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thedrifter
04-23-09, 06:41 AM
2/9 home after 229 days
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April 22, 2009 - 8:26 PM
JENNIFER HLAD

Roughly two hours after the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, were supposed to return from a seven-month deployment to Iraq, the men marched in front of their families and stood in formation.

It was too much for Jaquita Young and two other loved ones to take.

"Enough!" they shouted, lamenting the extra minutes they had to wait before being reunited with their Marines and sailors.

Finally, with an "Ooh-Rah," the men were released to their cheering families.

Cydney Lujan said she was a little scared as she waited for her husband, Cpl. Max Lujan, to return.

"It's a little nerve-wracking," she said.

But she was excited he was finally coming home.

"Just actually getting to see him and be able to physically touch him," she said. "I haven't been able to do that for 229 days. Yes, I'm counting."

During the unit's time in Ramadi, they primarily worked with the local police, helping them build their self-sufficiency, said Lt. Col. Thad Trapp, commanding officer of 2/9.

The unit was there during the elections, and saw a transfer of authority of security to the Iraqi army and police, Trapp said. The Marines also were able to pull back from several positions inside the city because Iraqi forces were in control.

And most importantly, Trapp said, "We brought everyone back that we took with us."

Seaman Stetson Randolph, a corpsman with 2/9, echoed the sentiment.

Though the deployment was rough at times, he said, he was happy that all of his Marines came home safe.

Young, his girlfriend, said she was glad it was "a boring deployment."

The deployment was the third for Cpl. Jacob Schwarck, said his wife, Jennifer Schwarck.

The couple's two little girls, 2-year-old Bridget and 3-year-old Breanna, wore dresses made with digital desert camouflage and pale pink fabric, with a pink "Schwarck" nametape across the front.

Jennifer Schwarck said the third deployment was "pretty much the same" as the first two, but still difficult.

"He misses the holidays, the birthdays, everything. That's hard," she said.

While Bridget didn't really understand the concept of deployment, "it was hard for my oldest when he left," Schwarck said. "It took her a few weeks to get used to it."

Sgt. Garrett Misener said he is already looking forward to his fifth deployment, which he hopes will be to Afghanistan.

Misener said he has seen some major changes in Iraq over the course of his deployments, evidenced by the Marines' ability to travel across the country by ground during this tour, which would not have been safe before. And along the roadways, he said, the checkpoints are now armed by Iraqi forces, rather than U.S. troops.

Trapp, who had deployed to Iraq twice before, said he also has seen substantial changes. In the city, there is increased commerce, a strengthened economy, and increased confidence among the Iraqi people to move around, he said.

But the main thing that struck Trapp, he said, was the professionalism of the Iraqi forces.



Contact interactive content editor and military reporter Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8467.

Ellie