Tuesday, July 22, 2008; Posted 6.28 pm (CDT)

At the Edmond First Church of the Nazarene on Tuesday, family and friends honored a highly decorated soldier. He's someone they've kept in their prayers and someone they're just glad to have back home.

First Sergeant Jerry Hall of the U.S. Army has a vast amount of medals and honors, including five bronze stars, an army commendation medal and a purple heart.

"For me going over to Iraq that's where I just do my job," says Hall.

Hall says all of those medals came at a price for his three kids.

"They have basically grown up with me serving in Iraq," says Hall. "If anyone has a hard time, it's probably them."

Hall just finished his fifth deployment for a total of 51 out of 75 months in Iraq.

"The joy for me is being able to say, 'Hey, I was in Iraq for 51 months and everybody I went over there with I was able to come home with,'" says Hall.

Because of that, his mom wanted to put something together for him in Edmond.

"I'm proud of him. I wanted to show him off!" says Judith Hall.

"Initially my mom had asked myself and my three sisters if we would get together with her for basically one last time," says Hall. "She's dying of cancer. It's in the advanced stages. We're not really sure how much longer she has."

"We needed each other," says Hall's mom. "We needed to see each other."

Hall says he's overwhelmed with the support he's received from family, friends and strangers and just wants to say thanks.

"There were times when we didn't think we'd be able to get out of there, but obviously the power of prayer worked," says Hall. "All of us are back. Now it's a chance to say, 'Your prayers during that time frame, I'm still here.' I guess it's my way of thanking them as well for being here."

Hall says because of a new job he has in the army, he doesn't have to go back to Iraq again for the next two years unless he receives a promotion or decides he wants to go back.