Phantom Blooper
01-23-06, 05:52 AM
January 23,2006
BY CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Col. Adele Hodges, Camp Lejeune's new commanding officer, may be making history, but all she wants to do is her job.
The first female commander in the base's 60-plus years of existence, Hodges, 51, said she doesn't want to be a role model for just women, but for every Marine that dreams of becoming a commander.
"I am honored to be the first female, but I am not going to command as a female," she said. "As a Marine, I don't look at myself as a female. I look at myself as a commander and a leader at Camp Lejeune. I want to be a role model for the female Marines, but not just the females. Everybody."
Hodges, who assumes command today of the sprawling coastal base that trains thousands of leathernecks, brings more than 27 years of experience as a logistics officer to the job.
It's not experience she planned on having when she enlisted in 1978 at the urging of her sister.
"I thought my goal would be four years and then go home," she said.
But during her first assignment with 1st Medical Battalion at Camp Pendleton, Calif., she discovered she wanted to lead Marines. So she applied for the Enlisted Commissioning Program to try to become an officer. Hodges, who already had a degree from Southern Connecticut State College, was accepted into the program and commissioned a second lieutenant in 1980.
"It gave me an opportunity to lead Marines," she said. "As a young, junior NCO I didn't have much of that, but I got the taste there."
Admittedly shy, Hodges said the Corps has helped her grow as a person and fostered her desire to lead.
"The Marine Corps offered me the opportunity to become a leader of Marines," she said. "It gave me a chance to travel and improve upon myself. I was shy and still am to some degree, but the Marine Corps forced me to come out of my shell a bit and become a leader.
"I can't say there is anything else I would have rather been doing. The Lord put me on the right track."
'All about Marines'
Hodges has spent her career at installations across the country and the world. She comes to Camp Lejeune from a stint at the NATO Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway. She's spent time in Hawaii and Okinawa. In 1991, she deployed with the 2nd Marine Division to Operation Desert Storm and to Operation Natural Fire in Kenya in 2000.
A personal highlight was being appointed the battalion commander for the 1st Maintenance Battalion at Camp Pendleton after returning from Kenya.
"I'm all about Marines," she said. "That opportunity to lead Marines and look out for their well being and the well being of their families was awesome for me.
"The Marine Corps is all about camaraderie, brotherhood and commitment. More so than other services, there's this link between one Marine and another. I call it a tattoo of the Eagle, Globe and Anchor on your heart."
Hodges comes to Camp Lejeune at a time of organizational change for the Marine Corps. In fact, that's part of the reason a colonel is taking over for Maj. Gen. Robert Dickerson, the former commander of Lejeune who is now the general in charge of Marine Corps Installations East.
The change puts Dickerson, who commanded Camp Lejeune from August 2003 until today - in charge of seven East-Coast Installations, including Lejeune and New River Air Station. Each of the subordinate installations are commanded by colonels.
But despite the change, Hodges said her role is very similar to the job Dickerson had before MCI East.
"I am going to be the base commander," she said. "(MCI East) just puts one more layer above us. The function of the base and the relationship with the community will not change."
During her short time in the area - she arrived in December to begin preparations - Hodges said she is very impressed with the strong relationship between the base and the outlying communities. It's a relationship she hopes to maintain and even strengthen.
"That's extremely important," she said. "I've only been here a short time, but I can tell the outside community is so supportive of the base. This is the best base-to-community relationship I have seen in my career. It makes Marines feel at home, and that's fantastic. I want to ensure (the outside community knows) I'm going to continue that relationship."
Hodges said her goal while running the base is simple: Take care of those under her command.
"If it wasn't for the Marines, sailors and civilians here, I wouldn't have a job," she said. "I want to give them the tools they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability. I think what is already here is fantastic. But every commander wants to leave it better than it was. I hope to leave with a better relationship with the community and better facilities. Whatever improvements are needed, I hope I can facilitate that."
