Marine stands post armed with rifle and a smile

[thedrifter]

Marine stands post armed with rifle and a smile
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 2004529125715
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald



CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(May 28, 2004) -- Cpl. Charles A. Brown, of Victorville, Calif., wants people to know that he was not named after the famous "Peanuts" cartoon character, but that doesn't mean he's not funny.

The 22-year-old topographic analyst with 1st Marine Division spends two hours of his workday standing duty outside the main entrance of the command operations center here.
From 8 to 10 a.m. everyday, he keeps a vigilant watch over the building and makes sure to greet everyone from private to general.

It's one of those mundane, everyday duties, but Brown didn't look at it as a chore, but a chance to see people smile.

"I actually enjoy coming to work in the morning," said Maj. Doug G. Luccio, assistant fire support coordinator. "I know Corporal Brown is going to be here with a smile on his face, and he'll greet me with an 'oorah or good morning.'"

Brown uses his quirky sense of humor to "brighten everyone's day."

"I know this place seems bleak, and there's a lot of bad stuff that happens," he explained. "I try to help people look at the bright side of things."

His good friend Lance Cpl. Dwight E. Maynard II described Brown as a pretty funny guy and remembers their first meeting.

"Right before we came out here Corporal Brown was running around our barracks with a cowboy hat on his head," said Maynard, of Manassas, Va. "He's crazy sometimes. I can't really describe him in normal terms."

The corporal's unusual approach to life began prior to his time as a Marine.

Brown, an avid sports enthusiast, joined the Marine Corps in May 2000 after graduating a year early from Victor Valley High School.

"I was bored. I found out that there was nothing to fill my time in between watching Matlock reruns and cartoons," explained Brown, who now hates to watch television.

His mother quickly "got tired" of watching her grown son spend his time watching Bugs Bunny when she knew he could do much more with his life.

"That's when I decided to go into the Marine Corps," he said. "To be honest, I really didn't know too much about it when I signed up."

After boot camp, he went on to become a topographic analyst specializing in tactical maps. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. After his time in the Far East, he checked in to 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Over the years, Brown's sense of humor flourished even without Bugs Bunny. He's also found time to accomplish some of his dreams.

"I actually was named the Chicken McNugget-eating champion at a contest at McDonald's before I came to Iraq," he said with a smile.

It only took 53 McNuggets to claim the coveted title.

"There were only five contestants, but I like to excel in everything I do," Brown added.

One dream he is still working to achieve is to keep the 1980's alive. His fascination with the decade began a few years ago.

"Everyone knows how much this guy loves the eighties," said Maynard.

Brown loves it all - the music, clothes, movies and television shows. In fact, he said his favorite show is "Diff'rent Strokes."

"I love Gary Coleman. He is a short, black man just like me," said Brown, standing 5-feet, 7-inches tall.

Both Coleman and Brown use their humor to entertain anyone within earshot, but Brown is quick to remember why he's here.

"People need a little light humor sometimes, especially out here," he said. "But if any bad guys try any funny stuff while I'm on duty, I'll be all over them like a rat on a Cheeto."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452913632/$file/Brown1lr.jpg

While on guard duty each morning, Cpl. Charles A. Brown, 1st Marine Division topographic analyst, greets everybody who enters and leaves the command operations center here. Brown, of Victorville, Calif., joined the Marine Corps in May 2000 after graduating from Victor Valley High School.
(USMC photo by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald) Photo by: Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/DF3E01FF6C23877E85256EA3005D21DD?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marines continue lookout for enemy with patrols
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 2004529104817
Story by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen



NASSIR WA AL SALAAM, Iraq(May 28, 2004) -- Cpl. Matthew W. Weikert walked through the small and winding streets if this town of about 30,000. It's a day-on and day-out duty for the infantry Marines who walk the beat here.

They are out to be seen, a reminder Marines in Iraq won't let terrorism back into this town.

Marines from Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, moved out in presence patrols from their forward operating base at the town's police station. Sometimes, the Marines are mounted on the backs of humvees. Other times it's on foot. What it's not, though, is routine.

"We can't treat each patrol as routine because if we do, that's when things go bad," said Lance Cpl. Matthew W. Weikert, a 23-year-old from Jacksonville, Ill. "I can't count how many patrols we've done out here, but I treat each one as if it's my first one."

Weikert sometimes walks "point" for his platoon and even the company. He's out front to see any enemy ahead. He's also the first one enemy ahead see.

"I don't like being in the back because I don't know what's going on," Weikert said. "I love being point man."

For the last three months, the company has dispatched squad-size elements on dismounted patrols, using the Nassir Wa Al Salaam Police Station. The patrols are a lot quieter than they once were. Gunshots are fewer, but still there. The Marines know that every step they take through the town, brings them closer to ensuring terrorists can't take refuge.

