Part-timers now full time warriors

[thedrifter]

Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story Identification Number: 200458103257
Story by Cpl. Matthew J. Apprendi



CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq(May 07, 2004) -- They are the lawyers as infantrymen, the doctors as mechanics and the contractors as helicopter pilots.

From the minutemen of the Revolutionary War to the reservists defending their nation today – U.S. citizens have left their civilian lives behind to enter combat zones.

Currently, during Operation Iraqi Freedom alone, more than 3,000 Marine reservists are supporting I Marine Expeditionary Force’s mission of conducting security and stabilization operations in the Al Anbar province.

The largest unit representing the reserves, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, based out of Bridgeton, Mo., spearheads force protection at four bases for I MEF. They control Camps Fallujah, Al Asad, Taqaddum and Abu Ghurayb prison.

“Before coming out here, I expected it to be miserable,” said Lance Cpl. Jeffery W. Herman, a missile gunner with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, who works for O’Reilly Auto Parts in Tulsa, Okla. “That statement holds pretty true, but I push through and complete my job.”

Pushing through the chaos of combat was exactly what two Marines with I MEF’s Personal Security Detachment did recently.

Sgt. Kristoffer K. Bauer and Cpl. Sven Hestrand were providing security during a re-supply mission in Fallujah when they took fire in the form of rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and small arms. The two received Purple Hearts for their wounds.

This was Bauer’s second award. He received his first during his initial activation with 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in support of OIF last year; a
scar on his face serves as a constant reminder of combat for the Redding, Calif., native.

Hestrand did not even notice his wounds, a piece of shrapnel that grazed his backside, until hours after they had returned to camp. The Guthenburg, Sweden native moved to America in 1992 and when not in camouflage utilities he works as a health and P.E. teacher at St. Johns Military School in Salina, Kansas.

“I thought that I did not deserve it, because mine was a minor injury,” said the 36-year-old Hestrand, on receiving the award. “I thought about all those guys that received it posthumously, and the ones with lost limbs. I felt undeserving. However, I was proud to receive the oldest medal in the United States.”

Units and individual augmentees were mobilized from Marine Forces Reserve, the largest command in the Marine Corps, encompassing more than 100,000 Marines in the 4th Marine Division, 4th Force Service Support Group and 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.

Herman, a Broken Arrow, Okla., native, looks back and still does not know why he joined in 2001. He said, it just kind of happened, and now he finds himself in Iraq.

Gunnery Sgt. Gregory Mcmurrey, a logistics operations chief with the 1st Force Service Support Group, said he joined because he wanted to serve and also pursue a civilian life. The Lamark, Texas, native, is a time management specialist as a civilian.

He joked, “The only thing my civilian work does for my active career is getting the Marines to chow on time.”

Mcmurrey was activated from his Waco, Texas, ordnance and maintenance company as an individual augment. He is one of five reservists filling active duty positions supporting logistics for 1st FSSG’s command element.

“This is the first time I’ve directly worked with reserves,” said Master Sgt. Frank V. Alessi, the logistics chief with 1st FSSG, and a Pittsburgh, Pa., native. “The Marines are top notch. They bring a lot to the table.”

He explained it does not matter if a Marine is a reservist or on active duty. Marines all wear the same eagle, globe and anchor.

“It’s a fairly smooth transition. At first, there was a small time frame where we couldn’t run free,” Mcmurrey said, referring to the early stages of his activation. “However, the reservations quickly passed when we proved ourselves.”

Not all military occupational specialties are found on the active-duty side, some are only open to the reserves.

For example, the reservists with 3rd Civil Affairs Group, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., lead the humanitarian operations effort in I MEF’s area of operations.

The strictly reserve force equips I MEF with all the tools needed for the mission, said Lt. Col. Frank Ricapito, 3rd CAG deputy commander.

“You can see the broad spectrum,” he said. “We have tremendous resources in terms of civilian expertise. ‘Why is this important?’ For instance, when dealing with government officials, we’ve got members who work in (government positions in the U.S.). That’s why CAG is in the reserves – we have that to offer to the mission.”

The majority of the reservists in Iraq are under one-year activation orders. However, some choose to extend upon their mandatory time.

