Division's headquarters memorializes team leader, family man

[thedrifter]

Division's headquarters memorializes team leader, family man
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 200462101257
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva



CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(June 1, 2004) -- Gunnery Sgt. David M. Beall pulled the aluminum-beaded chain with his identification tags from his neck. He leaned over to the inverted rifle and hung them next to those of SSgt. Jorge A. MolinaBautista.

It was a final goodbye to a fallen Marine.

Marines from Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, honored MolinaBautista's life and sacrifice in a memorial service here. He was killed in action while on a combat patrol, May 23. MolinaBautista was a member of the 1st Marine Division's Command Post Jump Team.

Before the memorial ceremony was finished June 1, the tags of more than 30 Marines - all members of MolinaBautista's team - hung together from the rifle.

"What we memorialize is not Staff Sergeant Molina's passing, but his full life," said Capt. Edward T. Card, commander of MolinaBautista's team. "He was our advanced guard. He was a seasoned and courageous combat veteran. I realize I cannot begin to understand the depth of sorrow his family is experiencing."

Cpl. Jackie W. Phillips, assigned to MolinaBautista's team recalled the dedicated family man, who spent nights trading stories about his three children. Phillips said he treated his Marines as his own family.

"There wasn't a day that went by that he and I didn't talk about our families back home," Phillips said. "He was a very proud father and loved his family deeply. Staff Sergeant Molina also cared for his Marines. He always looked out for them, never putting himself first and never putting us in danger."

MolinaBautista was born in Mexico in 1966 and immigrated to the United States with his mother when he was five. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 1991 and attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. He was assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

It was there he married his wife, Dina, in 1994.

He was later assigned to 1st LAR Battalion at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and served a tour as a recruiter in Los Angeles before returning to 1st LAR Battalion. He deployed with the division last year for the invasion of Iraq and returned again this year.

Navy Cmdr. Bill D. Devine, chaplain for the 1st Marine Division, spoke to the Marines of MolinaBautista's commitment to his life, his family and his Marines.

"There is no greater love than when someone lays his life down for another," Devine said. "No one knows the meaning of those words more than those here tonight."

MolinaBautista is survived by his wife Dina, and three children, Jorge, Jose and Carlos.



Gunnery Sgt. David M. Beall pulls off his idetnification tags to hand alongside those of Staff Sgt. Jorge A MolinaBautista. MolinaBautista was honored during a memorial ceremony at Camp Blue Diamond, Iraq June 1. He was killed in action May 23 while on a combat patrol.
(USMC photo by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva) Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva

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Ellie

[thedrifter]

Iraqi battalion assumes security role from soldiers in 1st Marine Division zone
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 200462134249
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald



COMBAT OUTPOST KILLEEN, Iraq(June 1, 2004) -- A new page was turned in the Iraqi security force history book here June 1.

Hundreds of citizens from the neighboring community of Khalidiyah gathered outside the camp's perimeter to witness as American soldiers from 1st Battalion, 34th Armored Regiment turned over security to the 502nd Battalion of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps.

The Army's 34th Armored Regiment is assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, which is in turn assigned to the 1st Marine Division in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

"This is a historical moment," said Army Maj. John A. Nagl, battalion operations officer. "It's a very visible demonstration of the Coalition's faith and trust in the ICDC's capabilities."

The camp, a former Republican Guard base, lies at a pivotal position, making first-rate security a must.

It is located a few miles from the only bridge between Ramadi and Fallujah that crosses the Euphrates River. Additionally, the cemetery adjacent to the camp is a known location for anti-Iraqi forces looking to launch attacks against Coalition Forces.

"All of the soldiers, Iraqi and American alike, are working for a common goal," explained Army Lt. Col. Jeff E. Swisher, commander for 1st Battalion, 34th Armored Regiment. "They all want a safe, secure and sovereign Iraq."

He also said the transfer of authority is a symbol to the Iraqi people that both sides are striving to put Iraqi forces in charge of the country's security.

