Local Marine Returns Home, Reflects on Time in Afghanistan

When Connor Rinehart graduated from Lemont High School in 2008, he knew he wasn't ready for college or paying bills.

Instead, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps--a decision that took him from Lemont to Camp Pendleton in San Diego for training. In September of last year, he deployed for his first tour in Afghanistan.

Rinehart returned to the U.S. on April 18, and last month he finally made it back to Lemont after being given an extended leave.

Being back in his hometown has provided the time to reflect and put things in perspective, Rinehart said.

“At the time after high school, enlisting seemed appropriate for me,” he said. “I knew with the Marine Corps I would get military service to my country and a college education at the end.”

Currently a Lance Corporal, Rinehart is part of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, which has endured some of the toughest battles in the Sangin District of the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, he said. The area is known for bringing many casualties to American and British forces alike.

Although it's been a struggle to come to terms with losing friends to warfare and missing loved ones back home, Rinehart said he got mentally prepared for such hardships during his original training.

“Boot camp is where you get used to being away from family and friends," he said. “When you get to your unit you can call home, and you really cherish moments like these--being on leave and coming to visit. At the same time, I really just missed the atmosphere of Lemont.

"You get used to being away from home … but it is still not home.”

Rinehart did stress, however, that being away wasn’t necessarily a sad feeling, just a different one.

Coming home--especially after experiencing so many sleepless nights during missions and other challenge--has been special for Rinehart and his loved ones. Not long into his arrival, the recognized his service by driving him around town in one of their fire trucks, complete with police squad cars acting as a motorcade.

“It feels good to be appreciated for my service, but at the same time a lot of my buddies in the Marines and I come back and try to be humble,” Rinehart said. “It’s always a pleasant surprise to have [the fire department] do that and people actually show up along the parade route. But there’s a level where I don’t want people to go overboard just for me.

“All in all though, the homecoming was fun, the parade was great and I really enjoyed it.”

At the Lemont VFW Post 5819, local veteran, from wars past and present, took time to congratulate Rinehart when he stopped there, which really made an impression on the young Marine.

“When residents come up and thank you, you feel good,” Rinehart said. “When veterans come up and thank you, you never feel like they should thank you. Our generation has always been taught that past wars were brutal.

"So World War II vets, Vietnam vets … you hear their stories, landing on beaches …none of that happens anymore, so we really feel like we should be the ones thanking them. Nonetheless, there feels like there is a connection between both generations of military.”

As Memorial Day has come and passed, so has Rinehart’s time back in his hometown. Ironically, he had to go back on to May 30, on the holiday that celebrates his and so many others service.

When asked about what day meant to him, he wasn’t slow to respond.

“Memorial Day always means a lot to a lot of people, but having been to Afghanistan and having so many buddies not make it back and having a lot not be whole anymore, being catastrophically wounded--it gives a little more meaning to the holiday," he said. "You hope people appreciate it more and impart reasons why people should appreciate it more.”

Rinehart said he believes he will be stationed in the United States for at least a year, possibly heading back to Afghanistan in June or July of 2012. In true military fashion, when asked what he would be doing to celebrate Memorial Day and the days after in getting back to California, his answer was direct.

“I’m jumping right back into work starting on Memorial Day, but that’s the job.”