thedrifter
07-26-06, 08:17 AM
Marines come to rescue
July 26, 2006 12:50 am
By JEFF BRANSCOME
Sgt. Derrick Lauderdale first operated an auger four years ago in Jamaica, where he helped build barracks and medical facilities for the island country's defense force.
Without any training, "I just hopped in and did it," he said.
Lauderdale brought those skills a lot closer to home yesterday morning, when he and 47 other Marines, most in their 20s, volunteered to put up a small playground for students in Stafford County's Head Start program.
Most of the troops have served in Iraq and are combat engineers stationed at Quantico Marine Corps Base.
A $20,000 anonymous donation paid for the play set, which the soldiers installed on a large patch of asphalt at the Gari Melchers Complex--formerly Gayle Middle School. That's where Head Start employees prepare underprivileged children for elementary school.
"A lot of the Marines aren't from here, but we're stationed here until we move on," said Staff Sgt. Myra Scott of South Carolina. "This is our community."
Even though he hadn't used an auger since his tour of Jamaica, Lauderdale rode the machine yesterday and bored several 2-foot holes into the asphalt.
"You name it, I can pretty much do it," he said, referring to construction work.
In 2002, about 20 Marines from Quantico installed a similar playground on the complex's outdoor basketball court. They disassembled it yesterday because county officials will eventually pave a road through the area for a new elementary school.
"They are such hard-working individuals," Head Start Director Kathy Massie said of the Marines. "All I had to do was pick up the phone, and they were ready to come."
The Marines wore casual clothing--such as a Simpson's T-shirt with the words "Springfield Unathletic Department"--and many smoked cigarettes throughout the day.
The group often joked around, such as when Cpl. Brian Overfield asked another Marine to save him some pizza.
"Pull a sausage off one of the pizzas and set it aside for him," quipped Staff Sgt. Greg Manning, who helped lead the troops.
But despite the playful atmosphere and sometimes colorful language, the Marines seemed focused on the job at hand.
At one point, Overfield perched on an unsteady playground platform and finished hammering it together. Five of his comrades gripped the platform's legs, which had been placed in several holes.
Cpl. Jennifer Brown, a spokeswoman at Quantico, said members of the military exhibit better teamwork than most civilians.
"It's just part of being a Marine," she said. "[Civilians] didn't go to boot camp to conform to each other. That's the big difference."
Sgt. James Fowler lay face first on the asphalt and reached down into a hole to position one of the playground's legs on a wooden block.
He said yesterday's task wasn't quite as tiresome as some of his construction duties in Iraq.
"You ain't gotta worry about drinking tons and tons of water to keep hydrated," he said.
By about 1:30 p.m., they had just about completed the playground, which included slides, a crawling tunnel and a small climbing wall.
For the rest of the day, the group planned to reassemble the old playground and put it next to the new one. The project will probably finish up today, when a contractor will pour concrete to stabilize the play sets.
"Being a Marine, there's nothing we can't do--especially helping these kids for this school," said Gunnery Sgt. Ian Denny.
To reach JEFF BRANSCOME:540/374-5402
Email: jbranscome@freelancestar.com
Ellie
July 26, 2006 12:50 am
By JEFF BRANSCOME
Sgt. Derrick Lauderdale first operated an auger four years ago in Jamaica, where he helped build barracks and medical facilities for the island country's defense force.
Without any training, "I just hopped in and did it," he said.
Lauderdale brought those skills a lot closer to home yesterday morning, when he and 47 other Marines, most in their 20s, volunteered to put up a small playground for students in Stafford County's Head Start program.
Most of the troops have served in Iraq and are combat engineers stationed at Quantico Marine Corps Base.
A $20,000 anonymous donation paid for the play set, which the soldiers installed on a large patch of asphalt at the Gari Melchers Complex--formerly Gayle Middle School. That's where Head Start employees prepare underprivileged children for elementary school.
"A lot of the Marines aren't from here, but we're stationed here until we move on," said Staff Sgt. Myra Scott of South Carolina. "This is our community."
Even though he hadn't used an auger since his tour of Jamaica, Lauderdale rode the machine yesterday and bored several 2-foot holes into the asphalt.
"You name it, I can pretty much do it," he said, referring to construction work.
In 2002, about 20 Marines from Quantico installed a similar playground on the complex's outdoor basketball court. They disassembled it yesterday because county officials will eventually pave a road through the area for a new elementary school.
"They are such hard-working individuals," Head Start Director Kathy Massie said of the Marines. "All I had to do was pick up the phone, and they were ready to come."
The Marines wore casual clothing--such as a Simpson's T-shirt with the words "Springfield Unathletic Department"--and many smoked cigarettes throughout the day.
The group often joked around, such as when Cpl. Brian Overfield asked another Marine to save him some pizza.
"Pull a sausage off one of the pizzas and set it aside for him," quipped Staff Sgt. Greg Manning, who helped lead the troops.
But despite the playful atmosphere and sometimes colorful language, the Marines seemed focused on the job at hand.
At one point, Overfield perched on an unsteady playground platform and finished hammering it together. Five of his comrades gripped the platform's legs, which had been placed in several holes.
Cpl. Jennifer Brown, a spokeswoman at Quantico, said members of the military exhibit better teamwork than most civilians.
"It's just part of being a Marine," she said. "[Civilians] didn't go to boot camp to conform to each other. That's the big difference."
Sgt. James Fowler lay face first on the asphalt and reached down into a hole to position one of the playground's legs on a wooden block.
He said yesterday's task wasn't quite as tiresome as some of his construction duties in Iraq.
"You ain't gotta worry about drinking tons and tons of water to keep hydrated," he said.
By about 1:30 p.m., they had just about completed the playground, which included slides, a crawling tunnel and a small climbing wall.
For the rest of the day, the group planned to reassemble the old playground and put it next to the new one. The project will probably finish up today, when a contractor will pour concrete to stabilize the play sets.
"Being a Marine, there's nothing we can't do--especially helping these kids for this school," said Gunnery Sgt. Ian Denny.
To reach JEFF BRANSCOME:540/374-5402
Email: jbranscome@freelancestar.com
Ellie