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thedrifter
07-29-06, 05:33 AM
He risked life for his Marines
July 29,2006
Chrissy Vick
DAILY NEWS STAFF

by chrissy vick

Capt. Jason Schauble and his men knew exactly what they needed to do: Enter and gain a foothold inside an insurgent-controlled farmhouse.

But the 4th Platoon of 1st Marine Division, 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company came under intense fire from the Iraqi insurgents in January 2005, and one Marine was killed.

For Schauble, deciding what to do was simple. He had no idea his choice would later earn him the military’s third-highest award for valor in combat.

“I did what I did at the time because I thought it was the right thing at the time,” Schauble said Friday morning after an awards ceremony in his honor at Camp Lejeune. “It’s never been about me.”

His men had already pulled back to set up a barricade and were reorganizing for a second assault. Sensing his Marines were in danger, Schauble did what he says any Marine would.

He went alone into the darkened room to recover the fallen Marine. Insurgents fired upon Schauble from less than 6 feet away.

He moved deeper into the room and killed two insurgents before receiving wounds that would cause him to medically retire this week. Schauble, 31, was shot twice in the forearm and once in the chest, which was protected by his body armor.

“I don’t have full use of my right hand,” Schauble said as he attempted to stretch out fingers that seemed as if they were restricted by thick wire.

After being injured, Schauble stayed in what he described as “the middle of the night in the fire,” drawing the insurgents’ attention — and ammunition — toward him.

“Risking his life to protect his Marines,” according to the citation for one award he received Friday, Schauble’s actions allowed his men to move in and kill five insurgents.

Described as “instrumental” in the stand-up of the Marine Forces Special Operations Command, Schauble became the 66th Marine to receive a Silver Star since the war in Iraq began. He also received a Bronze Star with V device for valor and a Meritorious Service Medal before his medical retirement Friday.

“Man, where do we get these Marines?” asked Maj. Gen. Dennis Hejlik, commander of Marines Forces Special Operations Command, after reading a letter describing how Shauble subjected himself to heavy enemy fire and continued to lead his Marines despite severe loss of blood, nerve damage and shock. “We get them right here … the Corps is better because you served.”

Hejlik awarded the Bronze Star to Schauble for combat operations in Iraq in 2004 when he was “instrumental” in planning and implementing his combat team’s successful seizure of Hit and Fallujah.

“He regularly exposed himself to enemy fire to load and direct his Marines, including effective fire on the enemy,” the Bronze Star citation read.

He was involved in “multiple lengthy firefights in which one Marine was fatally wounded, 15 Marines were wounded and at least 50 insurgents were eliminated.”

Maj. Jack O’Toole, who served with Schauble in Iraq, described Schauble’s actions as “extremely aggressive.”

“He is always out there pushing further, trying to accomplish more,” O’Toole said. “I’ve never seen anybody get as much (awards) as him before, but I’ve never seen anybody as good as him before.”

Hejlik deemed Schauble an “American hero” while presenting the three awards before his family and fellow Marines.

For Schauble, though, with heroism comes humility.

“This kind of thing makes me feel uncomfortable normally,” said Schauble, who requested that the planned ceremony be a small one inside MARSOC’s headquarters.

He thanked his wife, Melicia — a former combat engineer officer in the Marine Corps — for dealing with his numerous deployments and recent injuries.

Though he had planned to go career in the Corps, he and Melicia will now be facing “a new chapter” and starting afresh, he said. The two are moving to a farm in Richlands.

But the Marine Corps won’t become completely foreign to Schauble, as Hejlik said he plans to “bring him back in some capacity to help with MARSOC,” saying Schauble’s expertise and wisdom would be missed within the special operations realm of the Corps.

But Schauble insisted he would, instead, miss them.

“I didn’t expect to leave after nine years,” he said. “It’s a hard day for me.”

Contact staff writer Chrissy Vick at cvick@freedomenc.com or by calling 353-1171, ext. 239.

Ellie

jbrocatomarine
08-05-06, 12:09 AM
Thats What Marines Are Made Of,Steeped In Tradition,tested By Fire,quenched In Blood And Honor..Semper Fi Marine...