PDA

View Full Version : Marines honored at Bob Hope Classic



thedrifter
01-21-06, 06:53 AM
Marines honored at Bob Hope Classic
Keith Matheny
The Desert Sun
January 21, 2006

Bob Hope would have been proud.

The late, legendary star and Palm Springs resident was renowned for entertaining U.S. troops through four wars and six decades. On Friday, his namesake PGA golf tournament, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, continued the tradition.

Some 80 U.S. Marines and their families stationed in Twentynine Palms were special guests of the tournament and corporate sponsor Marriott Vacation Club International.

The Marines watched a who's-who of professional golfers from a skybox suite overlooking the lakeside 18th green of the Classic Club, feted with food, drink and all of the amenities.

Many of the Marines are home from tours in Iraq. Many others are scheduled to go later this year. But on Friday, they put that aside and enjoyed themselves, Sgt. Maj. James Ricker said.

"It's just a great way for them to kick back and relax for a day," he said. "It means a lot to the Marines to know how much the desert community supports them."

Cpl. Brian Gilmore of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines finished his third tour in Iraq on July 31.

Transitioning from the fighting in places such as Fallujah and Baghdad to life back home wasn't easy at first, he said. In Iraq, Gilmore spent every day for months on constant alert, he said, watching for insurgents trying to kill him.

"You get home that first day and you realize you're still doing it," he said. "You think, 'I don't have to do this anymore.' It takes weeks to adjust."

Gilmore's wife is also a Twentynine Palms Marine, Lance Cpl. Kelly Gilmore. The couple enjoyed a special day at the Bob Hope.

"I think it's really wonderful," Kelly Gilmore said. "It's something I never dreamed I would get to see, except on TV."

One Marine got even closer to the action. Lance Cpl. Kyle Wawrzynek was recruited to caddy for one of the amateurs in professional golfer John Senden's group.

Lance Cpl. Erik Weesner, a self-professed huge golf fan, followed Phil Mickelson and Davis Love III around the course for much of the day.

"It's amazing - kind of like a dream come true," he said.

Weesner said he was struck by the fluidity of the pros' swings - "how easy they make it look."

Weesner is scheduled to deploy to Iraq in the next few weeks, he said.

"That's what we are called to do, so that's what we do," he said. "It's the best job in the world. The camaraderie, the esprit de corps we have, is unmatched anywhere else I've seen."

Even for those Marines without a passion for golf, the atmosphere and relaxed pace Friday was a welcomed respite.

"It's definitely good to get a day off," Sgt. Ryan Pauly said.

Wayne Bargren, vice president of owner marketing for Marriott Vacation Club, said the company was "very honored and happy" to sponsor the Marines' suite.

"It's just our way of saying thanks - we appreciate what you do," he said. "We just want to take a back seat today and make the day about them."

Ellie