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IRAQ: Marines, sailors return to Camp Pendleton

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For military families, it’s the common pattern: Dad (or Mom) goes away, Dad (or Mom) comes back. The strategic thinkers call it up-tempo. Since 9/11, it’s been a way of life.

But that doesn’t mean it’s become ho-hum.

Take the McLeod family of San Diego. As they waited at Camp Pendleton on Sunday for the return of 300 Marines and sailors from Regimental Combat Team 5 from Iraq, they sported matching shirts.

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For the children, ‘God Daddie?’ For Aimee, ‘Got Chief?’

And when Navy corpsman Aaron McLeod returned from his fourth deployment, his family was in the front row of several hundred eager family members. When the family hugs and tears subsided, McLeod talked of his uncertain future.

With the new administration rethinking its policies toward Iraq and Afghanistan, Marines and sailors are unsure what the future will bring.

‘It all depends on the president,’ McLeod said.

For more on the return of RCT5, see The Times’ story.

-- Tony Perry at Camp Pendleton

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