About forty Charlie Company Marines based out of Peoria were activated seven months ago.
Today they're back on home soil.

The men and women served in Iraq...and for some of the Marines it's their fourth tour there.

Rumbling motorcycles escorted busloads of local marines back to central Illinois. They were welcomed with family friends, smiles and hugs.
For Marines like Corporal David Dobson, this is the first time in seven months he's seen his family.

Dobson said, "I'm excited to get to know her I mean she was two days old when we got activated so I'm glad to see my wife and I'm excited to spend sometime with her and get to know her."

His wife Julie Dobson says, "We're going to be a family finally because he left when she was so young."

The happy husband and wife are not the excited only ones.
Dobson's parents are cheering for him now but they say they were worried while he was on active duty.

His mother Shirley Dobson said, "He's a child he may have not come back."

And his father Eddie said, "You're always worried when they get into combat with all the combing and everything that's going on that something would happen to him especially with his new daughter you know you're always scared that things won't be the same when you come back."

Corporal Dobson remarked, "I know that they're scared when I'm over there and they want me safe."

But it was all cheers for this and forty other marines Saturday afternoon with everyone returning safely, brimming with pride.

Corporal Dobson added, "If you feel like you're called to serve then I think that's something everyone should do if they feel like they want to give back something to our country."

And that's just why Dobson and other central Illinois marines served for 7 months in Iraq.

The Marines spent the past seven months based in Camp Al Taqaddum , Iraq.