thedrifter
12-18-05, 07:51 AM
3 Louisiana cousins share strong bond in Iraq
II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD)
Story by Cpl. Heidi E. Loredo
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Dec. 18, 2005) -- While growing up in the countryside, three cousins from Colfax, La., were inseparable; eventually these boys would grow closer as Marines.
Staff Sergeants Marcus L. Allen, 35, Derrick D. Eddie, 32, and Adrian C. Bowie, 35, all on their first deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, share a brotherhood deeper than the typical combat zone camaraderie.
The three brothers-in-arms grew up only minutes from each other surrounded by their close-knit family.
“We did everything together,” said Allen, security manager, II Marine Expeditionary Force , Headquarters Group, II MEF (FWD). “We played basketball, baseball and went fishing together. If you saw one you saw the other.”
Bowie, radio chief, Alpha Company, 8th Communications Battalion, II MHG, II MEF (FWD), said the three of them ran wild in the country land as mischievous boys, often riding his grandfather’s hogs for fun.
As years flew by and the boys matured to men, the cousins traveled in different directions, however, fate would later find them serving in the Corps.
Allen, father of three, found himself on the yellow footprints on Jan. 28, 1991, one day after his 21st birthday.
“I enlisted because I always thought about going into the military,” said Allen, who worked several side jobs before enlisting. “I was looking for a challenge only to prove to other people that I could do it.”
Meanwhile Allen was nearing his boot camp graduation, Bowie decided to enlist.
“When I got out of high school I didn’t go right to college,” said Bowie. “I worked odd jobs like hauling hay. From there I went to college, and that didn’t work out for me. I wanted to party, and I needed to get away from there because drugs were coming onto the scene.”
After realizing the environment surrounding him, Bowie, a Richlands, N.C., resident, felt the need to challenge himself to find a better life.
“Allen went into the Corps three months before I did,” said Bowie, father of four. “I thought if Allen did it, I can do it too. And I did it. We were in the same battalion and same company, but he graduated right as my class was picked up.”
To his surprise, Allen found out after his boot camp graduation Bowie joined the Corps, and Eddie was soon to follow.
“I didn’t know Eddie came into the Corps until he was out in the fleet,” said Allen. “I think Bowie had a bigger influence on him though.”
Eddie, an information systems specialist data chief, Regimental Combat Team 8, enlisted in the Corps in 1995 and attributes his life-altering choice to Bowie.
“I was getting in a lot of trouble back home,” said Eddie, who dropped out of high school three months before graduating. “I was always getting into fights and even was shot. My mom called Bowie and he took me back to California. I stayed there for two months just observing what he was doing and how the Corps worked. I went back home and met with the recruiter.”
Bowie said his cousin fell into the atmosphere that he himself had been trying to avoid before joining the Corps.
“There was nothing but trouble for him around there and after he was shot it opened up his eyes,” said Bowie.
Bowie felt that discipline would benefit his cousin Eddie, who was drowning into a violent sea of his society.
“He was my inspiration,” said Eddie, a Jacksonville, N.C. resident. “He’s the reason I’m in the Corps. I always tried to follow him around as a kid. He was always an idol for me because he was a little bit older and doing things I wanted to do.”
Now several years later they find themselves serving aboard the same camp after bumping into each other once or twice in the fleet. Bowie and Eddie were on the All-Marine Men’s Basketball Team and often traveled around the Corps. Whenever possible, the three would meet.
“I found out when I arrived in Iraq that Allen was going to be coming out here,” said Bowie. “Once I arrived, Eddie was just going back on rest and relaxation. When he returned, Allen arrived on deck.”
The three agree having a family around makes their deployment easier.
“There is nothing like it,” said Allen. “We have our little daily routine we call, ‘the training schedule.’ Every day at 11 a.m. we meet at the exchange and have a drink. We reminisce on old things, talk about old days and things we got whippings for.”
Rarely off their daily routine, the three eat lunch together, and they meet again for dinner later on during the day. At the end of their shift they meet at Bowie’s shop and play Dominoes.
Allen, the oldest of the three, is described by his cousins as being quiet, yet often outspoken.
“Allen is quiet in his own way, but he can be loud if you get us together,” said Bowie. “One day Allen and I will be talking or picking on Eddie, the next day those two will be picking on me.”
Bowie is described as a regular joker, however now at his 14-and-a-half year mark as a Marine, he feels he’s matured the most after being around the Corps for so long.
“I’ve probably seen a little more than them,” said Bowie. “I would say I’m more of the laid back kind. Eddie a little higher strung. He’s the kid who needs the Ritalin.”
Allen and Eddie agree Bowie is a big joker and Eddie is the one who is constantly picked on since he’s the youngest in the group. Eddie, on the other hand feels all three personalities are alike.
“I think that’s why get along,” said Eddie. “If you’re having a bad day, you can go around them and they’ll lift your spirits.”
In the Marine Corps it is often difficult to stay in touch with loved ones due to long periods of separation, however, the three Marines look forward to returning home after this deployment to continue their bond.
“We’ll really see the difference this has made when we get back,” said Bowie. “This is going to make us realize just how close we are. You always want to have some kind of family around you. If you can’t have your family back at home what better family to have here.”
