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thedrifter
06-03-04, 07:01 AM
Division's headquarters memorializes team leader, family man
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 200462101257
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva



CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(June 1, 2004) -- Gunnery Sgt. David M. Beall pulled the aluminum-beaded chain with his identification tags from his neck. He leaned over to the inverted rifle and hung them next to those of SSgt. Jorge A. MolinaBautista.

It was a final goodbye to a fallen Marine.

Marines from Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, honored MolinaBautista's life and sacrifice in a memorial service here. He was killed in action while on a combat patrol, May 23. MolinaBautista was a member of the 1st Marine Division's Command Post Jump Team.

Before the memorial ceremony was finished June 1, the tags of more than 30 Marines - all members of MolinaBautista's team - hung together from the rifle.

"What we memorialize is not Staff Sergeant Molina's passing, but his full life," said Capt. Edward T. Card, commander of MolinaBautista's team. "He was our advanced guard. He was a seasoned and courageous combat veteran. I realize I cannot begin to understand the depth of sorrow his family is experiencing."

Cpl. Jackie W. Phillips, assigned to MolinaBautista's team recalled the dedicated family man, who spent nights trading stories about his three children. Phillips said he treated his Marines as his own family.

"There wasn't a day that went by that he and I didn't talk about our families back home," Phillips said. "He was a very proud father and loved his family deeply. Staff Sergeant Molina also cared for his Marines. He always looked out for them, never putting himself first and never putting us in danger."

MolinaBautista was born in Mexico in 1966 and immigrated to the United States with his mother when he was five. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 1991 and attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. He was assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

It was there he married his wife, Dina, in 1994.

He was later assigned to 1st LAR Battalion at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and served a tour as a recruiter in Los Angeles before returning to 1st LAR Battalion. He deployed with the division last year for the invasion of Iraq and returned again this year.

Navy Cmdr. Bill D. Devine, chaplain for the 1st Marine Division, spoke to the Marines of MolinaBautista's commitment to his life, his family and his Marines.

"There is no greater love than when someone lays his life down for another," Devine said. "No one knows the meaning of those words more than those here tonight."

MolinaBautista is survived by his wife Dina, and three children, Jorge, Jose and Carlos.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200462111833/$file/molina2lr.jpg

Gunnery Sgt. David M. Beall pulls off his idetnification tags to hand alongside those of Staff Sgt. Jorge A MolinaBautista. MolinaBautista was honored during a memorial ceremony at Camp Blue Diamond, Iraq June 1. He was killed in action May 23 while on a combat patrol.
(USMC photo by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva) Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/B4D09109B178587785256EA7004E173A?opendocument


Ellie

thedrifter
06-03-04, 07:03 AM
Iraqi battalion assumes security role from soldiers in 1st Marine Division zone <br />
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division <br />
Story Identification #: 200462134249 <br />
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald <br />
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thedrifter
06-03-04, 07:04 AM
Camp Fallujah's fire department extinguishes live fire test
Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story Identification #: 20046323456
Story by Lance Cpl. J.C. Guibord



CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(May 13, 2004) -- The flames of the fire were beginning to snake up the sides of the building as blaring sirens signaled the arrival of the Camp Fallujah fire department on the scene of their first live-fire drill here May 13.

The ten-man firefighting crew, comprised of five Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 374 and five soldiers from the 1439th Engineer Battalion, was recently assigned to Camp Fallujah to fulfill the base's need for a fire department.

The combination of Army and Marine firefighters with different backgrounds enhances the team's capabilities. Crash Fire Rescue Marines are generally attached to aviation units to fight aircraft fires, while soldiers train to combat structure fires primarily.

The department's first exercise was set up to challenge the team and take them by surprise.

"None of the personnel knew it was coming; it would have defeated the purpose of the drill," said Staff Sgt. Jose L. Aguirre, the Camp Fallujah fire marshal.

As the orchestrator of the training exercise, Aguirre set an uninhabited building ablaze and waited for his team to respond and properly extinguish the fire.

They arrived two minutes after the fire was set, according to the Huron, Calif., native.

The quick response began at the fire department's office.

"I received the call that we had a building fire south of East Road, so I proceeded to that location," said Lance Cpl. Matthew T. Laidlaw, a crew chief from Murphys, Calif.

Within 20 minutes of the call, the fire was out and the crew was preparing to return to their firehouse for a debrief.

Although just a drill, they responded with speed and professionalism.

"This is what we train for, you know what you have to do," said Army Spc. Adam J. Steuer, a firefighter and a Roscommon, Mich. Native. "The drill refreshed a lot of things I've already been taught."

Exercises like this will be conducted throughout the fire department's stay at Camp Fallujah.

