Dusten Starkweather receives an escort home to Irrigon Tuesday from the Oregon Veterans Motorcycle Association. Staff photo by Sarah Britain

Dusten Starkweather, an Irrigon Marine home on leave, received a hero’s welcome Sept. 16 from Irrigon’s mayor and military officials.

Starkweather, who is 18 months into his Iraqi tour, arrived in Irrigon at noon for a 17-day leave. A Morrow County Sheriff’s deputy and several members of the Oregon Veterans Motorcycle Association escorted him into town from Arlington.

Mayor James Ray arranged for American flags to fly on street lamp posts near City Hall. A Veterans of Foreign Wars flag and a U.S. flag were placed near the Veterans’ Memorial on the City Hall lawn.

The Army Depot commander, Lt. Col. Robert Stein, and two members of the VFW, along with the mayor, who is a veteran; Joe Cox, the commander of the Hermiston VFW; and several city workers and citizens welcomed Starkweather, who arrived with his father and a brother and sister in a white Camaro.

In a short ceremony, one of the motorcyclists, John Perkins, led a prayer, then Stein presented Starkweather with a folded U.S. flag.

Starkweather’s father, David, said he was proud of his son and happy to have him home.

“I don’t like him over there, but he’s doing his job,” he said.

Starkweather said he is a “grunt” in Iraq, doing basic demolitions and security.

“It’s a lot like local law enforcement,” he said.

While he’s home he wants to spend as much time with his family as he can, he said, including his Mom, who is flying in from South Carolina.

Many people came forward to shake Starkweather’s hand. He smiled and seemed pleased, and maybe a little embarrassed, at all the attention.

“He’s still blushing,” said David Starkweather. “He’s not normally that red.”

Earlier in the day, before Starkweather arrived, Ray said he would like to make a tradition of welcoming home veterans on leave or discharge.

“We need to make sure they’re all told they’re doing a great job and we support them 100 percent,” he said, “although I don’t like what’s going on over there.”

Cox, who served in Vietnam, and Ray, who served in Korea, said they were not always treated well when they returned from overseas.

Ray also said there is a new veterans memorial for Irrigon in the works. It will honor the men and women who served in military, not just those who died.

The VFW always honors veterans who die while serving in the military, he said.

“I’d rather welcome them home when they’re alive,” he said.