thedrifter
05-04-06, 05:11 AM
Meet Your Neighbor - Lt. Col. Steve Dela Cruz: Decades of duty in Marines following a boyhood dream
Enhancing communications is his job in Iraq, and the officer boosts morale -
Thursday, May 04, 2006
MELODY FINNEMORE
The Oregonian
Lt. Col. Steve Dela Cruz is a long way from his boyhood hometown of Gresham. But he's not surprised. He has known for a long time where life would take him.
"My father was in the Navy, and when I was a child he kept talking to me about how he wanted me to be a Marine, so that kind of stuck in my head," Dela Cruz said.
His career with the U.S. Marine Corps has spanned almost two decades. Now, it has taken him to a U.S. base in Al-Assad, Iraq.
After graduating from Centennial High School in 1983, Dela Cruz earned a degree in justice administration from Portland State University and went to officer's training school in Quantico, Va. He trained in Albany, Ga., and San Diego and has been stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and San Antonio.
Dela Cruz, whose home base is the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, Calif., is serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.
"I provide voice, data and video communications, so my biggest challenge is just maintaining those three things," he said from his office in Iraq. "I rely on power, so if the power is down it makes things very difficult. And with the infrastructure in Iraq, that happens a lot."
Dela Cruz said a typical day for him begins at 6 a.m. A steady schedule of planning meetings fills most of his workday. He exercises during his lunch break, and has some free time around 2 p.m.
"There are no flight operations during the day because it's too dangerous, so we use that time for administrative tasks and maintenance," he said. "The weather is still springlike right now, but in July it will start to get really hot so we try to have downtime in the afternoons."
Because Iraq is eight hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast, work picks up again around 5 p.m. when Dela Cruz begins receiving information and orders from the United States. In addition to providing communications support for command operations, Dela Cruz is an assistant chief of staff and manages about 60 Marines.
"I enjoy working with young Marines because of their work ethic and the determination they have to serve their country," he said. "They come from all parts of the country and different backgrounds, from broken homes to affluent families, but the one thing that is the same is their pride in serving their country."
Credit to others
Dela Cruz is quick to credit his staff for the Bronze Star he received last fall. Dela Cruz was recognized for overseeing the planning, installation, operation and maintenance of the largest and most complex Marine Wing communications network ever, according to the citation.
"It's very honorable and at the same time I'm humbled to have received it," he said. "I was just one piece of the puzzle that made everything come together and it's a team effort. I received it because of the Marines who are out here with me and make the operations take place."
Among the many missions he helped coordinate, Dela Cruz said one of the most memorable was the battle for Fallujah in 2004. The U.S. military fought insurgents for control of the area in a bloody, six-day conflict that claimed at least 50 U.S. troops.
"It was pretty amazing to be a part of planning that mission from beginning to end," he said. "The camaraderie is also something that stands out to me. The bond you have with your fellow Marines is something you can't really describe."
Dela Cruz's first tour was during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. Dela Cruz was redeployed this year. He is expected to come home in August as long as someone is available to replace him. Dela Cruz admitted the separation from his wife, Teri, and four children has been difficult.
"When you get an e-mail or you get to call home and you hear that there are different problems or somebody is having a hard time, it's tough because you can't do anything to help," he said. "My wife is very strong and I couldn't ask for a better partner to go through this career with. She actually goes through a harder time than I do because she's basically a single parent while I'm gone."
Building morale
Dela Cruz's ability to relate to other Marines experiencing similar emotions helps him meet the challenge of retaining personnel. He also organizes team activities such as volleyball to build morale.
"You have young Marines who just got married or had a child, or it's their first time away from home, so it's tough. The hours are long and there are no days off," he said. "The work is busy but it's redundant, so I try to create ways to change things up and make it interesting."
When his rotation brings him back to the United States, Dela Cruz and his family visit his parents and siblings in Gresham during the summers. Dela Cruz said his children also enjoy the chance to go camping in Hood River and summer sledding at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl. His sister, Joyce Thompson of Tualatin said the family is ready for Dela Cruz to come home for good.
"I think it's very commendable of him to be in the military service for this long, and the sacrifice he's made in leaving his family for months on end is really remarkable. We're so totally proud of him for keeping his chin up and going on," Thompson said. "We also just want him to come home in one piece."
