thedrifter
10-14-03, 09:21 PM
U.S. Marines demonstrate awe-inspiring capabilities
I was fortunate enough to be invited by the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce to visit Camp Lejeune for CAPEX. That's militarese for a Capability Exercise. We attended Day Two of a three-day demonstration of the various capabilities of our Marine Corps.
It was created so new brigadier generals from various armed forces could learn about other parts of the military. It has been expanded to include lawmakers and the public.
It's one of the most inspiring things I've ever seen.
Five of us from Wilmington joined about 150 or 200 people from around the country touring the base.
We stood on a pier as a miniature D-Day erupted around us, an amphibious landing supported by offshore Naval bombardment and swooping Harrier and FA-18 fighter-bombers.
We watched a riverine force swarm over a riverside wharf from four Boston whalers supported by two larger gunboats, "rescuing" in a hail of blank gunfire four scientists from a building in rebel territory.
As we ate a pretty good lunch served in an open-sided field tent, a combat support unit fought off attackers and built a bridge in front of us.
We saw a Harrier jet take off on a two-lane highway, flying so close overhead that we could feel the roar in our bodies. Thank goodness for earplugs!
We saw Marines give a spirited demonstration of martial arts that appeared right painful to me.
"This is not Jackie Chan," a commander told us. "Those grunts you hear are real."
We saw the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force treat victims of a sarin gas attack, and watched as Marines fought bad guys in a mock city.
And after each exercise, we were invited to talk to the Marines and sailors who had taken part. Men like Lance Cpl. Tyshaun Sansbury of Brooklyn, N.Y., who has been to Djibouti, Kosovo and Iraq. He's enjoying his stint with Small Craft Company, the unique riverine force that considers rivers more of a high-speed highway than an obstacle
"It's more fun than what I usually do" with Echo Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Marine Division.
Jacksonville folks were well represented on the tour. On the first leg, Brig. Gen. Bob Dickerson, the base commander, told our busload, "This community is closer than any other military community I've ever seen."
He said one road is lined with Bradford pears commemorating the victims of the Beirut Marine barracks bombing of Oct. 23, 1983. When one tree dies, he said, it's quickly replaced.
During Desert Storm, he said, 25 percent of the families left town, wives taking the kids to see Grandma and Grandpa while their husbands were deployed.
"This time, less than 10 percent went home," he said. "That's the relationship with this community."
Donna Sargent came to CAPEX to learn more about her husband's world. Her Jason is a sergeant. That's right, he's Sgt. Sargent, she said with a smile. He's been overseas since February. She wouldn't say where.
With two children and another on the way, she said the community has been very supportive.
Brenda Wentling was another wife from Jacksonville. Her husband, Staff Sgt. James Wentling, has been in Iraq since the war began. He's due back in two weeks.
A mother of four, she never considered leaving while he was gone.
"This is home for us," she said. She said maintaining a normal routine is important for the children.
She said there are so many families in the same situation, Jacksonville feels like "one big family."
"I see wives with children and we feel for each other," she said. Her children, ranging from 8 to 12 years old, are surrounded in school by kids with parents overseas.
"We've developed support networks all around," she said. "I have a lot of pride in the military, and that's why I feel like Jacksonville is home."
Visit the online "Common Sense" forum via www.starnewsonline.com/cantwell. Contact Si Cantwell at 343-2364 or si.cantwell@starnewsonline.com
http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?SearchID=73150135739598&Avis=WM&Dato=20031012&Kategori=COLUMNIST02&Lopenr=310120324&Ref=AR
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
I was fortunate enough to be invited by the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce to visit Camp Lejeune for CAPEX. That's militarese for a Capability Exercise. We attended Day Two of a three-day demonstration of the various capabilities of our Marine Corps.
It was created so new brigadier generals from various armed forces could learn about other parts of the military. It has been expanded to include lawmakers and the public.
It's one of the most inspiring things I've ever seen.
Five of us from Wilmington joined about 150 or 200 people from around the country touring the base.
We stood on a pier as a miniature D-Day erupted around us, an amphibious landing supported by offshore Naval bombardment and swooping Harrier and FA-18 fighter-bombers.
We watched a riverine force swarm over a riverside wharf from four Boston whalers supported by two larger gunboats, "rescuing" in a hail of blank gunfire four scientists from a building in rebel territory.
As we ate a pretty good lunch served in an open-sided field tent, a combat support unit fought off attackers and built a bridge in front of us.
We saw a Harrier jet take off on a two-lane highway, flying so close overhead that we could feel the roar in our bodies. Thank goodness for earplugs!
We saw Marines give a spirited demonstration of martial arts that appeared right painful to me.
"This is not Jackie Chan," a commander told us. "Those grunts you hear are real."
We saw the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force treat victims of a sarin gas attack, and watched as Marines fought bad guys in a mock city.
And after each exercise, we were invited to talk to the Marines and sailors who had taken part. Men like Lance Cpl. Tyshaun Sansbury of Brooklyn, N.Y., who has been to Djibouti, Kosovo and Iraq. He's enjoying his stint with Small Craft Company, the unique riverine force that considers rivers more of a high-speed highway than an obstacle
"It's more fun than what I usually do" with Echo Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Marine Division.
Jacksonville folks were well represented on the tour. On the first leg, Brig. Gen. Bob Dickerson, the base commander, told our busload, "This community is closer than any other military community I've ever seen."
He said one road is lined with Bradford pears commemorating the victims of the Beirut Marine barracks bombing of Oct. 23, 1983. When one tree dies, he said, it's quickly replaced.
During Desert Storm, he said, 25 percent of the families left town, wives taking the kids to see Grandma and Grandpa while their husbands were deployed.
"This time, less than 10 percent went home," he said. "That's the relationship with this community."
Donna Sargent came to CAPEX to learn more about her husband's world. Her Jason is a sergeant. That's right, he's Sgt. Sargent, she said with a smile. He's been overseas since February. She wouldn't say where.
With two children and another on the way, she said the community has been very supportive.
Brenda Wentling was another wife from Jacksonville. Her husband, Staff Sgt. James Wentling, has been in Iraq since the war began. He's due back in two weeks.
A mother of four, she never considered leaving while he was gone.
"This is home for us," she said. She said maintaining a normal routine is important for the children.
She said there are so many families in the same situation, Jacksonville feels like "one big family."
"I see wives with children and we feel for each other," she said. Her children, ranging from 8 to 12 years old, are surrounded in school by kids with parents overseas.
"We've developed support networks all around," she said. "I have a lot of pride in the military, and that's why I feel like Jacksonville is home."
Visit the online "Common Sense" forum via www.starnewsonline.com/cantwell. Contact Si Cantwell at 343-2364 or si.cantwell@starnewsonline.com
http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?SearchID=73150135739598&Avis=WM&Dato=20031012&Kategori=COLUMNIST02&Lopenr=310120324&Ref=AR
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: