Homecoming reunites STC man with fellow marines

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Wendy Kemp – For The Chronicle Donna Morsovillo (right) of Operation Welcome You Home Illinois presents certificates to Sgt. Greg Russell USMC, Cpl. Nicholas Milbourn USMC and Cpl. Phil Atkins USMC (l to r) during a welcome home ceremony outside the Beehive Restaurant on Saturday. St. Charles 11/7/09

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ST. CHARLES — Cpl. Phil Akins, 23, and Cpl. Nicholas Milbourn, 24, first met when they played together on a youth football team. They didn't keep in touch and graduated from different schools — Akins, from St. Charles East in 2004; Milbourn, from St. Charles North in 2003.

The pair met again in 2007, this time in Iraq.

Akins was ending his tour with the U.S. Marine Corps and was assigned to take Milbourn on his first basic security patrol. Neither immediately recognized the other, but they developed a friendship in the time their deployments overlapped.

Akins photographed Milbourn and, once home, took the pictures to Milbourn's mother to help assure her that her son, her only child, would be OK.

The men met for the third time Saturday, this time in downtown St. Charles. They and Sgt. Greg Russell were honored by Warriors' Watch, a group that provided the men with a motorcycle escort to the Milbourn family home.

Milbourn returned last month from his second overseas tour. He said he could speak endlessly of his deployments, but – not having an endless amount of time – instead briefly described his responsibilities, such as performing security  patrols and identifying problems in the town.

He said he will fly to California this month to work at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.

Milbourn described the homecoming as awesome, but, he added, it was particularly important for Akins and Russell because they didn't receive that kind of welcome when they returned in 2007 and 2005, respectively.

"I'm glad they could be standing by my side," Milbourn said.

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Milbourn and Russell, 26, of Naperville, worked together at Best Buy, they said. By then, Russell had served overseas and told Milbourn what he could expect.

Stationed in Japan, Russell traveled to Iraq as a combat photographer. He said he wasn't scared until he was relocated just outside of Fallujah.

Russell was there for two days when, on Oct. 17, 2004, a 120 millimeter rocket entered his tent. He spent four weeks in a hospital recovering from his injuries.

He was honorably discharged with a Purple Heart in 2005.

His experience with the marines led him to study communication theory, he said. A graduate student at Northern Illinois University, Russell said he will graduate in May and plans to pursue his doctorate degree.

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Growing up in a military family, Akins said he knew he would someday be a Marine and enlisted at age 18.

His unit was deployed to Iraq in April 2007. In addition to seeking enemy combatants, Akins said he performed humanitarian work, such as rebuilding schools and interacting with the public. He kept Jolly Ranchers with him to give to children.

He said he felt scared every day.

"Nothing can prepare you for the first time a bullet goes past your head," Akins said.

The experience humbled him, he said, and helped him appreciate everyday things, such as driving past a fast-food restaurant and smelling a woman's perfume.

He said he takes issue with Americans who are against the war without knowing, firsthand, what the troops are doing.

"I believe in what's going on over there," Akins said. "I would have no problem going back."

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