An Oklahoma soldier in Iraq talks with his family back in Tulsa via satellite

One of the soldiers seeing the progress on Iraq's constitution first-hand is from Oklahoma. <br/><br/>Colonel Powl Smith is a native Tulsan, who's almost finished his tour of duty. He's been

Wednesday, July 20th 2005, 12:00 pm

By: News On 6

One of the soldiers seeing the progress on Iraq's constitution first-hand is from Oklahoma.

Colonel Powl Smith is a native Tulsan, who's almost finished his tour of duty. He's been deployed for almost a year and his family can't wait to see him.

News on 6 anchor Terry Hood says Powl Smith just has 14 more days before he comes home, but his family is already having a reunion.

Relatives from all sides of his family got together at the News on 6 Wednesday morning to talk to Powl via satellite. Powl: "How you doing, Mom?" Emily Maddox Sproul: "Oh, just fine and keep the e-mails, coming the three I got this morning were wonderful." Colonel Smith says phone conversations from Iraq are rare, so e-mails really keep him connected to his family.

This isn't the first time Smith's mother has gotten e-mails from a son in combat. Powl's brother Hopper was deployed to Afghanistan in 2003.

The family is proud of their record of service and Colonel Smith says his year in Iraq has been one of his most rewarding. "They are going to make this constitution and they are going to see democracy, and that makes this whole year I spent here worth while."

Colonel Smith says he's ready to come home.