Sgt. Joshua L. Harris, a security team leader with Combat Logistic Battalion 4, Combat Logistic Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistic Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and Kissimmee, Fla., native, receives a welcome back kiss from his son Joshua L. Harris Jr., 4, Sept. 12. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Dengrier M. Baez).

An advance party of about 200 returned Aug. 21, and the main body of about 300 returned Sept. 12.

The battalion's main mission while deployed was to support all Marine and coalition forces of Combined Area Operations East, with their main support focused on Regimental Combat Team 6, 2nd MLG, II MEF, said Maj. Ian C. Galbraith, the battalion's executive officer, a Red Bank, N.J., native.

The more than 600 Marines and sailors of CLB-4 also aided in route clearing and the demilitarization of forward operating bases and combat outposts throughout Iraq.

The intent is to turn these bases over to the Iraqi people, said Galbraith.

For example, "we supported the closing of Camp Baharia and turned all equipment back over to Marine Corps Logistics Command," Galbraith said.

Galbraith credited CLB-4's success in Iraq to the tight-knit bonds formed by the Marines and sailors during the deployment.

"Absolutely, without a doubt, we accomplished our mission," Galbraith said.

"I think a lot of it had to do with the commitment and cohesion we had in the unit. We had a lot of Marines get to us early so we had time to do team building. These Marines were the foundation for us to build the battalion on," he added.

Galbraith also credited his noncommissioned officers and junior Marines with outstanding work on a day-to-day basis.

Pre-deployment team building and hardworking Marines weren't the only elements that brought the battalion closer together, said Cpl. Christopher W. Aynes, an assistant convoy commander with CLB-4. An incident early on in the deployment strengthened the bond between them.

"My most memorable moment was when Legion 1 got hit with the first (improvised explosive device)," said Aynes, from Longmont, Colo. "It really brought us all together and made us realize that the threat was still there."

Marines with CLB-4 also found two additional live IEDs and one fake IED while on convoys, Aynes said.

"It was the first eye-opener that, 'Holy smokes, this really does still happen out here,'" said Cpl. Neal E. Sisson, a logistics vehicle systems operator with CLB-4, from Moorcroft, Wyo.

Other than the one IED attack, the rest of the deployment was fairly quiet, Galbraith said.

However for some Marines, dealing with the day-to-day deployment life away from home was a challenge

"The hardest thing for me was constantly being away from friends and family and the normality of everyday life. Instead we were going into something where you're always learning on the fly," Sisson said.

"You're going to have high times, and you're going to have low times. The best advice I can give is to look for the positive in everything," he said.

"Work hard, stay motivated and keep in touch with your family," Aynes said. "Most importantly, don't drop your pack until you know you're home."