thedrifter
10-15-05, 06:54 AM
Stateside Marines: sleeping late, shoulder rides for the kids
CLEVELAND -- Marines from a battalion that lost 48 members in Iraq spent their first week home sleeping late, relaxing, reconnecting with relatives and friends and rediscovering the simple joys of life away from combat.
"It's great. Last week I just relaxed and caught up with the family, taking care of my son and getting back to normal life by being a father," said Gunnery Sgt. Paul Singer, 37, a Rochester, N.Y., firefighter.
Singer's son, Logan, underscored his father's stateside role by riding on his shoulders Friday afternoon as the 160 Marine reservists of Headquarters and Service Company of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines left a homecoming celebration at a convention center.
It was the second homecoming for the Marines of the battalion based in nearby Brook Park: more than 5,000 people turned out for a parade last week when the company arrived home from Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Singer, of Fairport, N.Y., a Rochester suburb, soon leaves on a four-day Florida vacation with his son and wife, Marney. They celebrated Logan's fourth birthday together on Monday.
Any problems readjusting to civilian life? "As of now, no, but time will tell," Singer said.
Lance Cpl. Christopher Fulton, 22, of Shreve in Wayne County, said he was getting back to his civilian job as a software programmer and catching up with friends and relatives. "Pretty much gone back to the daily routine," he said in clipped military style.
Lance Cpl. Kyle Wilmouth, 20, of Niles near Youngstown, said sleeping late and awakening to the sound of a peaceful neighborhood had been the highlights of his return.
"It's nice to wake up to the environment we have here and not wake up to the environment we had over there," said Wilmouth.
"It's a good feeling, a good feeling," he said, savoring the thought.
A member of the battalion's Columbus company, Cpl. Robert Dockstader, 34, of Westerville, returned home to a new bride. He signed up for the Marines in March, got married in April and left for Iraq in May.
He said returning home has been great, but he's trying to "relearn" what it's like to relax. He passes time by working out at a gym, watching college football on TV and shopping for groceries with his wife.
It's the little things that Dockstader appreciates _ a real bed, the privacy of a bathroom and cold drinking water. "In the desert, the water is 120 degrees. That doesn't really quench your thirst," Dockstader said.
Lance Cpl. Gabe Gonzalez, 27, also of Westerville, said his friends want to get together for a big party, but he's not ready for that.
"I don't know that I'm ready to answer all their questions," he said. "You know, some of the things we experienced are still touchy subjects, and it's hard to figure out how I want to tell my story."
Part of the story emerged at the Cleveland homecoming ceremony in yellow T-shirts worn by about 20 relatives of Cpl. Jeff Boskovitch, 25, a battalion member from nearby North Royalton who was killed in Iraq. Family members cheered the returned Marines, waving small U.S. flags, but turned aside interview requests to avoid deflecting attention from the celebration.
After the ceremony, a steady stream of Boskovitch's fellow Marines made their way to his family, chatting and sharing hugs.
The T-shirts had Boskovitch's name and the litany: son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend, hero.
The battalion's deaths included 14 Marines killed in back-to-back attacks within a week last summer. Another 150 unit members were wounded. About 1,000 Marines and sailors served with the battalion during its seven-month deployment in Iraq.
Akron, home of the battalion's Weapons Company, also held an official homecoming on Friday. The battalion also has units in Columbus, Buffalo, N.Y., and Moundsville, W.Va.
Associated Press writer Matt Leingang in Columbus contributed to this story.
Elle
CLEVELAND -- Marines from a battalion that lost 48 members in Iraq spent their first week home sleeping late, relaxing, reconnecting with relatives and friends and rediscovering the simple joys of life away from combat.
"It's great. Last week I just relaxed and caught up with the family, taking care of my son and getting back to normal life by being a father," said Gunnery Sgt. Paul Singer, 37, a Rochester, N.Y., firefighter.
Singer's son, Logan, underscored his father's stateside role by riding on his shoulders Friday afternoon as the 160 Marine reservists of Headquarters and Service Company of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines left a homecoming celebration at a convention center.
It was the second homecoming for the Marines of the battalion based in nearby Brook Park: more than 5,000 people turned out for a parade last week when the company arrived home from Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Singer, of Fairport, N.Y., a Rochester suburb, soon leaves on a four-day Florida vacation with his son and wife, Marney. They celebrated Logan's fourth birthday together on Monday.
Any problems readjusting to civilian life? "As of now, no, but time will tell," Singer said.
Lance Cpl. Christopher Fulton, 22, of Shreve in Wayne County, said he was getting back to his civilian job as a software programmer and catching up with friends and relatives. "Pretty much gone back to the daily routine," he said in clipped military style.
Lance Cpl. Kyle Wilmouth, 20, of Niles near Youngstown, said sleeping late and awakening to the sound of a peaceful neighborhood had been the highlights of his return.
"It's nice to wake up to the environment we have here and not wake up to the environment we had over there," said Wilmouth.
"It's a good feeling, a good feeling," he said, savoring the thought.
A member of the battalion's Columbus company, Cpl. Robert Dockstader, 34, of Westerville, returned home to a new bride. He signed up for the Marines in March, got married in April and left for Iraq in May.
He said returning home has been great, but he's trying to "relearn" what it's like to relax. He passes time by working out at a gym, watching college football on TV and shopping for groceries with his wife.
It's the little things that Dockstader appreciates _ a real bed, the privacy of a bathroom and cold drinking water. "In the desert, the water is 120 degrees. That doesn't really quench your thirst," Dockstader said.
Lance Cpl. Gabe Gonzalez, 27, also of Westerville, said his friends want to get together for a big party, but he's not ready for that.
"I don't know that I'm ready to answer all their questions," he said. "You know, some of the things we experienced are still touchy subjects, and it's hard to figure out how I want to tell my story."
Part of the story emerged at the Cleveland homecoming ceremony in yellow T-shirts worn by about 20 relatives of Cpl. Jeff Boskovitch, 25, a battalion member from nearby North Royalton who was killed in Iraq. Family members cheered the returned Marines, waving small U.S. flags, but turned aside interview requests to avoid deflecting attention from the celebration.
After the ceremony, a steady stream of Boskovitch's fellow Marines made their way to his family, chatting and sharing hugs.
The T-shirts had Boskovitch's name and the litany: son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend, hero.
The battalion's deaths included 14 Marines killed in back-to-back attacks within a week last summer. Another 150 unit members were wounded. About 1,000 Marines and sailors served with the battalion during its seven-month deployment in Iraq.
Akron, home of the battalion's Weapons Company, also held an official homecoming on Friday. The battalion also has units in Columbus, Buffalo, N.Y., and Moundsville, W.Va.
Associated Press writer Matt Leingang in Columbus contributed to this story.
Elle