Instead, he'll be given a hero's welcome as the grand marshal of tomorrow's Annapolis Independence Day Parade.

The former Green Beret, who served in three combat tours during Operation Iraqi Freedom, was honorably discharged from his service at the end of May. By the end of June, he was picked to represent the military during the city's annual celebration.

"I was planning on just fading away into a normal life and enjoy all the fine adult beverages of Annapolis," Mr. Ritter said.

Instead, he was tapped to be front and center during tomorrow's celebration.

The plan to have Mr. Ritter in the parade was set in motion before his official discharge and before he could object, Mr. Ritter said.

His wife, Lauren, 26, an Annapolis native, was shopping for wine at Mills Fine Wine and Spirits next door to her downtown office at a marketing firm. Mrs.

Ritter revealed in a casual conversation in April with the store's director of operations, Gary Reiner, that her husband would be home from the Army in a couple of weeks.

Mr. Reiner, who served in the Army himself during the Vietnam War era, said the idea struck him that Mr. Ritter would be perfect for the annual parade.

"I thought 'well that's different,' " Mr. Reiner said.

Mr. Reiner said memories of how distastefully soldiers were treated upon their return from Vietnam still haunt him.

"This is not Vietnam. This is a different era. I wanted to show that we appreciate the sacrifices these men and women make," Mr. Reiner said.

Enlisting in the Army almost immediately after high school near Naples, Fla., Mr. Ritter, 31, was shipped to Fort Campbell, Ky. to serve with the Special Forces Group based there.

After fulfilling his four-year commitment to the Army, Mr. Ritter began training to become a firefighter in Florida, he said.

That was halted when the country was attacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001.

Mr. Ritter said he decided to re-enlist after the attacks.

"People would thank me for being a firefighter. That was (the firefighters in New York). I got tired of riding their coattails," Mr. Ritter said. "Instead of buying a magnet to put on my car to show my appreciation, I went back into the Army."

Almost a year to the date after the Sept. 11 attacks, Mr. Ritter was lined up at the Kuwait-Iraqi border waiting for the United States' campaign against Sadaam Hussein to begin.

Mr. Ritter and his air assault and combat diving team fought all over Iraq for a little over five years.

"Doing all the things SF (Special Forces) guys do over there," Mr. Ritter said.

Serving as Grand Marshal is a huge departure from celebrating Fourth of July in the Middle East.

"Usually there were very spectacular fireworks going on all the time over there," Mr. Ritter said.

There are plans to move somewhere tropical, like Costa Rica or America Samoa, later in post-Army life for the Ritters. For now, kicking it around Annapolis is just as good.

"I love Annapolis. It's the perfect blend," Mr. Ritter said. "It's got the Navy thing going and the maritime atmosphere. No Wal-Marts. Just a lot of mom-and-pop shops."

Mr. Ritter said he has tentative plans to enroll in Anne Arundel Community College then transfer to the University of Maryland to study anthropology or archeology. Maybe even taking a job scrubbing boats or something along those lines. As long as it's low-stress, he said.

"It's time to chill. Time to enjoy life," Mr. Ritter said.

The Independence Day Parade through downtown begins promptly at 6 p.m. Friday. The parade starts at Amos Garrett Blvd., and then right on West Street, around Church Circle, down Main Street, left on Randall Street, and ending just past the Market House. Band performances begin at 8 p.m. at City Dock. Fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m.