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, ext. 229.
BY CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Col. Adele Hodges, Camp Lejeune's new commanding officer, may be making history, but all she wants to do is her job.
The first female commander in the base's 60-plus years of existence, Hodges, 51, said she doesn't want to be a role model for just women, but for every Marine that dreams of becoming a commander.
"I am honored to be the first female, but I am not going to command as a female," she said. "As a Marine, I don't look at myself as a female. I look at myself as a commander and a leader at Camp Lejeune. I want to be a role model for the female Marines, but not just the females. Everybody."
Hodges, who assumes command today of the sprawling coastal base that trains thousands of leathernecks, brings more than 27 years of experience as a logistics officer to the job.
It's not experience she planned on having when she enlisted in 1978 at the urging of her sister.
"I thought my goal would be four years and then go home," she said.
But during her first assignment with 1st Medical Battalion at Camp Pendleton, Calif., she discovered she wanted to lead Marines. So she applied for the Enlisted Commissioning Program to try to become an officer. Hodges, who already had a degree from Southern Connecticut State College, was accepted into the program and commissioned a second lieutenant in 1980.
"It gave me an opportunity to lead Marines," she said. "As a young, junior NCO I didn't have much of that, but I got the taste there."
Admittedly shy, Hodges said the Corps has helped her grow as a person and fostered her desire to lead.
"The Marine Corps offered me the opportunity to become a leader of Marines," she said. "It gave me a chance to travel and improve upon myself. I was shy and still am to some degree, but the Marine Corps forced me to come out of my shell a bit and become a leader.
"I can't say there is anything else I would have rather been doing. The Lord put me on the right track."
'All about Marines'
Hodges has spent her career at installations across the country and the world. She comes to Camp Lejeune from a stint at the NATO Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway. She's spent time in Hawaii and Okinawa. In 1991, she deployed with the 2nd Marine Division to Operation Desert Storm and to Operation Natural Fire in Kenya in 2000.
A personal highlight was being appointed the battalion commander for the 1st Maintenance Battalion at Camp Pendleton after returning from Kenya.
"I'm all about Marines," she said. "That opportunity to lead Marines and look out for their well being and the well being of their families was awesome for me.
"The Marine Corps is all about camaraderie, brotherhood and commitment. More so than other services, there's this link between one Marine and another. I call it a tattoo of the Eagle, Globe and Anchor on your heart."
Hodges comes to Camp Lejeune at a time of organizational change for the Marine Corps. In fact, that's part of the reason a colonel is taking over for Maj. Gen. Robert Dickerson, the former commander of Lejeune who is now the general in charge of Marine Corps Installations East.
The change puts Dickerson, who commanded Camp Lejeune from August 2003 until today - in charge of seven East-Coast Installations, including Lejeune and New River Air Station. Each of the subordinate installations are commanded by colonels.
But despite the change, Hodges said her role is very similar to the job Dickerson had before MCI East.
"I am going to be the base commander," she said. "(MCI East) just puts one more layer above us. The function of the base and the relationship with the community will not change."
During her short time in the area - she arrived in December to begin preparations - Hodges said she is very impressed with the strong relationship between the base and the outlying communities. It's a relationship she hopes to maintain and even strengthen.
"That's extremely important," she said. "I've only been here a short time, but I can tell the outside community is so supportive of the base. This is the best base-to-community relationship I have seen in my career. It makes Marines feel at home, and that's fantastic. I want to ensure (the outside community knows) I'm going to continue that relationship."
Hodges said her goal while running the base is simple: Take care of those under her command.
"If it wasn't for the Marines, sailors and civilians here, I wouldn't have a job," she said. "I want to give them the tools they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability. I think what is already here is fantastic. But every commander wants to leave it better than it was. I hope to leave with a better relationship with the community and better facilities. Whatever improvements are needed, I hope I can facilitate that."
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, ext. 229.