Area solider visits, honored by many
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Westminster Selectman Thomas O'Toole (left), U.S. Army Sgt. Nick Chirco, Brian Knuuttila, from the Worcester County Sheriff 's Department, and state Rep. Lew Evangelidis stand with Westminster Elementary School second graders Katie Cullison (left), Mackenzie Batten and Tyler Gendron, after they honored Chirco. JOURNAL PHOTO/CAITLYN KELLEHER

U.S. Army Sgt. Nick Chirco, a former Fitchburg resident, was honored throughout the area this week as he came "home" for the first time in over three years.

Chirco was able to visit the area and his family for five days and was able to meet with a number of public officials in the area after Burt Gendron, of Westminster, the Westminster Republican Committee, and the St. Joseph's Club in Fitchburg paid for his trip home and organized a number of events in his honor.

Chirco is preparing to return to Iraq this summer for his third tour of duty.

Chirco met with Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong on Tuesday morning, and later that morning he was honored with citations in Westminster.

Selectman Thomas O'Toole presented Chirco with certificate of appreciation and Brian Knuuttila presented a citation from Worcester County Sheriff Guy Glodis. State Rep. Lew Evangelids (R-Holden) also met with Chirco in Westminster.

Westminster Elementary School Principal David Marble and three of his students walked over to the Westminster Town Hall to present Chirco with flowers.

"We're best friends," said Chirco's older sister, Betty (Chirco Taylor) Tuliano, who visited Westminster with him.

She hadn't seen her brother in more than three years.

His mother, Marganet Taylor- Thurston, also visited Westminster with her children. The family members were trying to spend a lot of time together.

"You live with hope but you pray just in case," said Taylor- Thurston. She lives in Texas so they have seen each other occasionally during Chirco time in the state.

Chirco said he has been feeling many things during the five-day trip. He said during this visit that each day he wears his uniform he has heard the words thank you from a number of people. He was also appreciative of the number of people that came out to met with him, especially public officials.

"It shows people care," he said.

He enlisted in the Army in July 2003, and after training he was deployed for a six-month tour of duty in Korea.

His wife, Doraine, and the three teenage children - Sean, Dominick and Keith - remained in the states during his Korean tour.

"I wanted to get a better life for my wife and kids," he said. "My first focus is family."

For the six months, he was stationed in Korea and in August 2004 he was deployed to Iraq for a year before returning to be stationed in Colorado. In July 2005, after a brief time being stationed in Texas, he was sent back to Iraq for six months.

"I've been there twice. I'm scared to death," he said, of his upcoming tour.

Chirco does believe that there is a lot of good being done by the United States military in Iraq. He said there are schools being built, the economy is growing and there are other positives.

"I'm doing what I have to. I'm doing my job," he said.