Marine Corps News Room

CAMP FUJI, Japan (Jan. 31, 2006) -- More than 150 service members with 3rd Marine Logistics Group endured the cold on Camp Fuji Jan.11-29, for Exercise Materiel Warrior, a three-week convoy operations exercise.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/D3A56DF119BB15E685257107002676DE?opendocument

Submitted by: MCB Camp Butler
Story Identification #: 2006131208
Story by Lance Cpl. Terence L. Yancey

The objective of the exercise was to increase the combat readiness of augments from the group’s 3rd Materiel Readiness Battalion, as well as detachments from Headquarters and Service Battalion, 3rd Transportation Support Battalion and 9th Engineer Support Battalion, in preparation for deployment in support of real-world operations, according to Col. R.R. Ruark, 3rd MRB’s commanding officer.

Throughout the three weeks the Marines and sailors trained and lived together, building teamwork along with their combat skills.

“The training has really built confidence and camaraderie within the unit,” said Lance Cpl. Stuart Dipaolo, an automotive organizational mechanic with 3rd MRB.

Along with convoy operations, the Marines and sailors received training in advanced marksmanship, crew served weapons, first aid and identifying and reacting to improvised explosive devices.

A tight training schedule, the cold weather and being away from Okinawa increased the difficulty and stress level of the training.

“Being here at Camp Fuji is the opposite of being in Okinawa,” said Lance Cpl. Omari Livingston, an automotive organizational mechanic with 3rd MRB, 3rd MLG. “Things are harder to do in the snow, but motivation remains high because everyone is out here to train so we all can come back (from Iraq) alive.”

The Marines and sailors received slide show presentations and classes from Marine instructors who served in OIF.

“(The Iraq stories) put relevance into the training,” said Staff Sgt. Timothy Black, an electrical equipment repair specialist with 9th ESB, 3rd MLG. “Something from the heart will help (the students) feel the emotion and understand why they’re receiving the class.”

On the final day of training, the service members loaded onto their tactical vehicles and went out on a convoy through Camp Fuji’s ranges. They were tested on everything they learned and were confronted with numerous real-world tactical convoy scenarios by the instructors.

Posted by sr at 09:01 PM | Permalink

Rolling memorials to Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick Kenny will touch just about every U.S. highway.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06031/646973.stm

Vehicles will bear decal of Emsworth soldier
Tuesday, January 31, 2006

By Milan Simonich, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

American Road Line, a trucking company based in Moon, announced yesterday that it is placing decals of Cpl. Kenny on its 550 semi tractor-trailers, which haul goods to and from most major cities.

Cpl. Kenny, 20, of Emsworth, died Oct. 6 in a roadside bombing near Al Karmah, Iraq. Three other Marines were killed in the attack.

Ron Faherty, president of American Road Line, said Cpl. Kenny's short life and death in service to his country should not be forgotten. After talking with his sister, Cindy Lioi, who knows the Kenny family, Mr. Faherty proposed using his fleet for an ongoing tribute. The Kennys agreed.

"We'll never forget our son. But we're so humbled that others wanted to make sure he is remembered," Cpl. Kenny's mother, Tricia, said after a ceremony unveiling the decal, about the size of a car window.

It shows Cpl. Kenny in combat gear and carries a simple heading -- "Some Gave All."

Molly Kenny, 22, one of his three sisters, wept as the decal was made public. But she said she felt happy because the decals on wheels will help keep his memory alive.

"I'm overwhelmed. My worst fear was that people would forget about him," she said.

Mr. Faherty had the same concern. He said reports of a handful of war casualties each day can be numbing, causing the public to see the fallen servicemen as statistics instead of sons and daughters, brothers and sisters.

Relatives said Cpl. Kenny's ambition from boyhood was to serve in the military. So gung ho was Cpl. Kenny that he inspired his younger sister, Katy, to follow him into the Marine Corps.

She completed boot camp about two weeks before he was killed. Katy Kenny now is a private stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

In addition to American Road Line's fleet, Emsworth's five fire trucks will carry the decal of Cpl. Kenny. He lived across the street from the firehouse.

Bumper stickers depicting Cpl. Kenny also are available for purchase through American Road Line and the Emsworth Volunteer Fire Department. All proceeds will go to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

Cpl. Kenny's father, Chuck, said helping injured Marines is a cause his son would have embraced.

Mr. Kenny said people usually want to talk about the politics of the war in Iraq, but he refuses to discuss that topic.

"The question I get most is 'What do you think of us being over there?' I say it doesn't matter. We're there and our young men and women aren't coming home until it's over."

Posted by sr at 08:51 PM | Permalink

English teacher Gayle Smith could always count on Hugo Lopez to come around to see her, first as a student at her Fullerton high school and later as a faithful volunteer who showed up every Friday morning to help drive other teens to volunteer jobs at a nearby elementary school.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/02/01/news/top_stories/20_51_381_31_06.txt

By: ERIN SCHULTZ - Staff Writer

So when Lopez told her he wanted to join the Marines, and when he visited again after boot camp, she tried to fight off her worries about his safety with thoughts of the strength of his spirit.

"He was a bighearted guy, always responsible, always a leader," said the teacher from her classroom at La Vista High School, a campus of about 350.

"He was everyone's big brother, everyone's best friend," she said. "Whether it was a kid with special needs or a teen trying to stay out of gangs, Hugo was always there."

On Tuesday, Smith and other people that Lopez touched during his 20-year lifetime were mourning the loss of their friend. Lopez, who was stationed at Camp Pendleton and shipped out to Iraq last year, died Monday of burns and other injuries he sustained when an improvised bomb exploded during a patrol.

Lopez, who was born in La Habra, died at a military hospital in San Antonio, where he was being treated for burns from the explosion, which happened just before Thanksgiving, according to the Pentagon.

He was burned over 90 percent of his body, Smith said, adding that his injuries were so serious that "it was probably selfish of us to want him to live."

He leaves behind his parents, several brothers and sisters, and a number of kids for whom he was a role model, Smith said.

"He was like a son to me," she said softly.

Lopez was part of Pendleton's 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment. His unit fought with East-Coast based Marines last year.

His death brings the number of locally based Marines killed in the war to 272. According to the Defense Department, 2,242 American service members, including six Pentagon workers, have been killed in the Iraq war.

At La Vista, Lopez was the first ---- and teachers hope the last ---- to die as a result of the war. Six other former students of Smith are in Iraq, she said.

"It's been hard here," she said of the mood among school faculty members Tuesday.

"He saw the Marine Corps as a way of helping him secure a future when he thought he could do good," she said of Lopez, who joined the Marines in 2004 and had won a number of medals during his short career. "He was a loyal Marine. He really felt like he could make a difference."

Posted by sr at 02:53 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON - President Bush singled out a fallen Marine from Pensacola in his State of the Union address Tuesday night, using the words of Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Clay to bolster his case for staying the course in Iraq.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/13759190.htm?source=rss&channel=miamiherald_state

By LESLEY CLARK AND CAROL ROSENBERGl
clark@MiamiHerald.com
Posted on Tue, Jan. 31, 2006

Clay, who was killed by a roadside bomb in December, left behind a letter to his family, Bush said, ``but his words could just as well be addressed to every American.

' `I know what honor is,' '' Bush said, quoting Clay. ' `It has been an honor to protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the secure knowledge that you would not have to. . . . Never falter! Don't hesitate to honor and support those of us who have the honor of protecting that which is worth protecting.' ''

As Bush spoke, Clay's parents, Clarence and Sara, and his widow, Lisa, were among First Lady Laura Bush's guests in the gallery, watching Bush deliver the address.

Clay, 27, was among 10 Marines killed in an insurgent explosion in the Iraqi city of Fallujah.

''Our men and women in uniform are making sacrifices -- and showing a sense of duty stronger than all fear,'' Bush said. ``They know what it is like to fight house to house in a maze of streets . . . to wear heavy gear in the desert heat . . . to see a comrade killed by a roadside bomb. And those who know the costs also know the stakes.''

Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, a Republican, spoke of Staff Sgt. Clay in remarks on the Senate floor days after his death, which at the time was the deadliest attack against American troops in four months.

'Knowing the danger he faced, knowing the unpredictability of war, Staff Sergeant Clay wrote a letter to his family to be opened only in any event of his death. He wrote, in part, `what we have done in Iraq is worth any sacrifice. Why? Because it was our duty.' ''

The Marine, who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, was a member of the Junior ROTC program and enlisted shortly after his high school graduation in 1996.

At the time of his death, the Pentagon said Marines were inside an abandoned flour factory being used as a patrol base when the so-called improvised explosive device detonated on Dec. 1.

They were all based in Twentynine Palms, Calif., and assigned to the II Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq.

At least 102 Florida service members, including active military, reserves and National Guard, have died since the start of hostilities in Iraq. Another 13 have died in Afghanistan and one in Kuwait.

Posted by sr at 02:38 PM | Permalink

There they were, moving into an area known to be a hot spot for insurgent activity when it happened Oct. 2, 2005. Gunfire, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades began flying around them as they took cover and started their assault on the enemy’s position in Karmah, Iraq.

http://www.defendamerica.mil/profiles/jan2006/pr013106tj1.html

By Cpl. Athanasios L. Genos
2nd Marine Division
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., Jan. 31, 2006 —

Lance Cpl. Michael A. McGraw, a 20-year-old automatic rifleman with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, stood up early on in the attack to begin the movement on the enemy when he was struck in the lower leg by heavy machine gun fire.

McGraw was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a combat "V" Jan. 25 in a ceremony here for his actions in the face of danger.

“I thought I was fine when it first happened,” explained the native of Clarence Center, N.Y. “I thought I had gotten hit by a brick or something until I tried to get up and my leg crumbled beneath me.”

McGraw knew what he had to do when they were attacked, he said. He stood up and began providing suppressive fire as the enemy was attacking his platoon’s position.

McGraw’s bravery enabled his platoon to move safely away from the main sectors of fire and mount a counter offensive.

“When I stood up, I took a round through my lower leg that ended up shattering both bones in my leg,” the 2004 Clarence Central High School graduate said.

McGraw’s actions permitted his fellow Marines movement to close with and destroy the enemy. He was pulled off the line of fire by his squad leader and was tended to by his corpsman during the first few moments of the firefight.

Currently, McGraw is recovering and walking with a cane, and remains thankful to be alive, he said. He is hoping for a full recovery from his wounds and continues enjoying his job as an infantryman, he said.

“I have always known that I was supposed to be here doing this,” McGraw said.

Many of McGraw’s commanders praise him and his fellow Marine’s efforts fighting the global war on terrorism.

“It’s the (privates first class) and lance corporals who are out there doing the job and getting it done,” explained Maj. Christopher Dixon, executive officer, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. “I am impressed with his (McGraw’s) actions out there.”

Posted by sr at 02:26 PM | Permalink

Hollywood . Nashville . New York . Palms, CA -- Marine Corps Base (PRWEB) January 30, 2006 -- Jessica Hawthorn's a country music singer from Texas. Justin Hawthorn is a Marine Corps veteran with two tours of duty in Iraq. They met and fell in love. They were married and then Justin was immediately deployed to Iraq for another tour of duty. For seven long months, Jessica has anticipated what his homecoming is going to be like.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/1/prweb337500.htm

Download this press release as an Adobe PDF document.

Marine Corps veteran's homecoming to coincide with release of Jessica Hawthorn's new album entitled, "High Heels."

“Thank goodness, he’s finally coming home,” Jessica said as she packed her car for the drive to meet her husband in California this week. *See www.jessicahawthorn.com

The 22-year-old Jessica Clark-Hawthorn is about to throw herself into the arms of her handsome Marine Corps husband, home from a brutal war. Homecoming is going to take place on January 30th, at 12:30 p.m. at 29 Palms, California on the Marine Corps base. The Second Platoon of the 2nd Battalion, of the 7th Marines are about to land in California and see their loved ones again after a long hard tour in one of the most dangerous hot spots in Iraq, the city of Fallujah.

Justin’s parents, Gilbert and Beverly Hawthorn are glad their son is back from serving our country. Justin’s two brothers, Jared and Tim, and two sisters Jennifer and Tina are praying for his safe return. "Justin is the type of guy who would go in first, just to make sure none of his guys got hurt.” He has been a Squad leader for the past year or so and the lives of his men are very important to him. *See www.capitolmanagement.com

Jessica Clark-Hawthorn has been in Nashville recording her first country music album for Platinum Plus Universal Records while her husband has been in Iraq. Mikel Gore, the Senior Editor of Entertainment Headline News got a chance to speak with Jessica as she left for California with high hopes of an incredible homecoming celebration.

Q: During the long months that your husband was in Iraq, what were you feeling during that time?

A: While Justin was gone, I just felt so empty inside. It felt like my heart had been torn from its roots. I love my husband. I missed him terribly. I did a lot of letter writing. I wrote him at least once a day and sometimes twice a day just to keep him up to date on what was going on with my music career. Of course they didn’t send the mail from Iraq over here very often and when I heard from Justin, I got a lot of his letters all at once. I didn’t care about that. All I cared about was that he was safe, he loved me and that he was coming home. I literally ached inside for him to be next to me. I woke in the middle of the night and reached out for him and he wasn’t there. The loneliness is an awful feeling, gnawing inside of you.

I would send my husband all sorts of silly stuff such as pictures of me and the dogs, or house plans that I liked for our dream house. I just wanted to keep our love alive with thousands of miles between us. I took photos of the dogs with a sign that said, “We love you daddy!” I just wanted him to know how very much we all missed him.

I sent him an autographed artist photo that he hung up on the wall of his room in Iraq. His Marine buddies would come in and ask, “Who is that?” He would proudly tell them that was his wife was a country music singer that was recording in Nashville. They just wouldn’t believe him so he showed them a copy of the marriage photos. I plan on giving Justin his own private listen to the album when he gets home with me and we’re alone together.

Q: What are your plans for your husband’s homecoming celebration?

A: I just can’t describe how much I want to be able to hug him after all this time. There are no words for it. After seven months apart, each day seems like an eternity. Roses, candlelight, and music would be nice, because after we were married it felt like we were robbed of our honeymoon together. There is no explaining how much you miss your husband’s touch, the gentle caress of his hand on your face, just hearing his voice, knowing everything is going to be all right. No one can fill that void in your life but the one that you love so deeply.

I have dreamed about this reunion for so long now. I’m going to have to restrain myself from crying like a baby when I run up to him and jump in his arms. I want to look my best and most women will understand this. I have had my outfit picked out for month that he will see me in when he gets off that Marine Corps bus. I saw it in a dream one night. I bought new perfume. I want him to cherish this moment with me as much as I cherish seeing him safe and home again. I know it will be the little things that are going to mean a lot to him. He wants a Sonic double hamburger. He’s starving for Sonic. Amazing isn’t it what we crave about this country? Did you know over a million people a day eat at Sonic?.” I want to just be able to be beside him, look into his face and hold his hand in mine. *See www.sonicdrivein.com

Q: Where are you on the album project that you started last year?

