Airman arrives home from Iraq for holiday

Thanksgiving is a time for getting together with loved ones and giving thanks. Two things that the Martin family were able to do Thursday because Andrew Martin made it home from Iraq in time to spend Thanksgiving with his parents, two sisters, grandmother and nieces, as well as the three family dogs.

"We've always been a close-knit family that spends the holidays together," said Andrew's mother, Sheila Martin. "Just being with the family means so much for the holidays. I really have a lot of empathy for those who still have family members over there."

Andrew Martin, 23, joined the Air Force shortly after graduating from Cape Girardeau's Central High School. It was a decision that surprised his mother, who thought her son would attend college.

But Martin was attracted to the financial advantages of entering the military and wanted to work on planes.

After seven months of technical school at Shepard Air Force Base in Texas -- where, as his mother pointed out, Martin graduated first in his class -- Martin was stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base near Warrensburg, Mo., home of the B-2 bomber.

Martin is an electrical systems specialist for the bomber, a job he loves, but one that had nothing to do with assignments in Iraq. He volunteered to go on more than one occasion, although he only did one tour of duty.

"It came down to that they really needed volunteers in January," Martin said. "I had volunteered to go before for a six to eight month period but my position got canceled, so when the rotation came around again I volunteered."

"I just wanted to get over there," Martin said. "This would be the second conflict we've had since I've been in the military and I didn't want to be here for it. I didn't see any reason why I should be hanging out in central Missouri when everybody was over there."

Sheila Martin had feelings of sadness and pride about her son's voluntary service.

"I was very proud of him and I still am," she said. "I have a yellow ribbon on my car that says 'my son, my hero,' and I truly feel that way."

Left in June

Martin left for Iraq in June and was stationed at Kirkuk Air Base as part of the 506th Air Expeditionary Group. He performed security work.

"I don't think there's anyplace in Iraq where a mother could say they weren't concerned for their son's safety," Sheila Martin said. "I'd always held the men and women serving over there in my prayers, but when it's your own son those prayers are a little more heartfelt."

She had reason to be worried. Martin said he was in Iraq for maybe two days before the base was attacked.

"They were always throwing rockets and mortars at us," he said.

"Twice, a rocket landed within 50 yards from us, but they didn't detonate. If they knew what they were doing, we would have been in trouble."

Martin's older sister, Rachel Martin, said she stopped watching the news on television so she would not have to see what her brother might be facing in Iraq.

"I can't imagine having your family or friends over there and not being worried," she said. "I'm just so glad he's home."

The four months he was in Iraq kept Martin away from his family on the Fourth of July and his birthday, times when his mother especially felt his absence.

Even though he had a family back in Missouri who wanted him home, Martin volunteered to stay in Iraq when his group's replacements were not yet ready to be deployed. He said he felt he had more reason to stay because he did not have a spouse and children waiting for him as did some other soldiers.

"I thought it was really respectable of him," Rachel Martin said.

"I wasn't surprised, not considering how Andrew is," Sheila Martin said. "My feeling was, 'I want you home but I respect the fact that you thought there were some that had more reason to go home.' But I told him that the next time your number is up, you're leaving."

Martin's father, Tim Martin, just shook his head when asked about his son's penchant for volunteering.

"I'm really glad he came home," he said.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

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