thedrifter
10-29-05, 05:23 AM
Deploying again excites Marine
Submitted by: MCB Hawaii
Story by Pfc. Edward C. deBree
MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Oct. 28, 2005) -- One of the most important jobs Marines do, especially in a combat situation, is stand guard to help protect their fellow Marines. On Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Marines from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, conducted an exercise to improve their skills as guards. One Marine who knows the importance of this training exercise is Lance Cpl. Eric W. Funk.
Funk said he is ready for 3/3’s upcoming deployment to Iraq and that he is no stranger to deployments. His first deployment was to Afghanistan last year with 3/3. Funk said that he wasn’t afraid to deploy to Afghanistan, nor is he afraid to deploy to Iraq. As a matter of fact, he said the upcoming deployment has him excited -- but ready.
“When I was in Afghanistan, I thought it was boring,” said Funk, guard for Headquarters & Service Company, Communications Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. “I was on guard most of the time, and I only got to go out on patrols once every three days. But Iraq is going to be a lot harder than Afghanistan was. I know, because I watch the news about what’s going on in Iraq.”
Funk said that the main reason Afghanistan wasn’t what he thought it would be is because everyone he talked with built it up to be a hostile environment, but when he arrived there, it was calm.
“The most combat I saw there was rocket attacks, but I never got in a direct firefight,” said the 20-year-old Waterloo, Iowa native. “It was really scary at first, but after a few of them, you just get used to them because they have really bad aim. The closest one was 50 meters away from us. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”
With one deployment under his belt, the 20-year-old said he made the decision to join the Corps after graduating from high school, because he didn’t know exactly what career field he wanted to enter and didn’t want to remain at home.
“I know that after high school I didn’t want to go to school, and I didn’t want to mooch off my parents,” said Funk.
“I decided on the Marine Corps because I wanted to be a tough guy — so I joined to see if I could do it.”
When Funk isn’t deployed, he spends his free time checking out local punk bands on Oahu.
“It’s a chance for me to unwind after work,” said Funk. “It’s nice to get away from work once in awhile.”
Ellie
Submitted by: MCB Hawaii
Story by Pfc. Edward C. deBree
MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Oct. 28, 2005) -- One of the most important jobs Marines do, especially in a combat situation, is stand guard to help protect their fellow Marines. On Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Marines from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, conducted an exercise to improve their skills as guards. One Marine who knows the importance of this training exercise is Lance Cpl. Eric W. Funk.
Funk said he is ready for 3/3’s upcoming deployment to Iraq and that he is no stranger to deployments. His first deployment was to Afghanistan last year with 3/3. Funk said that he wasn’t afraid to deploy to Afghanistan, nor is he afraid to deploy to Iraq. As a matter of fact, he said the upcoming deployment has him excited -- but ready.
“When I was in Afghanistan, I thought it was boring,” said Funk, guard for Headquarters & Service Company, Communications Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. “I was on guard most of the time, and I only got to go out on patrols once every three days. But Iraq is going to be a lot harder than Afghanistan was. I know, because I watch the news about what’s going on in Iraq.”
Funk said that the main reason Afghanistan wasn’t what he thought it would be is because everyone he talked with built it up to be a hostile environment, but when he arrived there, it was calm.
“The most combat I saw there was rocket attacks, but I never got in a direct firefight,” said the 20-year-old Waterloo, Iowa native. “It was really scary at first, but after a few of them, you just get used to them because they have really bad aim. The closest one was 50 meters away from us. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”
With one deployment under his belt, the 20-year-old said he made the decision to join the Corps after graduating from high school, because he didn’t know exactly what career field he wanted to enter and didn’t want to remain at home.
“I know that after high school I didn’t want to go to school, and I didn’t want to mooch off my parents,” said Funk.
“I decided on the Marine Corps because I wanted to be a tough guy — so I joined to see if I could do it.”
When Funk isn’t deployed, he spends his free time checking out local punk bands on Oahu.
“It’s a chance for me to unwind after work,” said Funk. “It’s nice to get away from work once in awhile.”
Ellie