1/3 back from what may be final Iraq tour

[unhappycamper]

Three-year-old Marcus concentrates on his juice next to dad's backpack. Lt. Col. Andy Milburn was also welcomed home from Iraq by his wife, Jessica, and 1-year-old daughter, Sophia.


1/3 back from what may be final Iraq tour
By William Cole - Honolulu Advertiser
Posted : Thursday Mar 5, 2009 16:15:06 EST

KANEOHE BAY — The Hawaii Marines of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment fought door-to-door through Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2004, and then lost 27 from their ranks in a helicopter crash in the western desert two months later.

Yesterday, as the last returning group of 350 Marines filed off a chartered DC-10 following the 1,000-member unit’s latest seven-month deployment to Karmah, east of Fallujah, there was the sense — and a feeling of relief — that the door is perhaps closing on at least one combat zone.

President Obama last month announced that most U.S. troops will be pulled out of Iraq by August 2010, with 35,000 to 50,000 remaining to train and assist Iraqis through 2011.

Another battalion of 1,000 Hawaii Marines and sailors is preparing to head to Iraq within the month — this time to Al Asad air base — but future deployments are likely to be to Afghanistan, officials said.

“It’s six years since I first went to Iraq — almost to the day,” said Lt. Col. Andy Milburn, who commands the 1/3 Marines. “I know a lot of other Marines feel the same — I feel as though we’re leaving on a good note. It’s not propaganda. You have to go out there and see what the Iraqi security forces are doing. Everything that we’ve been doing, they are now capable of doing.”


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/03/gns_hawaii_marines_030509/%2e