The beleaguered aircraft carrier with about 5,000 personnel docked in San Diego, after its prolonged deployment in the Middle East prompted concerns about dwindling food supplies and low morale.

For service members like Brent Ledbetter, the return stateside means something extra special: He is meeting his 10-month-old son for the first time. “I just want to hold him, play with him,” Ledbetter told NBC News. Among the sailors and Marines, there are more than 50 babies waiting for a parent’s return.

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