Fallujah battlefield test bed for NASCAR cool vest

[thedrifter]

Fallujah battlefield test bed for NASCAR cool vest

Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20052353716
Story by Capt. Brad V. Gordon



FALLUJAH, Iraq (Feb. 1, 2005) -- What could driving a car at 190 miles per hour for four hours on a Sunday afternoon and trudging down the battle ravaged streets of Fallujah in an Abrams tank have in common?
Heat! Whether it's strapped inside a multi-million dollar NASCAR Nextel Cup race car or buttoned up in a $2.5 million M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, the heat can easily reach temperatures of more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Both vehicles have fantastic horsepower and are precision pieces of equipment, yet neither NASCAR nor the Marine Corps has come up with the means to efficiently cool the occupants of the vehicle. A forced air system is the only means either vehicle has to keep the people inside cool, but these systems are both archaic and work only when the vehicle is moving at a good clip.

Tanks spend very little time traveling at their maximum speed, so how does the crew keep cool when the forced air system doesn't push air through the crew compartment? The same way a NASCAR driver cools off when he makes a 14 second pit stop. A bag of ice shoved down the fire retardant suit. But as the ice melts, it leaks through the Ziploc and settles in the seat of the drivers suit and can begin to boil.

Enter Hydra-cool. Creator Mike Webb, designed a new piece of equipment that not only will keep the driver cool, but will continue to keep him cool for an entire 500 mile race and it won't leave a puddle of water in the seat after the race.

"We have been trying to find a way to keep tank crews cool while they sit inside their tanks along the desert border or at observation posts along the main supply routes of Iraq," stated Lt. Col. Jeffrey Fultz, assistant chief of staff for Assessments and New Technologies, 1st Marine Division. "We were able to talk to Larry McReynolds (former NASCAR crew chief and FOX Sports Announcer) and he put us in contact with Mike."

Hydro-Cool is a garment with the sole purpose of assisting to keep the body's core temperature at a comfortable level. The garment itself is a shirt made from a compression base-layer material utilizing moisture management technology. This wicking process draws perspiration away from the skin promoting rapid evaporation and optimizing body temperature regulation during extreme work or activity. These garments are equipped with pockets for the second piece of the system, the cold or heat packs.

The cold packs are individual cells for flexibility and to allow the body a full range of motion. These cells are encased in a tear resistant material and slid into the vest sleeves. These cells can also be heated in a microwave for cooler weather situations.

Marines of Company C, 2nd Tank Battalion, were selected to test this new product for the Marine Corps. Tank crews used the Hydro Cool system during Operation Al Fajr in Fallujah and continue to use them during their daily operations in the 1st Marine Division's area of operations.

"We were only able to test the shirts for cooling only one day prior to the cold weather in Fallujah," said Capt. Robert Bodisch, company commander, Company A, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. "The tankers loved the shirt, in particular the comfort. The material is tanker friendly since it is flame retardant."

Even though the tankers only used the shirts for one day to cool off, they had the opportunity to use the Hydro Cool to keep warm at night as the fight for Fallujah raged on into the first week of December. Many of them used unconventional ways to warm the packets.

"First we tried the back deck of the tank (the warmest part of the vehicle over the engine)," said Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Juhls, company A gunnery sergeant, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. "We then tried to put them in a sock and hung them behind the exhaust. Unfortunately some of the packets melted."

The Marines came up with several suggestions to help improve the product not only for them, but also for other Marines and NASCAR drivers and crews.

"The Hydro Cool will be very valuable for Marines in any MOS," said Fultz. They will not only be used for the tank and track crews, but also Marines in other armored vehicles such as Amphibious Assault Vehicles, Light Armored Vehicles, trucks and High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles."

Those Marines can spend up to 12 hours a day buttoned-up in their vehicles conducting security and stabilization operations throughout Al Anbar province.

Everything from changing the size of the hot/cold packets, to making a long sleeve version, to the way the pockets are positioned on the shirt were suggested by the Marines of the tank company. All of the suggestions are helping Hydro Cool better their product and the founder of the company could not be happier to have a test and research team like the Marine Corps.

"To have the United States Marine Corps involved with the development of this brand new product is beyond my wildest dreams," said Michael Webb, Founder and Vice President of Hydro Cool, from his office in Concord, N.C., the heart of NASCAR. "During the time in which I was creating and tweaking the specifics, our focus was originally the NASCAR driver and pit crews. To have a product that will be beneficial to the men and women of our Armed Forces fighting for our freedoms is an amazing honor."

After receiving initial data from the Marines of 2nd Tanks, Webb and his team went directly to the drawing board to improve their product.

A recent email from Webb informed the Marines that several improved shirt systems were on the way for their testing. The company is adding a long sleeve version of the shirt; they hope this version will be used for drivers in the National Hot Rod Association (dragsters). Webb's team will also be sending out new heat/cooling cells that can be adjusted so the shirts will be more comfortable under flaks jackets.

"We plan on providing pre-hydrated cells. This will eliminate water release," said Webb.
He continued telling the Marines that they would also be able to control the thickness of the cells. They will also make the new prototypes from NOMEX material to assist in a better cooling effect while retaining their fire resistance.

During the winter months in the desert, the Hydra-Cool can be used by the grunts as well. By heating the packs at the unit command post before a patrol, Marines can keep warm as they travel through the city streets of Al Anbar Province.

Several of the Marines used hand warmers in place of the heated cells, especially after they melted a few in the tanks turbine exhaust.

In response to this information, the Hydro Cool engineers created new heat packets that they believe will keep the Marines warmer longer. They will be based on the hand warmers that Marines already use and pockets in the long sleeve shirts will be built wide enough to accommodate the new cells.

"To have the Marines testing our product, especially during operations in Iraq is outstanding for our company," said Lisa Hartsell, Marketing Director for Hydro Cool.

"The Marines loved the shirts," said Bodisch. "We can't wait to get the new prototypes and put them through their paces. The company has been great to us and we hope we can provide them with some good information."

"We are grateful and honored to have the Marines on board with us," said Webb.

"I think it will be great to watch NASCAR drivers go around the track," said Fultz, "and to know that the gear they are wearing was tested in some of the harshest conditions of war by some of America's true heroes."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20052355526/$file/Paking-the-Heatlow.jpg

Hydro-Cool is a garment with the sole purpose of assisting to keep the body's core temperature at a comfortable level. The garment itself is a shirt made from a compression base-layer material utilizing moisture management technology. This wicking process draws perspiration away from the skin promoting rapid evaporation and optimizing body temperature regulation during extreme work or activity. These garments are equipped with pockets for the second piece of the system, the cold or heat packs. They are currently being tested by Marines in Iraq. Photo by: Courtesy Photo

Ellie

[thedrifter]

101st Mission Still Uncertain
Associated Press
February 4, 2005

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - The commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division said his troops face an uncertain mission in Iraq after the country's historic elections, which many Iraqis hope will usher in democracy and hasten the departure of 150,000 American troops.

The 101st is scheduled to return to Iraq this fall with more than 20,000 troops - about 60 percent of them combat veterans from Afghanistan or Iraq, Maj. Gen. Tom Turner told The Associated Press during an interview in his office here.

He said it's not yet clear whether his troops will take an advisory role to help Iraqi forces, or an offensive role against insurgents.

"Defining what we do operationally has yet to be done," Turner said.

The 101st will deploy with a newly created 4th Brigade, 2,000 additional trucks and more training in the Arab culture than the first time. They will leave behind 58,000 family members.

Turner, 52, said it's unlikely that the 101st would return to northern Iraq, where it settled for nearly a year after participating in the 2003 invasion.




The 101st, which first parachuted on Normandy on D-Day in World War II, has evolved into a rapid-deployment division known for its fleet of helicopters that transport troops and equipment. It is based on the Tennessee border at Fort Campbell, which has had more than 60 soldiers die in the Iraq war.

"I think everybody's got to be pretty excited about what you've seen on TV and what you're hearing on the news," Turner said of the election. "To see the Iraqi reaction is pretty heartening, and if the threats were halfway accurate, then you have to be really proud of the security that was put in place."

Much of the security for Sunday's Iraq election was conducted by Iraqi forces.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marine General: Shooting Some Is Fun <br />
Associated Press <br />
February 4, 2005 <br />
<br />
WASHINGTON - A decorated Marine Corps general said, &quot;It's fun to shoot some people&quot; and poked fun at the manhood of...

[thedrifter]

Rumsfeld Offered To Resign Twice
Associated Press
February 4, 2005

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld disclosed Thursday that he had offered President Bush his resignation twice during the height of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal last year. He said he wanted the decision on his future to be placed in Bush's hands.

"He made that decision and said he did want me to stay on," Rumsfeld told CNN's "Larry King Live."

In the CNN interview, Rumsfeld asserted, as he has many times in the past, that as defense secretary he could not be expected to know all that takes place in war zones halfway around the world. But he also indicated that he could have done more to head off the trouble.

The release of photographs last spring depicting American soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib triggered worldwide outrage, particularly in the Arab world. Rumsfeld told Congress at the time that he would quit if he felt he could no longer serve effectively, but he also said then that he would not resign simply to please his critics and political opponents.

In the CNN interview, he indicated that he felt a measure of responsibility for the scandal.

"The problem is, this kind of thing occurs in prisons across the country and across the world," he said. "And you have to know it's going to be a possibility. And therefore the training and the discipline and the doctrine has to be such that you anticipate that risk. And clearly, that wasn't done to the extent it should."




Some had speculated last fall that if Bush was re-elected he would replace Rumsfeld, but in December the president said he wanted him to stay. Rumsfeld told CNN that when Bush asked him to stay for a second term, they did not discuss whether it would be for the full four years.

At a news conference at the Pentagon on Thursday, the subject of the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal arose in a different context. Rumsfeld said he may skip an appearance at a security conference in Germany next week because of a lawsuit there accusing him of war crimes for the prisoner abuse.

"It's something that we have to take into consideration," he said when asked whether the war crimes suit was a factor in weighing whether to attend the Munich Conference on Security Policy, an annual gathering of government defense officials, lawmakers and others from Europe and elsewhere.

Rumsfeld said he had not yet made a final decision on attending the two-day conference, where an address by the U.S. defense secretary typically is a highlight. Last year, Rumsfeld stoutly defended the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which was highly unpopular in much of Europe.

"Whether I end up there we'll soon know," he said Thursday. "It'll be a week, and we'll find out."

It would not be the first time Rumsfeld has skipped the conference. In 2002, he sent his top deputy, Paul Wolfowitz. If Rumsfeld decides not to attend this year, he will probably send Douglas Feith, the undersecretary of defense for policy.

Attorneys from the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights filed a suit with German federal prosecutors last November charging that U.S. officials, including Rumsfeld, are responsible for acts of torture against detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. That is the prison where U.S. soldiers were photographed abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi detainees.

Rumsfeld has maintained that the U.S. government has no policy to permit or encourage torture and that U.S. investigations of the Abu Ghraib abuses showed he was not directly responsible.

The lawsuit against Rumsfeld was filed in Germany because its laws allow for the prosecution of war crimes and human rights violations across national boundaries. Because the United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court, the case could not be filed there.

Rumsfeld noted that he is traveling to Nice, France, early next week for a NATO meeting, and he is "very likely going to visit some other locations in that part of the world during that period."

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Soldier Sorry For Abu Ghraib Mistakes
Associated Press
February 4, 2005

FORT HOOD, Texas - Sgt. Javal Davis pleaded for leniency Thursday in the sentencing phase of his trial for abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib, saying he hoped a few minutes of poor judgment would not end his Army career.

"I'm not a perfect soldier - I'm not G.I. Joe," Davis said on the stand, providing a sometimes tearful explanation of his acts. "Everyone wants to be, but we all make mistakes."

He also apologized to the Army jury.

"I'm embarrassed and ashamed that I embarrassed the country and the Army that I love," he said. "I don't know what I was thinking that night. I should not have done that."

The penalty phase is expected to conclude Friday and the jury will begin deliberations.

Earlier Thursday, a psychology professor testified that Davis' abuse of detainees was triggered by the violent atmosphere at the prison and a lack of military discipline among guards.




Davis' actions follow a common pattern in which ordinary people become more physically aggressive in a brutish and unrestrained environment, said Ervin Staub, who teaches at the University of Massachusetts.

"I did not see Sgt. Davis as a person with a tendency toward that kind of behavior without those conditions being present," Staub said.

But prosecutor Capt. Chris Graveline referred to other alleged incidents involving Davis, including a threat to an Air Force major and an assault on an Iraqi citizen. He also sexually taunted prisoners and once counted out bullets and told detainees he had one for each of them, according to Graveline.

Davis, 27, a reservist from Roselle, N.J., pleaded guilty Tuesday to battery, dereliction of duty and lying to Army investigators in a deal with prosecutors that caps his sentence at 18 months. He will serve the sentence the jury recommends if it is less than the deal's cap.

Davis has admitted stepping on the hands and feet of detainees in 2003, but has blamed his crimes on job-related stress.

On the stand Thursday, he described the harsh conditions at the prison, saying the guards had to sleep in filthy jail cells and eat bad food while working long hours trying to control vast numbers of hostile prisoners.

"Abu Ghraib was like hell on earth," he said.

Five other soldiers have pleaded guilty in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, and one, Pvt. Charles Graner, the alleged ringleader of the abuse, was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Two others, Spc. Sabrina Harman and Pfc. Lynndie England, still face trial.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marines Fall Short Of Recruiting Goal
Associated Press
February 4, 2005

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps fell slightly short of its recruiting goal in January, the first month that has happened in nearly a decade, amid parents' concerns about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While the Marines remain on target to meet their full-year goal, officials said Thursday the wars have made the parents of potential recruits much harder sells.

"It's a natural reaction in a time of war that a mother and father are going to have concerns, and so they are putting on the brakes," said Maj. Dave Griesmer, spokesman for Marine Corps Recruiting Command.

The 17-year-olds in high school who are a prime target of Marine recruiters cannot sign up without parental approval. Griesmer said that increasingly, parents are making their sons and daughters wait until they are 18, but that has not stopped recruiters from putting in extra effort.

"What we're doing is working with the parents more," he said. "Whereas before it may have taken one visit and they would accept, now it may take a recruiter two, three, four" visits.





The Army is having its own challenges on the recruiting front, although Gen. Richard Cody, the vice chief of staff, told Congress on Wednesday that the Army would meet its full-year goal of signing up 80,000 recruits. The last time the Army missed its full-year goal was 1999.

The Army National Guard and Army Reserve, on the other hand, have fallen behind in recent months. The Guard missed its full-year goal in 2004 for the first time since 1994.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not the only factors working against recruiters. They also compete against private-sector opportunities and college aspirations of young Americans.

And, as casualties in Iraq continue to mount, parents have been become warier, analysts say.

"You have to work harder to get them to understand that this is a not a death warrant" for the son or daughter, said Bernard Trainor, a retired three-star Marine general who is writing a book about the Iraq war.

The Marines' losses in Iraq have been especially heavy in recent months. In November, when they led an offensive against insurgent holdouts in the city of Fallujah, the Marines had 80 men killed in action - by far the most for any month since the war began in March 2003.

Over the final five months of 2004, the Marines, who contribute about one-quarter of the total U.S. forces in Iraq, suffered 49 percent of the combat deaths, according to Pentagon statistics. In January, 30 Marines were killed when their CH-53E helicopter crashed in western Iraq.

That is a major change from the Marines' experience earlier in the war. For eight months, from July 2003 through February 2004, no Marines were killed in action in Iraq. Only one was killed in May and one in June 2003.

"We acknowledge this is a very challenging time for recruiting, yet we continue to stay on track to meet our annual goals," Griesmer said, adding that this is the first time since the all-volunteer military was established in 1973 that the nation has been in a period of prolonged war.

Recruiting typically is most difficult in the February-May period, when most high school seniors have already made up their mind about what they will do after graduation, Griesmer said.

In January, the Marines signed up 84 fewer recruits than their target of 3,270, Griesmer said. That was the first time they missed a monthly goal since July 1995, which also was the last year the Marines missed their full-year goal.

Griesmer stressed that although the number of new enlistment contracts in January was short of the goal, the Marines managed to make the January quota of recruits sent to boot camp because some had been signed up previously.

For the October-January period, the Marines sent 10,222 new recruits to boot camp, or 184 more than their target number, Griesmer said.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Shiite Leads Vote; 3 Marines Killed
Associated Press
February 4, 2005

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi officials Thursday released the first partial returns from national elections, showing a commanding lead by candidates backed by the Shiite Muslim clergy. Sunni insurgents unleashed a wave of attacks, killing at least 30 people, including three U.S. Marines and a dozen Iraqi army recruits.

Meanwhile, election officials said strict security measures may have deprived many Iraqis in the Mosul area and surrounding Ninevah province of their right to vote. The admission is likely to fuel complaints by Iraq's minority Sunni Arabs, who make up the heart of the insurgency, that they were not represented in the vote.

The results released by the election commission four days after Sunday's balloting came from Baghdad and five provinces in the southern Shiite heartland.

As expected, they showed that the United Iraqi Alliance, backed by Iranian-born Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, was leading - with 1.1 million votes out of the 1.6 million counted and certified so far. Some 14 million Iraqis were eligible to vote.

The ticket headed by interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a U.S.-backed secular Shiite, trailed second with more than 360,500 votes.

But the returns - from 10 percent of the country's 5,200 polling centers - were too small to indicate a national trend.





Shiites make up an estimated 60 percent of Iraq's 26 million people, and the al-Sistani-backed ticket had been expected to roll up such huge margins in the south that the other 110 candidate lists would have to struggle for votes in the rest of the country.

Shiites turned out in huge numbers in cities such as Basra, Nasiriyah, Karbala and Najaf, urged on by clerics who said voting was a religious duty.

However, many Sunni Arabs apparently stayed home, either out of fear of insurgent attacks or in response to boycott calls from their own clerics.

Election officials have said full official results and determine turnout might not be ready until Tuesday.

Seats in the 275-member National Assembly will be determined based on the percentage of the nationwide vote won by each ticket.

The count appeared to have been delayed somewhat by controversies in Ninevah, a region with a large Sunni Arab population.

On Thursday, the electoral commission said it had sent a team to the northern city of Mosul to investigate complaints that some stations never opened or ran out of ballots.

Election official Safwat Rashid said U.S. and Iraqi forces in the area initially allowed authorities in Ninevah, the province surrounding Mosul, to open only 90 out of its 330 polling stations.

