Driscoll Augustine, along with several other Eastern students, returned home safely from Iraq yesterday.

“It’s just a big relief,” said Augustine, a freshman pre-engineering major. “I’m just happy everyone made it back safe.”

Augustine, a part of the 3637th Maintenance Company out of Springfield, was deployed in Iraq on Jan. 3, 2004, with the 3625th Maintenance Company out of Chicago along with about 40 other soldiers from the Springfield company. The company returned to Springfield.

On the same day, soldiers returned not only to Springfield but also to the town of Paris.

Five members of the Paris-based 1544th Transportation Company were killed during the unit’s tour of Iraq – the second most of any U.S. guard unit since the war began nearly two years ago, state guards officials said.

Delivering supplies and mail around Baghdad, the unit drew more than 100 mortar attacks and came under enemy fire 60 times, sustaining injuries that earned 32 Purple Heart awards, said company commander Brandon Tackett.

Driscoll has been involved in the military for 3 years. In Iraq, with his company that returned home yesterday, he spent his time doing repairs on military vehicles and did not see much fighting, he said.

“We only had one guy on the company get injured badly,” Augustine said.

Stationed in Balad, Najaf and Tallil, he saw a lot of poor people and destroyed buildings, Augustine said.

After out-processing at Fort Wayne in Wisconsin, going through medical and legal briefings, tuberculosis tests, getting blood drawn and signing DD-214 forms to be released from active duty, he was on the road to home, which is the tiny country town of Livingston near St. Louis.

“We just had a whole bunch of briefings on how we should act whenever we get home; not to rush into things,” Augustine said. “Right now I’m home for good unless they deploy me again.”

Coming back home, as soon as their bus crossed the Illinois border, Augustine enjoyed The Angus Steak Burger from the local Burger King.

In Springfield, the returning soldiers were escorted into town by eight police cars and “a lot of fire trucks,” Augustine said. Roads were blocked off and people gathered to give the soldiers a quick welcome home.

Ever since he was little, Augustine, affectionately called “Cole” or “Coli,” showed an interest in the military, and now at the age of 21 has served for his country.

“When he was little I used to call him Shooter,” said his father, Jim Augustine. “He was always playing G.I. Joe.”

Augustine may not have liked the food he was served, but he enjoyed the camaraderie that comes along with being part of a military company.

“Especially when we got deployed to Iraq, we were all together and going through the same incidents,” he said. “We are all on the same boat.”

Augustine chose to join the military because it was “more or less a family thing” on his mother’s side, he said. His father said he stood behind his son’s decision, and tried not to push him in either direction.

An only son and the youngest in his family, Augustine has always been close to his sisters and parents, especially his father. He wore the number 33 in basketball, and the number 11 in baseball, just like his dad, said Jim.

“There was a period of stress, where you worry and don’t like to watch the news,” Jim said. “No matter how old they get, you’re going to worry about them.”

In his free time, Augustine, an outgoing, positive person with a good sense of humor, likes to hunt, play chess and play and watch various sporting events.

“It’s been such a long time since I’ve had a weekend for fun,” he said.

After college, Augustine wants to go back into active duty and eventually find a job at a manufacturing company, working in chemical or industrial engineering.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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