thedrifter
08-02-06, 02:21 PM
Amos hands over the reins of II MEF to Stalder today
August 02,2006
CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Lt. Gen. James Amos is no stranger to moving.
“I think it’s the 27th move in 36 years,” said Amos, the II Marine Expeditionary Force commander who will relinquish command this morning after two years on the job. “It doesn’t get any easier.”
Nor will the transition be easy for the Marines, sailors and families of this military community where Amos’s commitment to the fight — and to those wounded in it — will have lasting impact. Under the fighter-pilot general’s leadership, Camp Lejeune established the first “wounded warriors” barracks. Amos called care for wounded Marines and sailors a “moral imperative.”
“They deserve special care,” Amos said Tuesday. “They paid a heavy price for it. (The wounded warrior’s barracks) is a project that is continuing. Six months from now, I think there’s other things they will be doing.”
Amos is relinquishing command to Maj. Gen. Keith Stalder. Stalder, who will receive his third star today, comes to II MEF from the Training and Education Command in Quantico, Va.
During his tenure, Amos has overseen fighting in Iraq, most notably during the 13-month span beginning in early 2005 when II MEF had operational command in Iraq’s western Al Anbar province. The general said he is most proud of the rigorous and effective training leading up to that deployment, which took about 17,000 area Marines and sailors to the Middle East.
“The thing that makes me smile is the training we did when we went to war last year,” he said. “We trained really hard prior to that.”
But despite the hardest training, there are always casualties; and locally based Marines have paid a price. Amos said dealing with the casualties is hard, but that’s what being in command is about.
“It’s part of the responsibility; it’s a part of what we do as leaders,” he said. “It’s very tragic, and it breaks your heart and there’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t prevent loss, but what you can do in the future is train hard.”
Part of that training is having effective ranges that simulate real warfare as closely as possible. Amos said another part of his command he is proud of is the upgrading of the ranges, a $5.5 million project that will modernize the training areas. Some of the work will be done in a few months, while most of the new ranges should be complete by early next year.
“Besides some Carolina trees, you’ll swear you’re in Iraq,” he said of the new ranges. “They will be the best training ranges on the East Coast.”
Amos’ next assignment is as commander of Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico. That’s a job with “tentacles,” Amos said, one that reaches into a variety of areas, from training and combat technique to technology research and equipment procurement.
In that role, Amos will help shape the future of the Corps, a future Amos said will involve more ways to both protect Marines and lighten their load. And new tactics that may better fight the asymmetrical and irregular warfare seen in Iraq and expected to be fought for the foreseeable future.
Amos said the future of the Marines is in “distributed operations.”
For example, small, self-sufficient teams of five or six Marines that can be dropped behind enemy lines — by new aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey — with state-of-the art communications equipment. A West Coast-based grunt unit — 1st Battalion, 5th Marines — is preparing to train in such a fashion, Amos said.
But as Amos looks forward to his future, he said he will miss North Carolina and serving at Lejeune — and the New River flowing by his home.
“I’m going to miss that river,” he said.
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, ext. 229.
Ellie
August 02,2006
CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Lt. Gen. James Amos is no stranger to moving.
“I think it’s the 27th move in 36 years,” said Amos, the II Marine Expeditionary Force commander who will relinquish command this morning after two years on the job. “It doesn’t get any easier.”
Nor will the transition be easy for the Marines, sailors and families of this military community where Amos’s commitment to the fight — and to those wounded in it — will have lasting impact. Under the fighter-pilot general’s leadership, Camp Lejeune established the first “wounded warriors” barracks. Amos called care for wounded Marines and sailors a “moral imperative.”
“They deserve special care,” Amos said Tuesday. “They paid a heavy price for it. (The wounded warrior’s barracks) is a project that is continuing. Six months from now, I think there’s other things they will be doing.”
Amos is relinquishing command to Maj. Gen. Keith Stalder. Stalder, who will receive his third star today, comes to II MEF from the Training and Education Command in Quantico, Va.
During his tenure, Amos has overseen fighting in Iraq, most notably during the 13-month span beginning in early 2005 when II MEF had operational command in Iraq’s western Al Anbar province. The general said he is most proud of the rigorous and effective training leading up to that deployment, which took about 17,000 area Marines and sailors to the Middle East.
“The thing that makes me smile is the training we did when we went to war last year,” he said. “We trained really hard prior to that.”
But despite the hardest training, there are always casualties; and locally based Marines have paid a price. Amos said dealing with the casualties is hard, but that’s what being in command is about.
“It’s part of the responsibility; it’s a part of what we do as leaders,” he said. “It’s very tragic, and it breaks your heart and there’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t prevent loss, but what you can do in the future is train hard.”
Part of that training is having effective ranges that simulate real warfare as closely as possible. Amos said another part of his command he is proud of is the upgrading of the ranges, a $5.5 million project that will modernize the training areas. Some of the work will be done in a few months, while most of the new ranges should be complete by early next year.
“Besides some Carolina trees, you’ll swear you’re in Iraq,” he said of the new ranges. “They will be the best training ranges on the East Coast.”
Amos’ next assignment is as commander of Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico. That’s a job with “tentacles,” Amos said, one that reaches into a variety of areas, from training and combat technique to technology research and equipment procurement.
In that role, Amos will help shape the future of the Corps, a future Amos said will involve more ways to both protect Marines and lighten their load. And new tactics that may better fight the asymmetrical and irregular warfare seen in Iraq and expected to be fought for the foreseeable future.
Amos said the future of the Marines is in “distributed operations.”
For example, small, self-sufficient teams of five or six Marines that can be dropped behind enemy lines — by new aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey — with state-of-the art communications equipment. A West Coast-based grunt unit — 1st Battalion, 5th Marines — is preparing to train in such a fashion, Amos said.
But as Amos looks forward to his future, he said he will miss North Carolina and serving at Lejeune — and the New River flowing by his home.
“I’m going to miss that river,” he said.
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, ext. 229.
Ellie