U.S. Marine Welcomed Home To Claremore In Style

By Craig Day, The News On 6

CLAREMORE, OK -- Military homecomings are always special, but one Green Country county tries to make them even more special. They wanted to show their appreciation to hometown sons and daughters who wear our country's uniform.

One of those special homecomings happened for a Marine arriving home from a joint tour of Iraq and Afghanistan.

A Marine coming home to those he loves is just too special and important not to share.

"It feels great to have the backing of my family like this, to have something to come home to. I enjoy it," said Marine Max Burma.

But his homecoming doesn't end at the airport. It continues at the Rogers County line.

"Just a very small token of appreciation we can show these heroes," said Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton.

In Rogers County, all returning military men and women get an escort. Deputies, police, and Blue Star Moms get turn up celebrate.

"The whole city gets involved," said Wanda Inman of the Blue Star Moms.

Lots of folks want to show their appreciation, including Jessie Swinford, U.S. Navy, who got the same type of escort when he returned home a week ago after seven months on a ship off Yemen.

"I got back about midnight, and everyone was here," he said.

"It's an encouragement; it's a morale booster. And it makes you want to keep on, keeping on you know."

Wanda Inman, Blue Star Moms, said she shows up to show support.

"Because we're proud of them, we're proud of our country, and we're proud of our freedoms," she said.

Freedoms protected by Burma, who served a joint tour in Iraq and Afghanistan, and others in uniform.

The escort wound its way through Claremore until Burma was home where friends and family gathered to wrap their arms around his neck and to share in the joy of a happy homecoming.

"I've never seen anything like it," said returning Marine Max Burma. "All the support, I wasn't expecting anything like that. Maybe a few people waving, but all those people showing me that much support and love was amazing."

Burma said first thing he wanted was some good Tex-Mex. They don't get much of that in Iraq and Afghanistan.