Marine has grand homecoming

[thedrifter]

Marine has grand homecoming
By KEN VALENTI
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 7, 2003)

YONKERS — Carmen Goldberg couldn't believe it. Her son, Sgt. David Goldberg, was finally home.

"You have no idea," she said yesterday. "I don't even know if I have any breath in me."

The 23-year-old Marine, in dress uniform, stood on the porch with an arm around his mother's shoulder, as the family received a visit from Gov. George Pataki.

"Great to have you home, Dave," the governor told Goldberg on the stone stoop of the family's home at 12 Overcliff St., on a ridge with a view of the Hudson River. "God bless you. We're very proud to have you home."

Goldberg, who serves with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, had returned from the war in Iraq and a debriefing in California. He arrived early yesterday at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Pataki had met Goldberg seven years ago, when Goldberg was on a state champion Roosevelt High School football team that traveled to Albany. Pataki also knows the family. Goldberg's mother is a member of Amigos de Pataki, a Hispanic organization that supported the governor in last year's election, said Harvey Goldberg, the Marine's father.

When they all gathered on the porch yesterday, yellow ribbons decorated the steps and the Marine flag hung below an American flag.

Goldberg returned to the United States two weeks ago, when he arrived at Camp Pendleton in California for debriefing. On June 15, he will return there for more debriefing, and he will leave the Marine Corps on June 26, he said. He plans to take a vacation in Florida, then return to work at the family business, Avet Coach Corp., an ambulette transportation company in Yonkers.

Harvey Goldberg remembered receiving a phone call from his son in Kuwait on March 6 at the Avet office. The war was nearing, but the younger Goldberg was ready for it, his father recalled.

"Dave's a Marine," he said by way of explanation.

For David Goldberg, that last call also meant fresh news from home.

"It felt great," he said. "It was good to hear that everybody was doing great."

During the war, the family dealt with the wrenching uncertainty by constantly watching MSNBC and Fox News and by checking with the Web site of The Baltimore Sun newspaper, which had a reporter embedded with Goldberg's battalion.

"As a parent, even though your son is a Marine and he's over 21 years old, you're always worried and you're always concerned," Harvey Goldberg said.

The calls from friends and family helped — as many as 100 a week — including some from state Sen. Nicholas Spano and Assemblyman Michael Spano, both Republicans from Yonkers.

Carmen Goldberg immersed herself in her volunteer activities as a director of the YMCA and of One Hundred Hispanic Women to feel that she, as well as her son, was sacrificing for others.

During that time, David Goldberg's battalion was pressing into Iraq, through Baghdad and up into Tikrit.

"We were fighting the whole way," he said. "Ambushes during the day, fighting at night."

Two weeks ago, the family gathered in California to meet him when he arrived at Camp Pendleton — his parents; older sisters Nancy of Florida and Mayra of Hollywood, Calif.; twin brother Daniel; younger sister Elena, who lives at home; and David Goldberg's 4-year-old daughter, Amanda. Carmen Goldberg repressed her fear of flying to take the cross-country trip.

They waited at the base for 12 hours before the bus with the returning Marines arrived.

"When we saw that flag come up at 3 o'clock in the morning, we said, 'The boys are home,' " said Carmen Goldberg.

When David Goldberg saw his family — the first time since a Christmastime visit — Amanda had grown bigger.

"She grew a lot," he said. "She could read and write."



Send e-mail to Ken Valenti

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/060703/b01p07homecoming.html


Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[thedrifter]

Lance Cpl. Marcos Seda III
By JANE LERNER
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 15, 2003)

Marcos Seda III telephoned his parents in West Haverstraw last week for the first time since Easter, but didn't give them the news they wanted to hear.

Seda, a lance corporal in the Marine Corps, told his family that he was headed back to Iraq from Kuwait. He wouldn't be coming home just yet.

"I told him to be careful," said his mother, Alexandria Seda.

When he was growing up, Marcos always said he wanted to join the military. In 2001, he graduated from North Rockland High School, where he was on the football team and was a member of the Junior ROTC. He attended Rockland Community College for a semester before deciding to join the Marine Corps.

Seda finished boot camp in September. In January, he called his parents from his base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., to tell them he was being shipped out to the Middle East in 48 hours.

"It broke my heart," Alexandria Seda recalled. "I didn't think he would be leaving that soon."

It was a difficult couple of months for the family as war raged in Iraq.

"I'm still very nervous," Alexandria Seda said.

His absence has been especially hard on his brother, 15-year-old Steven. His father, Marcos Jr., also served in the Marine Corps.

