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thedrifter
10-09-07, 07:14 AM
October 9, 2007

Prattville Marine relishes trip home

By Marty Roney

PRATTVILLE -- When Doug Jackson returned home after a seven-month tour in Iraq, the first thing the Marine rifleman wanted to do was ride around in his 1991 GMC pickup -- with the windows rolled down and the music cranked.

Jackson got his wish Thursday, his first day back in town. And the 22-year-old lance corporal has until this weekend to go cruising, listening to country and old rock 'n' roll. Then he returns to Camp Lejuene, N.C., to train for another deployment overseas.

"It has a loud stereo," Jackson said of his beloved truck, breaking into a grin.

Driving again in America -- even riding around again -- took some getting used to. Jackson and other members of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines drove HumVees on their patrols of Ar-Rutbah, a small town in western Al Anbar province, and the surrounding areas. They also manned checkpoints.

"Over there, we're the biggest thing on the road," he said. "You don't allow another vehicle to get close to you. You go where you want to; you stop traffic when you need to stop traffic."

On Labor Day, Jackson was among several hundred service members who received a visit from President Bush.

Jackson and his fellow unit members knew something special was planned when they were told to assemble without their rifles. They expected to hear from Marine Gen. Peter Pace, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but had no idea what else was in store.

"You have your weapon with you 24/7, that's just a given," he said. "But it was like a rock concert, someone bigger was always coming to the stage. Gen. Pace introduced Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, then Secretary of State (Condoleezza) Rice came on stage. The only person that could outrank this group was the commander in chief."

Jackson got close to Bush but not close enough to shake his hand.

"It meant a lot for the president to visit us," he said. "When he first came on stage, it was like everybody was wondering if it was really him. Then the room went nuts."

Back home, dad Bryan and mom Denise scoured news footage of the presidential visit.

"We knew Doug was somewhere nearby and felt he may have been there," Bryan Jackson said.

"It was hard to find him because from the back Marines look all the same."

The younger Jackson has at least one more thing to do before rejoining his unit: Sit down with his loved ones at Fat Boy's Bar-B-Q Ranch. The meal has become a family tradition when he's home on leave.

Jackson has two more years to serve, then plans on leaving the service.

"We have training, then we will likely be back in Iraq in another six or seven months," he said. "Serving my country is what I want to do. It's why I became a Marine."

Ellie