“I feel there’s still a need for me to stay here,” said Mcmurrey, who’s pursuing an extension. “It’s an effort I want to be a part of. Truthfully, I’m already here. I might as well prevent another Marine from leaving his family back home.”



http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/ACC093C60282E2C285256E8E004FEBCF?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

MASS-3 transitions leadership in Iraq
Submitted by: 3d Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification Number: 20045861343
Story by Staff Sgt. Houston F. White Jr.



AR RAMADI, Iraq(March 8, 2004) -- Just beyond reach of the fabled Euphrates River, the mantle of leadership at Marine Air Support Squadron 3, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, officially switched hands during the change of command here, May 7.

In the midst of a ceremony attended by the commanding generals of 3rd MAW and 1st Marine Division, Lt. Col. James D. Gass relinquished control of MASS-3 into the capable hands of Lt. Col. David F. Aumuller of Worthington, Ohio.

"Frankly, I couldn't feel more comfortable with the officer who just took over this command," smiled Gass, a native of Sewanee, Tenn. "Lieutenant Colonel Aumuller has a vast array of experiences, is extremely energetic and knows where he wants this squadron to go.

"I think he's really going to be able to capitalize on the unit's strength and make improvements wherever he sees the need to. The bottom line is, he has a great squadron and MASS-3 has a great commander," added the Vanderbilt University graduate, who will now serve as the executive officer of MACG-38 at Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, Calif.

Aumuller, a 1984 Naval Academy graduate, realizes that the chance to lead MASS-3 in a wartime situation is an opportunity that will require his full leadership abilities to overcome various obstacles.

"It's very motivating to be out here with all my Marines in a combat environment and seeing how well they're doing, but you also recognize the immense responsibility you have to take care of them, keep them safe, yet still accomplish the mission," he said.

"The biggest challenge is probably going to be sustaining the squadron's operational tempo," added Aumuller. "We have Marines who participated in (Operation Iraqi Freedom I), we are now doing OIF II, and we'll probably be involved to some extent in OIF III."

"Our most important assets are our people, so we don't want to grind them up. We want to make sure we try to pace ourselves for the long haul," he said.

According to Maj. Gen. James F. Amos, commanding general, 3rd MAW, the credentials Aumuller brings to the table made him the perfect choice for the new MASS-3 commander.

"Lieutenant Colonel Aumuller has a significant pedigree and has worked for some commanders that I know specifically, who trained him well. He knows what he's doing and I know I won't have to look in his direction with one ounce of worry," he stated.

In assuming his new role as leader of MASS-3, Aumuller acknowledged his predecessor for setting a high standard for him to live up to.

"Lieutenant Colonel Gass is a great American and he did phenomenal things with this command," the 42-year-old offered. "I believe that it is a huge challenge for me to continue the great job he's done."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045862549/$file/MASS-COC1-lr.jpg

Lt. Col. James D. Gass (right), outgoing commanding officer, Marine Air Support Squadron 3, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 43-year-old Sewanee, Tenn., native, prepares to pass the squadron colors to Lt. Col. David F. Aumuller, commanding officer, MASS-3, and 42-year-old Worthington, Ohio, native in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 7. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Houston F. White Jr.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/91BC587CDD6DF44985256E8E0038305B?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marine takes well-traveled flag to Iraq
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification Number: 20045794123
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald



CAMP RAMADI, Iraq(May 6, 2004) -- Master Sgt. Christobal D. Cowan and his American flag have been traveling the world since 1989.

Cowan, operations chief for 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, received the 8-feet-long-by-5-feet-wide flag during his tour as a Marine security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile.

"It was the first night I stood duty there," said Cowan, of Tucson, Ariz. "The embassy got bombed by some local terrorists."

The bombing took place at around 1 a.m., so no one except Cowan and a Chilean security guard were near the explosion. The Chilean suffered minor facial wounds and recovered soon after.

Normally, the flags flying over the embassy there were replaced with clean flags once a month. After the bombing, the Marines began a new tradition.

"Since I was on duty the night of that bombing, they decided to give it to me instead of burning it," he explained.

His next duty station was at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru, where his flag also flew.