A: The album is finished, the product has arrived and you can buy it at music retailers everywhere. The title of the album is “High Heels.” I’ve always had a thing about heels since I was just a little girl. You can buy the album on my website, at www.amazon.com or other music retailers this month. My producer, Legends Hall Of Fame member, Robert Metzgar says that I sound just like Tammy Wynette. She and Dolly were my idols in country music. I just know that the album is worth every effort that went into the project. There were hundreds of man hours, musician hours, engineer hours, and finally manufacturing the product. I’m so glad I can give my husband the first autographed copy of the album when he gets home. *See www.robertmetzgar.com

Jessica was born in Sherman, Texas and later moved to Celina, Texas where she lived with her parents, John and Donna Clark. Jessica’s dad and mother are extremely supportive of her musical quest and have always been behind her in the many goals that she has in country music. See www.obu.edu

Her producers and surrounding entourage of people who have assisted her in the project is like the Who’s Who of the music business. Platinum Plus Universal Records is one of the largest development labels in the world and also boasts some of the most successful artists in the country music business. See www.platinumplusuniversal.com

Contact: Jessica Hawthorn
Capitol Management Group
1214 16th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212-2902
800-767-4984 (toll free)
615-321-0600 (wk)
615-321-0182 (fax)
http://www.capitolmanagement.com

Or: Robert Metzgar, GM
Platinum Plus Universal Records
1214 16th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212-2902
http://www.platinumplusuniversal.com

Contact Jessica Hawthorn
http://www.jessicahawthorn.com

This article written by: Mikel Gore
Entertainment Headline News Senior Editor
Nashville, Tennessee
http://www.entertainmentheadlinenews.com

Please feel free to use, reprint, amend or copy this article in your newspaper or media guide. Written and distributed free of charge to all media sources.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 06:48 PM | Permalink

Members of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533, the Hawks, and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 made the long walk to a transport plane Sunday as they prepared for the long trip to Iraq.

http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/story/5492928p-4952545c.html

Published Mon, Jan 30, 2006
By MICHAEL R. SHEA
The Beaufort Gazette

Family members embraced while their Marines, toting rucksacks and rifles, walked down the runway toward seven months at Camp Al Asad, Iraq, near the Syrian and Jordanian borders.

"I have two brothers who were down there," said Lance Cpl. Nicholas Brown. "They'll both have two tours on their belt, and I'm just getting my first."

Brown's enthusiasm wasn't matched by his wife, Tonia, who shrugged when asked about the day.

"I don't want him to go," she said while 2-year-old Kyler sat on his dad's backpack.

"He was hiding in it the other day," Brown said.

The Hawks, an F/A 18D squadron, will replace the Moonlighters squadron in western Iraq as the principle air support for Marines on the ground.

In most cases, they'll escort convoys providing close air support and scout roads before land units roll, said Capt. John Bussard.

"Often the very presence of air support is enough of a deterrent to keep insurgents at bay," he said. "Sometimes the sound of the jets is all it takes."

Eighteen-year-old Ashton Agan didn't want to hear any jets or planes Sunday. The newlywed buried herself into her mother's side when her husband, Matt, joined his squad.

"They were married in September," said Ashton's mom, Leslie Lipscomb.

Matt's mother, Lorri Gauthier, dried her own eyes.

"We expect that he'll be safe," she said. "Many prayers go out to the whole squadron."

The Marines learned of their departure more than a year ago and spent weeks in California and Arizona running mock missions, dropping real bombs and acclimating to sand and heat.

"They're ready for this," said

Lt. Col. C.J. Mullin, who'll be the ranking squad officer in Iraq. "I'm anticipating in the next seven months having an oversight and support role as the Iraqi defense forces step up and take more of the defense tasks and secure their own cities."

Contact Michael R. Shea at 298-1057 or mshea@beaufortgazette.com.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 06:22 PM | Permalink

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Jan. 30, 2006) -- First Lt. Martin B. Keogh from Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment was awarded the 2nd Marine Division Association’s Tarawa Award.

http://www.marine-corps-news.com/2006/02/37_iraqi_army_work_together_ma.htm

Submitted by: 2nd Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20062140849
Story by Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Zahn

Keogh, the platoon commander for Combined Anti Armor Team 4, was selected to receive the award because of his outstanding leadership ability.

As the platoon commander of 3rd Platoon, Company F, Keogh served on deployments to Okinawa, Japan and Guam. Following his tour on the Unit Deployment Program, Keogh was moved to Weapons Company and became the 8l mm Mortar Platoon commander.

Keogh's time in Weapons Company has been anything but predictable. This year alone, he has served as a platoon commander in three different capacities and in two separate deployments.

From February to April 2005, Keogh served as a watch officer at the United States Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan while on an anti-terrorism mission in support of operation Enduring Freedom. From May to August 2005, Keogh was the 8l mm Mortar Platoon commander leading his platoon through a rigorous pre-deployment training program including Revised Combined Arms Exercise and Stability and Support Operations training. From September to the present, Keogh has been a Mobile Assault Platoon Commander in the Al Anbar province of Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Each of these billets were a distinctly different assignment, complete with all of the leadership challenges that necessarily accompany such endeavors.

Lieutenant Col. Scott D. Aiken, the battalion’s commanding officer, had this to say in his endorsement of Keogh, “Throughout his tour in the 2nd Marine Division, Keogh has demonstrated unparalleled excellence, maturity, and remarkable agility of mind and focus. To call him an outstanding platoon commander would be a gross understatement.”

Keogh credits all his success to the Marines he is in charge of.

“The bottom line is that anything good I have ever done has been entirely because of their performance,” added the 27-year-old, Wilmington, Del., native. “I wish there was a way that I could truly thank them for the awesome job they are doing.”

Keogh’s platoon sergeant shares his attitude for the Marines.

“Lieutenant Keogh is the best lieutenant in the battalion and the best lieutenant that I have ever worked with,” said Staff Sgt. Roy L. Rose, the platoon sergeant for CAAT 4.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 06:10 PM | Permalink

SANKABAR, Ethiopia - This is the war on terrorism that most Americans haven’t heard of:
A few days after Christmas, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Adam Reed rode into the parched, hungry village of Sankabar with a present: A new water pump. This month, Reed returned to the village, where elders gleefully showed the soldier from Sidon, Miss., what the simple irrigation system had brought: budding green fields of corn, bananas and oranges, the most promising crops in years.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/01292006/world/85231.htm

Help for East Africa

By Shashank Bengali
Knight Ridder Newspapers

A small U.S. military task force in East Africa is installing water pumps, rebuilding schools and health clinics, making medical house calls and training national armies - all part of a mission to stabilize a region that’s seen as a potential breeding ground for terrorist groups.

"We are coming out of drought because of the pump," said Omar Ahmed, a Sankabar elder. "So we say thank you, America. And thank you, Mr. Reed. He is the first guy to give us help."

What’s going here provides a glimpse of the Bush administration’s global war on terrorism, which is being fought - mostly in the shadows - elsewhere in Africa and across the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia using different combinations of military, covert, economic and diplomatic weapons.

Separated from the Middle East by only a narrow waterway, the Horn of Africa is home to 90 million Muslims, many of whom live in crushing poverty and political isolation. Al-Qaida has had success in the area, bombing U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, attacking the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen in 2000 and nearly shooting down an Israeli charter plane over Kenya in 2002.

The 1,500 troops of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa have been stationed since 2002 at Camp Lemonier, a former French base on the Red Sea in the tiny coastal nation of Djibouti. They were sent to hunt down al-Qaida operatives in East Africa, but there are few known terrorist cells working in the vast area - two-thirds the size of the United States - and the troops haven’t made many arrests.

Instead, theirs has become a humanitarian mission, with public relations benefits. By bringing aid to remote villages, commanders say, they help alleviate the poverty and alienation that foster terrorism and score image points against terrorist recruiters who would paint the United States as a villain.

"We are in a generational fight for hearts and minds," said Maj. Gen. Timothy Ghormley, the task force commander. "We do water projects and build schools that help a poor child in a village, and in 20 years that child will remember us."

Ghormley, who as a young Marine in Vietnam helped train militias to fight Viet Cong, likes to boast that his troops haven’t fired a single shot. Made up largely of engineering and construction units, the task force has built 52 schools, 23 medical facilities and 25 water wells. It’s also trained military forces in six countries, including Uganda and Ethiopia, to shore up their border security.

Though far smaller, it’s the most significant U.S. military engagement in Africa since 25,000 troops went to Somalia in 1992, an operation that ended after 18 were killed in the infamous "Black Hawk Down" episode.

The emphasis on Africa in the U.S. war on terrorism has grown in recent years. Last year, the American military launched a $500 million program to train the armies of nine West and North African countries in counterterrorism operations. A similar $100 million project began in East Africa in 2003.

The Horn of Africa task force covers 11 countries: Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Yemen. But there’s no troop presence in Somalia - the place analysts think is the most likely terrorist haven in the region.

Without a functioning government or security force, Somalia has devolved into a quasi-nation of warring factions where Islamic militants have strong ties to al-Qaida. No one has asked the United States to come in, so Ghormley says the task force’s limited manpower and modest $11 million budget are directed at countries that have welcomed the assistance.

Ghormley’s troops are a rare foreign presence in Ethiopia’s Ogaden desert region, a drought-stricken area in which most people are poor, ethnic Somali and, officials think, susceptible to Islamic extremism.

American troops - including Army well-drilling units, Navy construction teams and Marines - arrived in the Ogaden last fall, setting up camp in a hotel in the hamlet of Gode, so cut off from the rest of Ethiopia that at first some of them worried they’d be a target.

Until recently, the massive cargo planes that roared into Gode to deliver supplies didn’t even shut off their engines. They made quick, combat-style landings, then disappeared back into the sky within minutes.

But troops say the locals have welcomed them. When their dirt-spattered SUVs rumble into a village, children in tattered clothes run to greet them and elders shake their hands warmly, like old friends.

"Before they came, some people were giving us bad information, that the Americans kill people without reason, that Americans hate Africans," said Wali Aden, the tall, thin mayor of the village of Goderay, where the troops installed a $1,400 water pump last fall.

"But we believe now. They are the only guys who give us assistance."

The troops say they don’t ask villagers for intelligence or place any conditions on aid.

"I’m not here to fish for information," said Army Sgt. Dave Hoffner of Manahawkin, N.J. "If they want to give us information, we’ll pass it up" the chain of command.

In villages where the troops have worked, the feel-good factor is unmistakable. But the region is huge and complex and the mission’s budget limited, and some experts wonder whether the military is willing to remain in the region long enough to have a serious impact.

Even the small irrigation projects need ongoing attention. Villagers in Sankabar love their new water pumps - bearing the logo of a Chinese manufacturer - but they used up 55 gallons of diesel fuel in two weeks and had to ask the American troops for more.

If the pump fails, it’s not clear that anyone in the village will know how to fix it; a secondhand pump that farmers bought themselves broke down several months ago and now sits alongside the new one, rusted and forgotten.

"It’s nice that we can do these things, but this isn’t long-term development," said Princeton Lyman, the director of the Africa task force at the Council on Foreign Relations, a research center in New York and Washington. "It’s good for our image ... but it doesn’t substitute for general development because the troops come and go."

Still, Ghormley sees hope in his mission.

"If we fight this battle here well," Ghormley said, "we won’t have to fight battles like we do in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Posted by sr at 08:05 PM | Permalink

The Combat Center's Victory Field was filled with high spirits Sunday afternoon when the families and friends of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, gathered to greet their returning heroes.

The celebration called for balloons, ribbons, flags, cheering, banners and posters that read, "Welcome home".

http://www.op29online.com/articles/2006/02/03/news/news01.txt

MORE PICS AT:
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/6272D7B2E6E8BFDF8525710A00783DB3?opendocument

Lance Cpl. Michael S. Cifuentes
Combat Correspondent

Most of the excitement came from wives and parents. Friends and other Marines with the battalion who returned a month earlier also shared in the excitement. But, certain loved ones could not express their joy like others because many were new born babies.

In July 2005, more than 700 Marines and Sailors from 2/7 departed the Combat Center to support the ongoing global war on terrorism. Along with their loved ones, some of the service members left behind a new life, which later became a new member to their families.

Jennifer Shultz waited seven months for her dream to come true, she said. Shultz, along with a 4-month-old new family member, waited anxiously for the battalion's buses to arrive.

"The deployment was really hard for me because I was pregnant for most of the time," said Shultz before her husband returned. "After the birth, it was hard for me to recover without my husband. He couldn't call much during the beginning of the deployment but then he was able to call more and more toward the end. I'm so excited to see him. I'm even more excited for him to see his son for the first time. The truth hasn't hit me yet. The day I've been waiting for is here and it doesn't seem real. It seems like I'm still dreaming."

The Marines and Sailors with the battalion arrived at Victory Field at 3 p.m. and were greeted by a large mass of excited family members. Many overwhelmed family members couldn't hold in their tears as they reunited with their Marine or Sailor.

For Lance Cpl. Eli L. Shultz, a mortarman with Golf Company, his return home was more enjoyable when he met his 4-week-old, baby boy, Evan, along with his wife.

Cpl. Benjamin D. Vaughn, a mortarman with Golf Co., also came home to a grand, yet small, enjoyment.

Four-month-old Benjamin Vaughn Jr., and his mother Caitlin, awaited their returning Marine Sunday afternoon also.

"It was very hard for me knowing that I couldn't be there for her troubles when she was pregnant," said Cpl. Vaughn. "I know she missed me and I'm glad she and my son were OK. Being with them now feels amazing. I feel like a dad for the first time. I was very excited to come home but I was much more anxious to see my son and wife the most."

Vaughn's wife shared the feeling.

"It was nerve wrecking knowing he was out there," she said. "I'm glad this day came. I just couldn't wait for them to meet. As for now, I plan to spend a lot of time together - just the three of us. We are going to go home and do a lot of catching up."

This was the battalion's second combat deployment to Iraq.

The rest of the battalion returned to the Combat Center Monday.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 06:55 PM | Permalink

CHERRY POINT — There were balloons, banners and a brass band, but the warmest welcome the 115 or so returning Marines received on Saturday came in the form of hugs from family members.

The VMAQ-1 “Banshees” Tactical Electronic Warfare squadron returned to Cherry Point following a 6 1/2-month stretch in Iraq.

http://www.jdnews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=38373&Section=News

January 29,2006
STAFF REPORTS
FREEDOM ENC

Their absence from home has impacted not only their lives, but the lives of their spouses as well.

“You have to plan pregnancies,” said Christy Hancock. “Q1 deploys too much. They either miss the pregnancy or the delivery.”

Fortunately for Hancock, who is expecting in April, the squadron is not expected to deploy again for another year.

Col. Mark Wakeman said Saturday’s return was long anticipated.

“The biggest adjustment between here and Iraq will be getting up in the morning and not having to worry about being shot at,” he said.

The stint abroad represented the first deployment for some Marines, such as Capt. Patrick Amato.

He said conditions in Iraq were hot and he missed his wife.

“We had a good mission and exceeded expectations,” he said.

Cpl. Matt Langdon, who deployed for the third time, shared the longing for home.

“You get used to deploying, but it still takes a toll on your body,” he said. “It’s good to be home.”

Sixteen Marines in the squadron are still overseas and will be making their return in the weeks to come.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 06:20 PM | Permalink

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Jan. 29, 2006) -- A Marine from Company F, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment was awarded the 2nd Marine Division Association’s Lt. Gen. Julian C. Smith Award for his leadership excellence while serving as squad leader for 1st Squad, 4th Platoon.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/1FFFEC5DBCA15CAC852571150045FA31?opendocument

Submitted by: 2nd Marine Division
Story Identification #: 200621474420
Story by Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Zahn

Sergeant Mindo D. Estrella, a 22-year-old Erie, Pa., native was presented the award here, Feb. 3.

Estrella has served with the battalion since February 2003. He assumed the billet of squad leader as a lance corporal, and his knowledge, skill level and leadership ability, even at that grade, were easily evident and led to him being meritoriously promoted to corporal.

As a corporal, he deployed to Afghanistan in 2004 where he showed his ability to adapt to any mission. He led numerous combat patrols in support of the embassy security mission, participated as a leader and instructor in all platoon live-fire ranges and was the key small unit leader on the ground during a security mission in support of the inauguration of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, which the Vice President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense attended.

He trained his squad in the unfamiliar mission of embassy security. He also took time to ensure they never lost their basic infantry skills. His attention to detail enabled his squad to excel in a demanding environment.

He received the Navy Marine Corps Achievement medal for his actions in Afghanistan.