As the day went on and security proved better than expected, authorities opened more stations but were unable to get supplies to all of them. "We tried to send the boxes and ballot papers to those places," Rashid said. "In some places we succeeded, and unfortunately in some other places due to transportation and other things, we failed."

He could not say how many stations opened in the end.

One prominent Sunni politician, Meshaan al-Jubouri, accused the commission of mismanaging the vote in some Sunni areas because they "didn't want the Sunnis to vote so that the Shiites could score a fake victory."

Insurgents eased up on attacks following the elections, when American and Iraqi forces imposed draconian security measures. In Baghdad, residents had a cautious sense of security, with the streets clogged with traffic, children playing in parks and outdoor markets bustling with people.

But starting Wednesday night, guerrillas launched a string of dramatic attacks.

In the deadliest incident, insurgents stopped a minibus south of Kirkuk, ordered army recruits off the vehicle and gunned down 12 of them, said Maj. Gen. Anwar Mohammed Amin. Two soldiers were allowed to go free, ordered by the rebels to warn others against joining Iraq's U.S.-backed security forces, he said.

One U.S. Marine was killed Thursday in Babil province south of Baghdad, the U.S. command said. Two other Marines were killed in action Wednesday night in Anbar, a Sunni insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad.

Elsewhere, rebels attacked Iraqi police Thursday in the Baghdad suburb of Abu Ghraib, killing one policeman and wounding five, the Interior Ministry said.

Gunmen fired on a vehicle carrying Iraqi contractors Thursday to jobs at a U.S. military base in Baqouba north of the capital, killing two people, officials said.

A suicide car bomber struck a foreign convoy escorted by military Humvees on Baghdad's dangerous airport road Thursday, destroying several vehicles and damaging a house, Iraqi police said. Helicopters were seen evacuating some casualties, witnesses said. The U.S. military had no immediate comment.

Insurgents ambushed another convoy in the area, killing five Iraqi policemen and an Iraqi national guard major, police said. An Iraqi soldier was killed by gunmen as he was leaving his Baghdad home, officials said.

Also, the bodies of two slain men wearing blood-soaked clothes were found in the western insurgent stronghold of Ramadi. A handwritten note tucked into the shirt of one of the men claimed the two were Iraqi national guardsmen.

On Wednesday night, insurgent attacks in Tal Afar, near Mosul, and at a police station in the southern city of Samawah killed three Iraqis.

A car bomb exploded at a house used by U.S. military snipers in Qaim, near the Syrian border, witnesses said. U.S. troops opened fire, hitting some civilians, the witnesses said. A U.S. military spokesman had no immediate information.

During the election, Iraqis also chose provincial councils and a regional parliament for the autonomous Kurdish north. According to the count, the Shiite Alliance was running first and Allawi's list second in all six provinces reporting.

Jockeying has begun for the leadership positions even before the balance of power in the assembly is known.

Kurdish political leader Jalal Talabani said he would seek the office of either president or prime minister when the National Assembly convenes.

"We as Kurds want one of those two posts and we will not give it up," Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, said at a news conference alongside the other main Kurdish leader, Massoud Barzani.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

In step with the Parris Island Marine band
The temperatures fell, but the band played on
Published Tue, Feb 1, 2005

ANDY GRABEL
The Beaufort Gazette
If American history has proved anything, it has shown time and time again that "The Stars and Stripes Forever" is more resounding when the temperatures aren't below freezing.
The Parris Island Marine Corps' Marching Band experienced this firsthand during its performance at the AFC Championship football game in Pittsburgh on Jan. 23. Now and again, Mother Nature can be a formidable opponent even for well-equipped Marines.

"The instruments froze," said Gunnery Sgt. Jeff Fangman. "After a tune or two, they couldn't play their valves because it was freezing."

"I don't think horns are supposed to go through that," added Gunnery Sgt. Jaime Hamner, the band's technician.

After arriving at Heinz Field before the game, some band members broke off into smaller groups to entertain the crowd. But with the Arctic temperatures, the horn players soon found out it was going to take creative means to keep their valves slick for the pre-game show.

Hamner's answer: liquor.

"Gunnery Hamner was instrumental in saving the pregame ceremony," Fangman said. "If he hadn't done what he did, I don't think we would have made it through pregame."

The instrument tech's mixture of potent Everclear, a pure-grain alcohol that he brought along for such an occasion, and valve oil worked through the opening of the game, allowing the band members to perform for their country and troops in Iraq watching the game and Marine band via satellite."I needed something that wouldn't freeze, but also wouldn't kill the Marines," said Hamner. Anti-freeze would work, but the Marines would ingest it."

By halftime, however, the temperatures had fallen drastically, and not even the mixture was going to save the musical halftime performance. Not prepared to let their hard work and patriotic presence go to waste, the band members took the field to entertain with a marching spectacle. They weren't planning on giving up. After all, they are Marines.

"It is important for the public to see us regardless of what the conditions are," said operations chief Gunnery Sgt. Michael Stanley. "Music is healing as morale."

Despite the cold, the Marines weren't able to cover their uniforms with overcoats for some of the performance. The band is sincere about representing its country by wearing its blues and offering its best public persona.

"We have all-weather coats, but that's not how the public sees Marines," said Sgt. Angela Knuckles, a clarinet player.

Several of the band members did just that when they visited Pittsburgh-area high schools to entertain, recruit Marine musicians and interact with the students and faculty. The performances are central to the band's role as a recruitment tool and reflection of the unity of their military branch.

The 48 enlisted Marines and one officer in the band are trained and equipped to perform the duties of their Parris Island peers. There has been no limit set on how significant a role band members could play during their corps service.

A few Marine band members even spearheaded an attack into Baghdad, Fangman said.

"When we're deployed we serve as a security platoon. We fulfill our role as Marines," he said.

Fulfilling this role is what the band set out to achieve the moment it stepped aboard that C130 headed to Pittsburgh. The Marines' motivation and objectives were clear and they accepted their duty despite the winter's bite at our "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

Contact Andy Grabel at 986-5544 or agrabel@beaufortgazette.com.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

February 07, 2005 <br />
<br />
Career recruiter faces trial on fraud, cover-up charges <br />
<br />
By Gordon Lubold <br />
Times staff writer <br />
<br />
<br />
A career recruiter will face general court-martial in April on charges that...

[thedrifter]

Marines to lay down the LAW
February 04,2005
ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Marines fighting in Iraq's cities will eventually use a weapon relied on by U.S. forces more than 30 years ago in the jungles of Vietnam.

Older versions of the M-72 light antitank weapon (or LAW), used extensively during the Vietnam War, were phased out when Cold War experts believed only larger, shoulder-fired rockets would work to stop a Soviet tank blitz. Post war, the AT-4 - which is bigger and has a longer range than its predecessor has - became the Marine Corps' rocket of choice.

But the old boy is making a comeback - albeit with significant technological enhancements.

On Thursday, retired Army Lt. Col. Mark Trexler. now the East Coast marketing rep for Tally Defense Systems, was at Camp Lejeune to show Marine gunners how to use the M-72A7 shoulder rockets - ironically, one of the biggest threats Marines fighting in Iraq face is the Russian-made rocket-propelled grenade (or RPG), which was actually patterned after older LAWs.

"It's like an M-16 sight - preset to 150 meters," Trexler said. "It has a set maximum range of 220 meters, but can be adjusted to 350 meters."

At only about 2 feet long and about 7 pounds, the LAW is significantly shorter and lighter than AT-4, which measures about 40 inches long and weighs more than 15 pounds. Improvements in the LAW's rocket propulsion reduce the back blast, so it can be fired from a concealed window in urban house-to-house street fighting. Additionally, the launcher is disposable.

That capability and versatility isn't possible with other rockets.

"There have been a lot of improvements since the M-72A2 version (from) 1972," said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Pat Woellhof, 48, of Clay Center, Kansas.

"The weight and size allow any Marine to strap it to an assault pack. It's) better for moving down an Iraqi alley to seek cover. It's as wide as your shoulders, and you can get in a window or doorway."

The Marines also employ a shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon (or SMAW) that is about the same length as the LAW, but twice as heavy and quite bulky. Likewise, Woellhof said, the AT-4 still has its place in the U.S. arsenal, especially firing long distances against armor across open ground.

The LAW, however, is cheaper and so easy to operate that any Marine - including cooks and clerks - can use it accurately.

"With the AT-4 or the SMAW, you have to expose yourself to fire," Woellhof said.

"The LAW is designed to augment the AT-4 against the technical Toyota (pickup truck) with a machinegun on board or against four to five urban positions. It's an all-Marine system."

And recent tests at Camp Geiger's School of Infantry met with good results.

"When we tested it at SOI, they were busting targets at 300 to 350 meters after two or three tries," Trexler said. "You can reach 500 meters with laser sites."

A family of designer rounds is being developed for the LAW - those will include a high-heat and high-pressure warhead capable of destroying a bunker, an antipersonnel warhead that can detonate at 100 meters or more and throw shrapnel fragments at enemy troops, and the traditional antitank warhead.

"It's easy to use, and (there aren't) many moving parts," said Lance Cpl. Andres Moratalla Jr., 22, an infantryman from Jacksonville assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, which returned last fall from a six and a half month deployment to Iraq.

"It's lightweight and seems a lot more versatile for the field in Iraq."


Contact staff writer Eric Steinkopff at esteinkopff@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, Ext. 236.


http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/Photo/020405_baz.jpg

Eric Steinkopff/Daily News
Ready to fire: Retired Army Lt. Col. Mark Trexler takes aim with the M-72A7 light antitank weapon during a demonstration at Lejeune.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

February 07, 2005

Battalion readies for third Iraq tour
Unit hones skills for planned spring rotation

By Gidget Fuentes
Times staff writer


MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. — Rubble, trash and rusting scraps of metal litter the streets of a vacant housing area reborn as a Third World village. The scent of burnt wood wafts from small fires. Voices whisper in a foreign tongue.
‘‘Salam. How are you?’’ a Marine on a street says to two men. They say nothing, instead hastening their step in the opposite direction. ‘‘What’s wrong?’’ the Marine asks, but they ignore him.

It’s enough to make a Marine almost feel as if he’s back in Iraq.

For the grunts of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, that experience came Jan. 13-16, as the unit conducted its final battalion-level exercise before an upcoming deployment to Iraq.

The Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based battalion will be the second grunt unit to ship out for a third tour in the Iraq war zone. It will follow the Twentynine Palms, Calif.-based 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, which arrived in Iraq in mid-January after just five months at home.

Many in 1/5 already have logged at least one Iraq tour if not two, but for some, the security and stabilization operations training at this air base is their first taste of what duty in the war zone will be like.

‘‘I can imagine it’s as real as it can be,’’ said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class David Halberg, 24. Already, Halberg’s picked up a few Arabic phrases from several Iraqi nationals hired by defense contractor Titan Corp. as translators and role players for the training here.

The battalion is expected to deploy in late February or early March, officials said. It will be the third go-around for 1/5, after racing to Baghdad in 2003 with 1st Marine Division and last year facing off with insurgents in Fallujah.

At the air base, the SASO package brought 1/5 together with detachments of armored vehicles, engineers, civil affairs experts and Army psychological operations teams.

‘‘We’re getting about a month’s worth of stuff thrown at us in one day,’’ said Lt. Col. Eric Smith, 1/5 commander. ‘‘It’s an urban, nasty, dirty environment — and it works. It’s a good training evolution.’’

The battalion only returned to Camp Pendleton in July, but that time’s almost a distant memory now. After several weeks of rest, regrouping and taking on new personnel, 1/5’s companies began training and individual qualifications for their return to the war zone.

The calendar quickly filled up, and in early January Smith took his unit to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms for a week of concentrated live-fire weapons training during a modified Combined Arms Exercise.

Staff Sgt. Alex Carrillo, 34, joined 1/5 in October, stepping into the middle of the hectic training cycle. Carrillo, a former instructor at the School of Infantry West, is prepping for his first tour in Iraq.

Although it’s intense, the training schedule ‘‘allows the ones with experience to really mentor the others,’’ said Carrillo, a platoon sergeant with Bravo Company.

Exercise planners crafted scenarios into an environment they expect these Marines to face when they reach Iraqi’s Anbar province, where they are expected to see duty in the provincial capital of Ramadi.

During one exercise, a distant voice called followers to Islamic evening prayer, lending a familiar sound to those who already have fought in Iraq. So, too, did the roar of an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet screaming by overhead. Minutes earlier, a distant boom of an explosion sent infantrymen scurrying in response, and radios crackled with hurried voices. A platoon’s presence near a mosque drew stern warnings from nearby Iraqi police role-players, who yelled in Arabic that the Marines must keep away from the religious building.

The presence of Iraqi role-players adds realism to the training, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brian Copeland.

‘‘We try to make it as much free play as possible so it looks realistic,’’ said Copeland, an intelligence officer with the detachment that runs the training here.

The tense situations that are created, while simulated, are very much like what can happen in Iraq.

‘‘Basically,’’ Smith said, ‘‘everything that can be difficult will happen here.’’

Gidget Fuentes is the San Diego bureau chief for Marine Corps Times. She can be reached at (760) 677-6145 or gfuentes@marinecorpstimes.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

3/4 enjoys newest accommodations
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 2005236345
Story by Lance Cpl. Paul Robbins Jr.



FALLUJAH, Iraq (Feb. 2, 2005) -- In the three deployments 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, has conducted to Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Marines have lived in various conditions.

In their first two deployments, 3/4's Marines found themselves operating from the back of Amphibious Assault Vehicles or out of tents in the bare desert.

Now on their third deployment here to OIF, 3/4's line companies have roofs over their head, cots underneath their backs and a little electricity as they assist Iraqi forces in the country’s stabilization.

“Our (living standards) definitely got better,” said Lance Cpl. Ricardo Ojeda, 23, a native of San Diego, Calif., who serves as a grenadier for Company K. “They were pretty bad the first time.”

While living inside in-operable factories and houses in Fallujah, Marines are provided the basic needs of food, drinking water and protection from the elements; but still miss out on some of the basic comforts.

The firm bases inside Fallujah have no running water, little power, no plumbing and limited access to the outside world.

“It’s all the little commodities you miss,” said Lance Cpl. Miguel A. Hernandez, 21, a native of Ventura, Calif., who serves as a team leader for Company K. “All you really have is the Marines around you and your weapon.”

In an effort to maintain the good morale of 3/4 Marines, the battalion arranges convoys to bring parts of the companies back to camps outside the city, allowing Marines to enjoy some hot meals, showers and even access to phones and the Internet.

“Our goal, while there are no major operations going on, is to get them back for two out of every eight days,” said 1st Sgt. Bruce E. Cowperthwaite, 37,a native of Ellsworth, Maine, who serves as company first sergeant of Company K.

The Marines of 3/4 look forward to these trips with guarded optimism, knowing they can be taken away due to mission priority, Cowperthwaite said.

While the city is quiet however, the Marines jump at the chance to spend a day or two at the camps, with their main target being the phone centers, said Ojeda.

“You have no idea how great a phone call is,” Ojeda said. “It’ll make your month.”

Communication with family through mail, e-mail and phone calls is important to the morale of the Marines here in Fallujah, said Cowperthwaite

“The hardest part of all this is being away from your family,” Hernandez said.

The Marines also enjoy the variety of cooked food at the camps.

“We pretty much eat nothing but (meals ready to eat),” Hernandez said, “They get pretty boring after a while, like bad Christmas presents.”

Even without the occasional trips to the rear, some Marines of 3/4 say their living conditions are more than adequate, Hernandez said.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Hernandez said. “It’s a rewarding experience, you learn to appreciate the little things.”

"The needs of a Marine infantryman are little," Ojeda said. “As long as we have water and ammo, we’re fine.”

http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20052364515/$file/open-mrelow.jpg

Lance Cpl. Tim C. “Timmy 249” Casteel, 23, a native of Arlington, Texas, who serves as a squad automatic weapon gunner for Company I, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, opens a meal ready to eat inside his room in Fallujah, Iraq. Infantry Marines subsist on MRE’s for most of their time deployed. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Paul Robbins Jr.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

U.S. to Pull 15,000 Troops Out of Iraq

By Bradley Graham, Washington Post Staff Writer

Buoyed by a higher turnout and less violence than expected in Sunday's Iraqi elections, Pentagon (news - web sites) authorities have decided to start reducing the level of U.S. forces in Iraq (news - web sites) next month by about 15,000 troops, down to about 135,000, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz said yesterday.


The reduction involves about three brigades of Army soldiers and Marines whose tours were extended last month to bolster security ahead of the elections, and an additional 1,500 airborne soldiers who were rushed to Iraq for a four-month stint.


"I think we'll be able to come down to the level that was projected before this election," Wolfowitz said.


But testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites), Wolfowitz also warned of "a very difficult road ahead" in defeating Iraqi insurgents and indicated that no further drop in U.S. troops was planned this year. Another senior Pentagon official said after the hearing that the initial decrease did not reflect an improved security situation in Iraq but was simply a recognition that the forces kept specifically for the election were no longer needed and could leave as previously scheduled.


The question of when U.S. forces can begin to withdraw from Iraq has generated intense political debate that has accelerated since Sunday's elections. President Bush (news - web sites) and other administration officials have said the pace of withdrawal will depend on how quickly Iraqi forces can be trained and equipped to maintain security there.


As a sign this effort continues to lag, Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported at yesterday's hearing that less than one-third of the troops and police that the Pentagon says have been trained and equipped are adequately prepared to handle most threats.


Wolfowitz also disclosed that a decision had been made to make room in the Pentagon budget for a permanent increase in Army forces starting in fiscal 2007. Up to now, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld had backed only a temporary three-year rise of 30,000 troops in the size of the Army, to 512,000, to facilitate a restructuring of brigades. Plans have called for this increase to be paid for in supplemental appropriations through 2006.


A number of lawmakers and defense specialists have argued that a permanent increase in troop level is needed to relieve the continuing stress on active and reserve units likely to result from the long-term demands of the war in Iraq, worldwide counterterrorism operations and other potential threats.


Wolfowitz said the exact extent of the Army's growth will be a focus of a major review of Pentagon strategy and programs this year, indicating that Rumsfeld had made no final judgment. But a revised five-year defense budget that will be released next week as part of Bush's 2006 budget request will provide for a permanently larger Army, he said.


"We've had to make some very considerable adjustments in the rest of the defense program in order to pay for that," Wolfowitz said.


