Surprise Homecoming

Vicki thought she was merely a guest at a military-sponsored event saluting her company, Shangri-La, where she works as a secretary. The company helps the disabled and disadvantaged with living, working, and special needs. Vicki also has a son in the National Guard, which is probably why she got excited when she saw Billy Ray Cyrus, host of 'Surprise Homecoming' (Mondays, 10PM on TLC).

Her son, 20-year-old National Guard Specialist Jesse Caldwell, on the other hand, knew what was about to happen, and was getting anxious. "I'm just getting more excited and more excited," he said. "To be honest, it just seems like it's just taking forever for it to get here." There was a formation of Guardsman standing several yards from Vicki, and Cyrus invited her to give the command to "open ranks."

A marriage proposal often comes at an unexpected moment. This was especially true for Erica Brown on 'Surprise Homecoming' (Mondays, 10PM on TLC), who was invited to throw out the first pitch at a Colorado Springs Sky Sox game, and got a double surprise. Not only was she shocked to discover the catcher was her boyfriend, Sgt. First Class John Blanchard, who had just returned from duty in Afghanistan, but he also had an important question to ask her.

Brown threw out her first pitch, a good toss that made it to the plate, not knowing that her boyfriend was catching. When Sgt. Blanchard caught up the pitch and walked to the mound, removing his catcher's mask, that's when Brown recognized him, and they embraced on the field.

Billy Ray Cyrus welcomed military friends and family to the Denver Zoo on 'Surprise Homecoming' (Mondays, 10PM on TLC), and had an extra surprise for the Lopez family. Showing off a blue macaw, Cyrus said the bird would unravel a banner with a special message. It read "Welcome Home Sgt. First Class Alex Lopez U.S. Army." That was when Sgt. Lopez appeared from behind the exhibit to hug his waiting family.

"The moment I got to hug my family it was just like a wave of emotion going through me," he said. "A big smile, ear to ear. I took them into my arms and they just held me. It was awesome." His wife Angie and his sons Xavier and Nathan, 8 and 6-years-old, respectively, felt a similar surge of emotion. "It was very cool and very awesome at the same time," said Xavier.

Eligia and Tyrone Young had gathered the family together, thinking they were taking a photo to send to their son Timothy, who was serving in the Army in Iraq, on Monday's episode of 'Surprise Homecoming' (Mondays, 10PM on TLC). They hadn't seen Timothy in almost a year, and their other son Terry, was manning the camera, waiting for the right moment to cue Timothy's entrance, who was waiting around the corner.

Everyone was lined up and Eligia put on her brightest smile when Terry stopped and announced that something was missing. That's when Timothy rounded the corner, and Eligia's knees buckled. He went to his mother and said, "I'm home safe, mom." She asked, "It's real?" Timothy confirmed, "It's real."

It's heartbreaking to see kids separated from their parents by military deployment. For 6-year-old Latavia and 8-year-old Lawrence, the experience was especially trying, since their dad, Sgt. Lawrence Lee, is a single parent. Monday on 'Surprise Homecoming' (Mondays, 10PM on TLC), the Lee family had an emotional reunion at church.

Sgt. Lee had been in Iraq on a yearlong deployment, and his kids obviously missed him dearly. On Monday's show, Sgt. Lee waited with a microphone outside the church doors, made his grand entrance singing 'Glory Glory, Hallelujah' (or 'Battle Hymn of the Republic').

Grab the tissues because Billy Ray Cyrus is turning the tables on a very unsuspecting solider on 'Surprise Homecoming' (Mon., July 18 at 10PM on TLC).

In the preview clip below, Captain Philip Crabtree gets a one of a kind surprise: Meeting his daughter ... for the first time.

Yes, Captain Crabtree has never met little Molly. When he does, she's all smiles ... and so are we.

TLC's new series 'Surprise Homecoming' is designed to tug on your heart strings. In fact, it's most surprising that they're not doling out tissue boxes with each promo for the series, since it's ready-made for tears.

The show follows American soldiers stationed abroad as they surprise their loved ones by returning to their hometowns unannounced, with the help of Billy Ray Cyrus. In AOL TV's exclusive clip from Monday's series premiere, watch Staff Sergeant Jonathan Bentley talk about why he's excited to surprise his wife, Erica, and meet his newborn son, Roman, for the first time.

You won't need your tissues for this clip, but you'll certainly need to stock up before the 'Surprise Homecoming' series premiere on Mon., July 11 at 10PM on TLC.

We live in a country and a time where stories of war and fallen soldiers are a regular thing on the nightly news. Sadly, the most uplifting stories are few and far between on TV.

TLC's 'Surprise Homecoming,' which premieres with a special sneak peek on Memorial Day (Mon., May 30, 10PM ET; the series officially premieres Mon., July 11, 10PM ET), aims to change that. The show reunites military men and women with their loved ones when they return from serving time overseas. Hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus, it gives viewers an inside look at what it's really like to be away from your life for so long, and how emotional it can be to come back.



Each hour-long episode will feature three different surprise homecomings, as well as some personal home videos. In Monday's sneak peek, we'll see a soldier making it home just in time to celebrate a special day for his wife, and a surprise that prompts Cyrus to go undercover to help make it happen.