thedrifter
05-03-07, 12:56 PM
Life as a cook in the Marines
By Louise Nelle News-Review Staff Writer
CHARLEVOIX — Corporal Ira Mulholland knows how important it is to feed the troops.
He is one of those well-appreciated individuals who always has a hot meal waiting for the men coming back from daily missions.
Since joining the U.S. Marines when he was 18, the son of Rick and Laura Mulholland of Charlevoix has spent the past three years cooking for hungry men. Although stationed in Camp Pendleton — a marine corps base in Southern California — Mulholland, now 21, travels around the world to work with various units. He spent the past year in Al-Qaim, Iraq.
But wherever he is, Mulholland said cooks are popular people amongst soldiers.
"They love us," he said. "They respect us because they go out all day and come back and we have a hot meal for them."
Yet, even though cooking remains his primary job, Mulholland said he is a marine first.
"Every marine is a rifle man first. My job is cooking, but if I needed to I could be out there fighting with them," he said.
For the next few days, however, Mulholland will have a break from his duties. He is currently visiting his family for a brief stay and will return to Camp Pendleton on May 10.
While at home, Mulholland said all he wants to do is go fishing.
"It's a great way to relax and not have to think about what's going on in Iraq," he said.
In fact, every time Mulholland returns home he prefers to spend his time either fishing or with family and friends. This is his forth trip back and each time he said it feels strange to return to civilian life and realize how much the area and the people have changed.
"Just coming back and seeing people I went to high school with, half of them have families," Mulholland said. "I haven't had time to settle down and do things like that.
Despite not being able to pursue his civilian life, Mulholland said life in the marines has taught him a great deal.
"There's a lot of things we take for granted being civilians. To come back from Iraq, the things I can do now I don't take them for granted because I've seen what other people go through," he said.
On relocating, Mulholland said the opportunity to travel and learn about other cultures is an experience that will be with him for the rest of his life.
"I don't ever regret joining the marines," he said. "I get to go around to different places and see different cultures and hear their views and opinions on military life; how people support us and how they don't support us."
Next in store for Mulholland, come July he will find himself in another adventure when he is reassigned to a unit in Okinawa, Japan.
Louise Nelle can be contacted at 439-9339, or lnelle@petoskeynews.com.
Ellie
By Louise Nelle News-Review Staff Writer
CHARLEVOIX — Corporal Ira Mulholland knows how important it is to feed the troops.
He is one of those well-appreciated individuals who always has a hot meal waiting for the men coming back from daily missions.
Since joining the U.S. Marines when he was 18, the son of Rick and Laura Mulholland of Charlevoix has spent the past three years cooking for hungry men. Although stationed in Camp Pendleton — a marine corps base in Southern California — Mulholland, now 21, travels around the world to work with various units. He spent the past year in Al-Qaim, Iraq.
But wherever he is, Mulholland said cooks are popular people amongst soldiers.
"They love us," he said. "They respect us because they go out all day and come back and we have a hot meal for them."
Yet, even though cooking remains his primary job, Mulholland said he is a marine first.
"Every marine is a rifle man first. My job is cooking, but if I needed to I could be out there fighting with them," he said.
For the next few days, however, Mulholland will have a break from his duties. He is currently visiting his family for a brief stay and will return to Camp Pendleton on May 10.
While at home, Mulholland said all he wants to do is go fishing.
"It's a great way to relax and not have to think about what's going on in Iraq," he said.
In fact, every time Mulholland returns home he prefers to spend his time either fishing or with family and friends. This is his forth trip back and each time he said it feels strange to return to civilian life and realize how much the area and the people have changed.
"Just coming back and seeing people I went to high school with, half of them have families," Mulholland said. "I haven't had time to settle down and do things like that.
Despite not being able to pursue his civilian life, Mulholland said life in the marines has taught him a great deal.
"There's a lot of things we take for granted being civilians. To come back from Iraq, the things I can do now I don't take them for granted because I've seen what other people go through," he said.
On relocating, Mulholland said the opportunity to travel and learn about other cultures is an experience that will be with him for the rest of his life.
"I don't ever regret joining the marines," he said. "I get to go around to different places and see different cultures and hear their views and opinions on military life; how people support us and how they don't support us."
Next in store for Mulholland, come July he will find himself in another adventure when he is reassigned to a unit in Okinawa, Japan.
Louise Nelle can be contacted at 439-9339, or lnelle@petoskeynews.com.
Ellie