thedrifter
04-18-09, 06:44 AM
MWSG-37 Marine earns military service award for efforts in Iraq
4/17/2009 By Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Rholes , Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif., —Imagine joining a newly established military in a country recently immersed in a violent war fought by extremists and foreign jihadists. No recruiting station is within 100 miles and there is no transportation.
Those were the conditions Capt. Jose Acevedo, the adjutant for Marine Wing Support Group 37, faced while working with the Iraqi Army to fill its ranks with new recruits. Because of Acevedo’s hard work, resourcefulness and determination, the League of United Latin American Citizens awarded him the Marine Corps’ 2009 Active-Duty Excellence in Military Service Award.
“Capt. Acevedo had a profound impact upon the growth and generation of the Iraqi Joint Forces during a critical time in their history,” said Col. J. E. Vincent, who worked with Acevedo in Iraq, in his letter recommending Acevedo for the prestigious award.
The Nashville native and Vanderbilt University graduate helped push thousands of recruits through several eight-week IJF training cycles throughout the country when he helped promote a traveling recruiting concept. Instead of expecting young men to venture into the Iraqi recruiting centers, Acevedo convoyed to remote regions of Iraq, established security, and enlisted willing young men.
“We took recruiting and processing centers to the parts of the country that had no recruiting stations,” said Acevedo. “We kept their training centers filled to almost 90 percent.”
Although Acevedo’s accomplishments earned him a Bronze Star in addition to his LULAC award, he humbly asserts that he did nothing more than any other Marine in his place would have done, and accredited much of his success to his teammates.
“There are a lot of Marines who have been to Iraq and done things of much greater accomplishment; I just happened to be recognized,” said Acevedo. “The Iraqi’s I worked with were professional and made a great team. The outstanding results were due mainly to their efforts. Even with the cultural barriers we became very close, and I knew every time I convoyed to remote regions with them that I was safe.”
Acevedo, who speaks French, Spanish and Arabic, has applied for the Foreign Area Officer program, and hopes to put his Arabic, which he learned during his year in Iraq, to good use.
The LULAC presents the excellence in military service award to one active duty and one reserve service member from each branch of the U.S. military annually. Acevedo will receive a trip for two to San Juan, Puerto Rico to accept the award during an Armed Forces Awards breakfast at LULAC’s 80th National Convention July 13 through 18.
Ellie
4/17/2009 By Lance Cpl. Ryan A. Rholes , Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif., —Imagine joining a newly established military in a country recently immersed in a violent war fought by extremists and foreign jihadists. No recruiting station is within 100 miles and there is no transportation.
Those were the conditions Capt. Jose Acevedo, the adjutant for Marine Wing Support Group 37, faced while working with the Iraqi Army to fill its ranks with new recruits. Because of Acevedo’s hard work, resourcefulness and determination, the League of United Latin American Citizens awarded him the Marine Corps’ 2009 Active-Duty Excellence in Military Service Award.
“Capt. Acevedo had a profound impact upon the growth and generation of the Iraqi Joint Forces during a critical time in their history,” said Col. J. E. Vincent, who worked with Acevedo in Iraq, in his letter recommending Acevedo for the prestigious award.
The Nashville native and Vanderbilt University graduate helped push thousands of recruits through several eight-week IJF training cycles throughout the country when he helped promote a traveling recruiting concept. Instead of expecting young men to venture into the Iraqi recruiting centers, Acevedo convoyed to remote regions of Iraq, established security, and enlisted willing young men.
“We took recruiting and processing centers to the parts of the country that had no recruiting stations,” said Acevedo. “We kept their training centers filled to almost 90 percent.”
Although Acevedo’s accomplishments earned him a Bronze Star in addition to his LULAC award, he humbly asserts that he did nothing more than any other Marine in his place would have done, and accredited much of his success to his teammates.
“There are a lot of Marines who have been to Iraq and done things of much greater accomplishment; I just happened to be recognized,” said Acevedo. “The Iraqi’s I worked with were professional and made a great team. The outstanding results were due mainly to their efforts. Even with the cultural barriers we became very close, and I knew every time I convoyed to remote regions with them that I was safe.”
Acevedo, who speaks French, Spanish and Arabic, has applied for the Foreign Area Officer program, and hopes to put his Arabic, which he learned during his year in Iraq, to good use.
The LULAC presents the excellence in military service award to one active duty and one reserve service member from each branch of the U.S. military annually. Acevedo will receive a trip for two to San Juan, Puerto Rico to accept the award during an Armed Forces Awards breakfast at LULAC’s 80th National Convention July 13 through 18.
Ellie