His motivation, dedication, and devotion to his squad significantly impacted its readiness for the company’s upcoming deployment. Estrella constantly supervised his Marines to ensure they acted in accordance with the commander's intent. His supervision allowed for extensive learning to occur during all training evolutions, including participation in the Revised Combined Arms Exercise and Stability and Support Operations Training at Twenty-nine Palms, Calif.

Throughout his deployment to Iraq in 2005, he continually displayed his hallmark tenacity and uncanny leadership abilities. From the period of Sept. 1, 2005 until wounded on Nov. 12, 2005, he led his squad on more than 50 combat patrols, numerous house searches, and a variety of intelligence-based operations.

His leadership abilities enabled his squad to successfully pursue and capture numerous insurgents, along with collecting viable intelligence to be utilized in the development of target packages of suspected insurgents, within Company F's area of operations.

The impact that Estrella, as a leader, had on his squad was readily apparent when he was wounded and evacuated back to the United States. While on the way back from patrol, he was maintaining security as his Marines crossed through a danger area. As he began to move out of his security position, he noticed someone out of his peripheral vision. As he raised his weapon he felt something hit him in the shoulder, heard it bounce off the wall of the house beside him, and land at his feet.

Displaying outstanding situational awareness while gaining distance from the threat, Sgt. Estrella was shouting to alert his squad that a grenade had been thrown. Despite his evasive efforts, the grenade exploded, sending numerous pieces of shrapnel that impacted his back, upper legs and knees.

Once dragged to safety and while being worked on by the corpsman and combat lifesavers, he still maintained control of his squad. He directed efforts to secure the area, and provided them with information on what had happened, along with courses of action to take. He continued to relay information to his superiors regarding the attack after being evacuated to the company aid station.

His unselfishness was demonstrated by his concern for the well-being of his squad, even while wounded.

“The fact that his squad didn’t miss a beat tactics wise, that they were able to step up and take over the mission, is the true display of his leadership,” said 1st Sgt. Howard L. Kreamer, company first sergeant for Company F.

“He is an outstanding Marine in every way, a true professional. He is the epitome of motivation and esprit de corps. To this day his primary concern is still his squad, and never himself.”

Estrella’s squad members feel his absence but know that they have to continue on and when they return home he will be there waiting for them.

“I’ve been with him since the School of Infantry. We have always been in the same squad, platoon since then,” said Sgt. Leroy O. Butler, the squad leader for 1st Squad, 4th Patoon. “We were both raised in the Marine Corps the same way, so I just try and do things like he would, follow in his footsteps.

“I try and call him as much as I can to let him know how the squad is doing. Every time I talk to him, he wants to be back here with the squad, and I know he isn’t lying. He said he would be there at Cherry Point waiting for us when we got home though.”

“The best quality Sgt. Estrella displays is that he really cares about the welfare of his men,” said 2nd Lt. Kevin M. O’Donnell, the platoon commander for 4th Platoon. “He’s a motivator, his attitude carried over to the squad after he left. They’re still going strong even though he isn’t here, it’s like they don’t want to let him down.”

Such dedication and leadership was simple to achieve, Estrella merely stuck to the basics.

“It’s real easy for a squad leader to get too high-speed and try to do too much,” said Staff Sgt. James R. DeBerry, the platoon sergeant for 4th Platoon. “He kept it simple, and got things done.”

Before he was wounded, Estrella re-enlisted for another four years, with the goal of being sent to a Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team company. He is currently back at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., undergoing extensive rehabilitation and awaiting the day he will be reunited with his squad.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 06:12 PM | Permalink

As the final year of a Marine's enlistment approaches, he or she may be unsure whether or not to stay in the Corps. What some Marines may not take into consideration is that there are benefits in staying Marine.

http://www.op29online.com/articles/2006/01/28/news/news07.txt
Combat Correspondent.

However, for riflemen with three combat deployments in their first enlistment on active duty, the stress and burden they carry may be enough to consider ending their honorable service.

Third Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, became the first Marine battalion to deploy to Iraq three times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom when they returned to the Combat Center July 31.

Two Marines who were with the battalion for all three deployments are Sgt. Myles G. Compton, a Tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided missle gunner with Weapons Company, and Cpl. James M. Foley, a rifleman with Lima Company.

The two enlisted before ground elements were deployed to Iraq. Both Marines' intentions when joining were to protect America from terrorism.

Compton is currently serving as platoon sergeant with Combined Anti-Armor Team 1. He entered the Marine Corps when he was 20 years old and living in Springfield, Mo.

“College wasn't working out the way I wanted it to, so I was thinking about the Marine Corps a lot,” said Compton. “The attacks on September 11 made my decision.”

Unlike Compton, Foley knew he wanted to be a Marine right after high school. He is currently a squad leader in 1st platoon.

“My father is a retired master sergeant and my uncle is a retired gunnery sergeant,” said Foley, a Sturgis, S.D., native. “I had the influences my whole life.”

“I had no clue what to expect going into my first deployment,” said Compton. “It all happened really fast.” Compton said after the initial push into Baghdad he began to enjoy the Marine Corps more and more.

When Compton, Foley and 3/4 liberated Baghdad, they were lead by Lt. Col. Brian McCoy, battalion commander, and they made history in Firdos Square pulling down the statue of Saddam Hussein there.

“I was ready to deploy for the first time,” said Foley. “I felt like we accomplished a whole lot when we got there too.”

When the battalion came back from their first deployment, they trained for six months, deployed again as part of a Unit Deployment Program to Okinawa, Japan, and ended up deploying to Iraq again.

“OIF 2 was completely different from our first deployment for the most part,” said Compton. “Our tactics and techniques were changed, and we were under strict order of conventional warfare. All in all, OIF 2 was more dangerous than OIF 1, which made our mission frustrating and difficult.”

After Compton and Foley's safe return home from OIF 2, they did not expect to be training for a third deployment, they said.

“I thought ‘three combat deployments in three years might be pushing it,'” said Compton. “I felt like we were playing with fire now. But as a section leader, I knew it needed to be done. Still, I felt lucky when we returned.”

“I was OK and ready for the second deployment but worried about the third one,” said Foley. “I wasn't looking forward to it.”

The experience Compton gained during the three deployments could not be matched anywhere else, he said.

“I am not as naive as I used to be about the world now,” said Compton. “My peers can never have the knowledge that I gained being a Marine.”

Compton feels his time serving in the Marine Corps was worthwhile, but has different plans for the future.

“I'm ready to go home and try something different,” he said. “I plan on taking everything I learned here and applying it to a career.”

Compton wants to work as a civilian contractor for the military and deal with infantry weapons systems.

After four grueling years in the Marine Corps, Foley reenlisted in October 2005.

“I am pretty proud of my accomplishments,” said Foley. “I became used to deployments and training. It's hard to adjust when arriving to Iraq and returning home. It just takes time. Speaking for myself, the Marine Corps hasn't impacted me negatively. I look forward to serving more.”

Although he is proud of serving three combat deployments, the life was difficult on Foley's family. The deployments were hard for his wife, Kathleen, when his daughter, Liz, was born while he was in Iraq, he said.

Foley has arranged to become an instructor at the School of Infantry.

“I need a break,” said Foley. “I want to spend more time with my family. I love what I do but I need some time away from the infantry.”

Compton is scheduled to end his active-duty service in April and is looking forward to working in the civilian world.

“I appreciate what the Marine Corps has done for me,” said Compton. “But, I'm ready to move on. Being deployed three times was stressful for my family, in particular my wife, Kacey. The Corps is not for me anymore, and I'm ready to move on.”

Both Marines are aware of the benefits of staying in the Corps. The battalion's career planner, Sgt. Bonel Pierre, speaks with every Marine about the benefits of “staying Marine.”

“I sit down and talk to them on how they feel about staying in,” said Pierre. “I think it's better to do it one-on-one. I tell them there is more out there in the field than just deploying.”

Pierre's job is to mentor and look out for the young Marines. He shows them what the Marine Corps has to offer, he said.