"Overall the drill went outstanding," said Aguirre. "They did everything I expected them to do. There were some minor details, but we can expect those. They are easy to overcome."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20046325246/$file/fire01lo.jpg

A Camp Fallujah fire truck is seen through a flame-filled window as it approaches the scene of the fire department's first fire drill, May 13, 2004, on Camp Fallujah, Iraq. The team, comprised of Marines and soldiers, has been training here for several weeks supporting the I Marine Expeditionary Force in Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Official
USMC photo by Lance Cpl. J.C. Guibord)

Photo by: Lance Cpl. J.C. Guibord

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/8A0B97D1D745E91785256EA800242863?opendocument


Ellie

thedrifter
06-03-04, 07:05 AM
Marines treat Iraqi farmer to bovine therapy
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20046352038
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva



CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(June 2, 2004) -- Marines here took an udderly different approach to helping Iraqis.

Marines and sailors came up with a new and unique solution to helping one Iraqi man. And she’s a looker.

She’s got big, brown eyes and an unmistakable sway when she walks. She’s a bit young, but to those who know what to look for, she’s got just what an Iraqi farmer wants.

To be honest, she’s sort of a cow. Not so, say Marines and sailors with 1st Marine Division’s Government Support Team. She’s a special cow - the milking kind.

The division’s GST section bought a cow, with the help of Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles. The lucky farmer… well, he’s roaming greener pastures.

“We were meeting with the governor when he commented about this poor farmer’s cow being killed,” explained Lt. Col. Alan G. Burghard Sr., the GST commander. “The farmer had medical ailments that required him to eat dairy products and there was no way to find a way to honor the claim.”

It all started when Marines and enemy forces were shooting it out on a farm near Ramadi a few weeks ago. The farmer’s cow was caught in the crossfire and well… bought the farm. It’s a sad story that’s even sadder because the farmer literally relied on the cow for his health.

But buying a cow wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Specifically, there were rules and regulations against directly buying goods and well… cows. Marines could hand the farmer a check, but a check wasn’t going to put milk in his glass and cheese on his table.

So Burghard approached Jim Hake, the director for Spirit of America to see if he could help. Spirit of America already assisted Marines in Iraq by donating millions of dollars in school, medical and dental supplies. Livestock, though, was something different.

“I related the story to Jim and I got a one-sentence response,” explained Burghard, a 45-year-old from Parsinippay, N.J. “He said, ‘Buy the cow.’”

Buying a cow in Iraq, though, isn’t like heading down to the local livestock show or 4-H Club. Burghard asked the local Iraqi governor to help him locate a cow that was relatively young and already producing milk.

Still, he admitted he didn’t know the first thing about buying the right cow.

“All I know about a cow is hay goes in one end and milk comes out the other,” he said.

That’s where Navy Chief Petty Officer Ron E. Heinen stepped in. He’s a hospital corpsman and emergency medical technician and knew a thing or two about cows. Being from Dayton, Texas and raising a few cows of his own made him, well… the udder expert.

“I wanted to check it for age,” explained 58-year-old Heinen. “You do that by checking the teeth.”

Doing that, though, requires a handful of bovine snot. The trick, he explained, is to get the cow by the nose - one finger in one nostril and a thumb in the other - and squeeze.

“When you do that, they pretty much just freeze,” Heinen said.

What Heinen saw was a bottom set of pearly whites and a top row just starting to come in. It indicated the cow was about three years old. A check over the rest of the animal showed him she was in good shape.

“She was a healthy cow,” he said. “She had good udders. It looked like a good deal.”

Burghard said he had to trust Heinen’s word. Looking at the cow, he thought he was getting a couple extra parts thrown in for free.

“I forgot dairy cows had horns,” he said. “I saw it at first and thought there was something wrong with this picture.”

Heinen said the price was right too. Heinen said he bought a similar cow not too long ago and paid $750. Marines got the cow for the rock-bottom price of $520.

Burghard explained that the cow will not only be able to provide the dairy products the Iraqi farmer needs, but excess can be traded for other goods. Plus, the cow is healthy to breed and has the potential to provide a long line of dairy cows for the farmer’s family.

“What we’re doing isn’t just building bridges,” Burghard added. “It’s building bridges between people. Creative solutions are being found by units.”

For Heinen’s part, he’d gladly do the dirty work of inspecting livestock again.

“When I looked at the cow’s teeth, the Iraqis kind of relaxed,” he explained. “It was like, ‘Hey, this guy knows what he’s doing.’ I actually saw this guy jump in the air as we walked away.”

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20046352317/$file/cow1lr.jpg

Navy Chief Petty Officer Ron E. Heinen, a hospital corpsmen from Dayton, Texas puts his experience raising dairy cows to use as he checks a cow's teeth to estimate her age. Marines and sailors with the 1st Marine Division's Government Support Team, along with Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, bought the cow for am Iraqi farmer. The farmer was reliant on the cow for dairy products to ease medical ailments.
(Photo courtesy Lt. Col. Alan F. Burghard Sr.) Photo by: Lt. Col. Alan F. Burghard Sr.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/B5DCA7CC7823248785256EA8003353DA?opendocument


Ellie

thedrifter
06-03-04, 07:07 AM
Regimental Combat Team 7 honors fallen on Memorial Day
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20046284558
Story by Sgt. Jose L. Garcia



CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq(May 31, 2004) -- They stood with heads bowed.

More than 500 Marines from Regimental Combat Team 7 paused operations in western Iraq to honor their war dead in a simple, quiet and solemn ceremony May 31.