"It's mainly presence patrols that we conduct throughout the city," said Sgt. James C. Henninger, a 29-year-old squad leader from Aliso Viejo, Calif. "The patrols serve as reminders to the people that we're still here and we're not leaving any time soon."

Finding the enemy isn't always the goal for the Marines. Sometimes it's a matter of finding signs of the enemy such as built-up bunkers or reinforcing homes. Both are signs of possible ambush sites.

"We usually concern ourselves with anything out of place, like vehicles that drive around more than once and honk," said Henninger. "There's probably something wrong when there's a lot of honking going on, or when we don't see any kids around."

There are signs that things are getting better. When Marines first patrolled here, there were no friendly waves. Iraqis steered clear. Some would cast wary glances.

Now, there are signs that Marines are welcome. Children step out of doorways to wave at passing patrols.

Lance Cpl. James P. Kohler, a 20-year-old from Grand Terrance, Calif., said being able to interact with kids is a sign of trust they've earned with local Iraqis.

"It's great to have the kids around during our patrols because it gives us a chance to talk and interact with them," Kohler said. "This... used to be very quiet and no one would wave at us, but now it's totally different."

Henninger doesn't let his guard down though. He recently discovered a note left by a terrorist group asking surrounding families to keep children away from the Americans because it prevents them from shooting at Americans.

"They have to be some cold-hearted bastards if they choose to shoot at us with kids around," Kohler said.

Despite the finding, Kohler said they have not received any enemy contact, but plan to continue befriending their hosts.

"They know we're here to help them, get rid of the bad guys and keep them safe," Kohler said.
"We want to help build up their economy, so they have a foundation to work on when America pulls out their troops."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004529105929/$file/Patrol1lr.jpg

Sgt. James C. Henninger, a squad leader with 2nd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, gives candy to children during a foot-patrol in Nassir Wa Al Salaam, Iraq. Marines treat every patrol as one that could bring them into contact with enemy forces, but take hope in promising signs that the tide is turning against the enemy.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen) Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/ACFF4E9C730D2F5885256EA30051532F?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marines try to monitor Fallujah

Now out of the picture, soldiers try to keep an eye on city from afar


By Katarina Kratovac, Associated Press

FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Behind rows of barbed wire, sandbags and armored Humvees, Iraqi laborers erected a fountain featuring a statue of two hands clasped in friendship.

With the symbolic statue in place, Marines opened a liaison office in a heavily guarded compound on the edge of Fallujah. They hope to retain a foothold in the volatile city, where U.S. forces and insurgents loyal to Saddam Hussein clashed last month, and help the Iraqis living in it.

"There is more money being spent here ... than in the 30 years of Saddam," said Col. Jesse Barker of the 1st Marine Division.

Fighting raged for almost a month here after the April 5 slaying of four U.S. civilian contractors, whose burning bodies were dragged by a frenzied crowd though the streets and hung from a bridge -- a warning to Westerners venturing into this Sunni Muslim-dominated area.



A siege of the city ended when the Marines handed over security to a newly created brigade of army officers who once served Saddam's regime. The Marines pulled back to the city's outskirts.

Barker, a reservist from Statesville, N.C., is coordinating efforts to reconstruct Fallujah. But he concedes that since Marines and American contractors cannot set foot in the city, it is hard to tell what life there is like, much less how projects are coming along. "It's like looking at a pond by just looking at its surface -- occasionally a fish flies out," said Barker, 50. "We know some of the things, but we can't be sure."

Reporters remain unwelcome. Three veteran NBC journalists and an Iraqi freelancer were released Friday after being captured three days earlier by gunmen in the city. The release was mediated by local Sunni clerics. All four were unharmed.

The Marines criticized the crew's venture into Fallujah and the city's Muslim organizations later announced a ban on Western journalists visiting the city without police escort.

Even so, Mayor Mahmoud Ibrahim al-Juraisi claims Fallujah is now the "calmest and the most peaceful city in Iraq," simply because Marines no longer are there.

The United States has dedicated $3.6 million for the Fallujah effort, including more than $2.5 million for local Iraqi contractors, who will clean up raw sewage in the streets, rebuild mosques destroyed in the fighting -- and landscape the new liaison office.

"Even though it's hard to get things rolling, we hope the projects will start very soon," al-Juraisi said.

But troubles loom. The departure of the Marines enabled hard-line Islamic clerics and mujahedeen, or "holy warriors" who battled the Marines, to assert power in this impoverished city about 40 miles west of Baghdad.

The development raised concerns that Fallujah would turn into a fundamentalist Islamic haven.

Those concerns increased after reports emerged that Islamic militants publicly flogged people who sold alcohol, ordered men to grow beards and shut down hairdressers for women -- ensuring piety.