“Infantry Marines automatically rate a bonus for staying in after their first enlistment that can reach past $20,000,” said Pierre. “They can go on permissive temporary additional duty for 21 days or even get duty station incentives - just in case they'd rather not be with a deployable unit. All of this depends on their rank and time of service as well.”

Compton, Foley and Pierre understand why Marines choose to stay in or get out, they said. There are many reasons for their choices - all of which reflect on their experiences, said Pierre.

“A lot of guys get stressed out from combat and being away from home,” said Foley. “Some say ‘it's time to throw in the towel' and move on to different things.”

“Deployments to Iraq aren't a pleasant experience most times,” said Compton. “Some Marines may think a combat deployment is the only thing guaranteed in the Marine Corps so they may choose a different path. I wouldn't suggest anything to a Marine debating what to do. It's all up to the individual and what they want in their future.”

“I think I'll go career,” said Foley. “I can't see myself doing anything else. I have the support of my family about this. But for other Marines, staying in may not be what they want after serving multiple combat deployments. But, it's not like this everywhere. Eventually you get a choice of what you want, such as a B-billet. But it's the nature of the beast to serve three combat deployments in one enlistment. I think every Marine in this battalion is proud of that whether they stay in or not.”

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 05:10 PM | Permalink

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 3 is now certified to deploy in support of the global war on terrorism in February, after successfully completing its 14-day Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) Jan. 26 off the coast of Southern California.

http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=22088

Story Number: NNS060127-06
Release Date: 1/28/2006 12:02:00 AM
By Journalist 2nd Class Zack Baddorf, USS Peleliu Public Affairs

A team of evaluators from Strike Force Training, U.S. Pacific Fleet, embarked the strike group’s flagship, USS Peleliu (LHA 5), and reported favorably on ESG 3’s performance during the training to commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet.

“ESG 3 is really at the top of their game and is a well above average group compared to others we have seen,” said Rear Adm. Mark T. Emerson, commander, Strike Force Training, U.S. Pacific Fleet, who embarked Peleliu for JTFEX. “This is a very impressive group and I’m very proud of their performance.”

JTFEX, the third and final at-sea training evolution ships must complete before deployment, prepared the six ships and more than 6,000 Sailors and Marines of ESG 3 for future operational requirements.

The exercise incorporated operational simulations and the theoretical challenges that U.S. forces in cooperation with coalition militaries might face. The training team had small boats, Lear jets, Cessna propeller aircraft, the Swedish diesel submarine HMS Gotland and other U.S. Navy vessels simulate enemy forces during the training. The scenarios included non-combatant evacuation, humanitarian assistance, maritime interception, amphibious assault and daily flight operations.

“I have to expose this group to almost everything we think that [they’ll] see on deployment,” said Emerson, who headed the Senior Officer Observer Team (SOOT) during JTFEX.

“We stack these events slowly on top of each other to add an intensity to the exercise so you have every single warfare area, every single entity in this group, engaged in many things all at once,” said Emerson. “That’s our final test: to see if the group, the staff, the individual units, the warfare commanders, (everyone) all the way down to the console operator and the rifleman, can put it all together, and this group has done very, very well.”

ESG 3 Commander, Marine Brig. Gen. Carl Jensen said he is “very proud of the continuous and steep improvement ESG 3 made made every step of the way. The training and long hours of preparation really came together in JTFEX and I couldn’t be more proud of the team’s performance.”

“Absolutely” certain of ESG 3’s readiness to deploy, Jensen said he expects the strike group to “make a positive difference wherever she sails, whether that involves actual combat operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian assistance, or anything in between.”

“Like every Sailor and Marine on board, I’m tremendously proud of this opportunity to serve our nation in a combat arena,” said Jensen, who is embarked aboard Peleliu with his staff.

During their upcoming Western Pacific deployment, ESG 3 will be “our nations best hope,” said Rear Adm. Christopher C. Ames, commander, Amphibious Group 3, who embarked Peleliu during ESG 3’s Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX). “They soon will carry the flag of the United States forward, anywhere in the world, because of the great maneuverability afforded [to] naval forces, who can go anywhere with unimpeded access, where the scene of action is. So, they have a heavy responsibility that lies ahead of them.”

Internal communications division officer Lt. j.g. Greg Kurtz said he’s ready. Standing the officer-of-the-deck (OOD) watch has prepared him “very well” for the deployment, he said. When on watch, Kurtz had the ship’s Small Craft Action Team (SCAT) respond to and simulate an engagement against a small boat attack .

“The training prepares us for situations that might actually happen and we learn from our mistakes here,” said Kurtz. “We can’t [make] mistakes when we deploy because lives are at risk. The training is giving us the chance to understand how to deal with the threat.”
Emerson said ESG 3 was “very, very proactive” in approaching the situations and did “exceptionally well.”

Kurtz added that these simulated emergency situations brought the bridge team together.

“You put everyone … of these watch standers on edge, as if dealing with a real situation, so they’re prepared if it actually happens,” he said. “This way they won’t freeze up and not know how to handle the excitement.”

While Kurtz and other OODs are responsible for the ship’s navigation and the safety of the crew from the bridge, the tactical action officers (TAO) work in the Combat Information Center to defend the ship and employ weapons systems.

One of five TAOs on Peleliu, Lt. Cmdr. Chris White, said this training has “been great for the strike group.

“We’ve definitely got the building blocks,” said White, who is also Peleliu’s navigator. “Every mission is different but we definitely have the foundation laid for a wide variety of situations. We’ve worked out the bugs.”

While ESG 3 did well during the work-ups, Emerson said the group needs to “never stop practicing, rehearsing, exercising, and learning.”

ESG 3 completed its first work-up, ESG Integration Exercise (ESGINT), Nov. 18 and its COMPTUEX Dec. 16. The group is comprised of Amphibious Squadron 3, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Peleliu, the guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), the guided-missile frigate USS Reuben James (FFG 57), the dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42), the guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzales (DDG 66) with the crew of the guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58), the amphibious transport dock USS Ogden (LPD 5), Tactical Air Control Squadron 11, and the "Black Jacks" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21.

The Military Sealift Command (MSC) hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), the guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92), and the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Asheville (SSN 758) participated in the training but will not deploy with the strike group.

.

Posted by sr at 08:51 PM | Permalink

When it comes to post-traumatic stress disorder, the war in Iraq is affecting everyone — civilians and soldiers, males and females, Iraqis and Americans — said doctors at a panel at the National Press Club in Washington on Friday

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com

By Kelly Kennedy
Times staff writer

But this time, as opposed to wars in the past, doctors know to look for the symptoms of PTSD as well as how to treat it.

“We feel we’re reaching a higher proportion of veterans than in the past,” said Antonette Zeiss, deputy chief consultant for mental health services at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Zeiss said she thinks more soldiers are seeking help because they know the services are available. During the Vietnam War, doctors and soldiers did not know to look for the symptoms of PTSD, which include flashbacks, nightmares, lack of emotions, difficulty sleeping and irritability.

Zeiss said 120,000 soldiers have sought health care, and that 31 percent of them are being reviewed for possible mental health disorders, the top diagnosed being PTSD. A big difference from previous wars, she said, is that 13 percent of those soldiers are women.

“We need to think not only about women veterans, but about women warriors,” she said.

Many of them, she said, have dealt with sexual trauma.

Soldiers are also living through trauma that, in previous wars, would have killed them, such as head wounds, Zeiss said. Doctors are just beginning to understand what those soldiers need.

“They’ve lived through something profound in terms of emotional experience,” Zeiss said. “How much rehab will they need?”

In Iraq, the Ministry of Health has worked to make sure doctors can help civilians deal with the same symptoms soldiers have, but Saddam Hussein’s government kept no records of mental health issues, and psychiatrists did not study specific areas, such as children’s mental health or forensics psychiatry, under Hussein’s rule, said Dr. Sabah Sadik, national adviser for mental health for the Iraq Ministry of Health.

