A sniper's bullet shattered Lance Cpl. Steven Eastburn's arm in Iraq, but a fellow Marine — the nation's highest-ranking uniformed officer — made sure the 20-year-old returned to Hawai'i in style and comfort.

Gen. Peter Pace, the four-star chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Eastburn and other service members on Feb. 8 at Travis Air Force Base in California.

When Pace, who was heading for Hawai'i, learned that Eastburn was going to be returning to Kane'ohe Bay, he offered him a lift on his C-40B executive jet.

"He found out I was stationed in Hawai'i and he said, 'Well, that's where I'm heading. If you want a ride, you can come with me,' and I was like, 'Yes sir,' " Eastburn said.

The Lakeland, Fla., man made the 5 1/2-hour flight with Pace, the general's wife, Lynne, a security team and other officials. Pace went on to visit Australia and Indonesia.

It was a far cry from how Eastburn expected to get back to Hawai'i for treatment at Tripler Army Medical Center, and not a usual offer made by such a high-ranking officer.

"It was kinda weird," Eastburn admits. "He had security and everything. Here I was expecting a ride on a C-130 or whatever, and then a general comes in and tells me, 'You want to catch a ride with me?' "

Eastburn had been in Haq-laniyah in western Iraq since September. About 1,000 Marines with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines from Kane'ohe Bay are in a region called the Triad that includes Haqlaniyah, Haditha and Barwana along the Euphrates River.

"It was pretty hostile," Eastburn said.

Hawai'i Marines regularly come under fire. Twenty-two men with the 2nd Battalion have been killed on the seven-month deployment since fall.

Eastburn was on a foot patrol on Jan. 31 and part of a security team keeping watch while another team checked out a house. A shot rang out. He was shot through the bone just above the elbow.

"When I fell to the ground, I was looking at it, and the first half to the elbow was facing one way, and the elbow up was like crooked to the side another way, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh,' " Eastburn said.

A second shot landed behind him somewhere. Snipers and roadside bombs have been increasing in lethality.

"From how good they've been shooting people, me getting shot in the arm, that was pretty lucky," the Marine said.

Eastburn had been with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines since April 2006 and was on his first combat deployment. He's not sure what type of arm use he'll regain. A plate and screws hold his bone together.

At Travis and Tripler, Eastburn received a new treatment called a peripheral nerve block, which sends anesthetic to the nerve, numbing his arm and keeping down the pain.

"That thing helps quite a bit," Eastburn said by phone from Tripler.

On the plane ride from Travis, Pace asked Eastburn what had happened to him in Iraq.

"General Pace, he was a nice guy," Eastburn said. "I liked him. Him and his wife were both very kind to me. They talked to me, and asked how it was going, how I was being treated."

At the distinguished visitor area at Hickam Air Force Base, Pace had Eastburn lead the contingent off the plane. The Marine's parents were there to greet him.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.