MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz., -- A group of 23 Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 Marines returned home to family and friends Aug. 4 in the courtyard of Barracks 662.
The Marines arrived after a seven-month deployment to Al Asad, Iraq, attached to MALS-16 (reinforced).
The Marines supported MALS-16 in ordnance, supply, setting up forward operating bases and other capacities, for which several MALS-13 Marines received awards.
Sgt. Paul Bolan, MALS-13 supply accounting supervisor, received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for running the forward operating base in Al Qaim, Iraq.
“It was hard when I first arrived because no one else was out there and I was in charge of setting up a detachment for a squadron that consisted of five AH-1W Super Cobras and UH-1N Huey helicopters,” said Bolan, a native of Houston. “But that’s why I enlisted in the Marine Corps.”
Bolan did an outstanding job taking charge and running the base, said 1st Lt. Jeff Holcomb, MALS-13 supply response division officer and native of Detroit. He was only one example of the many Marines who went above and beyond the call of duty to accomplish the mission.
“The Marines really conducted themselves in a very professional manner,” said Holcomb, who also received an achievement medal for his leadership. “Every day that I saw them, they kept their spirits up and performed well under the harsh conditions,” Seeing the families, waiting and eager to embrace their Marines, really made all the struggle and hardship worth it, said Holcomb.
The Marines were met by Lt. Col. Joseph H. Knapp, MALS-13 commanding officer, and Maj. Nicholas L. Knight, MALS-13 executive officer, who gave each Marine a firm handshake upon exiting the bus. Knapp told the Marines they had done an outstanding job in Iraq and dismissed them on a 96-hour weekend. He also told the Marines that, on their return from liberty, they would have a spot in the newly constructed barracks adjacent to the station education center.
The Marines arrived to the smiles, applause and tears of dozens of family members, friends and fellow Marines.
The families were playing the waiting game for most of the day, said Sallie Anderson, Key Volunteer Network coordinator for MALS-13. They were told the Marines were arriving in the morning, but the time kept getting pushed back.
The suspense was building up, so it made everybody that much more excited and emotional, said Anderson.
“I was so anxious and nervous,” said Elizabeth Aguirre, wife to Cpl. Ernie Aguirre, a native of Olmito, Texas.
It’s been so hard since he left, said Elizabeth. The lack of communication -- hearing from him only once in a while -- has been the toughest part.
“We’ve been apart more than we’ve been together because of boot camp, Marine Combat Training and the deployment,” she said.
But now he’s here and the family is back together again, said Elizabeth. In fact, his son Nathan, 2, hasn’t stopped asking for him since he was told his father was coming back.
The Aguirre’s situation reflects the feelings of all the Marines who returned home.
They are just glad to be back home.
It feels great to be home surrounded by family and friends, said 2nd Lt. Randolph Chase.
“I’m just glad it’s over with,” said Chase, a native of Johnston, Pa. “Now I can sit down with my son and wife and just spend time with them.”
The second wave of MALS-13 Marines is expected to return from deployment in January.