Since the war, Sadik said health officials have kept records of mental health issues, encouraged people to participate in field research, begun a mental health needs assessment study, and begun two studies specific to PTSD. They have also begun integrating mental health into primary health care, trained 30 general practitioners in mental health issues, and talked with health care workers about ethical treatment of mental health patients.

“This is a probably a drop in the ocean for what Iraq needs,” Sadik said. “Iraq did not develop as much as the rest of the world over the last 30 years.”

Some of their work has become moot, though, as doctors continue to flee Iraq following threats from terrorists and the deaths of colleagues.

“With the ongoing violence, especially when intellectuals and doctors are targeted by terrorists, it has been a very difficult time,” Sadik said. “It is a huge problem we hope we’ll overcome.”

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 10:40 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 27, 2006) -- As the week began Jan. 23, Marines were rolling out to start Exercise Firestorm.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/E1165BF2F2FC55CE8525710300668BF2?opendocument

Submitted by: 2nd Marine Division
Story Identification #: 200612713405
Story by Lance Cpl. Zachary W. Lester

Marines from 2nd Marine Division conducted the operation against simulated terrorist activity in the town of Impact City in the made-up country of Katruna, in reality, a training facility here.

“The purpose of Exercise Firestorm was to get us back in the artillery mindset,” said Maj. Kevin J. Keating, 10th Marine Regiments assistant operations officer.

For many of the Marines, this was the first exercise in which they praciced their primary military occupational specialty.

“A lot of our units have been going to Iraq as provisional infantry battalions, doing everything but artillery,” Keating said.

Cpl. Ryan P. Pedroza, assistant firing chief, F Battery, had to adjust to being an artilleryman again after spending seven months in Iraq in a provisional infantry battalion doing convoy operations.

“At first, it was cool to change and to do a different job, but it is always nice to be able to come back and do your original job,” Pedroza said.

An exercise of this type hasn’t been done since the middle of 2003.

“This is the first time we’ve had two battalions on deck in a long time that were able to fire artillery,” Keating said.

Along with other battalions and regimental combat teams, personnel from the 10th Marine Regiment all displayed their own specialties.

The regiment’s mission was to provide accurate, timely, massed cannon fires and fire support for the 2nd Marine Division in order to disrupt and destroy the enemy in Impact City.

“We came up with a scenario that was similar to the things going on in Iraq,” Keating said. “We set it up to fight them how we would fight as a regiment.”

Upon arriving to their destination in the training area, Headquarters Battery quickly set up to start giving direction to the artillery batteries.

“We ran fire support for the grunts,” stated Staff Sgt. Jack O. Hendrix, fire chief, F Battery. “Anytime they got in trouble, we came out and provided fire for them. We also destroyed any hard targets they couldn’t get to.”

The artillery Marines rode in seven-ton trucks to the site of the exercise, pulling the massive 155mm Howitzer cannons behind them.

“The seven-ton took us to our position, where we set up the gun and started the process,” Hendrix said.

Running the huge weapon seemed like a daunting task, but the Marines of the regiment appeared to do it with timeliness and ease.

“To run the gun, you need one section chief and six men, but the more, the merrier,” Hendrix said.

On Hendrix’s team, there was a gunner, assistant gunner, recorder, an ammo team and a plugger.
The ammo team deals with the rounds and the propellant, preparing them to be fired and loading them into the tube. The gunner and assistant gunner make sure the cannon is firing on target, while the recorder takes note of all the information taking place.

“The number one man, or plugger, puts the gun powder in after the ammo team loads the round into the tube,” Hendrix said. “He then closes the breach, puts the primer inside the hole, pulls the lanyard and shoots the gun.”

The cannons are extremely accurate, sending rounds to a distance of up to 18 miles.

Hendrix looks forward to the near future when the Marines will be working with a new gun, the M-777 ultra-lightweight field howitzer.

“They are smaller and it takes less Marines to man them,” Hendrix said. “It shoots the same size round the same distance.”

The Marines worked hard to complete their exercise.

“It turned out better than expected,” Keating said. “I know what I have to work on to make it quicker paced for the firing battalion. This exercise is a stepping-stone toward our next exercise.”

During the week-long field exercise, the Marines were able to go out and complete the mission assigned to them. The training will help the Marines in preparation for upcoming deployments to Okinawa and in fighting the Global War on Terrorism.

Posted by sr at 08:40 PM | Permalink

(Marine Corps Airs Station Beaufort-AP) January 27, 2006 - About 110 Marines from the Air Station in Beaufort are heading to Iraq this weekend.
The squadron - known as the Hawks - will be heading to western Iraq. They will be joined by members of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4420302&nav=0RaP

The unit's dozen Hornet jet aircraft are set to leave later in the week.

A spokeswoman for the Marine Corps says that in all, about 250 Marines will be heading to the area in western Iraq. They will be there for seven months.

Another Beaufort unit, the Moonlighters, are due to return home in mid-February.

Posted 12:45pm by Bryce Mursch

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 06:17 PM | Permalink

Carmel grad abducted by Navy man posing as an investigator, authorities say

CARMEL, Ind. -- A Marine Corps color guard escorted the casket carrying Justin Lee Huff's body to the foot of the pulpit at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.

By John Tuohy
john.tuohy@indystar.com

The "Marine Hymn" played as 175 mourners, many dabbing their eyes with handkerchiefs, stood in the pews silently. The coffin, with a folded U.S. flag on top, came to a stop in front of Cpl. Huff's parents, Blaine and Theresa Huff, seated in the first row.
"Justin honored his country, his family and his church,'' said the Rev. Ted Rothrock.
Three rows of about 20 Marines sat off the altar to the priests' right.
Huff, 23, served two tours in Iraq after graduating from Carmel High School in 2001 and was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon and the Navy Presidential Unit Citation.
He had just re-upped his four-year commitment and was studying at the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Center in Virginia Beach, Va., when he went missing Jan. 2.
His body was found Jan. 13. He had been stabbed, burned and buried in northeast North Carolina. Navy investigators have charged a classmate, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Cooper Jackson, 22, Boones Mill, Va., with the killing.
Authorities would not reveal a motive for the slaying but said Jackson impersonated a Navy investigator, handcuffed Huff and abducted him in a pickup truck.
Enid Baines, Huff's English teacher during his senior year at Carmel, remembered him as a student who always seemed focused on his work.
"He was pretty quiet and kept to himself, but he was not someone anyone would dislike," she said. "He was always polite and personable. I can't imagine anyone disliking him (or) him making enemies. I was surprised that anyone would want to harm him."
Huff was assigned to the Brigade Services Support Group 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
Other survivors include his wife, Rebecca Huff, who is three months pregnant, and two sisters.
A support group called Marine Moms is offering consolation to the Huff family, said Melanie Smith, a Carmel High teacher whose son, Cpl. Lance Thompson, was killed in Iraq in 2004.
Huff was buried with full military honors at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, Fishers.
Call Star reporter John Tuohy at (317) 444-2606.

Star reporter Lisa Renze-Rhodes contributed to this story.

Copyright 2006 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 01:29 PM | Permalink

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Jan. 27, 2006) -- More than 25 Marines from different sections within 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) received their Corporals Course certificates here Jan. 25.

http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/0/9B67DA302F7924858525710300412F4A?opendocument

Submitted by:
2nd Marine Logistics Group
Story by:
Computed Name: Lance Cpl. Joel Abshier
Story Identification #:
200612765159

At garrison bases, Corporals Course is held over a two week period and comprised of uniform inspections, sword manual, drill, physical training and numerous hours of academic instruction.

It is not much different here in Iraq, according to Gunnery Sgt. Thomas E. Clough, 8th Engineer Communications Detachment commander and chief instructor for the Corporals Course.

“We do the same things here,” Clough said. “Except here we don’t have the same uniform inspections because all we have are our [camouflage utilities].”

Other minor differences include drill, PT and the length of the course, according to Clough.

“It is hard to get Marines away from their shops,” Clough admitted. “We shortened the course from 14 to eight days because we all have demanding jobs that directly support our mission here.”

