State Senator Mike Rush, D-Boston, has returned home from Iraq after an 8-month Navy Reserves deployment.

A lieutenant in the Naval Reserves, the West Roxbury resident returned on Dec. 10 after serving in Operation New Dawn. Rush was mobilized in February 2011, completed combat training, and landed in Iraq in March this year.

“First and foremost I am happy to be back with my family and friends to celebrate the holidays together,” said Rush via press release.  “As the New Year begins, I also look forward to spending time with the people of the Suffolk and Norfolk District as their State Senator.”

Rush worked as an Intelligence Officer, serving with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force–Arabian Peninsula (CJSOTF-AP) and was assigned to a US Army Special Forces Military Transition Team working with Iraq Counter Terrorism Services, the Headquarters Command for Iraq Special Operation Forces (ISOF). He worked to train, advise and assist Iraqi Counter Terrorism Services in preventing terrorism in Iraq.