Democratic senators pressed yesterday for the administration to outline a clear exit strategy. While Republicans on the committee appeared more willing to accept the administration's wait-and-see approach, several joined with Democrats in seeking more definite information about the number of Iraqi security forces currently ready and clearer estimates of the size of the insurgency. Both Wolfowitz and Myers appeared to struggle for answers.


The Pentagon officials displayed a chart showing a total of 136,065 Iraqi forces "trained and equipped" or "operational" as of Monday, including 56,284 army troops and 57,290 police. Myers also reported a surge in recruits over the past two days of 2,500 a day.


But under questioning, Myers said only about 40,000 troops were deployable, meaning they "can go anywhere and do anything." He said he had more confidence about the Iraqi army figures than the police ones. Wolfowitz, in turn, acknowledged high absentee rates in many units, reaching about 40 percent in the Iraqi army.


Both officials cautioned against focusing on numbers, saying capability is more important. But both conceded that the Pentagon still lacks clear ways of assessing such critical Iraqi capabilities as leadership and motivation.


"We're going to have to move to a way where we can start tracking the capability," Myers said. "This is not easy."


The general also fumbled for estimates on the size of the insurgency under questioning first by Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.), the committee's ranking minority member. Levin noted that U.S. estimates have proved grossly inaccurate in the past. He cited a statement last week by Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the senior U.S. commander in Iraq, that 15,000 suspected insurgents had been killed or captured in the past year, after U.S. military authorities had said only 6,000 to 9,000 hard-core fighters existed.


Myers declined to provide a new estimate, saying the Pentagon's figures were classified. He also said coming up "with accurate estimates is just very, very difficult in this type of insurgency," in which common criminals are mixed with foreign fighters, Islamic extremists and former members of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s government.





This drew a sharp rebuke from two senior committee Republicans -- Sen. John W. Warner (news, bio, voting record) (Va.), the chairman, and Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) (Ariz.) -- who said the public was due some estimate.

"I am disappointed that you don't have even a rough estimate of the number of insurgents," McCain said. "I don't know how you defeat an insurgency unless you have some handle on the number of people that you are facing."

Warner also expressed frustration with NATO (news - web sites)'s involvement in Iraq, saying it has had time to follow through on a commitment last summer to set up an officer training program for Iraqis.

"The numbers are not where we would like them in terms of NATO's contribution," Wolfowitz agreed. He said the program still lacks 50 out of a total planned staff of 459 but is scheduled to start operating Feb. 20.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Iraq’s elections over, Marines near Najaf ready for return home <br />
Submitted by: 11th MEU <br />
Story Identification #: 20052114285 <br />
Story by Staff Sgt. Jim Goodwin <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
AN NAJAF PROVINCE, Iraq (Feb. 1,...

[thedrifter]

Iraqi's gift comforts grieving Marine parents
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February 4, 2005
BY JOHN MASSON
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Some things are universal.

A mother's grief. An immigrant's gratitude.

Lance Cpl. Allan Klein, 34, was one of 31 U.S. service members killed Jan. 26 when his troop transport helicopter crashed in Iraq. They were part of a team providing security in the run-up to that country's first free election in decades.

Today at 11 a.m., Klein's parents will say good-bye to their son at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Roseville. They needed a place to hold a luncheon after the service, and on Monday, they called Athena Banquet Center on Gratiot.

They didn't know then that Youil Ishmail, who owns the Roseville hall, had voted the day before in the very election Klein gave his life to secure. They didn't know that, at age 46, the man everyone calls Louie had for the first time been able to freely choose the leadership in the land of his birth.

So when Ishmail heard it was the mother of a slain Marine on the phone Monday, he didn't hesitate.

"This Marine give his life for me to go and vote," he said. "This is the least I can give this lady, just to give her some comfort.

"I tell her, 'Everything. I will take care of everything. It doesn't matter how many come.' "

Klein's mother, Rae Oldaugh, was stunned.

"That was the second time I broke down and cried about Allan," Oldaugh said. "The first time, of course, was when the Marines came and told me. ... It just kind of overwhelmed me, the generosity, that someone would do such a generous thing."

Ishmail has his own ideas about who was generous.

"I have kids, and you watch them grow up, and one day you hear that they got killed, not in your homeland, but away, away from home?" Ishmail said. "That's the saddest part. They're doing something that's good for the people of a different country, different religion, different culture. So far away from home."

Ishmail has been far away from home since former President Saddam Hussein's regime chased him out of Baghdad, where he had been studying management and economics at Baghdad University. He grew up in Mosul after his family was forced from their village, Beit Noor, in northern Iraq.

His people are Assyrian, a Christian minority long hounded by Iraq's ruling Baath Party.

"All of our life there, we live in fear and always worry about the government," Ishmail said. "They ... come after you for no reason. They knock on your door, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock in the morning, to take you away for questioning because somebody said something about you."

So in 1979, with Hussein taking control of Iraq, Ishmail left everything behind and fled to Jordan. A couple of months later, he landed in Detroit, officially a refugee.

"I had one friend and $2 in my pocket," Ishmail said. "And I work three weeks, free, just for the food. Just to eat. It was a party store in Detroit."

Later, he worked at a supermarket, and later still bought his own party store Downriver. He sold that to buy what was then Athena Hall, an east-side landmark for nearly three decades. He took it over in 2001.

Hussein's security forces kept hounding his relatives after he left, Ishmail said. His father was jailed for a while, but eventually the family escaped. Most came to America.

"This is my home, my new home," said Ishmail, who became a U.S. citizen in 1991. "I miss Iraq, yes, because Iraq is a good country ... the incubator of civilization. The first people to write the law came from Iraq, and the first library. ... To be so behind now, it's really a sin."

Nevertheless, he remains "very optimistic" about his homeland's future, despite its problems. Its people are educated, he said, and they believe in freedom.

"You saw the election," said Ishmail, who donned traditional Assyrian garb and drove to Southgate to cast his ballot. In Iraq, "people -- crippled, sick, blind, you know -- they come to the polling place. They sacrifice their life, just to vote."

That's proof Iraqis will take care of themselves, he said.

"Just give them a little backup, until they can stand on their own feet," he said. "Because 35 years of dictatorship, it ain't going to go away in one day or two years. It's going to take time."

Final salutes

Time won't let the family of Lance Cpl. Klein forget their loss.

But neither will they forget the gratitude of Ishmail, a businessman in their neighborhood who grew up in the country where their loved one was killed -- a country that has at least a chance at freedom because of that sacrifice and thousands more like it.

"There was so much irony involved in it, all the way around, that this gentleman was from the country where Allan lost his life, and decided to be so magnanimous. I just can't say enough good things," Oldaugh said. "Here in America, we have so many diverse ethnic groups, and hopefully, we can all manage to live in such harmony."

Besides his mother, Lance Cpl. Klein leaves behind his father, Manfred Klein of Monroe County's Frenchtown Township; a stepmother, Patricia Klein; a stepfather, Randall Oldaugh; a brother, Kurt; a stepbrother, Christopher Miletich, and a stepsister, Stephanie Lindsay.

Sometime after the funeral services today, two starched and pressed U.S. Marines in dress-blue uniforms will face each other and fold a 5-by-7-foot U.S. flag with utter precision.

When nothing can be seen but a triangle of white stars on a field of deep blue, the flag will be presented to Klein's grieving family.

The Marines will have saluted the family of their fallen comrade with as much respect as they can.

And in his own way, the man everyone calls Louie will be doing the same thing.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Father of fallen Marine creates online tribute to son
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By DEBORAH M. MARKO
Staff Writer
dmarko@thedailyjournal.com

MILLVILLE -- As the Swain/Lago family prepares to say goodbye to their fallen son, Marine Lance Cpl. Harry Swain IV, they are also honoring their hometown hero with an online tribute.

The family is sharing photographs and information about their elder son, who was killed in hostile action Monday in Babil Province, south of Baghdad.

The photos show the lance corporal during his time in Iraq. There is also a biography that details his military career, which the family said was inspired by his grandfather, Harry Swain Sr., who served in the Army for 33 years and earned the rank of sergeant.

People also can submit their testimonials to be posted online.

The Internet tribute was created by Vineland police Sgt. Harry Swain III to honor his 21-year-old son. Fittingly, he submitted the first posting.

"Son we all miss you and Love you with all our hearts. You are a very Special young man and Son. God blessed our family the day you were born, and came into our lives. All the family misses you and Loves you. You have touched a Special place in all our hearts, and we will never ever forget you and your special smile. The way you made everybody feel and laugh. We all are very proud of you! You are a true American Hero. God bless you and your fellow Marines. Your Brother Jay is safe, and on his way home from Iraq also to help us honor you. Take care Son. Love your Dad."

Harry Swain III thanked everyone in the community who has expressed kind thoughts about his elder son.

"Harry was a special young man who gave his life for what he believed in -- our freedom and America," he said.

Jaymes Swain, Harry's younger brother and a fellow Marine, was expected home Thursday evening. He also was serving in Iraq, and his family hopes he will not have to return to the combat zone.

Funeral arrangements, under the direction of Christy Funeral Home, were pending Thursday evening.

The Web sites honoring fallen Lance Cpl. Harry Swain IV can be accessed at www.hometown.aol.com/hrs2...ofile.html


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marines posting web photos have larger audience than thought <br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <br />
Submitted by: New York City Public Affairs <br />
Story by...

[thedrifter]

Corps' canines carry on
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By Lillian Cox
SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
February 2, 2005

CAMP PENDLETON - Combat canines, the embodiment of the Marine Corps slogan, Semper Fi, or "Always Faithful," are the lesser-known heroes of the war in Iraq.

Camp Pendleton is the largest base for Marine dogs in the United States. It is home to all West Coast dogs in the service and those working overseas. Camp Lejeune, N.C., is home base for all East Coast dogs in the Corps.

The dogs are part of the Military Police, and are trained to perform patrol and bomb-and drug-detection duties.

Each dog is assigned to one handler for a two-year rotation. In Iraq, the dog and handler work and live together.

For security reasons, Marine Corps officials declined to say how many dogs are based at Camp Pendleton, but Rex, Jari, Nero, Dingo, Brik and Ama are among those currently in the kennels there. They are scheduled to return to Iraq in March, but could be called up for duty earlier.

The official Marine Corps dog originally was the Doberman pinscher, but today the Marines use only German shepherds and a variety of Belgian shepherd called the Belgian Malinois.

"The Marine Corps began having problems with Dobermans and Rottweilers," said Sgt. Greg Massey, the kennel master at Camp Pendleton. "They are good attack dogs, but not good at detection."

Although Marine dogs are required to be aggressive and protective, that doesn't mean they have to be large, Massey said. The Belgian Malinois is a medium-size dog, weighing 40 to 80 pounds.

"Size doesn't mean much. You can have 50 pounds that can leap and grab your chest, arm, back, leg, anything," he said. "If it grabs your hamstring, I don't care if you're (former Miami Dolphins running back) Ricky Williams - you're going down."

Massey said he prefers female dogs because they tend to be more loyal than males.

Dogs working in all branches of the U.S. military are recruited and trained at the Military Working Dog Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Most are bred in Europe, but some come from local breeders. Lackland also has started its own breeding program.

Dogs are selected based on endurance, intelligence, obedience and willingness to work. All dogs receive their names at Lackland and spend two years in training before being transferred to Camp Pendleton.

"When the new dogs arrive at (the) fleet, we polish them and get rid of areas of weakness," said Sgt. Vincent Amato, chief trainer at the base. "If they are timid, we make them more aggressive. Like any human, it takes practice and training.

"If a dog doesn't want to work, we encourage him with toys and praise. A handler plays a big part if a dog is going to work or not."

Marines interested in working as handlers go through a competitive process conducted by the Military Police.

"As a trainer, you are critiqued just like a dog," Amato said. "If you are thin-skinned, you will have a hard time."

Amato said the Marine Corps goes to great lengths to match the dog's personality with that of the handler.

"Dogs learn just like we do," he said. "If the dog's not learning, it's because the handler isn't training the right way. It takes time, practice and patience."

Massey said choke chains and pinch collars are only used to give a dog a correction.

"If the handler abuses a dog, he's out of here," he said.

Army veterinarians care for dogs in all branches of the military, assigning their working weight and establishing their diet.

"Working dogs are known to get bloated, probably from playing too soon and too hard after eating," Massey said. "For this reason, they are fed twice a day."

The Marine Corps began using dogs as messengers and scouts during World War II, recognizing that they could reduce casualties and find the enemy in hiding places. Dogs were donated by civilians eager to contribute to the war effort. Two organizations, Dogs for Defense and the Doberman Pinscher Club of America, provided many animals.

"Some dogs also were obtained from Army training centers, but as soon as they became Marines all the recruits were called 'Devil Dogs,' " James A. Cox wrote in Marine Corps League Magazine in 1989.

The Marine War Dog Training Company was based at Marine Barracks New River, N.C., which later became Camp Lejeune.

Clyde Henderson, a high school chemistry teacher from Ohio and chairman of the Doberman Pinscher Club's training committee, was recruited to lead the 1st Marine Dog Platoon into combat.

"After a five-day cross-country train trip, the 1st Marine Dog Platoon led by Henderson went into temporary quarters at Camp Pendleton," Cox wrote. "With the help of Carl Spitz, owner of a famous Hollywood dog training school, Henderson trained the platoon intensely for a few weeks while awaiting a convoy, making up the rules as he went along, since he had no precedents to guide him."

The dog platoon joined up with the 2nd and 3rd Marine Raider Battalions for an assault on Bougainville, an island in the South Pacific, that began Nov. 1, 1943.

Six dogs were recognized for heroism on Bougainville. Among them was Caesar, a 3-year-old German shepherd who was donated by his owner in New York City. A messenger dog, Caesar received a promotion to sergeant in recognition of his bravery.

On Jan. 23, 1944, The Plain Dealer of Cleveland published this account of his record:

"Caesar was wounded on the third day and had to be carried back on a stretcher. While with his company, Caesar made nine official runs between the company and the command post, and on at least two of these runs he was under fire."

Caesar also forced a Japanese soldier to drop a hand grenade he was about to hurl at the dog and his handler, the newspaper reported.

Other dog platoons saw action on Guam, Saipan, Peleliu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

A retired Marine, Sgt. Major "Iron" Mike Mervosh, worked with animals from the 1st Marine Dog Platoon on Iwo Jima.

"The dogs could smell the enemy out," Mervosh said. "If a dog stood still, you were in trouble because you knew the enemy was right there."

Soochow was a veteran war dog beloved by many San Diegans. After World War II, he retired at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. On Oct. 29, 1946, a parade was held to honor his ninth birthday.

"Soochow started out as the mascot of B Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, stationed in Shanghai in 1937," said Ellen Guillemette, archivist at the depot's Command Museum.

"Soochow hit the foxholes with the other Marines during the siege of Corregidor, and fought alongside his buddies. He was captured when the island surrendered on May 6, 1942.

"Soochow spent nearly three years in various prisoner-of-war camps. He and 17 Marines were liberated by American Rangers in February 1945. He held the Philippine Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, Good Conduct, World War II Victory and American Defense medals."

After a career that typically lasts about 10 years, today's military dogs are rewarded with a variety of retirement options. Many are available for adoption by previous handlers, veterinary technicians and the public. Some are used by law enforcement agencies or returned to Lackland, where they are used to train new handlers.

Demonstrations by Marine working dogs are offered at Camp Pendleton. For more information, contact the community relations office at (760) 725-5569.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Female Journalist Kidnapped in Baghdad

Fri Feb 4, 9:34 AM ET Middle East - AP


By ELLEN KNICKMEYER,
Associated Press Writer


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen seized an Italian journalist in central Baghdad on Friday in a hail of gunfire after she had been interviewing people who fled the U.S. assault last year on the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Fallujah, officials and colleagues said.


Giuliana Sgrena, a journalist for the newspaper Il Manifesto, was seized shortly before 2 p.m. by gunmen who blocked her car near the Baghdad University compound at the Jadriyah bridge, located across the Tigris river from the Green Zone, police said.


The woman had gone to the neighborhood to interview refugees from Fallujah and then went on to Friday prayer services at a nearby mosque, colleague Barbara Schiavulli, an Italian radio journalist, told The Associated Press.


Schiavulli said she received a call from Sgrena's cell phone when the kidnapping was apparently under way.


"I couldn't hear anyone talking ... I heard people shooting" and the sound of people splashing through the puddles left by a heavy overnight rain, Schiavulli said.


"I kept saying, 'Giuliana, Giuliana," and no answer," Schiavulli said.


Repeated calls after to Sgrena's cell phone went unanswered, until a final call, when someone answered without speaking, then hung up, Schiavulli said. The missing woman's cell phone then went dead.


Sgrena's Iraqi translator later told Schiavulli, "Giuliana's been kidnapped." The translator said the kidnappers were waiting for Sgrena in two cars when she came out of the mosque, Schiavulli said.


Sgrena had been in Iraq (news - web sites) since Jan. 23 and had telephoned her newspaper about two hours earlier, according to Francesco Paterno, an editor at the paper.


Mohannad Ali, a security guard at the university compound, also said kidnappers appeared to be waiting for Sgrena.


"When she was getting out of the door, a black car blocked her way," Ali said. "There were pistols and they opened fire at the journalist and those with her. We were standing at the university door and we thought it was a car accident."


Ali said security guards opened fire at the kidnappers, who dragged Sgrena into a vehicle and sped away.


An Italian diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said about eight kidnappers were involved in the assault.


The Iraqis traveling with her were either let go or escaped in the confusion.


Sgrena had made repeated trips to Iraq, including before the U.S.-led invasion, Schiavulli said. Sgrena had been going out daily — "she was doing her job," Schiavulli said.


Sgrena is at least the second Italian journalist kidnapped in Iraq, and at least the ninth Italian citizen seized in Iraq in recent months.


Freelance Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni was abducted and killed in August. Italian aid workers Simona Pari and Simona Torretta were kidnapped in Baghdad on Sept. 7, then released three weeks later.





French journalist Florence Aubenas, of the daily Liberation, disappeared Jan. 5 after she left her Baghdad hotel. Two French journalists kidnapped in August were released in December.

More than 180 foreigners have been abducted in Iraq over the past year, many of them by insurgents trying to drive U.S. troops and foreigners working on reconstruction out of the country. At least 10 remain in the hands of their captors, more than 30 were killed and the rest were freed or escaped.