"The 502nd ICDC is now responsible for the security of the area's critical infrastructure," he added. "They must also work to rid the area of terrorists who don't want to see a sovereign Iraq."

According to Nagl, the 502nd Battalion is comprised of five companies that will all eventually be given separate areas to protect.

"By July 1, all the companies will be given established strategic positions in the cities to ensure the security and protection of the people," explained Nagl, of Kansas City, Kan.

The 901 men of the 502nd Battalion will operate in the cities of Khalidiyah, Jazeera, Habbiniyah and the smaller communities in the surrounding areas, according to Iraqi Lt. Col. Hamad Shaher Farhan, commander of the 502nd Battalion.

Before assuming authority from the soldiers, the Iraqi soldiers received extensive training and operated alongside their American counterparts to get the hang of things.

"They spent about two months learning about dismounted and mounted patrols and weapons marksmanship," said Army Staff Sgt. Jody L. Bills, truck operator with 1st Battalion, 34th Armored Regiment. "It's nothing different from what an American soldier is taught."

Still, Nagl believes the Iraqis have tough roads ahead, but shouldn't have a difficult time adjusting.

"The 502nd was established only a few months ago," he explained. "They don't have the same level of training as American infantry. They are also not very well equipped right now."

Coalition Forces will continue to aid the ICDC and to ensure the equipment is sufficient for the tasks at hand.

"I meet with their leaders almost everyday," Nagl said. "We talk about everything they're going to need to be effective. As long as they continue to work hard, I see a very bright future for the ICDC."

Farhan also sees success in the future.

"I'm so proud and happy on this occasion," Farhan said. "The men of the 502nd are our fighting heroes. We are ready to make sure the people of Iraq are secure. We promise our loyalty to the area and will work for a democratic Iraq."



Soldiers from the Army's 1st Battalion, 34th Armored Regiment and the 502nd Battalion of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps stand at attention during a transfer of authority ceremony Combat Outpost Killeen June 1. The Iraqi flag was raised to signify the change of power. The event marked the turnover of security responsibilities for the surrounding communities from the American soldiers to the Iraqis.
(USMC photo by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald) Photo by: Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

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Ellie

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Camp Fallujah's fire department extinguishes live fire test
Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story Identification #: 20046323456
Story by Lance Cpl. J.C. Guibord



CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(May 13, 2004) -- The flames of the fire were beginning to snake up the sides of the building as blaring sirens signaled the arrival of the Camp Fallujah fire department on the scene of their first live-fire drill here May 13.

The ten-man firefighting crew, comprised of five Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 374 and five soldiers from the 1439th Engineer Battalion, was recently assigned to Camp Fallujah to fulfill the base's need for a fire department.

The combination of Army and Marine firefighters with different backgrounds enhances the team's capabilities. Crash Fire Rescue Marines are generally attached to aviation units to fight aircraft fires, while soldiers train to combat structure fires primarily.

The department's first exercise was set up to challenge the team and take them by surprise.

"None of the personnel knew it was coming; it would have defeated the purpose of the drill," said Staff Sgt. Jose L. Aguirre, the Camp Fallujah fire marshal.

As the orchestrator of the training exercise, Aguirre set an uninhabited building ablaze and waited for his team to respond and properly extinguish the fire.

They arrived two minutes after the fire was set, according to the Huron, Calif., native.

The quick response began at the fire department's office.

"I received the call that we had a building fire south of East Road, so I proceeded to that location," said Lance Cpl. Matthew T. Laidlaw, a crew chief from Murphys, Calif.

Within 20 minutes of the call, the fire was out and the crew was preparing to return to their firehouse for a debrief.

Although just a drill, they responded with speed and professionalism.

"This is what we train for, you know what you have to do," said Army Spc. Adam J. Steuer, a firefighter and a Roscommon, Mich. Native. "The drill refreshed a lot of things I've already been taught."

Exercises like this will be conducted throughout the fire department's stay at Camp Fallujah.

"Overall the drill went outstanding," said Aguirre. "They did everything I expected them to do. There were some minor details, but we can expect those. They are easy to overcome."