Over the next 15 years, that same flag went to every country Cowan set foot. It went with him to Joint Task Force-6 at the Texas-Mexico border and Somalia. Cowan took it with him on several deployments to Okinawa, Japan, South America, Kosovo and most recently to Iraq.

Cowan said he doesn't bring the flag for his own use.

"When I was with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit last year, I got to fly my flag on the USS Nassau on Christmas Day for about an hour," he said. "That was really great."

When the 24th MEU stopped in Kosovo for about a month, Cowan donated his flag to the camp there because the unit had no other flag to fly.

Now he is here until September. His flag is hung inside the battalion's command operations centers only because orders restrict him from displaying it outside.

"I try very hard to follow proper flag etiquette. When I put it away, I fold it properly," the father of three boys said. "Some sticklers might cringe when they see it displayed, but I have to work with what I can. I display it with the utmost respect for the flag and what it stands for."

Cowan said some of the Marines ask him about the flag from time to time because most don't realize there is a history behind it.

"I never understood the story about the flag," said Cpl. Aric R. Van Hoosear, battalion intelligence chief. "Knowing that Master Sergeant Cowan has taken the flag from deployment to deployment makes it more unique."

The reason Cowan exhibits flag to the entire battalion is to instill a sense of pride for America and what the country represents.

"Liberty, freedom and democracy. That's what the flag represents to me," Cowan added.
Van Hoosear, of Santa Maria, Calif., said he gets a deep feeling of freedom and strength when he sees the flag each day.

"It helps to remind me about all the Marines and soldiers who have given their lives protecting America," Van Hoosear explained.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045794355/$file/Flag1lr.jpg

Master Sgt. Christobal D. Cowan, operations chief for 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, received an 8-feet-long-by-5-feet-wide flag during his tour as a Marine security guard at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile. He has taken his flag on every deployment since receiving it.
(USMC photo by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald) Photo by: Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/6FD272E458B987E285256E8D004B3335?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

MAG-16 supports ground forces in Camp Ar Ramadi
Submitted by: 3d Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification Number: 20045845418
Story by Sgt. Nathan K. LaForte



CAMP AR RAMADI, Iraq(May 8, 2004) -- Marine Aircraft Group 16 helicopters and personnel evacuated multiple casualties following a mortar attack here at 2:35 p.m., May 2.

Five Sailors and one soldier were killed in the early-afternoon attack and many others sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe.

Multiple helicopters from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161 and escort aircraft from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775 were contacted for the evacuation just minutes after the attack.

Initial reports caused two CH-46E Sea Knights with AH-1W Super Cobra escorts to launch from a nearby base. After the severity of the attack was fully understood, the two squadrons launched all on-duty casualty evacuation assets to transport the wounded servicemembers.

After the on-duty assets of both squadrons responded, HMM-161 immediately activated its off-duty crew to maintain the alert status.

Waves of helicopters ferried the wounded to Combat Support Hospital's throughout Iraq for treatment of shrapnel wounds and concussions.

HMM-161 has set aside many of its aircraft for CASEVAC, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris J. Caprio, CASEVAC corpsmen, HMM-161.

"(HMM-161) was tasked for the CASEVAC mission in the (area known as the) Sunni Triangle," he said. "We have dedicated assets for the sole purpose of providing that support, whereas during the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, they were performing lifts of opportunity to evacuate wounded servicemembers."

Caprio was called up along with approximately 10 other off-duty corpsmen to help with the casualties. They manned alert positions, ready to launch if needed. The "devil doc" claimed that his fellow corpsmen showed true professionalism while caring for the servicemembers.

"They did a tremendous job and handled themselves phenomenally from the level of calm, to the ability to treat the casualties under those circumstances," the New Milford, Conn., native said. "It's a shock to the system, but they were able to treat, diagnose and make decisions that no one should have to make.

"It's a tough thing to have to do, but they performed extremely well, with continuous operations to and from the point of injury in a rapid period of time," he added. "They had to drop off victims and keep returning to the chaos."

In response to the attack, Col. Guy M. Close, commanding officer, MAG-16, grieved for the loss of the servicemembers.

"Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the servicemembers who were lost. Unfortunately, our future holds many unknown challenges as we continue with the global war on terrorism. However, what will always be known is that the resolve of the Marines, Sailors and soldiers of MAG-16 will never falter. These young men and women are the best our country has to offer. Their spirit is overwhelming. All Americans should be proud."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004585030/$file/ramadi-lr.jpg

Petty Officers 3rd Class Herman Otero and Luis Fonseca (shown in flight suits), both casualty evacuation corpsmen with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, receive a brief from an Army medic on the status of two wounded servicemembers being evacuated, May 2. The pick-up was the second for the corpsmen and crew aboard the CH-46E Sea Knight in response to a hostile fire attack on Camp Ar Ramadi. Six servicemembers were killed and dozens wounded as a result of the attack. Photo by: Sgt. Nathan K. LaForte

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/6B250B4ED4175EA885256E8E0030EAF0?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Even 'Nick the New Guy' gets nicknamed in Iraq
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification Number: 20045794746
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald



CAMP RAMADI, Iraq(May 6, 2004) -- Chances are that kid everyone called Stinky in sixth grade eventually cleaned up. But then again, maybe he didn't and just joined the Corps.

Marines have a habit of dubbing fellow warriors with off-the-wall, sometimes off-color nicknames for as many reasons as there are nicknames.

The artillerymen with 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment are no different.

"When you're born, your mother gives you your real name," said Sgt. Dawud H. Hakim, of Cleveland. "You get your nickname from life experiences and things you do that set you apart."

Hakim, who is known as "Diehard," received his pseudonym when he was a 17-year-old high school student.

"We used to wrestle for fun when I was in school," he said explaining the origin of his nickname. "I was always a small guy so people thought that I'd go down fast, but I always had more energy and won. I never go down easy."

The name followed him into the Marine Corps. He said the name is so popular he had his best friend tattoo "Diehard" on his right forearm.

But some nicknames are derived out of sheer necessity.

Take Lance Cpl. Nouphanh Pravongviengkhan for example. His last name is made up of 17 letters and is difficult to pronounce. His fellow Battery I Marines came up with the nickname "PG" to alleviate the problem.

Sgt. David E. Proulx, from Londonderry, N.H., also has a tricky surname, which sounds like the first half of the word "prune."

"I've been called everything from prolax to prophylactic," Sgt. "PX" said. "I much prefer Sergeant PX to those names."

Some nicknames are given for physical features.

Nineteen-year-old Lance Cpl. Travis J. Fisk knows this all too well.

"My girlfriend's friend's boyfriend saw me walking down the hall of my high school one day and said, 'Hey, Spongebob, what's up?'" explained Fisk, of Sheldon, Wash. "I'm not really sure why he called me that, but it stuck."

Fisk speculated that the gap in his two front teeth and his chubby cheeks might have something to do with the name, which comes from the popular cartoon about a pants-wearing sea sponge.

"When I got to this unit, we had to tell something about ourselves," he explained. "I told them my nickname and they've called me Spongebob since then. Sometimes the guys in the platoon will give me Spongebob Squarepants toys."

He's also heard several variations such as "Sponge."

"I still don't know how I got that name, but I like it anyway," he stated.

Sgt. Douglas C. "Joystick" Edwards, a 27-year-old from Las Vegas, also got his nickname for a physical characteristic.

During back surgery two years ago, doctors removed a nerve from Edwards' spine, leaving the sergeant with a "wobble" when he stands upright.

"Sometimes when I'm giving a class or chewing someone out, I wobble back and forth making me resemble a joystick," Edwards said with a laugh.

Edwards said he was never offended by the name. Instead he found it funny and accepted it right away.

"A nickname just happens," he explained. "It comes from something that a person does or says that makes him stand out. It helps to build close relationships with the guys in the unit. It's something everyone will remember about you even when they leave the Marine Corps."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045795018/$file/Nickname1lr.jpg

Nineteen-year-old Lance Cpl. Travis J. Fisk, artilleryman with Battery L, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, isn't exactly sure why people started calling him Spongebob, like the popular cartoon sea sponge.
"Maybe it's the gap in my front teeth; maybe it's my chubby cheeks," the Sheldon, Wash., Marine said. "I still don't know how I got the name, but I like it anyway."
(USMC photo by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald) Photo by: Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20045795728/$file/Nickname2lt.jpg

