COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A Colorado service member just returned home Friday afternoon after a six-month deployment overseas. But, when he got off a United Airlines flight in Colorado Springs, he got a nasty surprise.

David Harris said when he retrieved his bag it was wet and smelled terrible. He says someone at baggage claim told him it was from a lavatory leak on the plane.

“I just got back from deployment. My whole life for six months is in that bag. My uniforms are in there, all my workout clothes, gifts for my family, jewelry I had bought for my wife,” Harris told Denver7.

Harris says he called United to complain and was told it might take 8 to 10 weeks to process the claim.

A United Airlines representative sent Denver7 the following statement:

"We have been in touch with the customer to apologize and compensate him for the damage to his bags. We are also looking into this situation to further understand what happened."