Reservists return from duty in Iraq

For Marine Reserve Platoon Sgt. Greg Baughman, it was an indoor bathroom.

Chief Warrant Officer Leon Wilcher said it was his feet propped up on a recliner.

And Cpl. Morgan Hallman just wanted to see his 9-month-old son.

All said they had something to look forward to after returning home from duty in Iraq. On Friday, they got a little something more -- an informal homecoming when seven Marine reservists were greeted by an anxious group of friends and family at the reserve center on Central Avenue.

"It feels great just to see my family again," Chief Warrant Officer Wilcher said, as his wife and 10-year-old daughter stood nearby with a handful of balloons. The Marines were gone during the holiday season, he said, "so we missed a lot. It makes you appreciate what you have."

The Marines left for Iraq last summer as part of a maintenance company and spent about seven months in the Al-Anbar area of Iraq, Chief Warrant Officer Wilcher said.

As they pulled into the center, they got ready to snack on hot dogs and hamburgers prepared by the Marine Corps League of North Augusta.

Commandant Leonard Palguta, who served during peacetime in the mid-1950s, said it's important for the "old guys" to show their support for the young ones.

"We're all brothers -- whether you're 18 or 88 -- you're a Marine forever."

Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.