thedrifter
04-29-06, 07:44 AM
Albany Marine meets with the president
By Ian Rollins
For the Gazette-Times
ALBANY — Jesse Markel’s career with the U.S. Marine Corps has been eventful.
Markel, 22, of Albany, has served two tours in Iraq. He was wounded in a firefight and received two medals for it. He’s also been stationed in the Philippines and Okinawa.
And most recently, he had lunch with President Bush at the Twentynine Palms Marine Base in California.
“He’s a real laid-back guy,” said Markel, a corporal. “We talked about sports, future plans after the Marines. There wasn’t any politics, just a few small speeches he made about his goals for the Marines.”
Bush visited the base Sunday and had lunch with some of the Marines stationed there. Markel was chosen to sit right next to him.
“I’ve always thought he’s a good president,” Markel said. “I know that conflicts with his 32-percent approval rating, but I think he’s a good guy.”
Markel was wounded in a firefight in August during his second tour in Iraq. He was in a unit of six Marines stationed at an outpost in Fallujah.
“We woke up one morning to getting assaulted,” he recalled. About 10 insurgents were firing at them with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.
Markel took some shrapnel under his arm as he radioed for help. He received a Purple Heart as a result of his injury and a Navy Accommodation Medal with a Combat “V” for Valor because he stayed in the fight.
He doesn’t like to make a big deal of the firefight, or his awards: “We took care of business, and everyone was uninjured except for my small injury.”
Asked for his thoughts on the Iraq conflict, he said, “I think what we’re doing over there is good. Hopefully, eventually, we’ll be able to turn it back over to the Iraqi Army. But I fully support it.”
Markel joined the Marines in 2002, immediately after graduating from South Albany High School. His mother, Nicole Markel, is a donor relations officer for Oregon State University athletics.
Markel’s four-year enlistment ends in June, and he plans to go after a business degree at Arizona State University.
“I’m glad I joined the Marine Corps,” he said. “A lot of times, I want to stay in, but getting an education is important to me.”
A native of Mesa, Ariz., he chose Arizona State because most of his family lives in that region.
Reporter Ian Rollins can be reached at ian.rollins@lee.net or 812-6077.
Ellie
By Ian Rollins
For the Gazette-Times
ALBANY — Jesse Markel’s career with the U.S. Marine Corps has been eventful.
Markel, 22, of Albany, has served two tours in Iraq. He was wounded in a firefight and received two medals for it. He’s also been stationed in the Philippines and Okinawa.
And most recently, he had lunch with President Bush at the Twentynine Palms Marine Base in California.
“He’s a real laid-back guy,” said Markel, a corporal. “We talked about sports, future plans after the Marines. There wasn’t any politics, just a few small speeches he made about his goals for the Marines.”
Bush visited the base Sunday and had lunch with some of the Marines stationed there. Markel was chosen to sit right next to him.
“I’ve always thought he’s a good president,” Markel said. “I know that conflicts with his 32-percent approval rating, but I think he’s a good guy.”
Markel was wounded in a firefight in August during his second tour in Iraq. He was in a unit of six Marines stationed at an outpost in Fallujah.
“We woke up one morning to getting assaulted,” he recalled. About 10 insurgents were firing at them with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.
Markel took some shrapnel under his arm as he radioed for help. He received a Purple Heart as a result of his injury and a Navy Accommodation Medal with a Combat “V” for Valor because he stayed in the fight.
He doesn’t like to make a big deal of the firefight, or his awards: “We took care of business, and everyone was uninjured except for my small injury.”
Asked for his thoughts on the Iraq conflict, he said, “I think what we’re doing over there is good. Hopefully, eventually, we’ll be able to turn it back over to the Iraqi Army. But I fully support it.”
Markel joined the Marines in 2002, immediately after graduating from South Albany High School. His mother, Nicole Markel, is a donor relations officer for Oregon State University athletics.
Markel’s four-year enlistment ends in June, and he plans to go after a business degree at Arizona State University.
“I’m glad I joined the Marine Corps,” he said. “A lot of times, I want to stay in, but getting an education is important to me.”
A native of Mesa, Ariz., he chose Arizona State because most of his family lives in that region.
Reporter Ian Rollins can be reached at ian.rollins@lee.net or 812-6077.
Ellie