_

Associated Press correspondent Mariam Fam contributed to this report


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Jobs, careers offered at Career Fair <br />
Submitted by: MCAS Miramar <br />
Story Identification #: 200522164833 <br />
Story by Pfc. James B. Hoke <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (Jan. 19, 2005) --...

[thedrifter]

Paintballers engage in colorful comabt
Submitted by: MCAS Iwakuni
Story Identification #: 20052304817
Story by Pfc. Lukas J. Blom



MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan (Feb. 2, 2005) -- As the enemy scrambled for cover, the sound of three rounds exiting a weapon’s barrel broke the silence. A split-second later, the enemy fell to the tall grass and looked down at his chest in disbelief - he had been hit. Red fluid ran down his shirt and he knew his time had come. Another competitor had just been eliminated from the Last Man Standing Paintball Tournament.


Eight players came out for the first paintball tournament of the year held at the Station Paintball Range Jan. 29. Using efficient battlefield tactics, Chad Johnson walked away with the title and the first place prize.


The tournament was a one-on-one competition where players were required to hit their opponents in “vital” areas (head, neck, upper torso or crotch); the paint mark had to be at least the size of a quarter to be counted. The tournament was a double elimination competition, which gave players a second chance at victory.


“It doesn’t matter what physical shape you’re in, your age or your experience, there’s a place on the field for you: that’s the beauty of paintball,” said Shawn R. Minosky, tournament referee. “The game molds to you.”


The paint warriors came out blazing in the first round of colorful combat. None of the matches lasted more than five minutes.


“I was running to take cover by a bunker and I tripped right when I got there,” said Eric Bothwell, tournament competitor. “I busted my [butt] pretty good, but when I looked up at my marker (paintball gun), the hopper (container attached to the marker that holds paintballs) had fallen off. I only had about three rounds left. When I shot those off, I got lit up pretty bad.”


The competition heated up as players were eliminated, and eventually the two players who were left standing took the field for the final match.


Dana A. Jones had already been hit once, which meant that the final round was his last chance at victory. Johnson, Jones’ competition, had evaded his enemies up to that point.


As the two players tactfully moved through the course, Jones spotted a weakness in his opponent’s defense and took advantage. Sighting in on a small portion of Johnson’s torso that he inadvertently exposed, Jones sent a well-aimed burst of paint at his enemy and hit him in the chest.


Both competitors had been hit once, which meant one more hit for either of the contenders meant defeat and second place.


During the final round of the game, both competitors moved about the course with extra caution. Jones was hunkered down next to a low-lying bunker when he peaked his head up to see where his opponent was. That’s when the controversial play happened. Johnson saw Jones peak his head and took advantage, spraying Jones’ position. One paintball hit Jones square on the head, but did not burst. Under tournament rules Jones was not out, but he did not get a paint check. Thinking he had been defeated, Jones raised his gun in surrender. It was then the referee informed him that there was no paint on his head. Unfortunately for Jones, raising his weapon signaled that he had forfeited.


“The paintball hit me so hard and square I just assumed it broke. I was wrong,” said Jones. “Next time I’m going to make sure I get a paint check.”


Both competitors showed good sportsmanship by accepting the results and congratulating each other on a well-played match.


http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20052305446/$file/paint5low.jpg

Looking down the sights of his marker, Dana A. Jones gets a feel for the tool that will help him make it to the finals. Jones took 2nd place during the paintball tournament here. Photo by: Pfc. Lukas J. Blom

Ellie

[thedrifter]

February 07, 2005

Some changes on hold

By Laura Bailey
Times staff writer


For a few aging weapons, a replacement isn’t in the cards just yet.
Without obvious answers in sight, Corps officials instead are planning upgrades for the 60mm and 81mm mortar systems and are putting changes to two anti-tank weapons on hold.

The mortars, in particular, are due for a face-lift.

“This generation has been out there since I’ve been in the Marine Corps — about 20 years,” said Lt. Col. Rick Adams, the infantry weapons program manager for Marine Corps Systems Command at Quantico, Va. “They’ve worked very well, but there are some significant maintenance issues.”

Among Systems Command’s chief concerns are the bipods and sighting systems.

The Corps has embarked with the Army to buy new bipods. Also under consideration are new sighting systems to replace the mortars’ aging Tritium-illuminated sights. Tritium, an isotope used in self-luminescent devices, eventually dims after 15 to 20 years. So now, the Corps is buying new sights this year and into next year.

“Those two actions are a bridge for us until we get to our new mortar system,” Adams said.

Systems Command is working to develop lighter 60mm and 81mm mortars by the end of the decade, Adams said. In the best-case scenario, these new mortars could be available as early as 2008.

The goal is to develop new mortars that will be 40 percent to 50 percent lighter without giving up durability or other qualities of the current systems, Adams said.

While the Corps is looking for replacements for two older weapons systems, the Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon and the Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided missile, the funding is on hold.

With Marines seeing action in largely urban environments these days, replacing the SMAW and the TOW missile is not a priority for the Corps, said Axel Fait, the program manager for anti-armor systems at Systems Command.

But infantry weapons experts have expressed concern that the programs could fall into neglect and eventually lead to the loss of anti-armor and anti-bunker capabilities within infantry battalions.

Both replacement programs failed to get funding in recent cycles and are in a holding pattern until more funding is approved, Fait said. Right now the focus is on other weapons more relevant to urban operations, he said.

The Corps has committed only enough money to keep the program alive, meaning the command will monitor new technologies but will not pursue upgrades or test for replacements, Fait said.

Once funding is returned to the SMAW program, Systems Command hopes to develop a lightweight rocket to replace the SMAW that could be fired from enclosed spaces. Fait said the command wants to shave one-third of the weight off the 30-pound SMAW rocket so crews can carry three rounds instead of two.

In addition, the command is looking at a modular system that would allow for different types of warheads, such as a high-explosive round for bunker busting and a wall-breaching round for urban environments, Fait said.

Funding for the “Follow-on to SMAW,” as the program is called, will likely not come until 2008.

The TOW Service Life Extension Program also awaits funding to take it forward.

While the Corps has already selected the Raytheon M41 ITAS as the TOW’s replacement, it will not be able to purchase any until further funding is approved, possibly in 2008. The missiles are already fielded by the Army, while Systems Command hopes to buy an upgraded version with an improved targeting system.

“The one thing we want Marines to know is we have a great deal of confidence with the systems now, but we want to provide them always with the technological edge. The way to do that is to look into future programs,” Fait said.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Civilian attire regulations apply on and off base
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lance Cpl. Shane Suzuki
Public Affairs Office
Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune

Imagine a young Marine, walking through the post-exchange wearing inappropriate civilian attire, gets stopped by a senior Marine. Maybe the younger Marine was wearing shower shoes. Maybe he was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. Maybe he was wearing headgear indoors. The Marine Corps is full of myths and rumors about what is and isn't appropriate civilian attire and with the new year, it is a good opportunity to dispel some of the biggest myths floating around the Corps.

"I think our uniform regulations are fair and very reasonable," said Sgt. Maj. Charles E. Tucker, base sergeant major. "I've got no problem with them personally, and I would say about 75 to 80 percent of Marines follow the regulations just fine."

Uniform regulations are outlined in Marine Corps Order P1020.34, chapter one, and are divided into three different sections: Within the United States, aboard ship and aircraft, and outside the United States.

"I think most of the confusion comes from the three different areas," said Tucker. "Many Marines confuse overseas and travel regulations with what is acceptable here in country."

According to the paragraph concerning attire while aboard ship and aircraft, personnel traveling as passengers aboard military flights and ships have to wear civilian clothes in style and quality similar to the service "C" uniform. Some examples of appropriate attire include, shirts with a collar, trousers with a belt and socks with shoes.

"Here is another example of the order being interpreted by Marines," said Tucker. "The order says with a belt if applicable. I take that to mean if the pants have belt loops, then you need a belt. But if the pants are nice looking and don't have belt loops, then no belt is necessary."

In the United States however, the civilian attire regulations are a bit more relaxed, although Marines are still expected to hold themselves to a higher standard.

"Jeans are perfectly fine, but they need to be clean and in good condition," he said. "We can't wear jeans with holes, t-shirts with stains or anything that is in bad taste. Marines need to use common sense."

One of the most violated attire regulations is male Marines wearing jewelry, especially earrings.

"I still believe there are Marines who try to get away with wearing things they are not supposed to," he said. "When it comes to earrings, it's a black and white issue, no grey area. Male Marines cannot wear earrings at anytime. Why there are still Marines who think they can get away with it, I have no idea."

Another regulation commonly ignored is the wearing of headgear, both civilian and military. People cannot wear headgear inside buildings while on base, unless they are the duty. That applies to both military and civilian headgear.

"The rule used to be that Marines couldn't wear hats indoors, whether on base or not," said Tucker. "About ten years ago, the rules were changed where Marines could wear hats inside, as long as they're off base. On base however, Marines cannot wear hats inside."

While Marines can wear hats, such as baseball caps and cowboy hats, under no circumstances can they wear do-rags or bandanas as headgear.

"This is an easy one," said Tucker. "Bandanas and do-rags are strictly prohibited anytime, anyplace."

However, along with myths about headgear and civilian attire, many Marines continually break or disregard regulations concerning the wear of their camouflage utility uniforms.

"It's simple," explained Tucker. "The utility uniform is a working uniform, not a liberty uniform. Marines can go to any drive-through restaurant they want. But you cannot leave your vehicle and go inside, no matter how long the lines are to get food."

According to Tucker, the only two places Marines can go while wearing utilities are Marine Federal Credit Union and Navy Federal Credit Union. However, while at the banks, Marines are only authorized to conduct normal banking business.

"This does not include making appointments with financial specialists and spending an hour applying for loans and such," said Tucker.

And while driving to the bank, Marines need to make sure they are wearing their covers. While driving their vehicles on base, Marines need to be in full uniform, including blouses and covers.

"You can stop in town to get gas and make emergency stops," said Tucker. "And once you're off base you don't have to wear your cover in the car, but you have to be in full uniform. In fact, you shouldn't be driving a vehicle on base without a blouse or cover. You need to be in complete uniform."

Marines are able to make essential stops to buy items such as milk, diapers and baby formula, according to Tucker.

"If you need gas or baby diapers on the way home, you can stop and get those items while still in uniform," said Tucker. "But this doesn't include alcohol or tobacco products. Get those items on base, or wait until you get home and change."

Marines who don't follow these regulations are subject to disciplinary action that can range from correction on the spot to non-judicial punishment.

"It sounds harsh, but Marines who don't follow the uniform regulations have violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice," said Tucker. "If a command decides that a Marine has not learned their lesson, they can do a page 11 entry in their record or even give them an NJP."

The Marine Corps has civilian attire regulations so Marines will hold themselves to a higher standard while in town, it allows Marines to be proud of what they wear while on liberty and leave.

"If you didn't have some kind of regulations, the servicemembers would wear whatever they want," said Tucker. "We want Marines to uphold a higher standard whether they are in uniform or not."


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Deserted Marine's Brother Claims Anti-Muslim Bias <br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <br />
Feb. 4, 2005 <br />
<br />
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The brother of a Utah...

[thedrifter]

Super Bowl to Feature Veterans, Servicemembers
By John Valceanu
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2005 -- America's servicemembers of yesterday, today and tomorrow will be featured during the pre-game show for the NFL's Super Bowl XXXIX, a championship game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles Feb. 6 in Jacksonville, Fla.

"I think it's fantastic that the NFL is honoring our military men and women, and giving the American people a chance to express their appreciation for their servicemembers who make so many sacrifices to protect us," said C. Patrick Dooling, public affairs officer for the Navy Region Southeast, which has its headquarters in Jacksonville. Dooling helped coordinate Defense Department support for the event.

This year's theme for the pre-game show is "Honoring Our World War II Vets." A group of about 50 men and women veterans of the Second World War, representing each branch of the military service, will be escorted onto the field by Naval Junior ROTC cadets from Florida high schools, Dooling said.

"This country owes a lot to the World War II generation. In my opinion, they represent everything that is good in our country," he said. "They have a spirit of patriotism and love of our country like no other group. The World War II veterans are called 'The Greatest Generation,' but our own generation is also doing a great job of defending us. I think it's great to have an opportunity to honor great generations, past and present."

The veterans will stand at attention alongside the cadets as a choral group of 100 singers, 25 from each U.S. service academy, sings the national anthem. A joint color guard made up of active-duty troops will hold the American flag and the flag of each military service during the ceremony, according to Dooling.

In addition to the veterans, military aviators will take part in the festivities by conducting two flyovers. The first will consist of a group of vintage military aircraft, while the second will consist of two Air Force F/A- 22 Raptors and two Navy F/A18 Super Hornets. The vintage aircraft will make good contrast to the jets, which represent America's newest aircraft, Dooling said.

Though Super Bowl Sunday is the big day, participation of military personnel isn't limited to the Super Bowl game itself. In the days leading up to the weekend, about 300 recruiters from all branches have been in Jacksonville, educating people about the military.

"Here in Jacksonville, we call the week leading up to the Super Bowl 'Superfest.' The city's been very full with people coming down for the game," Dooling said. "It's been a great place to help show American people what the military is about."

In addition to the recruiters, Dooling said about 1,700 military volunteers are helping to support Super Bowl preparations in many different ways.

While servicemembers are reaching out to sports fans, football players have done a little reaching out on their own. Dooling said current players and NFL Hall of Fame members have reached out to the military community by visiting troops in military hospitals, bases and on ships. These included Blount Island Marine Corps Base and the carrier USS John F. Kennedy, docked at Naval Station Mayport. Both the base and the naval station are in Jacksonville.

"I'm very glad that the group of NFL players were able to take time out to visit with the troops and show their thanks. They didn't have to do that, but it meant a lot to servicemembers," Dooling said.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Army Transformation Drives Biggest Change Since 1939
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2005 – Fighting the war against global terrorism while simultaneously transforming itself to confront 21st-century threats is challenging the Army, a top military officer told U.S. House members here Feb. 3.

The U.S. Army is in the midst of its greatest transformation since the period just before America's entry into World War II, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody noted in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.

"This is the most significant change of your Army since 1939," Cody told committee members.

The Army is now transforming its Cold War-era, heavy-division structure into a more mobile, brigade-oriented force equipped with the Stryker armored vehicle. Cody said the Army plans to establish 43 of these new modular brigades.

In fact, Cody noted, the Army's first modular brigade, from the 3rd Infantry Division, is starting to deploy to Iraq. The 101st Airborne and 10th Mountain divisions also are undergoing transformation, he said.

The Army's recently granted request to temporarily add 30,000 soldiers to the ranks was made, Cody observed, "so we can prime the pump, restructure the Army while it's moving and get it out of its Cold War structure."

Today, more than 300,000 soldiers are serving overseas in 120 countries, Cody noted, including 116,000 soldiers deployed in Iraq and 14,000 in Afghanistan.

Cody said about 650,000 soldiers are on active duty today, including mobilized Guard and Reserve members. However, he explained, there's a force-imbalance involving combat support and combat-service-support-units, of which 60 percent are now in the Guard and Reserve.

That imbalance, he said, is making transformation more difficult to achieve and causing force-rotation planners to pull out their hair.

"Until we can get our Army fully modularized so that we can restructure the combat support and combat-service support and lower the amount of units we have," Cody explained, "we are going to have stress on the force."

Consequently, the active-duty Army has been reducing its logistics, field artillery, air defense, engineer and armor units, Cody said, while increasing the numbers of low-density, high-demand support troops, such as military police, intelligence, civil affairs, psychological operations, in order to round out its new brigade-structured units.

"All of this is part of modularity," Cody explained, noting "we've been able to change 40,000 slots in two and a half years while we've been at war to make these new formations."


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Fallen hero receives his wish - citizenship



by Sgt. Melvin Lopez Jr.
Henderson Hall News


Fifty-five days after he gave his life defending his post from a would-be suicide bomber, Cpl. Binh Ngoc Le was posthumously awarded U.S. citizenship during a ceremony here at the Henderson Hall Theatre Jan. 27.

Since the birth of our nation, many people have come to America from different walks of life for numerous reasons. Whatever the motive, those who have sought citizenship here became part of a group of millions of immigrants who have declared in one voice, "I am an American."

That was the case with Le, a young Vietnamese boy who, in his latter years, had a dream of doing just that, according to close relatives. He went about it in a noble manner: to serve the country his heart wanted to be a part of, in hopes that his hard work and effort would not go unnoticed and eventually help him reach one of his objectives - to become an American citizen.

Le also hoped that by achieving this he would be able to bring them from Vietnam to live with him someday, said his parents.

He never expected he would be paying for that long-sought goal with his life.

Le immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 6, after his parents gave him up for adoption. Born an only child to Kim Hoan Phi Nguyen, a bank accountant, and Lien Van Tran, a former South Vietnamese soldier who served alongside U.S. troops during the Vietnam War, he was entrusted to his adopted family for care. His parents had trouble making ends meet, and felt this was their only alternative.

The young boy came to the U.S. with his aunt and uncle, Hau Luu and Thanh Le. His adopted family and another aunt and uncle, Tuc-cuc Thi Tran and Luong La of Dale City, Va, raised him in Alexandria, Va.

A student of Edison High School, Le spent his time playing in a series of Christian rock bands with other members of his church, the Gunston Bible Church of Lorton, Va. He had a knack for music, able to play many instruments such as the trumpet, keyboard and drums.

Le was also a member of the school's Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, the largest program of its kind in northern Virginia. By the time he graduated in 2002, he had served as battalion commander for the unit's Eagle Battalion.

His military career did not end there. Le enlisted in the Marine Corps on Oct. 28, 2002. After completing recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., in January 2003, he was transferred to Camp Geiger, N.C. for Marine Combat Training, and subsequently to Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Okla.

Upon graduation, Le was transferred to Okinawa, Japan and served with T Battery, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as an artilleryman.

Later that year, he deployed to Iraq with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon returning, Le was stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., serving with S Battery, 5th Battalion, 10th Marines, 2nd Marine Division.

In the fall of 2004, Le volunteered to deploy a second time. He was serving with his unit at Forward Operating Base, Camp Terbil, Iraq, on Dec. 3 when his post was attacked by a water truck carrying over 500 pounds of explosives. According to the battery's commanding officer, Capt. Chris Curtain, Le and his brother-in-arms, Cpl. Matthew A. Wyatt, 21, of Millstadt, Ill., immediately ran to a position where they could engage the vehicle. After killing the driver, the vehicle spun out of control and crashed into a barrier and exploded, fatally wounding Le and Wyatt, and injuring six other Marines. In Curtain's estimation, had the vehicle made it into the compound, "the damage and casualties would have been significantly more and Cpl. Le and Cpl. Wyatt's actions directly contributed to stopping the vehicle from making it any further."