In his calls from the Middle East, Seda hasn't said much about his experiences except that he liked Baghdad and thought the people were friendly.

Seda thinks his unit might be sent home in August, but he is not sure.

"He sees a lot of people leaving," Alexandria Seda said, "and he's anxious for his turn."

When he completes his military service, Marcos Seda wants to pursue a career in law enforcement, his mother said.

"He hopes his experience in the Marines helps him," she said.



Send e-mail to Jane Lerner

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/061503/a1215farseda.html


Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[thedrifter]

Pvt. 1st Class Thomas Greeley
By KARI NEERING
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 8, 2003)

June promises to be a monumental month for Daniel and Laureen Greeley.

The couple will celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary, welcome their first grandchild into the world, see their son graduate from advanced military training and welcome their other son back from the Middle East.

Pfc. Thomas Greeley has been in the Middle East since January, serving with the Marine Corps Combat Engineering Group. He called home Wednesday and, to his parents' surprise, had just gotten back to the States.

"June is going to be a good month for us," Daniel Greeley said. Thomas Greeley called his parents from his base in North Carolina.

His father said he hoped Thomas would be released by the end of the month, but there was a possibility he could come home next weekend.

But first Thomas Greeley will be debriefed at his base, then have both a physical and a mental checkup. Daniel Greeley said he was worried about the psychological ramifications the war could have had on his son.

"You get people that are kind to people all their lives, and all of a sudden, they're out there on the war front," he said. "It's not the best thing in the world. I'm sure he grew up quite a bit."

Daniel Greeley said his son, a volunteer Suffern firefighter, knew he belonged in the Marine Corps. One of Thomas' uncles is a retired colonel, two other uncles are retired sergeants and his older brother, Daniel Jr., also is a Marine.

Thomas Greeley told his family that people in the Mideast were friendly and happy the American troops were there. He said he had seen a lot of action, but was vague about the details in the few times he called.

As a combat engineer, Thomas Greeley took care of "blowing things up and building things," Daniel Greeley said. He said he couldn't wait to see his son in person and ask how the experience changed him.

"That's what he wanted to do," he said of Thomas' decision to be a Marine. "He's action-oriented. Let's put it that way."

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/060803/a1008fargreeley.html


Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[thedrifter]

Staff Sgt. George Albero
By ANDREA RUBIN
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 2, 2003)

Since he left for Iraq in January, George Albero's family has made sure the Marine has gotten plenty of reminders of home.

"We just kept sending him care packages over there. He said the socks and shoes were getting worn, and he needed underwear. We sent stuff like that," said Albero's sister, Lisa. "We sent crackers — anything that was nonperishable — and newspaper clippings with the Yankees. He's a big sports fan."

Albero, 37, returned to the United States last week — North Carolina, to be exact. His sister said the family was able to visit with him briefly and were relieved to see how good he looked.

"It was definitely very exciting. He lost a lot of weight, he was tan and healthy. He looked good," Lisa Albero said. "He said it was hard because a lot of the guys were still over there."

Things were difficult for Albero's family while he was in Iraq. Since he left for the Middle East, Albero's mother, Gladys, looked for her son in every news story she saw about the war.

"My mother stayed in her room with the TV every day. She would swear that she saw him," Lisa Albero said. "We showed him all the things and it wasn't him."

His mother was able to speak to Albero, who speaks Arabic and was used as a translator, a few times during the war.

"They were very short conversations. You could tell he was in a bunker somewhere," his sister said. "It was basically so he could say 'I'm OK.' "

Though they heard from him sporadically, the family continued to miss him and wait for his return.

Albero's younger brother, Tony, was so proud of his sibling that he wrote a poem about his service. The poem called George Albero "my hero."

Gladys Albero placed yellow ribbons on trees outside the family's home. Lisa Albero said the family was constantly worried they would receive bad news.

"It was basically every day hoping you didn't hear his battalion or his name" on television reports, she said. "Or that there would be someone walking to your front door."

When soldiers are killed in action, officials from the military personally visit the family to give them the news.

Since enlisting in the Marine Corps about nine years ago, Albero has matured, his sister said.

"He's definitely changed a lot since going in the Marines — for the better," she said. "He's very funny. He has an awesome sense of humor.

"One of his servicemen wrote my mom a letter saying what a pleasure it was to serve with him."

Albero also is extremely intelligent, she said.

"We always tell him, 'Why don't you go on Jeopardy?' " she said.



Send e-mail to Andrea Rubin

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/060203/a0402faralbero.html


Sempers,

Roger
:marine: