Marine's visit home Mom's 'greatest holiday gift ever'
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

Contributed Photo To Be The Best El Campo High School graduate Jaime Catete joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2004 "to be the best," he said. The artillery support specialist will report for duty in Japan in mid January.

Christmas with family was one of the best gifts ever, Mary Torres said, especially when her son serving in the Marine Corps is able to be there too.

A mother of five, she will see her middle son - 21-year-old Cpl. Jaime Catete - ship out for Japan shortly after the first of the year.

"I'll miss him, but I'd rather have him in Japan than in Iraq," she said. "I know it's safer over there."

A 2004 El Campo High School graduate, Catete completed his Marine Corps basic training on Sept. 24, 2004.

In the last three and a half years, he's done a tour in Japan and a seven-month stint in Iraq as an artillery support man observing targets and calling in data for accurate fire with Lima Battery, 2nd Battalion, 10 Marines during 2006.

Stationed at Camp Fallujah, the company saw what Catete calls "some" combat.

"I lost two of my (Marine) brothers there," he said. "But I couldn't just quit. You have to go on."

Catete is married and has a 3- year-old son.

"I hope the war gets better. I wish there was no war, but I'd rather be there than my younger brother - or my son. Take care of it now," he said.

After a 30-day leave, he's scheduled to report in Japan on Jan. 15.

Airport travel is part of his life as he ships from station to station.

The USOs in most major facilities really make a difference, he said, especially for Marines travel- ing to and from Iraq where cell phones are not allowed.

"They help a lot," Catete said.

This time, he will get to take family with him on the threeyear tour.

Where would he rather be?

"Japan. My wife would beat me up if I said Iraq," he said.

During his service as a Marine, Catete has received five decorations - the good conduct medal, the Iraq service medal, the Sea Service medal, the Global War on Terrorism and the National Defense medal.

He became a Marine for a simple reason.

"I wanted to be the best," Catete said, adding no one else in his family has served in any of the Armed Forces.

"I didn't want him to go," Torres said. "But he was determined. I guess I feel what every mother feels. I worry. I pray for him and I pray for everybody else (in the military)."

Family support made the constant duty of the Iraq tour bearable, Catete said.

"There was no best package I received. Any package, just being able to read the letters. They let me know my family was worried about me."

There are no weekends off in a combat zone - just times to occasionally catch a few hours sack time.

"I could sit in my rack and read my mail. It was very uplifting," he said. "It helps you get through the day better. When you can take a break and read a letter from your wife, see what your son drew. It makes the day a lot better."