Ellie
II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD)
Story by Cpl. Heidi E. Loredo
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Dec. 18, 2005) -- While growing up in the countryside, three cousins from Colfax, La., were inseparable; eventually these boys would grow closer as Marines.
Staff Sergeants Marcus L. Allen, 35, Derrick D. Eddie, 32, and Adrian C. Bowie, 35, all on their first deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, share a brotherhood deeper than the typical combat zone camaraderie.
The three brothers-in-arms grew up only minutes from each other surrounded by their close-knit family.
“We did everything together,” said Allen, security manager, II Marine Expeditionary Force , Headquarters Group, II MEF (FWD). “We played basketball, baseball and went fishing together. If you saw one you saw the other.”
Bowie, radio chief, Alpha Company, 8th Communications Battalion, II MHG, II MEF (FWD), said the three of them ran wild in the country land as mischievous boys, often riding his grandfather’s hogs for fun.
As years flew by and the boys matured to men, the cousins traveled in different directions, however, fate would later find them serving in the Corps.
Allen, father of three, found himself on the yellow footprints on Jan. 28, 1991, one day after his 21st birthday.
“I enlisted because I always thought about going into the military,” said Allen, who worked several side jobs before enlisting. “I was looking for a challenge only to prove to other people that I could do it.”
Meanwhile Allen was nearing his boot camp graduation, Bowie decided to enlist.
“When I got out of high school I didn’t go right to college,” said Bowie. “I worked odd jobs like hauling hay. From there I went to college, and that didn’t work out for me. I wanted to party, and I needed to get away from there because drugs were coming onto the scene.”
After realizing the environment surrounding him, Bowie, a Richlands, N.C., resident, felt the need to challenge himself to find a better life.
“Allen went into the Corps three months before I did,” said Bowie, father of four. “I thought if Allen did it, I can do it too. And I did it. We were in the same battalion and same company, but he graduated right as my class was picked up.”
To his surprise, Allen found out after his boot camp graduation Bowie joined the Corps, and Eddie was soon to follow.
“I didn’t know Eddie came into the Corps until he was out in the fleet,” said Allen. “I think Bowie had a bigger influence on him though.”
Eddie, an information systems specialist data chief, Regimental Combat Team 8, enlisted in the Corps in 1995 and attributes his life-altering choice to Bowie.
“I was getting in a lot of trouble back home,” said Eddie, who dropped out of high school three months before graduating. “I was always getting into fights and even was shot. My mom called Bowie and he took me back to California. I stayed there for two months just observing what he was doing and how the Corps worked. I went back home and met with the recruiter.”
Bowie said his cousin fell into the atmosphere that he himself had been trying to avoid before joining the Corps.
“There was nothing but trouble for him around there and after he was shot it opened up his eyes,” said Bowie.
Bowie felt that discipline would benefit his cousin Eddie, who was drowning into a violent sea of his society.
“He was my inspiration,” said Eddie, a Jacksonville, N.C. resident. “He’s the reason I’m in the Corps. I always tried to follow him around as a kid. He was always an idol for me because he was a little bit older and doing things I wanted to do.”
Now several years later they find themselves serving aboard the same camp after bumping into each other once or twice in the fleet. Bowie and Eddie were on the All-Marine Men’s Basketball Team and often traveled around the Corps. Whenever possible, the three would meet.
“I found out when I arrived in Iraq that Allen was going to be coming out here,” said Bowie. “Once I arrived, Eddie was just going back on rest and relaxation. When he returned, Allen arrived on deck.”
The three agree having a family around makes their deployment easier.
“There is nothing like it,” said Allen. “We have our little daily routine we call, ‘the training schedule.’ Every day at 11 a.m. we meet at the exchange and have a drink. We reminisce on old things, talk about old days and things we got whippings for.”
Rarely off their daily routine, the three eat lunch together, and they meet again for dinner later on during the day. At the end of their shift they meet at Bowie’s shop and play Dominoes.
Allen, the oldest of the three, is described by his cousins as being quiet, yet often outspoken.
“Allen is quiet in his own way, but he can be loud if you get us together,” said Bowie. “One day Allen and I will be talking or picking on Eddie, the next day those two will be picking on me.”
Bowie is described as a regular joker, however now at his 14-and-a-half year mark as a Marine, he feels he’s matured the most after being around the Corps for so long.
“I’ve probably seen a little more than them,” said Bowie. “I would say I’m more of the laid back kind. Eddie a little higher strung. He’s the kid who needs the Ritalin.”
Allen and Eddie agree Bowie is a big joker and Eddie is the one who is constantly picked on since he’s the youngest in the group. Eddie, on the other hand feels all three personalities are alike.
“I think that’s why get along,” said Eddie. “If you’re having a bad day, you can go around them and they’ll lift your spirits.”
In the Marine Corps it is often difficult to stay in touch with loved ones due to long periods of separation, however, the three Marines look forward to returning home after this deployment to continue their bond.
“We’ll really see the difference this has made when we get back,” said Bowie. “This is going to make us realize just how close we are. You always want to have some kind of family around you. If you can’t have your family back at home what better family to have here.”
Ellie