The inability to act on brewing concerns is frustrating for the Marines who fought here. Many in the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, say their pullback left a sense of a mission unfinished.

"We covered so much ground, lost buddies, then they told us to pull out," said Lance Cpl. Carlos Cristoval, 22, of Brownsville, Texas, who was wounded in an ambush and still limps from a bullet lodged in his upper right thigh.

Lance Cpl. Ahmadi Maqsood, 24, of Clayton, Calif., who lost two comrades in an April 8 shootout and was wounded by 30 shrapnel pieces to his leg, still carries his old ammunition cartridge shattered in the gunfight. "Fallujah was a disappointment," Maqsood said. "We pushed so far -- only to backtrack."

Both Maqsood and Cristoval returned to the battalion after being treated by Navy surgeons.

The battalion chaplain, Navy Lt. Wayne Hall, says he has heard many of the Marines express disappointment over Fallujah.

"But they are also aware that we are just an instrument ultimately for the political process," said Hall, 36, of Oklahoma City. "We are here to do what our government tells us to do."

http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~1865~2182215,00.html


Ellie

[thedrifter]

May 31, 2004

Rules of war remain vital to U.S. forces

By David Crary
Associated Press


NEW YORK — Though often flouted, even by the proudest of armies, the international rules of war are perhaps more vital to U.S. forces today than when drafted many decades ago, according to military analysts and battle-tested officers.
The abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers — depicted to the world in graphic photographs — has only underscored the importance of training U.S. service members to observe those rules regardless of circumstances, said Col. Patrick Finnegan, who heads the law department at the U.S. Military Academy.

“We try to get the cadets to think about what the rules mean and why we follow them, even when the other side might not,” said Finnegan, a veteran of the first Gulf War.

“Your first responsibility is self-defense, but at the same time we’re trying to do the right thing,” he said. “The more you overreact to a situation, the worse it plays to the Iraqi people and the rest of the world.”

No single document codifies the rules of war. They are a series of international agreements, including the Geneva Conventions drafted after World War II, that stipulate how commanders and soldiers should act during conflicts. Matters addressed include treatment of POWs and endangerment of civilians.

Some politicians and commentators have suggested that the prisoner abuse was no more than hazing, and that outrage should be directed instead at terrorist attacks or the Iraqis who dismembered American contractors.

“What amounts to hazing is not even in the same ballpark as mass murder,” Rep. Steve King wrote recently in the Des Moines Register. Sen. Trent Lott said that if detainees might have information that could save American lives, “I think you should get really rough with them.”

The U.S. military takes the rules seriously enough to require annual instruction in them for every unit, Finnegan said. Exercises might simulate a sudden barrage of rocks thrown by civilian youths, or the appearance of a woman who seems to be pregnant, yet may be concealing a weapon.

Still, some experts suggest the training has not been adequate for some of the National Guard and Reserve units deployed in Iraq — such as the military police company implicated in the abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison.

“The vast majority of our Army is doing good job, but we’re incredibly stretched, and that can result in mistakes,” said retired Col. Robert Maginnis, a military analyst who was chief of the Army Infantry School’s leadership and ethics training branch.

The abuse scandal “has been a major embarrassment for all of us,” Maginnis said. “To take someone unarmed and then humiliate and abuse them, it’s a mockery — some of our reservists haven’t really caught on to that ethos.”

Michael Peters, who served as in Army officer in Vietnam, Panama and the Gulf before becoming executive vice president of the Council on Foreign Relations, said there are practical reasons for treating enemy prisoners properly.

“You’d hope to be treated the same way if you were captured,” he said.

Human Rights Watch, the U.S.-based group that monitors a wide range of abuses worldwide, gave mixed grades to American forces for rules-of-war compliance during the first phases of the Iraq war.

The air campaign was commended for inflicting relatively light civilian casualties; ground troops earned praise and criticism.

“We saw some fine examples of heroism by soldiers and Marines, holding fire and putting themselves in danger when the Iraqis were using human shields,” said Marc Garlasco, a Human Rights Watch military analyst. “But there also was use of ground-launched cluster munitions that killed a lot of civilians unnecessarily.”

Garlasco said the ongoing anti-occupation insurgency, much of it waged in cities, has prolonged the challenge of minimizing civilian casualties.

“The U.S. military makes a good faith effort,” he said. “But the problem is you’re asking soldiers and Marines to do a job that’s not part of their mandate. It’s not easy to flip from being a killer to a peacekeeper.”

David Phillips, a conflict-prevention specialist with the Council on Foreign Relations, said Iraq provided a vivid example of how military missions have evolved.

