The Pease Greeters began in 2005 when a small group of Portsmouth citizens gathered at the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease to welcome troops returning from overseas. This local response to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan evolved into a certified non-profit committed to ensuring all troops who fly through Portsmouth receive a sendoff or homecoming.

The original Pease Greeters included members of Seacoast Detachment #394 Marine Corps League and staff at Pease International Tradeport, including: Edmund Johnson, group co-chair and Korean War veteran; Chuck Cove, co-chair and Vietnam War veteran; Charlie Nichols, a World War II veteran; Hank Page, group chaplain and Korean War veteran; Alan Weston, air terminal maintenance manager; and Bill Hopper, air terminal manager.