A Camp Fallujah fire truck is seen through a flame-filled window as it approaches the scene of the fire department's first fire drill, May 13, 2004, on Camp Fallujah, Iraq. The team, comprised of Marines and soldiers, has been training here for several weeks supporting the I Marine Expeditionary Force in Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Official
USMC photo by Lance Cpl. J.C. Guibord)

Photo by: Lance Cpl. J.C. Guibord

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Ellie

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Marines treat Iraqi farmer to bovine therapy
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20046352038
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva



CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(June 2, 2004) -- Marines here took an udderly different approach to helping Iraqis.

Marines and sailors came up with a new and unique solution to helping one Iraqi man. And she’s a looker.

She’s got big, brown eyes and an unmistakable sway when she walks. She’s a bit young, but to those who know what to look for, she’s got just what an Iraqi farmer wants.

To be honest, she’s sort of a cow. Not so, say Marines and sailors with 1st Marine Division’s Government Support Team. She’s a special cow - the milking kind.

The division’s GST section bought a cow, with the help of Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles. The lucky farmer… well, he’s roaming greener pastures.

“We were meeting with the governor when he commented about this poor farmer’s cow being killed,” explained Lt. Col. Alan G. Burghard Sr., the GST commander. “The farmer had medical ailments that required him to eat dairy products and there was no way to find a way to honor the claim.”

It all started when Marines and enemy forces were shooting it out on a farm near Ramadi a few weeks ago. The farmer’s cow was caught in the crossfire and well… bought the farm. It’s a sad story that’s even sadder because the farmer literally relied on the cow for his health.

But buying a cow wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Specifically, there were rules and regulations against directly buying goods and well… cows. Marines could hand the farmer a check, but a check wasn’t going to put milk in his glass and cheese on his table.

So Burghard approached Jim Hake, the director for Spirit of America to see if he could help. Spirit of America already assisted Marines in Iraq by donating millions of dollars in school, medical and dental supplies. Livestock, though, was something different.

“I related the story to Jim and I got a one-sentence response,” explained Burghard, a 45-year-old from Parsinippay, N.J. “He said, ‘Buy the cow.’”

Buying a cow in Iraq, though, isn’t like heading down to the local livestock show or 4-H Club. Burghard asked the local Iraqi governor to help him locate a cow that was relatively young and already producing milk.

Still, he admitted he didn’t know the first thing about buying the right cow.

“All I know about a cow is hay goes in one end and milk comes out the other,” he said.

That’s where Navy Chief Petty Officer Ron E. Heinen stepped in. He’s a hospital corpsman and emergency medical technician and knew a thing or two about cows. Being from Dayton, Texas and raising a few cows of his own made him, well… the udder expert.

“I wanted to check it for age,” explained 58-year-old Heinen. “You do that by checking the teeth.”

Doing that, though, requires a handful of bovine snot. The trick, he explained, is to get the cow by the nose - one finger in one nostril and a thumb in the other - and squeeze.

“When you do that, they pretty much just freeze,” Heinen said.

What Heinen saw was a bottom set of pearly whites and a top row just starting to come in. It indicated the cow was about three years old. A check over the rest of the animal showed him she was in good shape.

“She was a healthy cow,” he said. “She had good udders. It looked like a good deal.”

Burghard said he had to trust Heinen’s word. Looking at the cow, he thought he was getting a couple extra parts thrown in for free.

“I forgot dairy cows had horns,” he said. “I saw it at first and thought there was something wrong with this picture.”

Heinen said the price was right too. Heinen said he bought a similar cow not too long ago and paid $750. Marines got the cow for the rock-bottom price of $520.

Burghard explained that the cow will not only be able to provide the dairy products the Iraqi farmer needs, but excess can be traded for other goods. Plus, the cow is healthy to breed and has the potential to provide a long line of dairy cows for the farmer’s family.

“What we’re doing isn’t just building bridges,” Burghard added. “It’s building bridges between people. Creative solutions are being found by units.”

For Heinen’s part, he’d gladly do the dirty work of inspecting livestock again.

“When I looked at the cow’s teeth, the Iraqis kind of relaxed,” he explained. “It was like, ‘Hey, this guy knows what he’s doing.’ I actually saw this guy jump in the air as we walked away.”



Navy Chief Petty Officer Ron E. Heinen, a hospital corpsmen from Dayton, Texas puts his experience raising dairy cows to use as he checks a cow's teeth to estimate her age. Marines and sailors with the 1st Marine Division's Government Support Team, along with Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, bought the cow for am Iraqi farmer. The farmer was reliant on the cow for dairy products to ease medical ailments.
(Photo courtesy Lt. Col. Alan F. Burghard Sr.) Photo by: Lt. Col. Alan F. Burghard Sr.

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Ellie

[thedrifter]

Regimental Combat Team 7 honors fallen on Memorial Day
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20046284558
Story by Sgt. Jose L. Garcia



CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq(May 31, 2004) -- They stood with heads bowed.

More than 500 Marines from Regimental Combat Team 7 paused operations in western Iraq to honor their war dead in a simple, quiet and solemn ceremony May 31.

The fallen were fathers, sons, friends and next-door neighbors. They were Marines who paid the ultimate price for freedom. The names of 23 Marines who died fighting for this regiment were called out.

"This holiday plays a big role because the (operational) tempo has not allowed enough time to honor and commemorate our fallen comrades," said Master Gunnery Sgt. Jose L. Garcia, 44, from El Paso, Texas and the operations chief for Regional Combat Team 7. "We have to take time to have this holiday for its intended purpose, not to have hot dogs or beer in our backyards."

Garcia said the ceremony was for intended purpose. He stood among his fellow Marines to honor the lives and sacrifices for real people he actually knew.

"We honor these warriors that have fallen next to us and pay our respects," Garcia said. "If you have a friend who dies out here, it has a different meaning."

Marines said this Memorial Day strikes a more solemn tone. They've seen Marines and sailors fall fighting for each other, living up to their Corps' motto of "Semper Fidelis," always faithful.

"It has more of an impact out here because of the guys we lost," said Cpl. Matthew S. Heald, of Tallahassee, Fla., and infantryman with RCT-7. "People back home remember names. Here we remember our friends."

The 1st Marine Division's senior enlisted Marine said that this Memorial Day has a renewed sense of awe and sobering reality.

"This definitely hits home and defines the true meaning of Memorial Day," said Sgt. Maj. Wayne R. Bell, a 47-year-old Bostonian. "Our brothers in arms have paid the ultimate sacrifice."

Cpl. David E. Allen, 30, of Watervalley, Mo., and an engineer assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion knew four of the Marines honored during roll call. He said Memorial Day would forever be different.

"When you have a friend lose his life it becomes more of a personal note," Allen explained. "The difference is personalization. This is a time to pay our respects and put some closure. We still have a fight in front of us."



Twenty-three set of identification tags hang from a pistol grip of an M-16A4 service rifle during a Memorial Day ceremondy at Camp Al Asad, Iraq. Regimental Combat Team 7 briefly paused operations May 31 to reflect and honor the memory of the Marines who died while serving in Iraq.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose L. Garcia) Photo by: Sgt. Jose L. Garcia

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Ellie

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County police send Marines best wishes -- and supplies
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by C. Benjamin Ford
Staff Writer

Montgomery County Police have adopted "The Fighting Griffins."

The police have set up collection boxes to ship comfort items for Marine Corps Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 -- known as "The Fighting Griffins" -- serving in Afghanistan. The unit has been based just north of Kandahar since February and is expected to return to its North Carolina home in October.

Detective Sheila Sugrue organized the department's "Adopt a Marine" program after speaking to the wife of an old friend, Andrew McFarland, a captain with the squadron.

The unit also has a Montgomery County tie, Sugrue said: Its second in command, Lt. Col. Ben Collandreo, grew up in Twinbrook and graduated from Towson State University.

"It turns out it is a small world," Sugrue said.