“The Powell doctrine always was the use of overwhelming force, annihilating the adversary,” Phillips said. “But now we have to think about nation-building and transforming adversarial forces into peacekeeping partners.”

The U.S. military’s historical record regarding the rules of war is generally considered good, albeit marred by horrific atrocities such as the My Lai massacre in Vietnam. Phillips noted that German troops at the close of World War II sought to surrender to American soldiers in expectation of better treatment than they would get from the Russians.

“It’s imperative — particularly right now, after Sept. 11 — that we don’t just win the battle itself,” Phillips said. “We have to win the hearts and minds.”

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2964710.php


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Reserves support "Support Group"
Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story Identification #: 200453063213
Story by Cpl. Matthew J. Apprendi



CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(May 30, 2004) -- Grease stained their hands and boots; sweat drenched their faces and uniforms as the Marines fixed a tactical vehicle at Camp Fallujah, Iraq.

The grease and sweat belong to a detachment of approximately 30 mobilized reservists from their Abilene, Texas-based motor transportation and maintenance unit.

The reservists are augmenting Combat Service Support Company 121, Combat Service Support Battalion 12, 1st Force Service Support Group, for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“I’ve been absolutely blown away by how well the reserves have been performing,” said Capt. Neil Anderson, the commanding officer of CSSC-121, and native of Fallbrook, Calif. “Most of them were not forced into this, they were handpicked from their units – best of the best.”

For some, this is their first deployment. However, for a few, this deployment has etched a first impression that will likely last a lifetime.

“Coming out here has pushed my motivation,” said Lance Cpl. Charles A. Kerry, a mechanic with the company from Snyder, Texas. “It has urged me to stay in (the Marines) as long as I possibly can.”

The 2002 graduate of Snyder High School and the first Marine in his family plans to extend his activation and transition to active-duty when he returns home.

“I never planned on joining,” he said. “I was out for a run one day and a Marine Corps recruiter stopped me and asked, ‘What are you doing with yourself after high school?’ We ended up talking at McDonald’s, I liked what he had to say about the Corps, so here I am.”

Reservists are found in nearly all of the 12 different sections of the company. Some have been afforded the opportunity to cross train outside their military occupational specialty.

Lance Cpl. Clint B. Freeman was a bulk fueler at his reserve unit. Currently, he has been working with the generator section learning the ins and outs of maintaining electrical power.

“I’m really loving cross training,” said the full-time student, who is majoring in psychology at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, where he also resides. “The active-duty guys gave me a hard time in the beginning, but it was all in good fun. Once we started to work, we were all going for the same mission accomplishment.”

“They’ve (reservists) learned a lot out here,” said Staff Sgt. Floyd H. Thomason, the maintenance chief for the company from Fort Worth. “What they are gaining out here is something they could never learn back home.”

Thomason is a diesel mechanic with Southwest International Trucks in Dallas as a civilian. He laughed, “I can’t get away from this job.”

Outside on the desert floor, the Marines take a break by gathering around a crudely set-up pull-up bar. They egg each other on to see who can do the most.

Lance Cpl. Logan D. Knox, a mechanic with the outfit, from Dallas is on the bar pulling himself up with a big grin. The Marines shout, “Come on Knox! Get up there – one more.”

“We definitely have our laughs out here,” said Freeman, chuckling. “Marines will do about anything not to get bored. Pranks are always going on. I’ve tried to open my door before, and it just has fallen off the hinges.”

Freeman added the culprits are usually right around the corner laughing at the spectacle.

“We really try to keep everything somewhat sane out here,” he said. “The days get pretty hectic sometimes, but we always try to set aside a Sunday to play cards or throw some horseshoes and drink a bit of non-alcoholic beer.”

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200453011125/$file/support05lo.jpg

Lance Cpl. Clint B. Freeman, a generator mechanic with Combat Service Support Company 121, Combat Service Support Battalion 12, 1st Force Service Support Group, a native of Stephenville, Texas, works on a generator at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, May 10, 2004. Freeman, along with approximatly 30 other reserve Marines from their Abilene, Texas-based unit, are augmenting CSSC-121 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo by: Cpl. Matthew J. Apprendi

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/87E0725E2E78CAF385256EA40039E1C9?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Little visitors make impact on gates of Abu Ghraib
Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story Identification #: 2004530105923
Story by Sgt. Colin Wyers



ABU GHRAIB PRISON, Iraq(May 25, 2004) -- Off the road, outside of the prison walls of Abu Ghraib, Iraqi families mill about, waiting to be cleared for admittance, hoping to speak to relatives inside.

At the checkpoint, nicknamed "the Forward," Army military policemen check visitors for weapons and contraband before helping them on to a bus bound for the visitor area.

There are also boys like Hamzi, an 11-year-old from a nearby village.