Le was 20 years old.

His unselfish acts have helped him get recognized throughout the Corps and all over the country.

"His heroic actions in the face of a horrific attack humble me, and I will be forever grateful of his heroism," Curtain stated in an e-mail read aloud at the ceremony. He recommended Le for the Silver Star.

His teary-eyed birth parents proudly accepted the citizenship award presented by Eduardo Aguirre, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

An estimated 37,000 noncitizens serve in the U.S. armed forces, according to the Department of Defense. Since the Iraq war began, 54 servicemembers have been awarded posthumous citizenship. Twenty-one of them were Marines.

Le also wanted his parents to share his dream of becoming Americans. This did not go unheard. U.S. Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) is assisting Nguyen and Tran obtain their citizenship. Moran promised he would file a private bill in Congress if that is what it took.

"He certainly earned his citizenship," Moran said. "His dream was to try to get citizenship for his father and mother, too. It may require an act of Congress. Looking at the unique circumstances, it's obviously a meritorious case."

Moran knows it will be difficult to pass a bill like this in Congress, but that does not discourage him from introducing it. He said once he convinces Congress that Le gave his life for this country, they will have no other choice but to accept.

"I think this is a compelling enough situation that we can get a single bill just for the purpose of granting citizenship for his parents," Moran said. "They certainly deserve it."

Tran said Le visited his parents in Vietnam after his high school graduation. While there, he told his father he planned on joining the Marine Corps. Tran suggested that he try a less challenging branch like the Air Force, but Le expressed his urge to join the Corps because of the challenge.

His parents didn't have a problem with Le enlisting in the Marine Corps. They just wanted to make sure he would set time aside for school.

Nguyen said Le mentioned citizenship, but it wasn't his priority.

"His main concern was to join the military to help protect the country he loved so much," Nguyen said.

His uncle, Luong La, added a comment about Le's ambitions of becoming a Marine.

"He told me that if everybody takes the easy job, there's no one to take the hard job," La said.

"I lost a son," said Nguyen, "but I am proud he served the United States of America. At least I know he fulfilled his dream."


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Ex-Abu Ghraib Guard Sentenced to 6 Months <br />
<br />
By T.A. BADGER, Associated Press Writer <br />
<br />
FORT HOOD, Texas - Sgt. Javal Davis doesn't have to serve much prison time for abusing detainees at Abu...

[thedrifter]

Marine receives Purple Heart for Fallujah wounds
Submitted by: 1st Force Service Support Group
Story Identification #: 200523112057
Story by Sgt. Enrique S. Diaz



CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Feb. 3, 2005) -- Lance Cpl. Daniel S. Armendariz knows firsthand what sacrifice means. The 19-year-old Marine truck driver survived a roadside explosion within Fallujah Nov. 17, 2004, while his unit was moving through the battle-torn city.

On Jan. 1, 2005, Armendariz was awarded the Purple Heart for the wounds he had received.

Armendariz was manning a machinegun atop a seven-ton truck on a supply convoy when an improvised explosive device detonated nearby, wounding the Abilene, Texas, native.

"It was crazy. I felt it (explosion) pick me up and throw me to the left side of the (machinegun's) ring mount," said Armendariz, who took shrapnel in his legs, face and to the right side of his head.

One of the truck's front tires was blown out during the explosion and veered off the road, throwing the passengers around and slamming them inside the cab. Armendariz' nose was broken in the fray, in addition to his other wounds.

"I couldn't believe that it had happened to us. I had read about it (IED attacks), thought about it, but I just couldn't believe it," he said.

In the seconds immediately following the attack, Armendariz feared for a fellow Marine in the truck who had also sustained wounds.

"I knew the passenger was hurt worse than me. He couldn't feel his legs," he said.

But he also feared the worst had yet to pass - an impending enemy ambush on the immobile truck. Expecting an enemy ground assault against the convoy, Armendariz immediately took up a defensive position with his M16 rifle after discovering his machine gun had been damaged.

"Everything was racing through my mind. I was just thanking God that worse did not happen," he said.

Fortunately, the ambush never came.

Military policemen, who provide security for convoys, immediately responded, picking up everyone from the vehicle. The wounded would later be evacuated to a nearby medical facility for surgery.

Armendariz recovered and has returned to duty. The other wounded Marine survived as well and is recovering in the United States.

The event has given the Marine more than just a medal - his perspective on life has also changed.

"It turned on the lights on how much time I spend dealing with stuff that didn't seem important before," he said. "Seeing the way people suffer in a Third World country and seeing the things we do here (to help them), it really puts things into perspective."

Family relations have also taken precedence following his near-death experience.

"I wasn't calling my family as much as I should have. It's a big thing to them. I also spend more time with my friends now," Armendariz said.

With just a few months left in Iraq, Armendariz plans on returning to his hometown and pursuing a degree in business. He has also been accepted for the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., but is uncertain if he will attend.

Regardless of what he chooses to do with his life, Armendariz will undoubtedly succeed, according to his company commander, who said he had "harassed" him to apply for the Naval Academy.

"He's a conscientious, solid Marine with a good heart who wants to do the right thing," said Capt. Brook W. Barbour, a 29-year-old Marshall, Va., native, and Armendariz' company commander.

Ellie


http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200523114352/$file/ArmendarizLow.jpg

Lance Cpl. Daniel S. Armendariz displays the Purple Heart he received during a ceremony Jan.1, 2005 for injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device attack during a convoy through the battle for Fallujah Nov. 17, 2004. The 19-year-old reservist will return to his hometown of Abilene, Texas, where he plans on returning to college and pursuing a degree in business. Photo by: Cpl. Khang T. Tran

[thedrifter]

PTSD: Recovering vets cope with more than bullets & shrapnel wounds
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification #: 200524111216
Story by Cpl. Jess Levens



MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Feb. 4, 2005) -- Twenty-eight year old Cpl. Bradley A. Collier described death: "I closed my eyes and all the noises faded away, and all the pain stopped.

"It was bright. I didn't see angels, but I saw the light. It wasn't bright like the desert sun. It was more like moonlight beaming down on me. My platoon sergeant's screams sounded like they were miles away, but when he slapped me, I opened my eyes and all the pain came back."

Collier touched death four times Aug. 13, 2004 after taking a sniper's bullet and rocket-propelled grenade shrapnel in Iraq. Four times his heart stopped beating; his vital signs stopped registering.

The Company F, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines infantryman was carried off the battlefield after a four-and-a-half-hour firefight. Now, halfway around the globe, plagued with multiple injuries and diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Collier's new unit is Medical Holding Platoon at Naval Medical Center San Diego, commonly known as Balboa.

GOING DOWN

Recalling his last moments in combat, Collier said a radio was strapped to his back as he took a knee in a seemingly safe place. He was passing word to another platoon when an AK-47 round entered the back of his left shoulder and mushroomed into his lung, leaving him paralyzed in a faced-up fetal position - hearing and seeing, but frozen and not breathing.

"Ugh, that 'pop!'" Collier recalled. "I remember laying on my back just looking up in the worst pain ever. Imagine taking a sledgehammer to the back of your shoulder and driving railroad ties in your spine."

Navy corpsmen rushed in, dodging bullets to tend to the fallen one. As a platoon mate dragged Collier to safety, the docs rushed to cut away his blood-soaked gear.

"RPGs were going off all around," said Collier. "By the time they got me to the Humvee I was pretty much in my boots and boxers. I could hear rounds hitting the side of the truck while they worked on me. Tink-tink-tink-tink! Staff Sgt. (Oscar) Castillo slung his rifle over his back and shielded my body."

Collier faded in and out on the truck while the docs tried to stop his bleeding and keep him breathing.

"Breathing got harder and harder," said Collier. "Every time I closed my eyes I saw that light. It was so easy to just give up and let go, but every time I faded, someone slapped me and woke me up."

While a doc examined the bullet wound, Collier heard someone yell, "Oh no!" - never a good thing to hear in a condition like Collier's. The corpsman discovered another wound on the other side of Collier's back.

Collier said he was lucky to feel the pain: "It hurt like hell, but at least I could feel it. I knew if I couldn't feel the pain, I was about to die. I lost a lot of good friends in that desert. (Lance Cpl.) John Collins - he was my best, best friend ... He didn't even have a chance to feel the pain."

The docs patched him up and the Humvee sped away. After a chest tube and having half of his lung removed, Collier found himself at Balboa - his twelfth hospital since he went down.

THE MINI-MARRIOT

"This place is nice compared to the others," said Collier with his thin physique sprawled out on a thick, American flag comforter. "I call it the mini-Marriot."

Collier pressed the pause button on his wireless PlayStation controller to give the grand tour: a walk-in closet, a TV with a VCR and DVD player, a full bathroom and a kitchen area.

At the medical center, Collier undergoes acupuncture, physical therapy, water therapy and psychological therapy. He can't quite stand up straight, and he walks with a slight limp, but he said it's a big improvement.

"The first time I put my feet on the ground was at the hospital in Germany," said Collier, who lost more than 25 pounds of muscle weight. "I was hunched over like an old man. They wanted me to use a wheelchair, but I refused."

His father, Rex Collier, added, "We saw Bradley at Thanksgiving, and it was pretty tough. No father likes to see his son hurt. As a concerned parent, I had been dreading this all along, and when it happened, it came as a shock. After all the different hospitals, it sounds like they are taking good care of him at Balboa."

THE DISORDER

Apart from Collier's physical ailments, he said the most frustrating problem has been the hidden scars: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

According to the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, "PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, abuse (sexual, physical, emotional, ritual) and violent personal assaults like rape. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life."

"What really kills me is that I used to be so locked on and strong," said Collier. "Now even loud noises freak me out. If the toilet seat drops or my doorbell rings, my heart jumps. I constantly look behind me and sit with my back to a wall."

He gingerly stood and walked to his window. He wore a white T-shirt and sweats because his doctors feel that military uniforms may further spark stress episodes.

"See those Navy League towers outside?" he asked as he peered through the blinds. "I constantly look out there, and I picture snipers in those towers, or I see Marines storming the rooftops. The doctors say my mind is still in a heightened state of alert."

Marine Corps leaders are aware of this disorder, and they want all Marines to understand it as veterans of foreign wars return from combat.

"PTSD is one of the biggest concerns we have in the Corps," said Col. Ana R. Smythe, Headquarters and Service Battalion' commanding officer. Collier and other war-wounded Marines are administratively attached to H&S Bn., though they reside at Balboa. "It's one area that we aren't very familiar with. We do a hell of a job repairing physical wounds, but these mental wounds are completely different."

Smythe said some of PTSD's problems exist through the "hardcore" mindframe: "We can handle it. It's part of our ethos to just deal with problems, so Marines don't like to tell people they have PTSD."

She said symptoms aren't instantly apparent and there is usually a three- to four-month meltdown period.

"Some people's personalities change. They can become violent or aggressive, and some just suffer from depression. It's different with each person," said Smythe. "Right now the Marine Corps is coming up with a training program to help Marines understand PTSD, and (the program) will give advice on how to help Marines who are in garrison after suffering combat stress.

"I lived during the Vietnam War. Then, nobody knew about PTSD and these mentally damaged vets were just released into the world. So many of these homeless people on the streets are Vietnam vets suffering from PTSD."

Said Collier: "I've talked to retired vets who have PTSD and one told me he still finds himself low-crawling down his hallway some nights. It's really a big problem. A lot of times Marines who have PTSD are afraid to tell anyone because they think it can affect their records or promotions. But there is nothing wrong with telling someone. The first step to beating PTSD is to understand it."

MOVING ON

Collier recently left the hospital to go to Aspen, Colo., with Lance Cpl. Jeremiah Anderson, another wounded Marine who suffers from PTSD. The all-expenses paid trip comes courtesy of a charity group called Challenge Aspen, which gives mile-high ski trips to wounded vets.

After more than 180 patrols in Iraq and multiple firefights, Collier's leaders promoted him to corporal, combat meritoriously. His exploits also warranted a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with the combat-distinguishing device, and he received the Purple Heart Medal after his wounds. But Collier said the promotion to corporal is the most meaningful, and being a noncommissioned officer holds a special meaning to him.

"For me, the NCO blood stripe means a lot," said Collier. "It was given to NCOs for their bloodshed and sacrifice. I left a lot of blood in Iraq, and now I really know it's special.

"When I joined the Corps, I wanted the toughest, dirtiest job I could find. Of course I knew death was a possibility, especially in the infantry. But you never really count on a sniper's bullet hitting you from behind."

Collier can no longer serve in the Corps because of his wounds, and medical retirement seems most likely. After he is medically stable enough, he will go home to his family and future wife, Kelly, in Nashville.

"I just can't do it anymore," said Collier. "It really bothers me that I'm not what I used to be, but I did my part.

Rex Collier agreed: "It will be nice to have him home again. My son did his duty for this country. I just can't wait to have him back and help him adjust to a normal life again."

For Marines like Collier and Anderson, their physical wounds will heal, and with research and understanding, they have a better chance to overcome PTSD. Those who never tell anyone about having the disorder have a significantly smaller chance to recover. For now, adjusting to a normal life is the battle.

For more information about PTSD, visit the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Web site at www.ncptsd.org.

http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20052411169/$file/09wounded02_lr.jpg

Military doctors have deemed Cpl. Bradley A. Collier's war wounds to be so serious that he is unable to continue serving in the Marine Corps. He is likely to receive a medical retirement, and when he is healthy enough, he will go home to his family and future wife in Nashville.
Photo by: Cpl. Jess Levens


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Grandma Soldier Is Coming Home
HeraldNet
February 5, 2005

When the Army Reserve's 737th Transportation Company returns to Washington from a year in Iraq tonight, it will bring home almost a dozen Snohomish County soldiers.

Among the returning troops will be a truck-driving grandmother from Sultan.

Staff Sgt. Denise Watkins, 46, is a 24-year Army veteran and the grandmother of three young girls. Along with approximately 130 other soldiers with the Yakima-based 737th, she will return to Fort Lewis late tonight.

Her family says they feel blessed that she is finally coming home safe. Eight soldiers from the unit have received Purple Hearts for being injured in action in Iraq, including Spc. Rodney Palmer of Mountlake Terrace. Three more soldiers are in line for the decoration.

"I'm just thankful. We're really fortunate," said her younger sister, Dawn Richards of Sultan. "We're so happy for her to be back. And relieved."





Watkins grew up in Sultan, attended high school there and was living in Startup before she was deployed to Iraq last February.

She drove tanker trucks filled with jet fuel, and the unit's convoys were attractive targets for the ongoing insurgency. Army officials say the 737th was repeatedly attacked with small arms fire and roadside bombs.

Watkins' mother, Joan Jellison of Skykomish, said her daughter told her about a few close calls. One tanker truck she was driving flipped over while she was swerving to avoid a suicide bomber, Jellison said.

"Denise was in one truck that rolled over, full of fuel. Thank goodness it didn't ignite," she said.

Watkins jumped through the broken windshield of the truck to give first aid to a fellow soldier who had been wounded in the attack. She was awarded an Army Commendation Medal with a "V" for valor.

"She just dove out of that truck after that soldier," her mother said.

Her father, Leo Brokofsky of Sultan, recalled how his daughter showed him photographs from her tour in Iraq while she was home on leave for Thanksgiving. There were pictures of land mines, mortars and other reminders of war.

"I was really, really worried," he said.

"We did a lot of praying," her mother said.

"When she was born, I thought, 'At least it's a girl. My firstborn will never have to go to war,'" she said. "Little did I know."

Although Watkins' enlistment is due to end soon, the family isn't sure that she won't have to return to Iraq.

"I'm very proud of her, and she's supposed to be getting out," Jellison said. "But if she gets called back up, she will gladly go. She's very, very proud to serve."

For now, though, there's relief. And with it, Jellison said, the fresh memory of a scene played during President Bush's State of the Union speech, when an Iraqi woman who had been able to vote for the first time embraced the mother of a Marine who was killed in Iraq.

"It's what this war was all about," she said.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Military-Sponsored Web Sites Probed
Associated Press
February 5, 2005

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon's chief investigator is looking into the military's practice of paying journalists to write articles and commentary for a Web site aimed at influencing public opinion in the Balkans, officials said Friday.

At the request of Larry Di Rita, chief spokesman for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the Pentagon's inspector general, Joseph Schmitz, is reviewing that case and also looking more broadly at Pentagon activities that might involve inappropriate payments to journalists.

Di Rita said he had no reason to believe there have been any inappropriate activities but wanted a comprehensive review to "help ensure our processes are sufficiently sensitive to this matter." He stressed that the Web projects are done in close coordination with the State Department.

The Balkans Web site, called Southeast European Times, as well as a second aimed at audiences in north Africa, have no immediately obvious connection to the U.S. government but contain a linked disclaimer that says they are "sponsored by the U.S. European Command." That is the military organization based in Germany responsible for U.S. forces and military activities in Europe and parts of Africa.

The second site, called Magharebia and aimed at the Maghreb region that encompasses Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, is still in development and has not reached the stage of having paid correspondents, said Air Force Lt. Col. Derek Kaufman, a European Command spokesman.





Both sites carry news stories compiled from The Associated Press, Reuters and other news organizations. The Pentagon's role in these Web sites was first reported by CNN on Thursday.

The Balkans Web site also has articles and commentary by about 50 journalists who Kaufman said are paid by European Command through a private contractor, Anteon Corp., an information technology company based in Fairfax, Va.

The Web sites are examples of what the military calls "information operations," or programs designed to influence public opinion by countering what the Pentagon considers to be misinformation or lies that circulate in the international news media. The Pentagon's use of the Web sites has raised questions about blurring the lines between legitimate news and what some would call government propaganda.

The Balkans site grew out of the U.S. air war against Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic in 1999, Kaufman said. It sought to counter what U.S. officials considered a Serb propaganda machine that made effective use of the Internet.

The site aimed at north Africa was started in October 2004 and is a new weapon in the global war on terror.

"This specifically is trying to reach a youthful audience that is potentially ripe for extremist messages and terrorist recruitment," Kaufman said. "It's very much an effort to provide a voice of moderation, but it's not disinformation. Every printed word is the truth."

Di Rita said in an interview Friday that he approves of the effort to present information to counter anti-American Internet material, but he wants to make sure it is done properly and transparently. He said he first learned of the Southeast European Times site last week.

Kaufman said information warfare experts at European Command do not edit the stories written by contributing journalists for Southeast European Times, but they "review" the stories after they are processed by Anteon editors, and they sometimes change the headlines. He cited as an example a proposed headline that originally read, "Croatian Prime Minister Remembers Holocaust Victims," which European Command changed to "Croatian Prime Minister Remarks on Dangers of Extremism," which Kaufman said "more closely reinforced" the U.S. message.

About 50 paid correspondents contribute to Southeast European Times, including one American journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Kaufman said. Another European Command spokesman, Air Force Maj. Sarah Strachan, said many of the journalists work primarily for news organizations, although she said the details of those employers could not be provided for privacy reasons.

Kaufman said the journalists are paid according to the number of words in their articles that are approved for posting on the Web site, at a rate set by Anteon.

In a letter Thursday to the Pentagon inspector general, Di Rita asked for a comprehensive review in light of recent disclosures that other government agencies paid journalists to promote administration policies.

"I have no reason to believe there might be a problem," Di Rita wrote, but he said a review was called for in view of the Defense Department's size and its complex budgeting structure.

Without mentioning him by name, Di Rita alluded to the case of commentator Armstrong Williams, who was hired by the Education Department - through a contract with a public relations firm - to produce ads that featured former Education Secretary Rod Paige and promoted President Bush's No Child Left Behind law. Two other cases of columnists being paid to help promote administration policies have come to light in recent weeks, and Bush said Jan. 26 that the practice must stop.

"It would be most helpful to review activities going back six to eight years, as I assume many existing relationships have continued for that many years or longer," Di Rita wrote, noting the Southeast European Times operation. "It would be appropriate to review that activity and others like it."

It was not clear Friday whether other U.S. military commands have similar Web site operations. Navy Capt. Hal Pittman, the chief spokesman at Central Command, responsible for U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, said, "We're reviewing the utility of this kind of Web site."

Ellie

[thedrifter]

February 04, 2005

24th, 11th MEUs start returning

By Laura Bailey
Times staff writer


The first waves of troops from two Marine Expeditionary Units are preparing to come home this week from deployments to Iraq.
Marines from the Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based 24th MEU and the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 11th MEU will both begin returning to their home bases starting this weekend.

The first wave of 24th MEU arrivals will include 250 Marines who are scheduled to return to Camp Lejeune late Saturday night.

Over the next few weeks, more than 700 Marines will continue to return with the majority of the MEU arriving at Camp Lejeune by Feb. 18, said MEU spokesman Staff Sgt. Joe Espinosa.

The 24th MEU conducted counterinsurgency missions and assisted in the training more than 2,000 Iraqi security forces in northern Babil province since last July. The Marines also provided support to Iraqi police and guardsmen during Iraq’s election Jan. 30.

“Each and every one of us feels that we have made a significant contribution to the rebirth of Iraq,” MEU commander Col. Ronald Johnson wrote in a Jan. 25 letter to the unit’s families.

Johnson said the Marines were departing Iraq with mixed emotions, since they lost 15 leathernecks in Iraq.

“Our indescribable joy will be tempered by thoughts of our fellow Marines and comrades who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We will never forget them. Their names and faces will be etched in our memories forever. Even when we are old and gray, they will remain young and at the dawn of their lives,” he wrote.

The Marines arriving home Saturday will include members from Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, as well as members from the command element and MEU Service Support Group 24.

Taking the MEU’s place in Iraq will be the Mississippi National Guard’s 155th Separate Armored Brigade (Heavy).

Also returning from Iraq in the coming days are members of the 11th MEU, which deployed last May.

On Sunday about 400 Marines with the unit are scheduled to return to Camp Pendleton.

Marines with the unit spent months near Najaf, where they fought a bloody battle against radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s militia in August.

Among those returning are 69 Marines with MEU Service Support Group 11who will arrive Sunday morning; another 179 with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, will arrive early in the afternoon.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Camp Lejeune Marines handed Super Bowl tickets

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. Thirty Marines from the East Coast's largest Marine Corps base are on their way to the Super Bowl courtesy of the Cleveland Browns.

The tickets priced at 500 and 600 dollars were passed out yesterday at Camp Lejeune (lih-ZHOON'). The lucky Marines will sit on the 50-yard line, about 30 or 40 yards up.

In all, the Browns donated 50 tickets to tomorrow's N-F-L championship in Jacksonville, Florida, for Marines who have served or are about to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Other tickets were given to Marines serving at Parris Island, South Carolina, Reserve Command in New Orleans and U-S Central Command in Tampa, Florida.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Overall mission met in South Asia <br />
Submitted by: MCAS Iwakuni <br />
Story Identification #: 200522231949 <br />
Story by Lance Cpl. Cristin K. Bartter <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan (Feb. 4,...

[thedrifter]

Bush To Seek $419.3 Billion For Defense
Associated Press
February 5, 2005

WASHINGTON - President Bush will ask Congress for $419.3 billion for the Pentagon for next year, 4.8 percent more than this year's spending, as the administration seeks to beef up and reshape the Army and Marine Corps for fighting terrorism.

The request will not include money for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress already has appropriated $25 billion for those wars this year, and the White House is planning to request another $80 billion soon.

The president plans to roll out his military spending proposal Monday as part of a roughly $2.5 trillion federal budget. But documents obtained by The Associated Press on Friday show that he will request $19.2 billion more for the Defense Department than its $400.1 billion budget this year.

However, his request is $3.4 billion below the $422.7 billion the Pentagon estimated in January that it would need for next year.

The proposal will include restructuring and expanding the Army and adding combat and support units for the Marine Corps. It reflects Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's efforts to transform the Cold War-style military into one that's more rapidly deployable to fight terrorist groups.




Under Bush's plan, defense spending would grow gradually, hitting $502.3 billion by 2011.

The proposal, according to one of the documents, supports the war on terrorism by "strengthening U.S. defense capabilities and keeping U.S. forces combat ready. It continues to implement lessons learned from ongoing operations in the war."

Those include, according to the proposal, "the need for flexible and adaptable joint military, strong special operations forces, highly responsive logistics and the best possible intelligence and communications capabilities."

The plan calls for special operations forces, which the documents described as "critical to the fight against terrorism," to add 1,200 troops. The forces would get $50 million to keep people from leaving the services.

The president also wants Congress to let him spend $750 million as he chooses to help Iraq, Afghanistan and U.S. allies opposing terrorism bolster their military and security forces. In the past, lawmakers have been reluctant to give Bush unfettered control of such funds but have generally complied.

On Thursday, Missouri Rep. Ike Skelton - ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee - said in a statement that he worried that the president's budget request, which he anticipated would be billions less than the Pentagon had predicted needing, "may weaken our efforts" in Iraq and Afghanistan "while undermining our ability to prepare for future conflicts."

Overall, the president's proposal calls for the Navy, Marines and Air Force to all receive extra funds next year, but the Army's budget would take a $300 million reduction to $100 billion even though it's bearing the brunt of the costs and fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the $80 billion Bush plans to request in the coming days for Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to be tilted heavily toward the Army.

Bush plans to propose $1.6 billion to fight chemical and biological threats next year and $9.9 billion over the next five years. And, he would allocate $9.5 billion for homeland security activities next year and $147.8 billion for training, maintenance and other "readiness" programs.

Despite the overall military increase, the Pentagon's account for purchasing new weapons would actually incur a $100 million cut next year to $78 billion. The proposal underscores how huge federal deficits are affecting even the Defense Department, long one of Bush's top priorities.

The president, according to the documents, will seek $8.8 billion for its missile defense program, compared with $9.9 billion this year. The documents also showed that he would ask for $695.7 million for the Chinook helicopter for next year, compared with $869.8 million for this year. And, the B-2 stealth bomber would get $344.3 million, down from $365 million this year.

More than half the total defense increase - $10.8 billion - would be for training, maintenance and other costs associated with keeping the military ready for action. Most of the rest would go for military salaries and construction of bases and housing.

The proposal calls for increasing military base salaries by 3.1 percent and civilian salaries by 2.3 percent. It also calls for giving troops more money for housing and giving reservists better health care coverage and additional education benefits.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Posted on: Saturday, February 5, 2005

HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Students help kids of killed Marines

Advertiser Staff

In an effort to raise $50,000 for a scholarship fund benefitting the six children of Hawai'i-based Marines recently killed in action, the senior class president at La Pietra School for Girls is organizing a series of car washes around the island, with the first to be held in Waikiki tomorrow.

The car wash will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the VIP Car Rentals parking lot, corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Niu Street.

For more information, visit marinekids.com or e-mail marinekidsfund@yahoo.com.

Checks should be written to "Marine Kids Fund" and can be mailed to the Armed Services YMCA, Honolulu Branch, P.O. Box 29333, Honolulu, HI 96820. For more information about the fund, call 473-1427.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

different enemy
Local psychiatrist treats U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq
Published Sat, Feb 5, 2005
ADVERTISEMENT




By GEOFF ZIEZULEWICZ
The Beaufort Gazette
These days, Lady's Island resident and psychiatrist James Dickerson treats mental disorders that are a world away from what he dealt with in Beaufort.
There's the 21-year-old 1st Infantry Division specialist who was wounded by a bomb and saw his friend killed. He gets very anxious around garbage because of the potential for a hidden explosive. A 28-year-old soldier who has killed numerous civilians and insurgents doesn't want to leave Iraq and can't explain why.

One soldier went off of anti-psychotic medication to enlist and is now manic. He was recently shipped to a hospital outside Iraq for more treatment. Countless others are reminded of grim moments in battle each night when they go to sleep.

This is the world of Maj. Dickerson, a clinical officer in the Army Reserves' 55th Medical Company. He and others like him form a tenuous line of sanity for American troops in Iraq, a country that has proven ripe for anxiety, flashbacks and post-traumatic stress disorder during nearly two years of warfare. Just as the combat has changed the boundaries of war itself, the parameters have also changed for how troops are treated.

Stationed since his November deployment at Camp Anaconda, an approximately 15-square-mile base just north of Baghdad, Dickerson is part of a larger effort throughout the armed services to make sure that the mental scars burned into the minds of some troops are exorcised and that they know it is OK to receive help.

Dickerson's unit provides a variety of services for troops from all backgrounds in Iraq. He oversees a restoration unit where soldiers who exhibit psychiatric disorders can take a few days to stabilize.

"We have 72 hours usually to turn them around through rest, away from that environment and medication," he wrote in an e-mail this week. "A bigger danger is soldiers who do not seek out help, that's why we have prevention teams going out to spread the 'gospel.'"

Preventative teams go out to units in combat zones, educating soldiers and looking for those left unstable by recent carnage.

"The teams go out when there are deaths for critical event debriefings with the affected units," he said, adding that he faces the same dangers in those instances as other troops. "Convoys are scary if you're smart and scary if you're brave."

Dickerson said the influx of National Guard and reserve troops means an older fighting force is often bringing its own domestic mental health issues to the war.

"Of interest is the amount of soldiers -- active, reserve, Guard -- who have serious medical or psychiatric problems with fairly significant medications," he said in an e-mail. "The administration and military are desperate for manpower but are mobilizing soldiers who should be medically dismissed."

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or "combat stress," as it is generally known in military circles when coupled with behavioral and physical reactions, is not new. But the scope of treatment available to troops coming in and out of Iraq is growing fast, said Dr. Gary Noble, head of the Behavioral Health Clinic at Naval Hospital Beaufort.

"Back in World War II, we learned it was best to keep these individuals as close to their units and the front as possible," Noble said. "The farther back you evacuate them, the less likely they are to give up their symptoms."

When troops are treated in restoration units like the one Dickerson operates, they get rest, reconstitution and the expectation that they will soon be back with their units, doing what they were trained to do, Noble said.

"They're still there with their buddies," he said. "It demonstrates that even though they have this disorder, it is not life-altering."

There is an effort underway throughout armed services installations to make troops and their families aware of combat stress and its effects, said John Abney, a prevention and education specialist at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.

Marines receive pre- and post-deployment briefings that let them know what to expect and the resources available, Abney said.

"You have this coming from the top down, from the commandant, that if it's a problem, they are making sure things are in place for the Marines and their family members," he said. "Marines are not broken because they are having these symptoms. It's a normal way to deal with things."

While the stigma for troops who admit to mental health problems are slowly fading, Noble said it is still problematic and prevents those affected from seeking help.

A study published last summer in the New England Journal of Medicine surveyed members of four combat infantry units from the Army and Marines before and after their deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Of those surveyed, about 17 percent coming back from Iraq met criteria for major depression, generalized anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, compared with about 11 percent of those returning from Afghanistan. Only 23 to 40 percent of those troops affected sought mental health care.

"There is a bias against seeking help in general, especially for psychiatric conditions," Noble said. "They don't want to be labeled as weak."

The traumatic experiences that trigger flashbacks, nightmares or an inability to resume a peaceful life manifest in various ways when the troops come home, he said.

"Smells are very potent," Noble said. "Any smell that might remind them of their experience tends to trigger them. It's mostly burning stuff, burning plastic or if someone burns something they were cooking on a stove. Simple smells like that will trigger flashbacks."

Back at Camp Anaconda, Dickerson said it sometimes rains hard and the mud turns glue-like, sticking to everything. Insurgent mortars crash daily and seem to always hit when he is in the bathroom or the shower. The base is nicknamed "Mortaritaville."

The background and age of American boots on the ground in Iraq, as well as the nature of the war, have exacerbated the potential for mental disorders among troops, more so than in past conflicts, he said.

"I have a lot of problems with the government fighting this war using a majority of reserve and Guard soldiers," he said, adding that safe and restful spots for a mentally and physically drained soldier in Iraq are few and far between. "Unlike in past wars, soldiers are often deployed on some serious psychiatric medications that need monitoring."

"Iraq is not going to be a spot I vacation at," Dickerson said. "I think if ... we could travel and have safe native places to go, we would all enjoy things more.

"There is no Saigon, no Seoul, or any real rear area," he said. "Everywhere you go is front lines."

Contact Geoff Ziezulewicz at 986-5531 or geoffz@beaufortgazette.com.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Day of Remembrance Honors Fallen
American Forces Press Service

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq, Feb. 3, 2005 — More than 500 Marines and sailors of Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and Task Force Naha, of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, gathered to honor the memory of their fallen brothers at a memorial service here Feb. 2.

Members from all military services stood mournfully in formation as chaplains from the battalion team and the expeditionary unit reflected on the memories of those lost –

the 30 Marines and one sailor who died in a CH53-E Super Stallion helicopter crash Jan. 26 near Rutbah, Iraq, and three other members of the unit who died during the battle for Fallujah in November 2004.

Jan. 26 "was a tragic day for the Marine Corps and one that we will never forget," said Col. W. Lee Miller, commanding officer, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Those who perished in the helicopter crash were being transported to the far western region of Anbar province to assist the Iraqi security forces by providing security during the elections.

The battalion attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit became its battalion landing team in June 2004, and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in September. Since November, the unit has been involved in the fighting to liberate the city of Fallujah and has conducted security and stabilization operations at various locations throughout Anbar province.

"We've been fighting across a very large battle space," said Lt. Col. Michael R. Ramos, commanding officer of BLT 1/3. "We need to remember the sacrifices of these Marines and sailors, hold them within our hearts and take care of their families."

The fallen Marines were assigned to Company C, BLT 1/3, and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron-361.

"This particular company that suffered the loss (in the crash) was the first into the city of Fallujah for our BLT," said Sgt. Maj. Michael D. Berg, BLT 1/3. "Everyone one of the Marines and sailors fought magnificently as they went into the city of Fallujah and they died as heroes fighting for what we all believe in."

The Marines had fought to free the citizens of Fallujah and were preparing to ensure a safe place for free elections to take place when they died.

"These were brave men who had served their country with honor and who made lasting contributions to both the Marine Corps and to Iraq," said Miller. "We will hold the memories of these fallen warriors close to our hearts forever. In honor of them we will continue the mission until its successful completion."

(Based on a news release from 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.)

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Iraq is not Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congressman Steve Pearce
February 5, 2005

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3- Massachusetts Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy recently said about America's presence in Iraq, "The U.S. Military Presence Has Become Part of the Problem, Not Part of the Solution." Last year, Kennedy said Iraq will become President George Bush's "Vietnam."

Vietnam is a bad analogy. The Vietnam War was in essence a proxy war between the United States and the former Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. The Vietcong guerrillas received regular supplies of munitions and troops from the Soviets as well as China, while South Vietnam was fully backed by the United States and our allies that included Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the Philippines and Thailand.

Unlike the decade-long Vietnam War, the present fighting is the chaotic aftermath of a three-week victory that toppled Saddam's ruling government. Iraq is not a divided country, but rather contains pockets of diehards surrounded by unsympathetic Kurds and Shiites, who, for the most part, support the U.S. effort to subdue the remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime. The enemy relies on a finite supply of stockpiled weaponry and cash, not daily infusions through a port like Haiphong or a steady stream of trucks rolling in supplies on the Ho Chi Minh trail.

North Vietnamese Dictator Ho Chi Minh was a killer with the blood of thousands on his hands from his brutal collectivization programs. But he still managed to come across as a romantic, grandfatherly figure appealing to many naïve people all over the world. Saddam Hussein, in contrast, was hated at home and abroad.

The Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army had relatively safe havens in Laos and Cambodia. Saddam Hussein had no safe havens and was captured by American forces while hiding in a hole in the ground shortly before Christmas Day in 2003. His loyalists have no safe havens and are constantly on the run.

As a Vietnam veteran, I realize that the Vietnam War still scars the American societal fabric. It is a sad, painful page in American history. It has cast doubts on presidential judgments in committing troops to fight for the cause of freedom and our government's decisions in foreign policy.

The Vietnam War failed because presidents failed to make the case for war. That is an important lesson to be learned, and hopefully President Bush will be careful to never let the American people lose sight of the reason for the war in Iraq.

America's longest war taught us another fact: Wars should be fought by military commanders in the battlefield and not from the White House and Congressional lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

This war is different because President Bush has shown leadership in allowing the military commanders to handle the fighting and achieving the battlefield objectives in Iraq in order for America to remain secure. A majority of Democratic Senators, including John Kerry and John Edwards, voted for the resolution authorizing the President to use force against Iraq.

President Bush had another Congressional mandate. Congress passed the Iraq Liberation Act in 1998, calling for the removal of Saddam's regime. The Senate passed it unanimously, the House approved it on a 360-38 vote and President Clinton signed it into law on October 31, 1998.