She sent some things to McFarland, but she heard of other Marines not receiving packages from home.

"We felt bad that other people over there don't get anything," Sugrue said. "They're over there and sacrificing a lot. It's just kind of nice to know that people over here appreciate them and are behind them."

Sugrue became friends with McFarland in college in South Carolina when he went to the Citadel and she attended the College of Charleston.

The squadron has 500 Marines, including 300 single parents, Sugrue said.

To collect items -- still in their original sealed packaging -- Sugrue has set up boxes at each of the police district offices and at department headquarters in Rockville.

So far 50 officers have signed up to send packages to Afghanistan, she said.

Members of the public may drop off items that will be sent to the squadron. Notes also may be included but should be placed in unsealed envelopes.

Drop off items at district stations or police headquarters in Rockville.

Wanted items include laundry detergent in tablets; sunglasses; socks; undershirts; travel-size baby wipes; disposable razors; suntan lotion; insect repellent; aspirin; lip balm; toothbrushes and toothpaste; anti-nausea tablets; small bandages; nail clippers; foot powder; shaving cream in tubes; feminine hygiene products (30 percent of the unit are women); deodorant; protein bars; bags of nuts; dry mix sports drink; trail mix; chewing gum; beef jerky; granola bars; disposable cameras; stationery and pens; plastic bags; and instant coffee.

Call Detective Sheila
Sugrue at 240-773-5422.

http://www.gazette.net/200423/montgo.../219496-1.html


Ellie

[thedrifter]

There's no such thing as a milk run in Iraq
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 200453162048
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald



CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(May 30,2004) -- CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq - Convoys are business as usual for many of the Marines and sailors with 1st Marine Division. That is, if business means repelling deadly attacks.

"The day you start to get complacent," warned Sgt. George L. Vega, convoy commander, "is the day something very bad happens."

Vega, of Staten Island, N.Y., is currently in charge of the daily logistics runs to Camp Ar Ramadi, a four-mile drive down the road.

Although it's an everyday job, the times for departure vary from day-to-day. This helps to reduce the enemy's ability to effectively coordinate an ambush along the convoy's route.

"Sometimes we leave in the early, early morning or in the evening," said 25-year-old Vega, who has been on more than a dozen convoys. "It really depends on what the mission is for the day."

The missions, like the departure times, change each day.

Lance Cpl. Alex N. Panas, scout observer with 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, is part of a team that provides security for incoming and outgoing convoys here. He said he's been on "so many convoys he can't even count them."

Some days, 25-year-old Panas and the other Marines convoy to Camp Ar Ramadi three or four times a day.

"Our job is to deliver and pick up supplies, passengers and any other miscellaneous gear," explained the Brick, N.J., Marine. "It's a basic logistical convoy, and we provide
the security to make sure the mission gets done safely."

Before departing here, everyone leaving on the convoy is required to arrive to the vehicle staging area two hours early. The extra time gives the Marines the opportunity to make last minute adjustments or to relax once they are ready to step off.

"As the convoy commander, it's my responsibility to make sure anyone coming on the convoy is accounted for," Vega said. "I have to get all of their personal information so we can make sure they get where they need to go."

While passengers are logged in, the vehicle drivers conduct maintenance checks to ensure all the humvees, seven-ton trucks and Logistics Vehicle Systems are up to the task at hand.

All the weapons systems are also inspected, because as .50-caliber machine gunner Lance Cpl. Christopher R. Morales put it, things can get ugly fast.

"I always dust off my weapon because I want to make sure it's cleaned, lubed and ready to fire," said 20-year-old Morales, of Baldwin Park, Calif.

Panas knows firsthand how dangerous traveling on the roads of Iraq can be. He has been involved in several convoys that have been ambushed and hit by improvised explosive devices.

Fortunately, none of the recent convoys traveling to and from Camp Ar Ramadi have received any enemy contact.

Still, the Marines know that doesn't mean it couldn't happen, so they are careful to cover all their bases before rolling through the front gate here. It makes no difference that the trip usually takes no more than 20 minutes. They realize the danger is very real.