"A lot of them come from nearby communities," said Lance Cpl. Jared Bierbaum, one of the Marines of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment that stands post on the prison's perimeter. "They don't go to school. Some of them are helpers, pick up trash, and get money or candy."

Hamzi, smiling, wanders around in a bright orange and green Nike soccer jersey bought with money earned from helping out the Marines, along with his new sweatpants and sandals.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon trash!" he said to one of the Marines on post, hopping up and down excitedly.

Named after a nearby village on the outskirts of Baghdad, the prison, a nestling of walled compounds in a walled compound carved out of the barren, hardtop desert, has become notorious after revelations of prisoner abuse by members of the Army's 372nd Military Police Company.

In an address to the Army War College May 24, President George W. Bush announced plans to raze the prison, saying, "Under the dictator, prisons like Abu Ghraib were symbols of death and torture. That same prison became a symbol of disgraceful conduct by a few American troops who dishonored our country and disregarded our values."

Until the walls of the prison are torn down, the Marines of K Co. have been tasked with defending them. They have also become a public face of the prison, as photographers from wire services mingle with the crowds of Iraqi visitors.

"What happened was just horrible," said Maj. Luke Kratky, the commander of the reserve infantry company based out of Terre Haute, Ind. "The fact that we could be associated with that as Marines has aggravated us beyond what we saw. Marines at (the front gate) have to deal with anger of the local populace, when they had nothing to do with it."

According to the Marines at the post, such outbursts are the exception, not the rule.

"They're just mad because some of them have family inside and can't see them," said Lance Cpl. Mirza Bijedic, who is originally from Sarajevo, Bosnia. "We're here to protect the base, and (military police) handle the visitation."

More often, the families' questions center around life in America.

"They ask us about religion, that kind of thing," said Bijedic. "For me, I'm Muslim, so they ask me why I'm in the Marine Corps. They ask how it is to be a Muslim in the U.S.

"I tell them, nobody cares if you're a Muslim; nobody points a gun at you and says, 'You're a Muslim, go back home.'"

And some, like the kids who come in from local villages, offer their assistance to the Marines.

"We pick up good Arabic from these kids," said Lance Cpl. Jared Bierbaum, a native of Bloomington, Ill. "I think we learn Arabic faster than we would sitting in the classroom. And they keep coming back (with) something to tell us, if some 'Ali Baba' is in town."

Marines like Bijedic hope to be remembered for what they do, not for the abuses committed before his company arrived.

"Some people ask me about it, and I say, 'it's a few misguided individuals.' Everybody has a couple of bad apples, but in general, we're here to help people."

Editor's note: This is the first of three stories in a series about Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment at Abu Ghraib Prison.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004530111824/$file/forward02lr.jpg

Lance Cpl. John Biech, 23, an infantryman with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, and a St. Louis native, stands guard at Abu Ghraib Prison, Iraq, May 22, 2004. K Co. has served as force protection for the base since they arrived in March in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo by: Cpl. Matthew J. Apprendi

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/9CC27E892A8099BC85256EA400525756?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Deployed troops pause to remember fallen comrades on Memorial Day in Iraq
Submitted by: 1st Force Service Support Group
Story Identification #: 2004531134647
Story by Lance Cpl. Samuel Bard Valliere



CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq(May 31, 2004) -- Deployed Marines, sailors and soldiers gathered here to remember fallen comrades on Memorial Day, May 31, 2004.

The outdoor observance included remarks from Brig. Gen. Richard S. Kramlich, the 1st Force Service Support Group's commanding general.

The general said young people serving now are the "next great generation," drawing parallels to World War II veterans, who fought for nearly four years and suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties fighting their generation's war.

Today's youth, he said, are no different. The general explained that today's young people don't get the credit they deserve for sacrificing as much as they have in their own generation's war.

He added that we cannot lose this war because the freedom and democracy we enjoy as Americans must be protected.

"We know our cause," he said. "Our mission is righteous. We know what our country stands for and what our Constitution stands for."

"Men have died for that cause this year, last year and they will again next year," he said.

Following the general's speech, the names of 79 I Marine Expeditionary Force personnel, who have died since Marines assumed responsibility of Iraq's Al Anbar Province earlier this year, were read.

After the eulogy, Marines fired a 21-gun salute toward the mid-morning sun. To bring the ceremony to a close, a small stereo quietly played "Taps."

The service moved Sgt. Ruben S. Valenzuela, a 29-year-old inspector with the Group.

"It touched me," said the National City, Calif., native after the ceremony. "A lot of people come here with the intention of just doing their time, but they don't realize the sacrifices they have to make."

The ceremony was not the first event held to recognize Memorial Day here.

Several hundred service members here ran five kilometers May 29, 2004, to honor the fallen troops.

