Mark Raleigh welcomed home from Iraq
Mark Raleigh is glad to be home.
After serving from November 2006 through Feb. 15, 2008, in Iraq, the U.S. Army staff sergeant of 543rd Military Police Company received a homecoming Saturday afternoon which was provided by the American Legion Riders of Marion and Raleigh's family.
The 1988 Marion High School graduate joined the military in 1989, and has served since then.
This was his fourth deployment overseas — his first to Iraq. Previously he served in Panama, Honduras, and Bosnia.
"The main purpose of our mission was to train Iraqi police," Raleigh said.
Stationed out of Fort Drum, N.Y., Raleigh didn't know if he would be deployed again.
Raleigh and his wife, Michelle, have been in Marion the past few weeks but planned to return to New York state this week.
