thedrifter
01-11-07, 06:46 AM
Dodd Back From Trip With Marines Of Company B
(WSBT) The Marines of South Bend-based Company B are in Iraq right now. South Bend Tribune reporter Fred Dodd spent the holidays with them. Dodd says despite all the discussion of the war in Iraq here at home, the Marines of Company B are focused on their job -- and they don't pay much attention to the news.
"They're not really into the politics," Dodd said. "They're doing their job that they enlisted for."
For many of the Marines, it's the second trip to Iraq. Some didn't have to go back a second time, but opted to go back as leaders.
"They felt responsible for the younger Marines. And they wanted to be there to guide them through this," Dodd said.
Part of that mission has been looking for improvised explosive devises. Dodd went along on one of those missions and says he was impressed by their ability to spot them.
"They would point something out and I'd be staring and it would take me a while to see it, but they all saw it right away," he said.
And when they spot them, they try to assess the danger.
"You're watching this arm bounce this explosive around so they can get a better view of it and you're thinking OK, we're protected in this thing, but I'm sure we'd feel something if it goes off."
But not all the work involves explosives, they also spend time working on Iraqi police stations.
Dodd says they consider that work just as important -- because if things are safer for Iraqi officers, "maybe the Iraqi police will stay there and if they stay there and make things more stable, it will make it easier for us to leave," the Marines told Dodd.
When the Marines get to interact with ordinary Iraqis, they tend to get positive reactions, but Dodd says the Marines are still on guard.
"It's really neat to be there and see all this, but out of one eye he's also watching the crowd, making sure there isn't someone out there that was after them."
Dodd says the morale is actually pretty high. He expected it to be lower than it was on his first trip, but he says the Marines enjoy doing their jobs and get satisfaction out of saving lives.
The local Marines don't do much in the search for insurgents, but they talk to troops that do. They told Dodd that if true progress is going to be made, they need to be able to go after the bad guys.
Right now, they have to stop pursuing people if they lose visual site of them.
Ellie
(WSBT) The Marines of South Bend-based Company B are in Iraq right now. South Bend Tribune reporter Fred Dodd spent the holidays with them. Dodd says despite all the discussion of the war in Iraq here at home, the Marines of Company B are focused on their job -- and they don't pay much attention to the news.
"They're not really into the politics," Dodd said. "They're doing their job that they enlisted for."
For many of the Marines, it's the second trip to Iraq. Some didn't have to go back a second time, but opted to go back as leaders.
"They felt responsible for the younger Marines. And they wanted to be there to guide them through this," Dodd said.
Part of that mission has been looking for improvised explosive devises. Dodd went along on one of those missions and says he was impressed by their ability to spot them.
"They would point something out and I'd be staring and it would take me a while to see it, but they all saw it right away," he said.
And when they spot them, they try to assess the danger.
"You're watching this arm bounce this explosive around so they can get a better view of it and you're thinking OK, we're protected in this thing, but I'm sure we'd feel something if it goes off."
But not all the work involves explosives, they also spend time working on Iraqi police stations.
Dodd says they consider that work just as important -- because if things are safer for Iraqi officers, "maybe the Iraqi police will stay there and if they stay there and make things more stable, it will make it easier for us to leave," the Marines told Dodd.
When the Marines get to interact with ordinary Iraqis, they tend to get positive reactions, but Dodd says the Marines are still on guard.
"It's really neat to be there and see all this, but out of one eye he's also watching the crowd, making sure there isn't someone out there that was after them."
Dodd says the morale is actually pretty high. He expected it to be lower than it was on his first trip, but he says the Marines enjoy doing their jobs and get satisfaction out of saving lives.
The local Marines don't do much in the search for insurgents, but they talk to troops that do. They told Dodd that if true progress is going to be made, they need to be able to go after the bad guys.
Right now, they have to stop pursuing people if they lose visual site of them.
Ellie