More than 800 U.S. service men and women have been killed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 19, 2003.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004531141326/$file/BowedHeads040531_Low.jpg

Marines and sailors of the 1st Force Service Support Group bow their heads in prayer during a Memorial Day ceremony at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, on May 31, 2004. The ceremony included remarks from Brig. Gen. Richard S. Kramlich, the Group’s commanding general, and a reading of the names of the 79 I Marine Expeditionary Force personnel who have died in Iraq since the Marines assumed responsibility of the Al Anbar Province earlier this year. The ceremony concluded with a 21-gun salute and the playing of “Taps.” Photo by: Lance Cpl. Samuel Bard Valliere

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/15D57E6EEAE6145D85256EA50061AAEB?opendocument


Ellie

[snipowsky]

Believe it or not...I read all this and I loved it. They should just let the Marines handle Iraq and there would be no problems at all! I only wish! God bless our troops! Yes even the Army too!

Semper Fi!

[thedrifter]

Issue Date: May 31, 2004 <br />
<br />
Slick duty <br />
It may be the war’s most unusual guard post — a Persian Gulf oil rig <br />
<br />
By Christopher Munsey <br />
Times staff writer <br />
<br />
BOARD AN OIL PLATFORM, Northern Persian...

[thedrifter]

THE WESTERN FRONT <br />
The Fallujah Brigade <br />
How the Marines are pacifying an Iraqi hot spot. <br />
<br />
BY BRENDAN MINITER <br />
Wall Street Journal, Tuesday, June 1, 2004 <br />
<br />
In Iraq, apparently no news is good...

[thedrifter]

Soldier, father, proud of role in Iraq
By LESA INGRAHAM
Staff writer

Dale Miller spent his 41st birthday on combat patrol with a rifle squad in Iraq.

It was the second birthday the Park Township resident has spent in a combat zone since he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in June 1980.

This time was different.

As his birthday approached, he found himself thinking a lot about what he was doing in the Al Anbar Province in Iraq. He was thinking about reports of prisoner abuse and anti-war sentiments from around the United States.

"I have been seeing all of the negative news about the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghurayb prison and I want the people at home to hear something to counter that," Miller said in an e-mail interview from Iraq.

"I have been seeing news stories about 'untrained soldiers' until I am sick of seeing it. I want people at home to know that the U.S. military has a moral compass, we know right from wrong and the overwhelming majority of us deplore what happened there as much as anyone else."

On May 12, the sergeant major sent a lengthy e-mail to friends and family sharing his reflection on Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"What we have encountered in Iraq is a people who have suffered the most violent and vile forms of abuses for over 30 years. The people here have no rights, no freedom, no happiness," Miller wrote.

After reviewing the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, which concentrate on "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," Miller explained why he thinks the war is so important.

"It is well and good that we should be involved in the abolishment of Governments who abuse the Governed; else none would come to the aid of those who are not strong enough to defend themselves from such tyranny. We are a Great Nation, and it is our place to do such things. If a people were to decide that those ideals which they hold dear are not worth defending in the homelands of their neighbors, then that people would surely lose those same ideals themselves to tyrants. If we, as Americans, ever decide that our lives are not worth risking and sacrificing for the sake of others, then we are no longer a Great Nation or a Great People."

Miller wrote, "In the pursuit of Freedom, and in the course of defending it, violence will be done, blood will be shed, and men, who would rather be comfortable in their homes, enjoying their children and families, will die. This we cannot help, and we will not change it in our lifetime. Americans, you see, remain free only because such men stand ready to do violence on your behalf. And they sometimes die. Freedom is not free; it is bought with the blood of Patriots, of young men and women. Freedom is purchased by the stern men who would do violence on your behalf so that you would not have to know of such things."

Miller, a father of four, said he wants his children to know that he is doing what he feels is right.

"I want them to know that there are people who talk about their beliefs, and then there are those who take action," Miller said in an e-mail interview. "I want my kids to know that doing the right thing is usually difficult and painful, but must be done."

Contact Lesa Ingraham at lesa.ingraham@hollandsentinel.com or (616) 546-4279.

http://www.thehollandsentinel.net/images/053104/IraqSoldierBWepsLR.jpg

IN IRAQ: Dale Miller joined the Marines in 1980. he spent his 41st birthday on patrol in Iraq.

http://www.thehollandsentinel.net/stories/053104/loc_053404011.shtml


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marine's story is one of sacrifice
Jason Murray tries to deflect honors to others who served

By Ann Carnahan, Rocky Mountain News
June 1, 2004

A giant tear rolled out of Jason Murray's left eye, from which he can no longer see.

The Marine lance corporal from Sterling is 20 years old, but he sat with his arms resting on a cane. Red scars marked most of his face.

