thedrifter
12-03-08, 07:10 AM
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Irvine welcomes back adopted Marines
About 100 members of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment are back from a year of overseeing Iraqi infrastructure repairs.
By SEAN EMERY
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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IRVINE – After nearly a year overseeing reconstruction of ravaged infrastructure in Iraq, members of Irvine's adopted 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment have returned just in time for the holidays.
Family and friends welcomed about 100 Marines of 2/11 back to Camp Pendleton on Nov. 19, while another 150 or so Marines are expected to return around February. As the Marines celebrate their homecoming, Irvine community leaders and volunteers are hard at work on toy drives and a holiday party to raise the spirits of members of 2/11 and their families.
The artillery battalion's Iraq tour began in February, when the unit embarked on what Marines described as a humanitarian, civil affairs mission, meeting with Iraqi mayors and community leaders to guide vital infrastructure projects through the bureaucratic process, then making sure the construction was protected and the funding used for its intended purpose.
Cpl. Orantes Roa said the 2/11's mission was far different than his previous tour in Iraq.
"The first was more kinetic fighting; this was more infrastructure work," Roa said.
The Marines had six months to learn their new mission from scratch, which included overseeing the construction of schools and municipal buildings.
The biggest part of the transition was in attitude, said Cpl. Scott Masters, with the battalion's support of Iraqi efforts requiring more leniency on the part of the Marines. Masters said their work taught the Marines much about the Iraqi culture, and the importance of even small gestures.
"Not a lot of people get to go overseas and see other cultures," Masters said. "A lot of people there put more value in a soccer ball than we put in our cars."
Cpl. Joseph James Sawyer said it was rewarding to see the Iraqis' living conditions improve, but it was still difficult for Marines to be away from their families for nearly a year. Sawyer, along with the other Marines, said the support of the Irvine community gave them a morale boost.
"You're out there and it gets lonely," Sawyer said. "They (the community) send you something and it shows they still care."
The time away was especially tough for those with growing families, including Lance Cpl. Raul Oliveras, who said his now 2-year-old daughter had changed a lot in his absence.
"It felt good coming back, knowing I didn't have to return (to Iraq) for a while," Oliveras said.
Cpl. Roa celebrated his own milestone in Iraq, officially becoming an American citizen on Election Day, Nov. 4, joining a celebration with 100 or so service members in one of Saddam Hussein's old palaces. Roa, a South Gate resident born in Nicaragua, also decided to re-enlist in the midst of his Iraqi tour.
The Marines awaiting the return of their 2/11 colleagues say it is too early to tell what the next mission will be for the artillery unit.
Meanwhile, Irvine volunteers are busy setting up a Dec. 13 holiday party for the 2/11 Marines and their families. The committee is asking for donations of money, toys, gift cards or in-kind services.
Mayor Beth Krom said the 2/11, which the city adopted in April of 2007, gives residents a personal connection to service members and serves as a reminder for the community's military heritage with the closing of the Tustin and El Toro bases.
"It's a way our citizens can direct their support to help our men and women in the armed services," said Krom, comparing the 2/11 adoption to the city's now-annual Memorial and Veteran's Day events. "The need is extraordinarily great, both for food and a little something extra for youngsters whose parents are off fighting in a conflict."
Contact the writer: 949-553-2911 or semery@ocregister.com
Ellie
Irvine welcomes back adopted Marines
About 100 members of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment are back from a year of overseeing Iraqi infrastructure repairs.
By SEAN EMERY
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Comments | Recommend
IRVINE – After nearly a year overseeing reconstruction of ravaged infrastructure in Iraq, members of Irvine's adopted 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment have returned just in time for the holidays.
Family and friends welcomed about 100 Marines of 2/11 back to Camp Pendleton on Nov. 19, while another 150 or so Marines are expected to return around February. As the Marines celebrate their homecoming, Irvine community leaders and volunteers are hard at work on toy drives and a holiday party to raise the spirits of members of 2/11 and their families.
The artillery battalion's Iraq tour began in February, when the unit embarked on what Marines described as a humanitarian, civil affairs mission, meeting with Iraqi mayors and community leaders to guide vital infrastructure projects through the bureaucratic process, then making sure the construction was protected and the funding used for its intended purpose.
Cpl. Orantes Roa said the 2/11's mission was far different than his previous tour in Iraq.
"The first was more kinetic fighting; this was more infrastructure work," Roa said.
The Marines had six months to learn their new mission from scratch, which included overseeing the construction of schools and municipal buildings.
The biggest part of the transition was in attitude, said Cpl. Scott Masters, with the battalion's support of Iraqi efforts requiring more leniency on the part of the Marines. Masters said their work taught the Marines much about the Iraqi culture, and the importance of even small gestures.
"Not a lot of people get to go overseas and see other cultures," Masters said. "A lot of people there put more value in a soccer ball than we put in our cars."
Cpl. Joseph James Sawyer said it was rewarding to see the Iraqis' living conditions improve, but it was still difficult for Marines to be away from their families for nearly a year. Sawyer, along with the other Marines, said the support of the Irvine community gave them a morale boost.
"You're out there and it gets lonely," Sawyer said. "They (the community) send you something and it shows they still care."
The time away was especially tough for those with growing families, including Lance Cpl. Raul Oliveras, who said his now 2-year-old daughter had changed a lot in his absence.
"It felt good coming back, knowing I didn't have to return (to Iraq) for a while," Oliveras said.
Cpl. Roa celebrated his own milestone in Iraq, officially becoming an American citizen on Election Day, Nov. 4, joining a celebration with 100 or so service members in one of Saddam Hussein's old palaces. Roa, a South Gate resident born in Nicaragua, also decided to re-enlist in the midst of his Iraqi tour.
The Marines awaiting the return of their 2/11 colleagues say it is too early to tell what the next mission will be for the artillery unit.
Meanwhile, Irvine volunteers are busy setting up a Dec. 13 holiday party for the 2/11 Marines and their families. The committee is asking for donations of money, toys, gift cards or in-kind services.
Mayor Beth Krom said the 2/11, which the city adopted in April of 2007, gives residents a personal connection to service members and serves as a reminder for the community's military heritage with the closing of the Tustin and El Toro bases.
"It's a way our citizens can direct their support to help our men and women in the armed services," said Krom, comparing the 2/11 adoption to the city's now-annual Memorial and Veteran's Day events. "The need is extraordinarily great, both for food and a little something extra for youngsters whose parents are off fighting in a conflict."
Contact the writer: 949-553-2911 or semery@ocregister.com
Ellie