Broken Arrow Marines, back from Iraq, trying to get their lives back to normal

A group of US Marines is now back on Sooner soil. They're members of an anti-tank section based in Broken Arrow. After months in Iraq, they're now working to get their lives back to normal. News

Thursday, August 14th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A group of US Marines is now back on Sooner soil. They're members of an anti-tank section based in Broken Arrow. After months in Iraq, they're now working to get their lives back to normal. News on 6 anchor Craig Day explains.

"These are some of the pictures taken over in Iraq." Just two years out of Union High School, Matt Gray found himself in Iraq. Heâ€™s now a Lance Corporal in the 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines. "I think a lot of people matured and maybe found themselves over there."

Gray says he'll never forget the mission, the men he served with, the faces of children who now can hope for freedom. "The little kids are real sweet there. They are really nice."

Gray is one of 15 US Marines out of Broken Arrow who are now home after a six-month mobilization. "We feel like we've accomplished something, whether it was from arresting terrorists or some of the Fedyeen people or handing out food to the kids there it was great."

Some in Matt's unit will return to the Broken Arrow Reserve Center to work for a while. Others will begin their transition back to civilian life by returning to their old jobs or to school. The reserve center offers assistance to help make that transition easier. It's called demobilization processing.

As that process continues. Matt Gray will spend time with his family. He's thankful he and his fellow marines made it home safely. "We feel real close. We do. We feel really, really close." Matt says he'll enjoy seeing his friends and family. He'll take some time off and hopefully get back to college for the spring semester.

Matt and his fellow Marines have a great deal of pride in their mission in Iraq.