He listened quietly during a Memorial Day service at Craig Hospital in Englewood as veterans and their families honored those who have died for their country.

Murray did not speak. Only in an interview later did he explain that he has no memory of the explosion in Iraq that ripped him apart.

"I got blown up and then I woke up," Murray said. "My life no longer existed as I knew it. I was blind and missing teeth. I had tubes coming out of me everywhere."

Then he said he wishes he were back in Iraq.

"I still wish I could be there for my buddies," he said.

In late March, Murray, attached to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, was critically wounded while patrolling in Ar-Ramadi. He and his squad were on a mission to find and disarm homemade bombs that could be remotely detonated. They already had disarmed six on previous searches.

Suddenly, an explosion occurred just 3 to 4 feet in front of Murray, whipping dozens of pieces of shrapnel into his head and chest. Another Marine was killed.

Murray was flown to the American military hospital in Baghdad and then to Germany. His condition was so critical that a body bag went with him.

Four weeks ago, he arrived at Craig Hospital, where he spends six hours a day in therapy.

"His spirit and grit are wonderful to behold," said Peter Schlesiona, who helped organize Monday's tribute. It was Murray's idea to honor the 13 members of his battalion who have died in Iraq.

The service was attended by about 70 people, including some who have friends and relatives serving in Murray's battalion. Several drove five hours to get there.

The Rev. John Roberts, who baptized Murray when he was a child, quoted a speech by President Truman in honor of those who died during World War II.

Truman said the country's debt to them could never be repaid and vowed that America would never forget their sacrifices.

"Today we make it our business to see that this pledge is honored in our own generation," Roberts said.

Bill Gaynor, a former Marine who moderated the service, said Murray's fiancee told him a few weeks ago that his biggest concern was that he would no longer be a Marine.

"You will always be a part of us, Jason," Gaynor said, pausing to compose himself.

The ceremony included renditions of The Star-Spangled Banner, Taps and The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Three of the four men in the Color Guard were among Murray's classmates at Sterling High School.

After the service, many in the crowd talked to Murray, whispering words of thanks.

"We appreciate your sacrifice. We love you," said one man.

Murray tried to deflect the attention.

"The whole point of this was to honor my comrades - past, present and future - who have died," he said.

The service was also attended by Murray's parents, Suzanne and Ben Murray, and his fiancee, Kelsi Baseggio, who constantly stayed at his side.

Murray suffered severe head injuries, but shows no signs of permanent brain damage, his mother said.

Murray still needs surgeries for shrapnel in his jaw and to replace the teeth he lost. He has lost 40 pounds because medications are making him sick and unable to keep food down.

Even though Murray lost his right eye in the explosion, his father is confident he will one day see again out of his left eye.

"Medically, they say he'll never see again," Ben Murray said. "Spiritually, we haven't lost hope."

The Murrays have another son, Brandon, who is also a Marine. He is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq in September.




http://mas.scripps.com/DRMN/2004/06/01/c3co-mmarine_d.jpg

Judy Walgren © News

Marine Lance Cpl. Jason Murray, of Sterling, talks with his fiancee, Kelsi Baseggio, and family friend Mike Schuppe before a Memorial Day ceremony at Craig Hospital in Englewood. Murray was blinded and badly injured in late March while patrolling in Ar-Ramadi, Iraq. Murray said he has no memory of the explosion in Iraq that ripped him apart. One of his comrades died in the attack.


http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_2929147,00.html


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Covering Sixes: Mobile infantry force a cavalry to convoys under fire
Submitted by: 1st Force Service Support Group
Story Identification #: 200453181813
Story by Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon



CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq(May 31, 2004) -- Keep the foot on the gas.

That's the mission of the logisticians of the 1st Force Service Support Group who brave highways littered with roadside bombs and flanked by trigger-happy insurgents daily in order to haul supplies across western Iraq to Marines who need them.

Even though every convoy packs loads of firepower -- from heavy machine guns to individual Marines with their rifles at the ready -- and uses it when required, the procession rarely stops to chase down enemy attackers who may return to fight another day.

Marine military policemen, who provide security to convoys, said they know anti-coalition forces watching from their rooftops know this.

Asking for assistance, they recently approached the leaders of 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, a reserve infantry battalion who has two companies guarding Camp Taqaddum's perimeter and patrolling the villages and countryside just beyond.

The idea they came up with was to bring along vehicle-borne grunts with their extra firepower, primed to pounce on any would-be ambushers harassing the supply train.

On May 25, 2004, the force tested the tactic by teaming up with a convoy from A Company, Combat Service Support Group 15 and the MPs of B Company, 2nd Military Police Battalion, all based here.

While neither the convoy nor the reaction force encountered anything hostile, the trial run showed that the teams could work successfully together.

