With President Obama’s announcement last month that all U.S. Troops will return from Iraq by year’s end, Veterans Day 2011 is especially poignant. No matter what you believe about the war in the Middle East, I believe we can all agree on one thing: we will be happy to see our troops come home.

In 2007, I had the privilege of watching my best friend, Gunnery Sergeant Scott Roxberry walk through the door of his Mayfair home after finishing his tour in Iraq. To say it was one of the happiest memories of my life is an understatement. It was great to see him kiss his Mom Janis and sister Stephanie. They were so proud of him, and so happy to have him home. It was an honor to see Scott hug his daughter Madi and wife Patty. There are very few moments in my life when I felt such relief, such a wave of joy.

I sat down with Scott recently to talk to him about his history and career with the U.S. Marine Corps. I wanted to honor him in some way for what he has done for this country. I have known Scott since our Kindergarten days at Holy Name. As long as I can remember, he has been fascinated by the Corps. Even when we were kids playing with our G.I. Joe action figures, Scott always had to be “Gung Ho”, the Marine with the big USMC tattoo on his chest.

I think the reason for his fascination went back even further than G.I. Joe toys though. Scott’s Dad, George, was a Staff Sergeant from 1968 to 1978. Both Scott and his older brother Mark were both born on base in Cherry Point, North Carolina. George was a proud Marine, one of those dads who always seemed larger than life when we were kids. Scott always admired and respected the Corps because of his father.

In October 1994, George Roxberry passed away suddenly, shocking the family. Scott was blindsided, traumatized. In spite of his grief, Roxberry had a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. Patty was pregnant at the time with Madelyne, who was born in December 1994.

Once Madi had grown through her toddler years, Scott started to seriously consider joining the military. Due to his father’s influence, there was no question that it would be the Marine Corps. In 1998, Scott enlisted in the Marine Corps as a reservist. He often told me he would have liked to enlist as active, but he could not bring himself to take that time away from his daughter and family. “I wanted to do something with my life that my daughter could be proud of,” said Roxberry, “That’s the main reason I joined the Marine Corps.”

Over the years, Scott has worked very hard, taking his job as a Marine very seriously. He has served his country well, and the Corps has helped him in countless ways. Roxberry received Communications Training, and it has benefited him greatly. He is currently the Radio Chief at HQ 3/14 in Bristol, PA. Coincidentally, he also works down the road full-time at IMET Corporation. IMET is a product development company that specializes in industrial design, electrical and mechanical engineering, and prototyping. Scott works as the Production Manager, taking charge of the day-to-day operations at the shop. He credits the Marine Corps for the position he is in, saying it gave him not only technical expertise, but qualities like confidence, management skills, and leadership.

When Roxberry was serving his tour in Iraq, he was selected for promotion to Staff Sergeant for the work he put in with the P.T.T. (Police Transition Team) in the city of Al-Baghdadi. The P.T.T. trained Iraqi Police, provided security for contractors, and made sure supplies were properly delivered to police.

Scott said that his time in Iraq was an eye-opening experience. He said, “It’s one thing when you see these places on T.V. You only get a snapshot. But knowing and seeing it every day gives you a whole different perspective.” He told me he was surprised by the differences in cultures. He also expressed a great sadness for many of the poverty-stricken Iraqi children he met. “So many of these kids didn’t have shoes,” Scott recalled, “It made me really appreciate our country and what we have.”

Roxberry also had fond memories of his time in Iraq. He reminisced about a child named Omar who had a badly infected hand that had swollen up to an alarming size. Scott and his Corpsman helped drain and mend the child’s wound. They then got the boy proper medical attention, and most probably saved his life. A grateful Omar is pictured in the accompanying photos to this article with Scott after his wound had healed.

Scott Roxberry said there were a lot of good men he worked with in Iraq, men from all over America, men he was sad to leave. He speaks with some of the Marines from his P.T.T. on a regular basis. “I love those guys,” Roxberry said, “What we went through over there, we’re brothers. And before I hang up the phone, that’s what I say – I love you. I’m not ashamed to say it.”

As far as Scott’s take on the troops coming home from Iraq, he told me, “I’m glad they’re coming home to their families. We accomplished what we were sent over there to do. And now the cities are being turned over to the police we trained. Our job is done.”

Roxberry was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in March of this year. I had to ask him how he thinks his dad would feel about his career in the military. Scott said, “I think he would be surprised that I followed in his footsteps, but I also think he’d be proud of what I accomplished as a Marine.”

There is not a doubt in my mind that George would be very proud of his son.

Although we don’t make as much time for G.I. Joes as we used to, I still get to see Scott and his family on a regular basis. If nothing else, I want him to know that I am grateful for what he has given and given up for this country. I’m proud to know him and lucky to have him as my friend.