thedrifter
01-09-07, 09:05 AM
A soldier-student garners recognition in both arenas
The Intelligencer
Earl Catagnus Jr. is a history scholar. Not long ago he was helping to make history.
Catagnus, who's from West Norriton, was graduated Friday from Penn State Abington with dual degrees in life science and history. At the commencement ceremony, he was presented not only a diploma but also the Purple Heart medal.
The military decoration was for wounds he received while fighting as a U.S. Marine in Fallujah, Iraq. In November 2004, Sgt. Catagnus, the leader of a scout-sniper team with the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Marines, was peppered on his head and face with shrapnel from an enemy IED, one of those improvised explosive devices that have been responsible for much of the bloodshed in Iraq.
Academics and military service have been a large part of Catagnus' young life. He's 28.
After graduating from Norristown High School in 1997, he attended Montgomery County Community College but dropped out to join the Marines in 1998.
After four years on active duty, he joined a Marine Reserve unit and began taking classes at Penn State Abington.
But in 2004 Catagnus returned to active duty with the Marines and went to Iraq. When his second active duty tour ended, it was back to the books.
But his college education served him well as a combat Marine.
During part of his deployment to Iraq, he trained Iraqi Special Forces, designing a course on basic infantry tactics and compiling a 37-page training manual.
His treatise on infantry squad tactics was published in the “Marine Corps Gazette.”
His military experiences, he says, caused him to embrace the concept of “mission accomplishment with the least amount of casualties.”
He's a firm believer that, in spite of the many advances in military technology, nothing will ever eliminate the need for “boots on the ground,” well trained, competent light infantrymen.
In that respect, he tends to reflect the Marine Corps philosophy that every Marine, no matter his or her specialty, is first of all an infantry rifleman.
“Riflemen will win or lose this (Iraq) war, the same as all wars,” he says.
He hopes that his interest in history and experiences in the military will continue to mesh.
Catagnus' immediate goal is to enter a doctorate program in history at Temple University. He expects that eventually he will write and teach.
Ultimately, though, he hopes to be able to influence future military thinking by advocating the advancement of light infantry tactics.
It's time for him to move beyond the Marine Corps, he muses. “Now my whole life is dedicated to advancing the theme, "mission accomplishment with the least amount of casualties,' throughout the American military. To this end, I want to see a change in the military.
“Humans will always out-think technology and gadgets. Therefore, a shift in emphasis from technology to the training individual light infantrymen will be the only long-term solution.”
*Lou Sessinger is a columnist with The Intelligencer. He can be contacted at (215) 957-8172 or lsessinger@phillyBurbs.com.
January 9, 2007 6:33 AM
Ellie
The Intelligencer
Earl Catagnus Jr. is a history scholar. Not long ago he was helping to make history.
Catagnus, who's from West Norriton, was graduated Friday from Penn State Abington with dual degrees in life science and history. At the commencement ceremony, he was presented not only a diploma but also the Purple Heart medal.
The military decoration was for wounds he received while fighting as a U.S. Marine in Fallujah, Iraq. In November 2004, Sgt. Catagnus, the leader of a scout-sniper team with the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Marines, was peppered on his head and face with shrapnel from an enemy IED, one of those improvised explosive devices that have been responsible for much of the bloodshed in Iraq.
Academics and military service have been a large part of Catagnus' young life. He's 28.
After graduating from Norristown High School in 1997, he attended Montgomery County Community College but dropped out to join the Marines in 1998.
After four years on active duty, he joined a Marine Reserve unit and began taking classes at Penn State Abington.
But in 2004 Catagnus returned to active duty with the Marines and went to Iraq. When his second active duty tour ended, it was back to the books.
But his college education served him well as a combat Marine.
During part of his deployment to Iraq, he trained Iraqi Special Forces, designing a course on basic infantry tactics and compiling a 37-page training manual.
His treatise on infantry squad tactics was published in the “Marine Corps Gazette.”
His military experiences, he says, caused him to embrace the concept of “mission accomplishment with the least amount of casualties.”
He's a firm believer that, in spite of the many advances in military technology, nothing will ever eliminate the need for “boots on the ground,” well trained, competent light infantrymen.
In that respect, he tends to reflect the Marine Corps philosophy that every Marine, no matter his or her specialty, is first of all an infantry rifleman.
“Riflemen will win or lose this (Iraq) war, the same as all wars,” he says.
He hopes that his interest in history and experiences in the military will continue to mesh.
Catagnus' immediate goal is to enter a doctorate program in history at Temple University. He expects that eventually he will write and teach.
Ultimately, though, he hopes to be able to influence future military thinking by advocating the advancement of light infantry tactics.
It's time for him to move beyond the Marine Corps, he muses. “Now my whole life is dedicated to advancing the theme, "mission accomplishment with the least amount of casualties,' throughout the American military. To this end, I want to see a change in the military.
“Humans will always out-think technology and gadgets. Therefore, a shift in emphasis from technology to the training individual light infantrymen will be the only long-term solution.”
*Lou Sessinger is a columnist with The Intelligencer. He can be contacted at (215) 957-8172 or lsessinger@phillyBurbs.com.
January 9, 2007 6:33 AM
Ellie