By quickly driving to Baghdad, U.S. commanders avoided unnecessary battles with Iraqi army regulars who surrendered shortly after Saddam's government fell. After its fall, whole divisions of the Iraqi army lost their will to fight and their ability to communicate.

A prolonged campaign to destroy all of Iraq's armed forces before taking Baghdad would have meant more coalition and civilian casualties, more destruction to Iraq's infrastructure, and higher construction costs.

The world is a safer place because we acted. I regret the huge loss of life. But Iraq is no longer a rogue nation, supporting terrorism and weapons proliferation.

We achieved a miraculous victory in Iraq by overthrowing Saddam. We created a consensual Iraqi government after 30 years of chaos. Free elections have been held. The American success in Iraq is nearly unprecedented in the recent history of the Middle East.

Iraq is not Vietnam.

Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, was a supporter of cowardly terrorists (Abu Abbas, Abu Nidal) figurative brothers of those who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, murdering 3,000 innocent people. President Bush has made our message clear to terrorists around the world that the United States will not relent in the war on terrorism, and will continue to fight cell by cell until the war against terrorism is won.

Like I said in a speech before the New Mexico State Legislature recently, terrorists don't intend to win militarily; they intend to destabilize the world economically and politically. In an unstable climate, they will do anything to gain power.

We will not rest until these terrorists are brought to justice. They have no regard for human life and human dignity. They should not be allowed another minute of freedom in any part of the world. We still have a long way to go. But with the strength and resolve of the American people behind our Armed Forces and with God's help, we shall not fail.

Congressman Steve Pearce represents the Second Congressional District of New Mexico.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Iraqi's gift comforts grieving Marine parents

February 4, 2005






BY JOHN MASSON
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER



Some things are universal.


A mother's grief. An immigrant's gratitude.


Lance Cpl. Allan Klein, 34, was one of 31 U.S. service members killed Jan. 26 when his troop transport helicopter crashed in Iraq. They were part of a team providing security in the run-up to that country's first free election in decades.


Today at 11 a.m., Klein's parents will say good-bye to their son at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Roseville. They needed a place to hold a luncheon after the service, and on Monday, they called Athena Banquet Center on Gratiot.


They didn't know then that Youil Ishmail, who owns the Roseville hall, had voted the day before in the very election Klein gave his life to secure. They didn't know that, at age 46, the man everyone calls Louie had for the first time been able to freely choose the leadership in the land of his birth.


So when Ishmail heard it was the mother of a slain Marine on the phone Monday, he didn't hesitate.


"This Marine give his life for me to go and vote," he said. "This is the least I can give this lady, just to give her some comfort.


"I tell her, 'Everything. I will take care of everything. It doesn't matter how many come.' "



Klein's mother, Rae Oldaugh, was stunned.


"That was the second time I broke down and cried about Allan," Oldaugh said. "The first time, of course, was when the Marines came and told me. ... It just kind of overwhelmed me, the generosity, that someone would do such a generous thing."


Ishmail has his own ideas about who was generous.


"I have kids, and you watch them grow up, and one day you hear that they got killed, not in your homeland, but away, away from home?" Ishmail said. "That's the saddest part. They're doing something that's good for the people of a different country, different religion, different culture. So far away from home."


Ishmail has been far away from home since former President Saddam Hussein's regime chased him out of Baghdad, where he had been studying management and economics at Baghdad University. He grew up in Mosul after his family was forced from their village, Beit Noor, in northern Iraq.


His people are Assyrian, a Christian minority long hounded by Iraq's ruling Baath Party.


"All of our life there, we live in fear and always worry about the government," Ishmail said. "They ... come after you for no reason. They knock on your door, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock in the morning, to take you away for questioning because somebody said something about you."


So in 1979, with Hussein taking control of Iraq, Ishmail left everything behind and fled to Jordan. A couple of months later, he landed in Detroit, officially a refugee.


"I had one friend and $2 in my pocket," Ishmail said. "And I work three weeks, free, just for the food. Just to eat. It was a party store in Detroit."


Later, he worked at a supermarket, and later still bought his own party store Downriver. He sold that to buy what was then Athena Hall, an east-side landmark for nearly three decades. He took it over in 2001.


Hussein's security forces kept hounding his relatives after he left, Ishmail said. His father was jailed for a while, but eventually the family escaped. Most came to America.


"This is my home, my new home," said Ishmail, who became a U.S. citizen in 1991. "I miss Iraq, yes, because Iraq is a good country ... the incubator of civilization. The first people to write the law came from Iraq, and the first library. ... To be so behind now, it's really a sin."


Nevertheless, he remains "very optimistic" about his homeland's future, despite its problems. Its people are educated, he said, and they believe in freedom.


"You saw the election," said Ishmail, who donned traditional Assyrian garb and drove to Southgate to cast his ballot. In Iraq, "people -- crippled, sick, blind, you know -- they come to the polling place. They sacrifice their life, just to vote."


That's proof Iraqis will take care of themselves, he said.


"Just give them a little backup, until they can stand on their own feet," he said. "Because 35 years of dictatorship, it ain't going to go away in one day or two years. It's going to take time."



Final salutes
Time won't let the family of Lance Cpl. Klein forget their loss.


But neither will they forget the gratitude of Ishmail, a businessman in their neighborhood who grew up in the country where their loved one was killed -- a country that has at least a chance at freedom because of that sacrifice and thousands more like it.


"There was so much irony involved in it, all the way around, that this gentleman was from the country where Allan lost his life, and decided to be so magnanimous. I just can't say enough good things," Oldaugh said. "Here in America, we have so many diverse ethnic groups, and hopefully, we can all manage to live in such harmony."


Besides his mother, Lance Cpl. Klein leaves behind his father, Manfred Klein of Monroe County's Frenchtown Township; a stepmother, Patricia Klein; a stepfather, Randall Oldaugh; a brother, Kurt; a stepbrother, Christopher Miletich, and a stepsister, Stephanie Lindsay.


Sometime after the funeral services today, two starched and pressed U.S. Marines in dress-blue uniforms will face each other and fold a 5-by-7-foot U.S. flag with utter precision.


When nothing can be seen but a triangle of white stars on a field of deep blue, the flag will be presented to Klein's grieving family.


The Marines will have saluted the family of their fallen comrade with as much respect as they can.


And in his own way, the man everyone calls Louie will be doing the same thing.


Contact JOHN MASSON at 586-469-4904 or masson@freepress.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

2 war vets bound for Super Bowl
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification #: 20052411844
Story by Cpl. Edward R. Guevara Jr.



MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Feb. 4, 2005) -- Two Medical Holding Platoon Marines here are headed for Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, Fla., on an all-expenses paid trip. Their flight left yesterday.

Lance Cpls. Christopher M. H. Laha and Jesse Luong recently won the tickets in a drawing at the medical center. A local computer company that received tickets for its employees also donated two of their tickets to combat veterans.

"We're going on a first-class flight and staying in a five-star resort," said Laha, about the trip, which is fully sponsored by Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. "We are sitting in box seats."

The Philadelphia Eagles fan said he has never been to an event of this proportion before. Although he lucked out getting the tickets, Laha had to go through Headquarters and Service Battalion commanding officer Col. Ana R. Smythe, and sergeant major, Sgt. Maj. Armando Escobedo, to get them.

"The colonel brought me into her office and the sergeant major started reading me my rights," said Laha, who is currently working at Service Company. "Of course I can laugh at it now, but for a moment there, I really started to think I did something wrong."

The two Marines are cleared to leave the hospital and don't require any special medical attention while they are gone, according to MHP liason Staff Sgt. Shawn M. Cheney.

"The best thing about all of this is just getting the opportunity to go," said Laha. "There is very limited seating and it's $6,000 for the seats we are in. I don't think there are any tickets left."

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Disabled Soldiers Combine Rehab And R&R
Associated Press
February 5, 2005

WINDHAM, N.Y. - Sgt. Andrew Butterworth was up on skis for the first time since losing a leg in Iraq. And almost just as quickly, he was down.

"You still want to go?" his instructor asked, helping the 25-year-old National Guardsman from Durham, N.C., out of the snow after he lost his balance.

"You bet!" Butterworth replied, rejoining nine other soldiers making their way down the beginners' hill Friday at Windham Mountain in the Catskills.

The men, most of whom lost legs in Iraq or Afghanistan, are getting a three-day free pass to ski and stay in the Catskills under a program that's part rehab, part "thank you" and part rigorous R&R.

"We don't quit," said 1st. Lt. Jeffrey Adams, who lost his left leg. "If we quit, we'd be in the hospital crying, and that's kind of useless."





The soldiers came up from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, many of them healing from grenade attacks or roadside explosions. A local chapter of Disabled Sports USA, the Adaptive Sports Foundation, helped raise $16,000 to cover the soldiers' flight, food and lodging.

Most of the men are in their 20s. Some had skied before their injuries. Others, like Baton Rouge, La. native Adams, hit the slopes for the first time.

"A one-legged guy from Louisiana trying to ski," he said. "It's going to be fun."

Adams, 25, lost his left leg about eight inches below the hip in November from a roadside improvised explosive device - or IED - in Baghdad.

Butterworth lost his right leg above the knee in November when a rocket propelled grenade hit a gap in the armor of his Bradley near Kirkut. "Kind of a lucky shot," he said.

Both men were fitted for one boot, one ski and two outriggers, which look like crutches with small skis at the bottom. Disabled skiers use them for balance and braking.

Most of the soldiers have been wounded within the past year, which adds to the challenge of skiing, said ASF executive director Cherisse Young. Not only must they find their balance, but they are relying on limbs that have yet to fully strengthen to compensate for the loss, she said.

"You're also going to deal with more of the emotional issues as well ... depression, the `Why me?' scenario. `I can't do what I used to do,' that kind of stuff," Young said. "Really, what our program does is show them that they can still do it."

Young said the long weekend is a way of saying thanks to the soldiers. And they responded with gusto, chowing down all-you-can-eat home chili and roast beef sandwiches under a banner reading "Welcome Wounded Warriors" - and getting ferried around by a cadre of New York City firefighters volunteering their time.

"It's just to give something back. These guys have been putting everything on the line for us," said Mike Laffan of Engine 231 in Brooklyn.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

February 07, 2005

Infantry and air wing have different ways of measuring mission success

By Karl Nugent


My tour with a Marine wing support squadron came to an end about two months ago. I went there because I took the advice of my air wing classmates while a student at the staff noncommissioned officer academy’s advanced course who urged me to find out for myself what their world was all about. I wanted to see if the stories I have heard about life in the air wing were true.
There is one place an infantry unit leader can go in the wing — the support squadrons. The support squadrons are responsible for providing ground support to rotary and fixed-wing squadrons.

It was a world that was very unfamiliar. I have a new appreciation for the culture shock that occurs when a wing Marine becomes a first sergeant and reports to an infantry battalion. The differences are drastic.

For every positive experience I had during my four years with a wing support squadron, there are an equal number of negative ones. I won’t share details, but I will relate any of them over a beer at the staff club. There is nothing I like better than to tell sea stories.

The question I am willing to answer and the one I am most frequently asked is: “What is the difference between working with the wing and an infantry battalion?” The answer is: the work product. In the infantry the work product is intangible. In the air wing it can be measured and quantified.

During peacetime and within the continental United States, the infantry practices the art of war and prepares for the mission to which we will be assigned. We practice the skills that will set us up for success in future operations. We take lessons learned from other units and incorporate them into our operating procedures, and then we war game those in training evolutions and determine whether these actions are feasible.

To be successful, the battalion must mold its leadership at every level. This leadership trains in a high-pressure, realistic environment. We must train the most junior leader to make sound and timely decisions that will avoid international incidents. It is often said that there is no wrong answer in tactics, and that any decision executed aggressively is better than no decision at all. We have learned in Fallujah that “One ‘aw s---’ ruins a hundred ‘atta boys!’”

The work product of an infantry battalion could only be determined in the aftermath of combat. Accomplishment of the mission will occur without a doubt. For infantry Marines, success or failure will be determined by the number of leathernecks killed or wounded at the end of the day. We refine our tactics to minimize losses and this process never ends.

But with the wing, everything accomplished can be quantified — number of repairs completed, square footage of runway matting laid or repaired, number of miles covered, miles of berms built, strands of concertina laid, and the list goes on. The more we completed without injury, the better we looked. A lot of time was being spent on becoming good at a military occupational specialty. Things that took Marines away from their primary occupation were frowned upon, such as professional military education and annual training.

Not knowing any better at the time, I brought basic infantry ideals of leadership and training to the wing and my ideals were not received very well. The most memorable comment was something along the lines of, “How does all this grunt training make me a better” truck driver, fire fighter, weather forecaster, mechanic or recovery technician?

Granted, much of the training, such as rifle, physical fitness test, swim quals, body composition and the Common Skills Test, has nothing to do with our primary occupation. But it has everything to do with being a Marine.

“Every Marine a rifleman” doesn’t just mean go to the rifle range; it means one should be proficient in multiple weapons, land navigation, small-unit tactics, and other skills.

You can go from working on an airfield to defending yourself with little or no notice. These requirements directed by order are what make us different than all the other services.

The writer, a master gunnery sergeant, is an infantry small unit leader with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, and has served more than 24 years in the Marine Corps.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Iraq Elections: The True Heroes

February 4, 2005


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Sher Zieve

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As footage of intrepid Iraqi voters holding up their ink-stained fingers moved across and filled our television screens last Sunday, the courage and resolve of the Iraqi people was finally evident to even their most obstinate critics. During President Bush’s State of the Union address, only the most jaded amongst us weren’t powerfully moved by the embrace between first-time Iraqi voter Safia Taleb and Janet Norwood; the mother of 25 year old fallen Marine Byron. Braving the potential and actual surrender of their lives for the opportunity of managing their own country, Iraqi voters turned out in numbers that astonished and amazed both their supporters and naysayers. It was and is clear that Iraqis had decided to take back their country from the terrorists; despite the continuing brutal attacks against them. This bravery is unprecedented and, considering their sacrifices, any accolades offered to them wax pale and feeble. These are true heroes to both their families and their countrymen and women. But, there are others.

Iraq’s free and burgeoning democratic elections would not have been at all possible without the self-sacrifice and determination of the United States soldier. There are still those, in this country and abroad, who refer to these inordinately brave men and women as an “occupying force”. However, the unvarnished truth is that these individuals, our sons and daughters, volunteered to fight for and assist in the self-determination of peoples in a foreign land. Despite their attempts at phraseology, to either couch or justify their statements, referring to these incomparable individuals as “part of an occupying force” goes beyond the most malicious and spiteful of insults. They are liberators who, with their actions, have been instrumental in bringing about the promise of freedom and liberty to a people that had only clandestinely dreamt of these realities. Without the US soldiers’ selflessness, the liberation of Iraq would not have been possible and voting would still be an unrealized dream.

As we recognize the bravery and tenacity of the Iraqi people, let us also remember to thank and praise our troops; those willingly placing themselves in harm’s way as they both fight and die to bring liberty to others and to ensure that freedom remains within our shores. This battle is part of the foundational war of freedom vs. tyranny. Our soldiers know this truth and we would be well advised to realize it also. Other than “Thank You”, I can say nothing else. But, Byron Norwood said it to all of us, when he wrote to his mother Janet: “It’s my turn to protect you”. May God bless our military men and women.

Sher Zieve

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Veterans Legacy Project bestows honor on Marines
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By WILLIAM BENDER
The Delco Times
Feb. 6, 2005

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP -- On an unseasonably warm winter afternoon, more than 100 Marines were presented with a token of appreciation for their contribution to the war on terror. The U.S. Veterans Legacy Project awarded each Marine at the Marines Corps Reserve Center in Folsom a newly minted coin, one that project chairman Bob McMahon hopes will be passed down through their family lines so no Marine's sacrifice is ever forgotten.
"We really appreciate you accepting these coins and the responsibility of passing them on to future generations," said McMahon, a Vietnam War veteran and mayor of Media.

The coins, which were paid for by Citizens Bank at a total cost of $3,500, are emblazoned with the phrases: "Welcome Home Veterans of the Global War on Terrorism" and "Thank You, From a Grateful Nation."

Three Marines with the 6th Engineers, Bridge Company B were killed outside Baghdad last June by a roadside bomb: Lance Cpl. Patrick Adle of Bel Air, Md., Cpl. John Todd III of Bridgeport, Montgomery County and Sgt. Alan Sherman of Wanamassa, N.J.

Three streets at the training center were renamed in honor of the late Marines.

After Saturday's presentation, Sgt. Matthew Crawford, 25, of Upper Darby, said he has mostly recovered from serious shrapnel wounds to his face, eyes and other parts of his body, though his left-eye vision remains impaired.

"My eye is still all fuzzy, but everything else has cleared up pretty good," he said.

The high turnout for the Iraqi elections last Sunday was encouraging for both Crawford and fellow Marine, Sgt. David Craddock, 26, of Upper Darby. Both men served two tours in Iraq.

Despite persistent opposition by insurgents, Crawford said most Iraqis support America's efforts to foster democracy in their country. The elections were an important step toward that goal.

"We got into something, and now we have to stay there until the job is done," he said.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Game party will aid ill Marine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By JANET M. HARP, Staff Writer
San Bernadino Sun
Feb. 6, 2005

LOMA LINDA - Lance Cpl. Chris LeBleu began slowly opening and closing his eyes Thursday, fighting his way back to consciousness.

By Saturday he sat up, talked with family and ate fruits and vegetables, trying to understand his condition. Though the 22-year-old Marine rests in a hospital bed, his story has touched many people who continue to lend support and offer encouragement.

Calls, letters and e-mails to Loma Linda University Medical Center and family began pouring in more than a week ago as word spread of his liver failure and the possibility of death if a donor wasn't found quickly.

Friends and family surrounded his bedside and sat in waiting rooms daily. Hundreds of prayers and notes appeared on an Internet message board last week.

Today, a Super Bowl benefit party will be held in his honor at The Club sports bar, 194 W. Club Center Drive, San Bernardino. For more information, call (909) 824-2406.

"I really feel that it's our duty to start things off this way, just doing what we can do, even if it's only a little bit,' said Oscar Runyon, the Redlands resident organizing the Super Bowl benefit party for LeBleu. "This is something we're working real hard on.'

And the hard work and get-well wishes must have paid off.

