thedrifter
10-23-06, 03:15 PM
Kewanee native assigned to new Marine Corps command
By Star Courier staff
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Kewanee native Melanie (Bickers) Hunt is a member of an elite group.
As a sergeant major in the Marine Corps, she is one of fewer than 450 Marines to hold the rank of which only 48 are women. She was recently reassigned to the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Previously serving with the 4th Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C., she was recently appointed to a command position at Camp Lejeune and was scheduled for deployment to Iraq.
Born in Kewanee, the 39-year-old wife and mother of two has served in the Marine Corps for the past 20 years, enlisting in 1986. She is the daughter of Alice Bickers, formerly of Kewanee and now of Brandon, Fla., and the late Rick Bickers, and is the granddaughter of the late Fred and Lois Bickers, of Kewanee.
Sergeant Major Hunt and her husband and fellow Marine, Master Sergeant Christopher Hunt, a native of Pekin, are the parents of two children, Alexandria and Chance.
Her brother, Master Sergeant Colton Bickers, also a Marine, is stationed in New Orleans.
After entering the Marines she was first trained as an administrative clerk at Camp Pendleton, Calif., where she was the honor graduate and promoted to the rank of lance corporal. After graduation, she transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) in San Diego where she was assigned to recruiters school and promoted to corporal in 1987. The following year, she was transferred to Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base, Honolulu, Hawaii where she served as an orders clerk and later as the administrative chief and promoted to sergeant in 1989.
She was transferred to the 12th Marine Corps District recruiting station in Sacramento, Calif., in 1991 where she served as an operations clerk.
In March of 1994 she transferred to Drill Instructor School at Parris Island, and, after graduation, was assigned to the 4th Recruit Training Battalion where she served as drill instructor, senior drill instructor, and series gunnery sergeant, being promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in 1995.
In September of 1996, after completion of her tour as drill instructor, she was assigned to the 1st Marine Air Wing in Okinawa, Japan where she served as personnel chief and was promoted to gunnery sergeant in 1999. Earlier that year she was transferred to U.S. Central Command, at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Fla., where she served in the joint assignments branch. While at Central Command, she deployed to Egypt and participated in the multi-nation joint exercise Bright Star in October of 2001.
Upon her selection to the rank of first sergeant, she was transferred to Weapons and Field Training Battalion, MCRD, Parris Island, in 2002, and served as the first sergeant for a field training company. In November, 2003, she was reassigned again to the 4th Recruit Training Battalion as company first sergeant. In March, 2005, she was reassigned to Drill Instructor School where she served as chief instructor for four months before becoming sergeant major of the battalion.
Her personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 2 Gold Stars, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Just before leaving Parris Island, Hunt was featured as “Personality of the Week” in “The Boot,” a newspaper which covers activities and personnel at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The story detailed how the 20-year veteran has inspired other Marines while balancing the responsibilities of wife and mother.
“Her new unit can expect someone who is 100 percent Marine leader, said Gunnery Sgt. Rachel Eltz, series gunnery sergeant with Papa Co., 4th RTB. “She is the consummate professional and an awesome leader,” Eltz said in the article.
Her husband also had high praise for his wife. “It doesn’t matter that the kids ask for some baked goods the night before they need them; she will make an extra trip to the store to get what is needed so the kids can be heroes at a class party or special event. She teaches them to be outgoing and assertive, yet thoughtful and courteous to others,” Master Sgt. Chris Hunt told the reporter.
“She makes every effort to be at all their functions and she believes she should be there as a mother — the kids won’t be this age again.”
Had to do it Lover....
Ellie
This is
By Star Courier staff
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Kewanee native Melanie (Bickers) Hunt is a member of an elite group.
As a sergeant major in the Marine Corps, she is one of fewer than 450 Marines to hold the rank of which only 48 are women. She was recently reassigned to the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Previously serving with the 4th Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C., she was recently appointed to a command position at Camp Lejeune and was scheduled for deployment to Iraq.
Born in Kewanee, the 39-year-old wife and mother of two has served in the Marine Corps for the past 20 years, enlisting in 1986. She is the daughter of Alice Bickers, formerly of Kewanee and now of Brandon, Fla., and the late Rick Bickers, and is the granddaughter of the late Fred and Lois Bickers, of Kewanee.
Sergeant Major Hunt and her husband and fellow Marine, Master Sergeant Christopher Hunt, a native of Pekin, are the parents of two children, Alexandria and Chance.
Her brother, Master Sergeant Colton Bickers, also a Marine, is stationed in New Orleans.
After entering the Marines she was first trained as an administrative clerk at Camp Pendleton, Calif., where she was the honor graduate and promoted to the rank of lance corporal. After graduation, she transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) in San Diego where she was assigned to recruiters school and promoted to corporal in 1987. The following year, she was transferred to Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base, Honolulu, Hawaii where she served as an orders clerk and later as the administrative chief and promoted to sergeant in 1989.
She was transferred to the 12th Marine Corps District recruiting station in Sacramento, Calif., in 1991 where she served as an operations clerk.
In March of 1994 she transferred to Drill Instructor School at Parris Island, and, after graduation, was assigned to the 4th Recruit Training Battalion where she served as drill instructor, senior drill instructor, and series gunnery sergeant, being promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in 1995.
In September of 1996, after completion of her tour as drill instructor, she was assigned to the 1st Marine Air Wing in Okinawa, Japan where she served as personnel chief and was promoted to gunnery sergeant in 1999. Earlier that year she was transferred to U.S. Central Command, at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Fla., where she served in the joint assignments branch. While at Central Command, she deployed to Egypt and participated in the multi-nation joint exercise Bright Star in October of 2001.
Upon her selection to the rank of first sergeant, she was transferred to Weapons and Field Training Battalion, MCRD, Parris Island, in 2002, and served as the first sergeant for a field training company. In November, 2003, she was reassigned again to the 4th Recruit Training Battalion as company first sergeant. In March, 2005, she was reassigned to Drill Instructor School where she served as chief instructor for four months before becoming sergeant major of the battalion.
Her personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 2 Gold Stars, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Just before leaving Parris Island, Hunt was featured as “Personality of the Week” in “The Boot,” a newspaper which covers activities and personnel at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The story detailed how the 20-year veteran has inspired other Marines while balancing the responsibilities of wife and mother.
“Her new unit can expect someone who is 100 percent Marine leader, said Gunnery Sgt. Rachel Eltz, series gunnery sergeant with Papa Co., 4th RTB. “She is the consummate professional and an awesome leader,” Eltz said in the article.
Her husband also had high praise for his wife. “It doesn’t matter that the kids ask for some baked goods the night before they need them; she will make an extra trip to the store to get what is needed so the kids can be heroes at a class party or special event. She teaches them to be outgoing and assertive, yet thoughtful and courteous to others,” Master Sgt. Chris Hunt told the reporter.
“She makes every effort to be at all their functions and she believes she should be there as a mother — the kids won’t be this age again.”
Had to do it Lover....
Ellie
This is