Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. -- Sgt. Andrew Mrozik, 28, of Chicago, receives an emotional homecoming greeting from his daughters Autumn Mrozik, 8, and Dakota Mrozik, 2.

Mrozik, an avionics technician assigned to the Pendleton-based unit Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, returned home after a seven-month deployment that took him to Iraq, Japan, Philippines, South Korea and Thailand.

During Mrozik's overseas duty, he kept in touch with his family via phone and e-mail. This was his fifth deployment during his seven years serving in the Marine Corps. "It doesn't get any easier throughout deployments, in fact, it gets harder because your children start to realize you're gone," Mrozik said.

Mrozik said he was afraid his youngest daughter Dakota would not remember him since she was little more than a year old when he left for the lengthy overseas tour. "When the bus pulled up, she (Dakota) was the first one in my family to see me," Mrozik said. "I pushed my face up against the window and she yelled 'daddy.'"

Mrozik said his unit will receive a few days off before returning to work to unpack and get back to business. Mrozik said he plans to reenlist and serve as a recruiter.