Ellie
Enhancing communications is his job in Iraq, and the officer boosts morale -
Thursday, May 04, 2006
MELODY FINNEMORE
The Oregonian
Lt. Col. Steve Dela Cruz is a long way from his boyhood hometown of Gresham. But he's not surprised. He has known for a long time where life would take him.
"My father was in the Navy, and when I was a child he kept talking to me about how he wanted me to be a Marine, so that kind of stuck in my head," Dela Cruz said.
His career with the U.S. Marine Corps has spanned almost two decades. Now, it has taken him to a U.S. base in Al-Assad, Iraq.
After graduating from Centennial High School in 1983, Dela Cruz earned a degree in justice administration from Portland State University and went to officer's training school in Quantico, Va. He trained in Albany, Ga., and San Diego and has been stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and San Antonio.
Dela Cruz, whose home base is the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, Calif., is serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.
"I provide voice, data and video communications, so my biggest challenge is just maintaining those three things," he said from his office in Iraq. "I rely on power, so if the power is down it makes things very difficult. And with the infrastructure in Iraq, that happens a lot."
Dela Cruz said a typical day for him begins at 6 a.m. A steady schedule of planning meetings fills most of his workday. He exercises during his lunch break, and has some free time around 2 p.m.
"There are no flight operations during the day because it's too dangerous, so we use that time for administrative tasks and maintenance," he said. "The weather is still springlike right now, but in July it will start to get really hot so we try to have downtime in the afternoons."
Because Iraq is eight hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast, work picks up again around 5 p.m. when Dela Cruz begins receiving information and orders from the United States. In addition to providing communications support for command operations, Dela Cruz is an assistant chief of staff and manages about 60 Marines.
"I enjoy working with young Marines because of their work ethic and the determination they have to serve their country," he said. "They come from all parts of the country and different backgrounds, from broken homes to affluent families, but the one thing that is the same is their pride in serving their country."
Credit to others
Dela Cruz is quick to credit his staff for the Bronze Star he received last fall. Dela Cruz was recognized for overseeing the planning, installation, operation and maintenance of the largest and most complex Marine Wing communications network ever, according to the citation.
"It's very honorable and at the same time I'm humbled to have received it," he said. "I was just one piece of the puzzle that made everything come together and it's a team effort. I received it because of the Marines who are out here with me and make the operations take place."
Among the many missions he helped coordinate, Dela Cruz said one of the most memorable was the battle for Fallujah in 2004. The U.S. military fought insurgents for control of the area in a bloody, six-day conflict that claimed at least 50 U.S. troops.
"It was pretty amazing to be a part of planning that mission from beginning to end," he said. "The camaraderie is also something that stands out to me. The bond you have with your fellow Marines is something you can't really describe."
Dela Cruz's first tour was during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. Dela Cruz was redeployed this year. He is expected to come home in August as long as someone is available to replace him. Dela Cruz admitted the separation from his wife, Teri, and four children has been difficult.
"When you get an e-mail or you get to call home and you hear that there are different problems or somebody is having a hard time, it's tough because you can't do anything to help," he said. "My wife is very strong and I couldn't ask for a better partner to go through this career with. She actually goes through a harder time than I do because she's basically a single parent while I'm gone."
Building morale
Dela Cruz's ability to relate to other Marines experiencing similar emotions helps him meet the challenge of retaining personnel. He also organizes team activities such as volleyball to build morale.
"You have young Marines who just got married or had a child, or it's their first time away from home, so it's tough. The hours are long and there are no days off," he said. "The work is busy but it's redundant, so I try to create ways to change things up and make it interesting."
When his rotation brings him back to the United States, Dela Cruz and his family visit his parents and siblings in Gresham during the summers. Dela Cruz said his children also enjoy the chance to go camping in Hood River and summer sledding at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl. His sister, Joyce Thompson of Tualatin said the family is ready for Dela Cruz to come home for good.
"I think it's very commendable of him to be in the military service for this long, and the sacrifice he's made in leaving his family for months on end is really remarkable. We're so totally proud of him for keeping his chin up and going on," Thompson said. "We also just want him to come home in one piece."
Ellie