"It's just good to know you're not out there alone," said Staff Sgt. William J. Banks, platoon sergeant with A Company, and a 32-year-old native of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Furthermore, some see the mobile force as a sign of things to come.

With the June 30 deadline to transfer sovereignty to Iraqi authorities swiftly approaching, Marines' role in the region may change in order to relinquish some responsibility for maintaining security and stability to the Iraqi army, civil defense corps and police force. However, supply convoys will still need to continue rolling as long as American forces remain.

"People are always going to need food. People are always going to need water. People are always going to need ammo," said Capt. Thomas S. Little, 33, assistant operations officer for 3/24 and a native of Littleton, Colo. "We're still going to have to provide security on the roads."

For now, operational tempo will determine how often the reaction force will be called to bolster convoys.

Despite a tranquil Fallujah, Company A drivers have been trucking supplies as much now as they were during the height of operations there, said Cpl. Matthew P. Meier, a 23-year-old vehicle operator from Munith, Mich.

The company's drivers alone have logged more than 275,000 miles behind the wheel since their arrival in Iraq a few months ago, said Capt. Kathy R. Lee-Wood, company commander and a 33-year-old native of Pomona, N.J.

Meanwhile, insurgents continue their attempts at hindering the movement of Marines throughout the Al Anbar Province with ambushes and improvised explosives. Yet, convoys continue to punch through assailments with guns blazing, and now such cooperation with the infantry may make it even easier to keep tires turning and supplies from stalling.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200453110246/$file/MeierCichocki040524_low.jpg

As Marine vehicle operators delivering supplies with A Company, Combat Service Support Group 15, Cpl. Matthew P. Meier and Cpl. Curtis J. Cichocki have endured three convoy ambushes together in Iraq. Both are based at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq. The company's drivers have logged more than 275,000 miles behind the wheel since arriving in Iraq earlier this year. CSSG-15 is a part of 1st Force Service Support Group. Meier is a 23-year-old native of Munith, Mich. Cichocki is a 22-year-old native of Westland, Mich. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/BC8C3A67FED19B9685256EA500439630?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Issue Date: June 07, 2004

Securing supply lines is key to helping rebuild Iraq

By Gidget Fuentes
Times staff writer

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq — From a third-floor patio of a cream-yellow concrete building at this dusty airfield, Brig. Gen. Richard S. Kramlich can see an expanse of war stocks and supplies destined for I Marine Expeditionary Force units in the Iraqi province of Anbar.
This camp is the crossroads for bullets, food, water and spare parts that arrive daily for delivery to Marines on the front lines helping secure and rebuild Iraq.

Thousands of his Marines and sailors fix vehicles, deliver stocks of ammunition and spare parts, tend the injured and help 1st Marine Division leathernecks disable mines and improvised explosives.

“They feel like they are part of the action here,” said Kramlich, who commands the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 1st Force Service Support Group. “They are going to do what it takes to get that material, be it ammunition or repair parts or MREs. Whatever it is, they are committed to getting that through.”

In this supply hub between Ramadi and Fallujah, in the Sunni Triangle, support Marines play a major role in the fight.

His force supports two regimental combat teams and an Army brigade combat team, along with squadrons from the San Diego-based 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

At Taqaddum, Marines offload supplies and containers brimming with supplies brought by air or ground convoys. The military’s main supply distribution center in Balad, home to the Army’s 13th Corps Support Command from Fort Hood, Texas, provides theater-level support to the Marines.

The challenge for Marines is securing convoys and supply lines threatened by enemy insurgents.

Kramlich said the pre-deployment “Desert Talon” exercise done with the 3rd MAW at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., was “extremely useful.” Marines practiced convoy procedures and handling weapons and communications equipment. In Iraq, units continue to run immediate-action drills for ambushes and roadside bombs.

Last year, Master Sgt. Frank Alessi fought in Iraq with the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. Now the logistics chief for the 1st Force Service Support Group, Alessi said he appreciates supply’s role in security and stability operations.

“It’s all about parts and more bullets and supplies to keep [a Marine] supplied with whatever he’s going to need,” he said.

Alessi tracks trends in readiness, spare-parts shortages, maintenance and combat losses. The disabling of a seven-ton by a roadside bomb, for example, causes a chain reaction of quick decisions — fix it or destroy it? — and action.

Behind the scenes, Marines work day and night to resupply far-flung units for combat.

“Their glory is in sitting behind a forklift and moving [cargo] all night,” Alessi said. “There are maintenance guys who are working 24-7 to make sure the supplies are back on the shelf so the forklifts can get it.

“And then you leave the gate,” he said, “and you’re going into harm’s way.”

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=0-MARINEPAPER-2936646.php


Ellie