"Thanks to all of your prayers, the good Lord, Chris' guardian angel and the miracle workers otherwise known as doctors and nurses at Loma Linda University Medical Center the news about Chris keeps improving,' read an Internet message Saturday by a friend using the screen name Cajun Mike.

Messages for LeBleu began appearing at www.freerepublic.com on Jan. 30. Cajun Mike has been updating visitors to the Web site on LeBleu's health. He also wrote Saturday that the young Marine was released from the hospital's intensive care unit.

On Saturday, LeBleu's condition was listed as serious rather than critical, and he's responsive, said Julie Smith, spokeswoman for the medical center.

Runyon, promotions director for The Club, heard LeBleu's story from a couple of Marines he saw in a parking lot. Because his son is a Marine serving in Iraq, he thought it would be nice to speak with them, he said.

After learning the news, he felt inspired and wanted to use his connections with the bar and Loma Linda radio station KCAA-AM (1050) for a good cause.

"Their family is going to have a lot of expenses they're from Lake Charles, La.,' he said. "And (LeBleu) is going to be fighting this for a long time. We're just trying to help out.'

Runyon, 50, buys time from the radio station to discuss the "Bountiful Inland Empire' on Sunday afternoons. Last week's show featured Capt. Brad Tippett, LeBleu's former commander in Iraq, and announced the Road to Recovery Benefit.

LeBleu, Tippet and Runyon's son are stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms.

LeBleu returned from Iraq in September, married in October and became ill in December. He was transferred to the medical center Jan. 26 from the base emergency room, suffering from mysterious total liver failure. The cause remains unknown, but he received a successful though last-minute transplant Jan. 30, two days after lapsing into a coma.

About 500 tickets for the benefit will be sold for $10 each. Half of the total donation will be given to LeBleu and his family and the rest will be donated to the medical center's Transplant Institute, Runyon said. Additional donations also will be welcomed.

"We would like to raise as much as we can,' he said "More than 65 Marines are planning to come and it's going to be a great time.'

And with the help of Tippett and Doug Cogan, Runyon shouldn't have any trouble selling out the party.

Cogan runs the Web site that, in a week, has seen more than 400 notes sending prayers, words of encouragement and pictures to LeBleu, his wife Melany and their family. Cogan posted the information for the benefit and printed and delivered the messages to the hospital.

One message reads, "To a very special hero, Chris. May God bless you and keep his arms around you for a speedy recovery,' signed Nadine and Bill Clewett of Peoria, Ariz.

Another from reader "Oorang' says, "May you both have a long and prosperous life together. The courage and sacrifice that both of you have shown is an inspiration to many. Thank you.'


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Overheard conversations convey reality of troops' lives <br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <br />
By Tony Perry <br />
Los Angeles Times <br />
<br />
RAMADI, Iraq - Poets...

[thedrifter]

HMLA-169 Marines look back on experiences in Iraq
Submitted by: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification #: 2005252142
Story by Cpl. Paul Leicht



AL ASAD, Iraq (Feb. 05, 2005) -- Officially arriving in Iraq Aug. 5, 2004, the Marines of Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron are now nearing the end of a successful deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

While some members of the squadron have already begun to depart for home, others continue to fly or support combat missions for a few more weeks.

For many in the squadron, they leave Iraq with valuable experiences and a greater appreciation for their lives back home.

“I have learned a lot of things since I got here,” said Lance Cpl. James A. Stanton, intelligence analyst, HMLA-169, who is at the end of his first deployment. “Before I came to Iraq I was new to the squadron. I did not know a lot of people and being out here has allowed me to make a lot of new friends. I have also been able to learn a lot about my job, especially briefing and analyzing intelligence products.”

Stanton said he was also able to fly with some of the squadron’s pilots to take some aerial reconnaissance photographs.

“I had a lot of fun being able to fly and assist with collecting intelligence for the squadron,” said the Mitchell, Neb., native. “Overall I had a good experience over here. There are always the bad things too, like the chow and port-a-johns, but for the most part it was a good experience for me.”

For other Marines who have deployed before, their time in Iraq was also beneficial.

“This is my second deployment with the squadron, and I have to say this is the better of the two,” said Pfc. Richard T. Gillett, embarkation specialist, HMLA-169, from Forks, Wash. “I have had a lot of good experiences out of both of deployments, to include becoming really efficient at my job, meeting new people from different countries and seeing just how good we really have it back home.”

Gillett said he also has had his share of bad experiences, like the sand storms, long work hours, and the restroom facilities, to name a few.

“I'll be returning home here shortly and have lots of good stories and memories to share with family and friends,” said Gillett. “Being here has really helped me realize how much I care for them.”

Squadron leaders are also going home with an overwhelming sense of personal and unit achievement.

“It has been a true honor to serve here in Iraq in the midst of all of these warrior Marines, and Soldiers too,” said Maj. Glen G. Butler, executive officer, HMLA-169, and a native of West Chester, Pa. “From the ‘studs’ I have flown with daily, to the ‘unsung heroes’ who work behind the scenes day after day fixing our aircraft, keeping our administrative and logistics requirements up to speed (and doing so without complaining, despite not having one single day off in over six months), the caliber of Marines in our Corps is tremendous.”

Butler added that their combat performance has been nothing less than inspirational and is something that he will never forget.

Recalling several occasions when aircrews in his squadron discovered enemy rocket tubes—loaded and poised to strike the base—Butler said no one may ever know if those rockets would have killed anyone here, but he is happy they were detected to keep everyone safe.

“Our country has much to be proud of,” said Butler. “Moms and dads back home can also sleep well at night knowing these hard-charging Americans are on the front lines here.”

By late January 2005, the squadron flew more than 2,600 AH-1W Super Cobra hours, 1,225 UH-1N Huey hours, and achieved 85 new designations/qualifications for pilots and 40 for crew chiefs.

In addition, over 920 combat flight missions had been supported, all mishap-free, according to Maj. John R. Bowen, maintenance officer, HMLA-169, and a native of Carlsbad, Calif.

True to the ‘Vipers’ motto, all missions were executed professionally, ‘on time, on target.’

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20052534835/$file/169recap005low.jpg

Marines with Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 work on a UH-1N Huey gunship on the flight line at Al Asad, Iraq, before a mission Nov. 11, 2004. Photo by: Staff Sgt. Chad McMeen

Ellie

[thedrifter]

February 07, 2005

Street-fightin’ rocket gets fast track to Iraq

By Laura Bailey
Times staff writer


At least one new weapon is on its way to Iraq after impressing a group of Corps weapons experts. After blasting a rusted tank hull with a rocket from the M72A7 Light Anti-tank Weapon during a test shoot at Quantico, Va., visiting infantry weapons officers were so impressed by the 66mm shoulder-fired rocket that they immediately drew up an “urgent universal needs request.”
Now, the weapons are headed to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where infantry instructors will learn how to operate them in preparation for the upcoming II Marine Expeditionary Force deployment to Iraq. Another shipment is on its way to Iraq for II MEF, said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Patrick Woellhof, the infantry weapons officer occupational field manager at Quantico.

Woellhof declined to say exactly how many had been purchased, but Mark Trexler, a marketing manager for Talley Defense Systems of Mesa, Ariz., which makes the weapons, said the Corps had bought about 2,000.

The weapon is a new version of the old Vietnam-era LAWs, which haven’t been widely used since the 1980s.

At 7 pounds, the M72A7 is half the weight of the current 15-pound, 40-inch AT-4, and is 6 inches shorter, Woellhof said. The LAWs are so light and small, in fact, that Marines could carry two instead of one, he said.

“They don’t exceed the width of your shoulder when you strap it on a pack ... It’s lighter and shorter. It fits on a Marine,” Woellhof said.

Gunners said they aren’t looking to get rid of the old AT-4s, however; they just want to augment them with a lighter, more urban-appropriate weapon.

The compact LAW is exactly what’s needed for the street-to-street urban fighting Marines are seeing in Iraq, the gunners said. A lighter, shorter weapon would allow the user to more easily duck in and out of doorways. The current AT-4 is too bulky and provides more firepower than is needed in the current conflict, he said.

“It’s smaller in size, but it doesn’t have to have a big bang because we’re not killing tanks right now,” he said.

The current version of the LAW can be fired safely from an enclosure as long as no one is standing nearby.

It’s safe to use indoors because it doesn’t expel gas behind the user. Instead, an inert, vegetable-based gel is expelled into its back-blast area. To prove their claim that the white, foamy gel is harmless, Talley representatives at the range suggested the gunners have a taste. They declined.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Special forces offered $150K to reenlist
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Senior special forces troops who resist going to private security firms and reenlist can get up to $150,000 in bonuses, the U.S. military announced.

The cash bonuses are meant to help retain skilled soldiers who are in high demand by private security companies with lucrative contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The $150,000 bonus applies to staff sergeants up to sergeant majors and requires a commitment of six more years. With a five-year commitment, the senior enlisted troops will get $75,000; $50,000 for four years, $30,000 for three years; $18,000 for two years and $8,000 for one year.

The bonuses apply to all services' special forces components.

Enlisted members and warrant officers who have more than 25 years of service will receive added incentive pay of $750 per month, provided they stay on active duty for an additional 12 months at least, the U.S. Special Operations Command said.

Sergeants and above with less time under their belts who have specific specialties are eligible for $375 extra a month.

"Younger replacements can be trained, but experience is irreplaceable in the current worldwide war on terrorism," said Lt. Col. Alex Findlay with the USSOCOM personnel directorate.

http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/02030000aaa006e5.upi&Sys=rmmiller&Fid=NATIONAL&Type=News&Filter=National%20News
Robert F. White, MSA


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Corporal, this is not your fight <br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <br />
By Drew Brown, U.S. Army Drill Sergeant <br />
The Carlisle Sentinel <br />
February 6, 2005 <br />
...

[thedrifter]

Street-fightin’ rocket gets fast track to Iraq

By Laura Bailey
Times staff writer


At least one new weapon is on its way to Iraq after impressing a group of Corps weapons experts. After blasting a rusted tank hull with a rocket from the M72A7 Light Anti-tank Weapon during a test shoot at Quantico, Va., visiting infantry weapons officers were so impressed by the 66mm shoulder-fired rocket that they immediately drew up an “urgent universal needs request.”
Now, the weapons are headed to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where infantry instructors will learn how to operate them in preparation for the upcoming II Marine Expeditionary Force deployment to Iraq. Another shipment is on its way to Iraq for II MEF, said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Patrick Woellhof, the infantry weapons officer occupational field manager at Quantico.

Woellhof declined to say exactly how many had been purchased, but Mark Trexler, a marketing manager for Talley Defense Systems of Mesa, Ariz., which makes the weapons, said the Corps had bought about 2,000.

The weapon is a new version of the old Vietnam-era LAWs, which haven’t been widely used since the 1980s.

At 7 pounds, the M72A7 is half the weight of the current 15-pound, 40-inch AT-4, and is 6 inches shorter, Woellhof said. The LAWs are so light and small, in fact, that Marines could carry two instead of one, he said.

“They don’t exceed the width of your shoulder when you strap it on a pack ... It’s lighter and shorter. It fits on a Marine,” Woellhof said.

Gunners said they aren’t looking to get rid of the old AT-4s, however; they just want to augment them with a lighter, more urban-appropriate weapon.

The compact LAW is exactly what’s needed for the street-to-street urban fighting Marines are seeing in Iraq, the gunners said. A lighter, shorter weapon would allow the user to more easily duck in and out of doorways. The current AT-4 is too bulky and provides more firepower than is needed in the current conflict, he said.

“It’s smaller in size, but it doesn’t have to have a big bang because we’re not killing tanks right now,” he said.

The current version of the LAW can be fired safely from an enclosure as long as no one is standing nearby.

It’s safe to use indoors because it doesn’t expel gas behind the user. Instead, an inert, vegetable-based gel is expelled into its back-blast area. To prove their claim that the white, foamy gel is harmless, Talley representatives at the range suggested the gunners have a taste. They declined.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Out of control at
Camp Crazy!

Female soldiers dress down & get dirty for mud romps


By BRIAN KATES
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

In front of a cheering male audience, two young women wearing only bras and panties throw themselves into a mud-filled plastic kiddie pool and roll around in a wild wrestling match.

At one point a man in the audience raises a water bottle and douses the entwined pair.

At another, a "referee" moves in to break up the scantily clad grapplers.

A young blond lifts her T-shirt to expose her breasts. A brunette turns her back to the camera and exposes her thong undies.

These scenes, taken from 30 photos leaked to the Daily News, could have been snapped at an out-of-control frat party.

But this happened a world away from any American college.

The photos were taken in Camp Bucca, the military prison at Umm Qasr in the hot sands of southern Iraq near the Kuwaiti border.

The women are not coeds but military policewomen who had left their uniforms in a pile not far off.

The men are soldiers, too. Most of them wore T-shirts emblazoned with Army logos, but at least one was still wearing his uniform.

Some were sergeants, including the referee, and some allegedly were drunk.

The photos were taken last Oct. 30, in the same period when enemy detainees were being transferred to Camp Bucca from Abu Ghraib, the prison made notorious by photos of Americans torturing naked Iraqis.

The Camp Bucca pictures document no such abuses.

But they do show what experts called a disconcerting lapse in discipline at a time when Army brass was touting the camp as a model of reform.

"It was basically a goodbye party for those of us who were leaving and a welcome party for those coming in," the alleged referee, Sgt. Emil Ganim of the 160th Military Police Battalion, told The News. "It was a chance for people to blow off some steam before coming home after spending a year in a combat zone."

But one participant described less-benign behavior.

Two sergeants, she said, told her "they had been lending out their room for soldiers to have sex" - a serious infraction of military regulations.

One female soldier, a prison guard with the 160th Military Police Battalion, was photographed baring her breast and showing off her thong panties.

The picture apparently was taken in the room of one of those sergeants, an investigator reported.

The witness told investigators that two high-ranking noncommissioned officers, a first sergeant and a master sergeant, were present. She "noted that these NCOs had been drinking and were noticeably drunk," the report said.

Ganim said American civilians at the camp also participated in the party, and "if anybody had liquor, it was them."

Ganim has since returned to his civilian job as a deputy sheriff in Leon County, Fla.

"It appears that this event was allegedly coordinated by NCOs [sergeants] of the 160th," according to the initial investigation.

One of the soldiers told investigators the mud-wrestling match was underway when she arrived.

"She took off her uniform and joined the other female soldiers that were wrestling," the report says. But "once soldiers started asking for the females to expose themselves [she and two of the other wrestlers] put their uniforms back on and left the area."

But at least one woman was not deterred.

Deanna Allen, a 19-year-old prison guard with the 105th MP Battalion, smiled and lifted her T-shirt. Photos show a man standing close to her and leering at her breasts while another G.I. snaps pictures.

"From what I understand they dared her to do it," said Allen's grandmother, Luci Tomlin, in Black Mountain, N.C. "It was a loose moment. She is a strong-headed young lady. Sometimes she can be a little irrational."

Allen, who is still stationed in Iraq, did not respond to E-mailed questions from The News. She was demoted in rank to private first class.

"A sex party with alcohol that is prohibited would suggest a serious breakdown of military discipline," said Washington-based lawyer Eugene Fidell, a military-justice expert. "Just how it would be handled would be determined by the commander, who has very broad discretion in situations like this.

Fidell said punishments could range from "a good chewing out to loss of rank" for enlisted personnel and "a letter or career-killing transfer" for officers who allowed it to happen.


Ellie

[thedrifter]

III MEF drives ‘Red Horse’ to greener pasture
Submitted by: MCB Camp Butler
Story Identification #: 20052532152
Story by Lance Cpl. Martin R. Harris



ROYAL THAI NAVAL AIR BASE, UTAPAO, Thailand – (Feb. 3, 2005) -- One of the most important aspects of the tsunami relief operations has been the timely and proficient work done to set up and operate Camp Red Horse, the headquarter’s base camp here.

Combined Support Force-536’s camp services established Camp Red Horse Dec. 28, transforming a three-building training area to a 55-building complex in less than a month to support Operation Unified Assistance, which is providing disaster relief after a 9.0 earthquake caused a tsunami that ravaged Southeast Asia, explained Camp Commander Col. Mark M. Kauzlarich.

The camp supported more than 900 servicemembers at its largest size, on Jan. 25.

The speed and proficiency of the camp’s setup was the main objective for camp services, explained Kauzlarich.

“The success of the camp can be measured by how fast we were able to install all the facilities to support the CSF headquarters,” Kauzlarich said. “The sense of urgency made the camp come together, which was very important because everyone knew the staff couldn’t operate or function to save lives without the camp being set up quickly.”

Utilizing the gracious Thai hosts, the camp contracted everything from 27 charter buses for transportation, to and from the living quarters, to 20 portable toilet facilities, explained Kauzlarich.

“Lt. Gen. Blackman (CSF-536 commander) and I met with Royal Thai Navy Rear Adm. Nikom Homcharoen, (who) made it very clear that he was very honored that we chose Utapao, and that Thailand was very committed to facilitating the disaster relief,” Kauzlarich said. “They (Thais) have opened all the doors for us during this operation.”

Wooden decking was laid on the ground, to serve as walkways over the uneven terrain, said the camp Sgt. Maj. James R. McKay. Fences were constructed to provide security around the camp, and more than 510 tons of gravel was spread over the camp to enhance the movement of vehicles.

Marines and Royal Thai Navy military police officers provide security for the deployment at five locations, two at Camp Red Horse and three at the CSF-536 living quarters, McKay added.
Camp services did not stop working when the initial setup was complete. Instead, they pushed ahead by bringing amenities from Okinawa to servicemembers here.

Catered lunch and midnight rations were contracted from the Cholchan Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand, to enhance the quality of life for the members of the CSF headquarters and component forces, explained Kauzlarich.

“Initially, all members of the CSF headquarters and component forces subsisted on only MREs (meals, ready-to-eat) and bottled water,” Kauzlarich said. “Many night shift workers missed meals and subsisted solely on MREs.

“To improve morale and to offer servicemembers a healthier meal, contractors were brought in.”

In addition to the mess facility, camp services also set up mail service, a chapel and facilitated Marine Corps Community Services, Okinawa, in setting up two internet cafes, and a lounge that offered movies, books and video games.

“The internet cafes are a big help out here,” said Pfc. Chris S.W. Dodge, a field radio operator with 7th Communications Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force, who frequents the café. “It’s a huge help in two ways. First, it helps you stay in contact with your family, which really helps morale. Secondly, it helps me stay on top of bills that I might miss if I couldn’t use the Internet.”

Ellie