Sgt. David E. Proulx, assistant patrol leader with Battery L, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, is known throughout his company as Sgt. PX. Proulx, of Londonberry, N.H., said most people can't properly pronounce his name, which sounds like the first half of the word prune. He's been called everything from prolax to prophylactic and prefers his nickname to those names.
(USMC photo by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald) Photo by: Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004571022/$file/Nickname3lr.jpg

Sgt. Dawud H. Hakim, 24-year-old squad leader with Battery L, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, shows off his "Diehard" tattoo. He received the nickname Diehard when he was in high school. His best friend designed and drew the tattoo on the Cleveland Marine's right forearm.
(USMC photo by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald) Photo by: Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/369017940F65A77B85256E8D004BC922?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

What Marines say they need, they get fast





Silly String wasn't such a silly battle order, their supplier finds
By Joe Cantlupe
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
May 9, 2004

The San Diego man who handles supply orders for Marines in Iraq thought their request was really strange.


The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Pendleton wanted "Silly String" – lots of it – while it is in Iraq.

Mark McLain, the General Services Administration's customer service director in San Diego, asked some skeptical questions in his e-mails to the troops overseas. They persuaded him: he took the order and got the goods for the Marines – at a party store.

The request for Silly String, the foamy stuff in aerosol cans that becomes string when sprayed all over, seemed more fitting for a playground than a war zone. Yet, once McLain got the gist of the Marines' plan, he was convinced.

Marines told McLain they wanted to spray Silly String around unexploded ordnance to check for trip wires, or warning systems. If any of the Silly String got caught on wires, they believed, it would indicate the wires were booby traps.

"They need it, and I get it," McLain, 45, said. "The Marines are pretty inventive."

From his office in San Diego, McLain has been the supply guy for the Camp Pendleton Marines for the past few years. The Marines also ordered 70,000 pounds of Flex Cuffs nylon cords to restrain prisoners and 24,000 pounds of rice, beans and butter to feed them. They ordered other things such as "top of the line" toilet seats, bug spray, thousands of ice chests, couches, chairs and tarps.

From his office at Symphony Towers, McLain had long worked to obtain products for Camp Pendleton and other military bases. When the Iraqi war broke out, logistics changed significantly.

Initially, the troops stationed in Iraq hoped to place orders for their supplies by using an online shopping program for federal employees overseas. When major Internet connections broke down, McLain's job changed. He became a go-between for the Marines and their suppliers.

The Marines were still able to ask for supplies on electronic bulletin boards, so McLain sorted through them.

"We got quotes from vendors, and pricing that was the best suited to fit them," he said.

McLain, who served 24 years in the Air Force before joining the GSA, enjoys the work that "carries with me the knowledge of the federal supply service," he said.

He is among 300 GSA customer service representatives working for the Marines in Iraq.

As did other representatives, McLain "went outside the box, showing he was resourceful and knew how to work the system," said GSA spokeswoman Viki Reath. "He knew what their situations are and felt a real camaraderie for them."

The items sought by the Marines varied, including security cameras and telecommunications equipment. A vendor offered dry-roasted coffee, which delivered a welcome smell for homesick Marines.

Rifle handgrips that include laser spotters were ordered to help the Marines fire weapons accurately. They are great devices, "especially if you are not a great shot," he said.

As for the Silly String, the Marines sought at least two dozen cans of the substance, but McLain doesn't think they need to order more. "There's a lot of foam in there," he said of the product, which promises 400 feet of string in each can. A can normally sells for $5.60.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20040509-9999-1n9string.html


Ellie

[yellowwing]

"Lance Cpl. Jeffery W. Herman, a missile gunner with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, who works for O’Reilly Auto Parts in Tulsa, Okla....some choose to extend upon their mandatory time."

Blow sh*t up with your buddies go back to selling tires? I remember one report from Somolia. A pickup truck full of 'technicals' was hit by a TOW missile. "The number of enemy attrited could not be determined."

[thedrifter]

Camp Pendleton Marines would rather be fighting <br />
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Desert duty can take a toll when boredom controls much of the day <br />
By Gordon Dillow <br />
SPECIAL TO THE UNION-TRIBUNE <br />
May 8, 2004