"Before we leave, I have to give the convoy brief everyday," Vega said. "If there is any new intelligence about the enemy to pass, I brief it. Then we go over the immediate
action drills if we get hit by enemy fire."

Marines said they knew what to look for as far as enemy activity, but worried more about IEDs because of the number of ways they are hidden and detonated.

"We have to be constantly wary of anything on the sides of the roads that looks suspicious," Panas explained. "IEDs are hard to find because there's so much garbage on the roads that anything could be one."

Vega said he couldn't be happier with the Marines who convoy under his charge day-in-and-day-out through the treacherous roads.

"It's only four miles to Camp Ar Ramadi," he said. "All the Marines know they have to stay alert and be ready for anything. I hope we never get hit, but if we do, I know my Marines are ready for it."



Convoys are a daily business for the Marines of 1st Marine Division. Hundreds of military vehicles hit the dangerous roads of Iraq everyday in order to deliver supplies and passengers to the different camps in western Iraq.
(USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Macario P. Mora Jr.) Photo by: Lance Cpl. Macario P. Mora Jr.

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Ellie

[thedrifter]

9th Comm Battalion helps 3rd MAW stay connected
Submitted by: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification #: 200462233558
Story by Sgt. Sgt. J.L. Zimmer III



AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq (June 2, 2004) -- A new piece of satellite communications gear was brought here in February to support the Marine troops on the ground in Iraq and has worked nearly flawlessly since arriving in theater.

The lightweight, multi-channel satellite transmitter was brought here by a detachment of Marines from 9th Communications Battalion, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, and is currently attached to Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, to assist the troops on the ground with a smaller more portable means of communication.

Sgt. Derrick M. Walker, ground mobile forces satellite communications terminal operator, 9th Communications Battalion, arrived in country before most other Marine forces to ensure the equipment was properly installed and running.

"I was one of the first Marines to field test this new antenna," said the 25-year-old Columbus, Ga., native. "We encountered problems with it when we first got here because of the heat, but we figured out a way to keep it cool when the temperature gets too high."

He added that because he was one of the original field testers of the equipment, he was sent to put the gear in place as the first communications link to exterior entities.

"It takes a minimum of two people to set this equipment up, but myself and two other Marines had it set up before anyone else arrived," he said. "This was the first site that was set up and was the initial means of communication with the outside world."

Cpl. Michael A. Nolen, ground mobile forces satellite communications terminal operator, 9th Communications Battalion, maintains the equipment and sees the benefits of having newer, more advanced gear.

"The older satellite communications gear only had one transmission band," said the 22-year-old Tacoma, Wash., native. "The LMST allows us to interface with commercial transmission bands and we can do it at much faster speeds because there's more than one transmission band."

Nolen added that the transmission speeds are three times faster than what was capable with the older military gear.

"The LMST has four different bands to transmit and receive," he said. "Three of them are used to receive and send and one to receive only. With the four different bands we figured out how to bypass some of the equipment and make the data transfer jump three times."

1stLt. Andy R. Lee, 9th Communications Battalion detachment officer-in-charge, believes the LMST is the next step in the evolution of battlefield communications.

"This is the proposed wave of the future," said the 29-year-old Boulder, Colo., native. "The (older equipment) has been the cornerstone of satellite communications and will never go away, but the LMST can do much more with much less manpower and equipment."

Walker's insight to the LMST is optimistic and in his opinion, the capabilities of the communications system will only improve as technology advances.

"This is the system for the future of the Marine Corps," he said. "We have it up and running and that is the only way to improve the Marine Corps' fighting capability."




Cpl. Michael A. Nolen, ground mobile forces satellite communications terminal operator, 9th Communications Battalion, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, is part of a detachment attached to Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. Nolen, a 22-year-old Tacoma, Wash., native, performs a routine inspection on the lightweight, multi-band satellite terminal, May 30. Nolen has only been with his current unit for two months and has spent most of that time deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo by: Sgt. J. L. Zimmer III

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn20...D?opendocument

Ellie