thedrifter
12-22-06, 07:13 AM
Article published Dec 22, 2006
Company B's Christmas: 'This mission is saving ... lives'
Local Marines say they believe their work in Iraq is important.
FRED DODD
Tribune Staff Writer
WEST OF FALLUJAH, Iraq -- As the war drags on, it might seem that troop morale could become a problem. It may well be of concern elsewhere, but not here in Engineer Village, where most of South Bend's Marine Reservists stay.
Pleasant greetings are exchanged on the brown mile, the 1/2-mile trail Marines hike to and from the chow hall. Smiles can be seen everywhere. Even those about to leave the relative safety of this base to conduct missions are upbeat. More than one hearty "Oohrah!" was heard as a recent route clearance mission began rolling toward the gate.
The consensus seems to be that Marines are upbeat for a couple of reasons.
One of them is the kind of task Company B has been assigned.
"There's merit in this job," said Sgt. Kevin Cassel, of South Bend. "This mission is saving coalition lives. This is everything I joined the Marines Corps for."Added 1st Sgt. Mildred Hughes, of Waynesville, Mo., "There's a direct correlation between what we do and how many lives are saved and feeling a sense of accomplishment.
"With hunting and destroying IEDs (improvised explosive devices), you have an immediate sense that you saved someone -- that in the next convoy that comes by someone is going to not die as a direct result of something you did," she said.
"Their mission is geared at what really matters," said Navy Lt. Alan Snyder, chaplain to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, the unit from Okinawa, Japan, that Company B is attached to. "You know, 'we found an IED. Well, guess what, that didn't blow up on somebody.' They take that very seriously."
Not all of Company B is involved in the hunt for IEDs. Some of the South Bend Marines are miles away, repairing runways. Others are assigned construction projects throughout the Anbar province. All missions essentially serve the same goal.
"We are accomplishing the missions to help the Iraqis take over," Hughes explained. "We build OP (observation post) towers for them. We help fix the Iraqi police stations. Our Marines do what they do with their own two hands so they feel good about what they're doing."Master Sgt. Charles Daily, of Niles, repeated something he'd said earlier. "We make it safe enough that the Iraqis will stay. If they (the Iraqi police and Iraqi army) stay it makes it easier for us to pull out."
Although going home is always on their minds, Gunnery Sgt. Todd Mansfield, of Michigan City, hopes that overall troop withdrawal is completed with care. "We've committed ourselves here. To walk away from it would be a huge mistake. ... If we leave the place half-finished or let them take it before they're ready to, things could get worse than when it started."
For others?
"I'm here for the guys I'm serving with," countered Cpl. Marvin Heimann, of Decatur, Ind. "The Iraqis -- it's good that we're helping them. But I hope this war will end soon. My main concern is our guys."
Heimann's ready to go home and meet in person a recent family arrival."On Dec. 6 my wife gave birth to an 8-pound, 11-ounce baby girl," he said proudly. He spoke with his wife and quickly viewed photographs via the Internet. Since then, he's received photos in the mail and has since been showing them around.
Morale is affected by how busy they are.
"We're constantly working, constantly doing things," Hughes said. "It's a positive experience. I think that's why the morale's so high."
And it doesn't hurt that the company has passed the half-way point of its deployment.
Ellie
Company B's Christmas: 'This mission is saving ... lives'
Local Marines say they believe their work in Iraq is important.
FRED DODD
Tribune Staff Writer
WEST OF FALLUJAH, Iraq -- As the war drags on, it might seem that troop morale could become a problem. It may well be of concern elsewhere, but not here in Engineer Village, where most of South Bend's Marine Reservists stay.
Pleasant greetings are exchanged on the brown mile, the 1/2-mile trail Marines hike to and from the chow hall. Smiles can be seen everywhere. Even those about to leave the relative safety of this base to conduct missions are upbeat. More than one hearty "Oohrah!" was heard as a recent route clearance mission began rolling toward the gate.
The consensus seems to be that Marines are upbeat for a couple of reasons.
One of them is the kind of task Company B has been assigned.
"There's merit in this job," said Sgt. Kevin Cassel, of South Bend. "This mission is saving coalition lives. This is everything I joined the Marines Corps for."Added 1st Sgt. Mildred Hughes, of Waynesville, Mo., "There's a direct correlation between what we do and how many lives are saved and feeling a sense of accomplishment.
"With hunting and destroying IEDs (improvised explosive devices), you have an immediate sense that you saved someone -- that in the next convoy that comes by someone is going to not die as a direct result of something you did," she said.
"Their mission is geared at what really matters," said Navy Lt. Alan Snyder, chaplain to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, the unit from Okinawa, Japan, that Company B is attached to. "You know, 'we found an IED. Well, guess what, that didn't blow up on somebody.' They take that very seriously."
Not all of Company B is involved in the hunt for IEDs. Some of the South Bend Marines are miles away, repairing runways. Others are assigned construction projects throughout the Anbar province. All missions essentially serve the same goal.
"We are accomplishing the missions to help the Iraqis take over," Hughes explained. "We build OP (observation post) towers for them. We help fix the Iraqi police stations. Our Marines do what they do with their own two hands so they feel good about what they're doing."Master Sgt. Charles Daily, of Niles, repeated something he'd said earlier. "We make it safe enough that the Iraqis will stay. If they (the Iraqi police and Iraqi army) stay it makes it easier for us to pull out."
Although going home is always on their minds, Gunnery Sgt. Todd Mansfield, of Michigan City, hopes that overall troop withdrawal is completed with care. "We've committed ourselves here. To walk away from it would be a huge mistake. ... If we leave the place half-finished or let them take it before they're ready to, things could get worse than when it started."
For others?
"I'm here for the guys I'm serving with," countered Cpl. Marvin Heimann, of Decatur, Ind. "The Iraqis -- it's good that we're helping them. But I hope this war will end soon. My main concern is our guys."
Heimann's ready to go home and meet in person a recent family arrival."On Dec. 6 my wife gave birth to an 8-pound, 11-ounce baby girl," he said proudly. He spoke with his wife and quickly viewed photographs via the Internet. Since then, he's received photos in the mail and has since been showing them around.
Morale is affected by how busy they are.
"We're constantly working, constantly doing things," Hughes said. "It's a positive experience. I think that's why the morale's so high."
And it doesn't hurt that the company has passed the half-way point of its deployment.
Ellie