The fallen were fathers, sons, friends and next-door neighbors. They were Marines who paid the ultimate price for freedom. The names of 23 Marines who died fighting for this regiment were called out.

"This holiday plays a big role because the (operational) tempo has not allowed enough time to honor and commemorate our fallen comrades," said Master Gunnery Sgt. Jose L. Garcia, 44, from El Paso, Texas and the operations chief for Regional Combat Team 7. "We have to take time to have this holiday for its intended purpose, not to have hot dogs or beer in our backyards."

Garcia said the ceremony was for intended purpose. He stood among his fellow Marines to honor the lives and sacrifices for real people he actually knew.

"We honor these warriors that have fallen next to us and pay our respects," Garcia said. "If you have a friend who dies out here, it has a different meaning."

Marines said this Memorial Day strikes a more solemn tone. They've seen Marines and sailors fall fighting for each other, living up to their Corps' motto of "Semper Fidelis," always faithful.

"It has more of an impact out here because of the guys we lost," said Cpl. Matthew S. Heald, of Tallahassee, Fla., and infantryman with RCT-7. "People back home remember names. Here we remember our friends."

The 1st Marine Division's senior enlisted Marine said that this Memorial Day has a renewed sense of awe and sobering reality.

"This definitely hits home and defines the true meaning of Memorial Day," said Sgt. Maj. Wayne R. Bell, a 47-year-old Bostonian. "Our brothers in arms have paid the ultimate sacrifice."

Cpl. David E. Allen, 30, of Watervalley, Mo., and an engineer assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion knew four of the Marines honored during roll call. He said Memorial Day would forever be different.

"When you have a friend lose his life it becomes more of a personal note," Allen explained. "The difference is personalization. This is a time to pay our respects and put some closure. We still have a fight in front of us."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004629335/$file/md2lr.jpg

Twenty-three set of identification tags hang from a pistol grip of an M-16A4 service rifle during a Memorial Day ceremondy at Camp Al Asad, Iraq. Regimental Combat Team 7 briefly paused operations May 31 to reflect and honor the memory of the Marines who died while serving in Iraq.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose L. Garcia) Photo by: Sgt. Jose L. Garcia

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/00D575CEBEC8ACC885256EA7004620AC?opendocument


Ellie

thedrifter
06-03-04, 07:08 AM
County police send Marines best wishes -- and supplies
E-Mail This Article


by C. Benjamin Ford
Staff Writer

Montgomery County Police have adopted "The Fighting Griffins."

The police have set up collection boxes to ship comfort items for Marine Corps Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 -- known as "The Fighting Griffins" -- serving in Afghanistan. The unit has been based just north of Kandahar since February and is expected to return to its North Carolina home in October.

Detective Sheila Sugrue organized the department's "Adopt a Marine" program after speaking to the wife of an old friend, Andrew McFarland, a captain with the squadron.

The unit also has a Montgomery County tie, Sugrue said: Its second in command, Lt. Col. Ben Collandreo, grew up in Twinbrook and graduated from Towson State University.

"It turns out it is a small world," Sugrue said.

She sent some things to McFarland, but she heard of other Marines not receiving packages from home.

"We felt bad that other people over there don't get anything," Sugrue said. "They're over there and sacrificing a lot. It's just kind of nice to know that people over here appreciate them and are behind them."

Sugrue became friends with McFarland in college in South Carolina when he went to the Citadel and she attended the College of Charleston.

The squadron has 500 Marines, including 300 single parents, Sugrue said.

To collect items -- still in their original sealed packaging -- Sugrue has set up boxes at each of the police district offices and at department headquarters in Rockville.

So far 50 officers have signed up to send packages to Afghanistan, she said.

Members of the public may drop off items that will be sent to the squadron. Notes also may be included but should be placed in unsealed envelopes.

Drop off items at district stations or police headquarters in Rockville.

Wanted items include laundry detergent in tablets; sunglasses; socks; undershirts; travel-size baby wipes; disposable razors; suntan lotion; insect repellent; aspirin; lip balm; toothbrushes and toothpaste; anti-nausea tablets; small bandages; nail clippers; foot powder; shaving cream in tubes; feminine hygiene products (30 percent of the unit are women); deodorant; protein bars; bags of nuts; dry mix sports drink; trail mix; chewing gum; beef jerky; granola bars; disposable cameras; stationery and pens; plastic bags; and instant coffee.

Call Detective Sheila
Sugrue at 240-773-5422.

http://www.gazette.net/200423/montgomerycty/county/219496-1.html


Ellie

thedrifter
06-03-04, 11:31 AM
There's no such thing as a milk run in Iraq <br />
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division <br />
Story Identification #: 200453162048 <br />
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald <br />
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CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(May 30,2004) --...

thedrifter
06-03-04, 05:49 PM
9th Comm Battalion helps 3rd MAW stay connected <br />
Submitted by: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing <br />
Story Identification #: 200462233558 <br />
Story by Sgt. Sgt. J.L. Zimmer III <br />
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AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq (June...