Orland Park native returns from Kuwait to enjoy homecoming celebration

• Reprints

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Milton Marks adds his autograph to a banner of veterans’ signatures during Saturday’s homecoming. | Hannah Kohut~For Sun-Times Media

Updated: April 19, 2012 1:51AM

“This was extremely unexpected. I had no clue what was going on,” Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Milton Marks said after he and his family were escorted via the Warriors’ Watch Riders to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2791 in Tinley Park. The Orland Park native had just gotten home on Friday after a 7-month deployment in Kuwait. A caravan of motorcycles, police cars and fire trucks led the charge.

Marks, who has served in the Coast Guard since 2001, was met by at least 80 people at the VFW on Oak Park Avenue. Sean Tully, of Chicago Ridge, served with Marks in Virginia and was one of the first to arrive.

“When he’s not in uniform, he’s a great guy,” 25-year-old Tully said. “He is a great leader. He was my boss when we were at work. I’ve known him for going on three years now.

“I’m anxious to hear what his experiences were in Kuwait,” Tully added.

Marks emerged from the back seat of a car beaming a smile and hugging everyone who asked for one.

Milton’s older sister, Pamela Marks, planned the celebration, which took her about a month and a half.

“All of these people, the Soldier’s (Guardian) Angels, the VFW, everyone I’ve dealt with has been so amazing,” Pamela said. “The amount of effort they put forth is incredible.”

In a speech made to the well-wishers, Milton said he had no clue what was going on.

“It’s very humbling to come home to something like this,” Milton said. “I never expected to come home to something like this.”

Tinley VFW post Cmdr. Jerry Styrsky said he is “always thrilled” to welcome a veteran home.

“Our whole job is honoring the dead by supporting the living,” Styrsky said.

Milton’s mother, Debra Marks, said she is “relieved” to have her son on U.S. soil again.

“I was worried, I told him, ‘You call me as soon as that plane lands in the U.S.,’” Debra said. “I cried seeing all this today.”

One of Milton’s biggest fans was his girlfriend, Heather Sands, 33, of Portland, Ore. Sands, a reservist in the Coast Guard, said she and Marks met while serving together in Kuwait.

“If I had never volunteered for that opportunity, I never would have met him,” Sands said.

“He has such a big personality and love for life and sports; very competitive,” Sands continued. “ I watched him do flag football over in Kuwait as the team captain and how he would bring these guys together and keep the camaraderie, he’s such a great person.”

Being a veteran herself, Sands said the homecoming event for Marks was “absolutely amazing.”

As of March 1, Marks will be promoted to petty officer first class. He will return to Clearwater, Fla., on Tuesday to Port Security Unit 307 in Clearwater.