rescue Station 14 to create a special neighborhood homecoming for his children…