Although the schedule was shortened, this did not mean all the materials pertinent to the course were not covered, according to Cpl. Roy G. White, data network specialist with Marine Wing Communication Squadron-38, 2nd MLG (Fwd), and Corporals Course graduate.

“We were here everyday from [7 a.m. – 8 p.m.]. Although the schedule was intense, I learned a lot,” White said. “There is a lot that goes into this course than what I originally thought.”

In the rear, uniform inspections are part of the schedule, where Marines are judged by their attention to detail. Here, there are few changes to the uniform inspections, according to Sgt. Matthew A. Phelps, who was one of three squad instructors working with the junior Marines during the course.

“We don’t have the [service A uniforms] here,” Phelps said. “All we have are our cammies, which we have been wearing everyday since we have been here. And because we wear them all day we don’t try to focus as much attention on uniforms compared to other things such as drill or periods of instruction.”

Some Marines, like Cpl. Richard S. Jackel, believe the class here will benefit them here in Iraq and when they return to the states.

“Because we are in Iraq, we not only learned how to become leaders in the Corps but also learned time and stress management,” said Jackel, who is an engineer with MWCS-38, 2nd MLG (Fwd). “Corporals Course is vital to becoming a great leader. Setting the right example through consistency is the best thing some of us have learned here.”

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 01:26 PM | Permalink

"Hey doc, when am I going upstairs? Hey doc, this bed is uncomfortable, when am I going to be admitted?"

A feisty elderly gentleman we'll call Morris (name changed for confidentiality) was in Bed 3 of Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, one of the busiest emergency departments in the military. He kept a constant barrage of running commentary on how long he had been waiting to go upstairs to complete his chest pain work up.

http://www.dcmilitary.com/army/pentagram/10_54/commentary/39393-1.html

by Capt. Sean Meadows
American Forces Press Service

Morris was an 80-year-old retired World War II veteran. After I had spent a grueling afternoon shift seeing dozens of sick and injured people of all ages, his relentless haranguing was wearing me out.

I am a second-year resident in a three-year training program in emergency medicine. And that day, this man's incessant jawing had me at the point of exasperation. Then, like it has many times before, the arrival of troops wounded in Iraq changed the mood in the department.

The constant chatter and hum of a busy emergency department halted in an instant as soon as the doors opened. The sight of bandaged and burned Soldiers brought in on field stretchers accompanied by flight docs and medics wearing desert camouflage brought conversation to a standstill.

You could hear the whispers: "Are those guys from Iraq?"

Previously summoned specialists arrived in droves to get these Soldiers, Airmen and Marines admitted or taken to operating rooms. The whole hospital hums with activity when a transport comes in. No one ever wants to be remembered as the one who didn't give aid and comfort to a wounded comrade.

Battle-hardened desert veterans, as well as those not yet tested, surround the newly arrived with greetings and encouragement. Some well-intentioned family member of a patient in the department went out to the waiting room to spread the news of wounded Soldiers in the department.

People waiting with sniffles and minor complaints looked embarrassed when they heard the news, some left. Complaints about wait times usually don't happen on days like this.

Some startled patients stared with visible discomfort at the sight of war wounded. The nurses and techs closed the curtains to raise a shield of privacy for the wounded Soldiers and normalcy returned to the emergency department.

My trance of observation was broken by the sounds of the formerly complaining Morris trying to climb off of his gurney. "Get me out of here!" he yelled. I turned and saw Morris trying to get up and off of the gurney. Before I could ask, he said: "Give my bed to one of those Soldiers. I'm not taking a bed away from one of those guys!"

Morris had tears in his eyes and was overwrought with emotion looking at the line of Soldiers waiting in wheelchairs and on stretchers. The incoming Soldiers could see Morris and heard this old veteran of Normandy and Bastogne trying to give up his bed for them.

Morris was reassured numerous times that the wounded Soldiers would be cared for, and after extensive negotiation he agreed not to leave. And we never heard another complaint from him.

Compared to Soldiers from the Vietnam era, these recently wounded Soldiers will have a very different homecoming story to tell future generations. I'll never forget Morris, and I doubt they will either. Different eras, but the bond of warriors crosses generations.

As an Army emergency medicine resident, I am reminded every day that we are a country at war. From the staff physicians in constant rotations, to Iraq and Afghanistan, to the wounded warriors who fill our wards and rehabilitation centers at Brooke Army Medical Center, the thought of war and its consequence permeates my experience as an Army physician. I see the news reports of wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, and hours later they come through the doors, flown in for intensive and sometimes long-term care.

An intangible benefit this Army hospital offers to men and women wounded on today's battlefields is contact with other veterans. I have seen Soldiers from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the first Desert Storm, and assorted other conflicts talking to and encouraging these young warriors.

One of the most poignant memories of my residency was when I saw a young burned Soldier with a right leg amputation and a badly broken left leg being confronted by a boisterous man in his 50s saying, "Hey, did you lose your leg in Iraq?" The Soldier mumbled "yes," and the man said, "Hey, look, I lost my arm in Vietnam." He produced his stump, and they spent the next 30 minutes talking together in a way I could never connect with either one.

I am ever aware of the consequences of war and how life changes in an instant by my daily encounters with these patients. I have never heard a combat wounded patient say they wish they hadn't gone to war. Even the most horribly burned and wounded I have met want to rejoin their buddies and go back. Their strength sustains me as I tend to them in the intensive care unit and on the wards.

My lack of sleep and long schedule gets put into perspective as I see why I train. It's hard to grumble when you see a man with extensive injuries battle pain and infection and endure multiple surgeries without complaint.

Many people are unaware that we are taking care of wounded Soldiers here at Brooke Army Medical Center. More than 2,400 wounded, burned and injured servicemen and women have been treated here since the global war on terrorism started. For some of them the battle is far from over; they face life-threatening infections from bacteria indigenous to Iraq as well as the burns and trauma they have suffered.

Though we weren't there when they were wounded, we join them on their new battleground committed to restoring them. We do anything we can for them. As we all are reminded daily, they fought for us, now we fight for them.

(Meadows is assigned to Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio.)

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 01:16 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2006 – The 8th Iraqi Army Division now has responsibility for military operations across two large provinces, a senior U.S. military officer told reporters in Baghdad yesterday.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan2006/20060127_4025.html

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

"Today is the day that the 8th Iraqi Army Division assumed control of battlespace inside of Iraq," Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said.

The 8th division is one of 10 such Iraqi army units now formed and will take the lead for counterinsurgency operations in both Diwaniyah and Wasit provinces, Lynch said. Those provinces make up a combined geographical area of about the size of the state of Kentucky.

Since 2005 the 8th Division's Iraqi soldiers have trained under Polish, Salvadoran, Bulgarian and U.S. military instructors, Lynch said. "They have transitioned through all the levels of capability," he said. "And today it was declared that they are now proficient enough in counterinsurgency operations to have the lead in two provinces."

Lynch said coalition forces will be available to provide support for the 8th Division, if needed.

Today, about 227,000 Iraqi security forces are trained and equipped, Lynch said, noting that's a 100,000-person increase in security personnel compared to a year ago. There are now about 138,000 U.S. forces serving in Iraq.

According to projections, about 8 of the 10 Iraqi Army divisions will be in charge of their areas of operations by next fall, Lynch said. Forecasts also say that 75 percent of smaller Iraqi army brigades will control their battlespace by the summer, Lynch said.

"So that is magnificent progress in growing the Iraqi security force," he said, noting that the goal is to field Iraqi security forces that can maintain domestic order and deny Iraq as a safe haven for terrorists.

"That's what we're seeing happening every day," Lynch said.

The 8th Iraqi Army Division's assumption of military operational authority in Diwaniyah and Wasit provinces represents "a significant, significant event for the people of Iraq," Lynch said.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 01:08 PM | Permalink

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., Jan. 27, 2006 – Just one day after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, nations around the world mobilized and formed a military coalition. Their goal: to combat global terrorism.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan2006/20060127_4027.html

By Capt. Steve Alvarez, USA
American Forces Press Service

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the coalition, which is headquartered at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Fla. Today, CENTCOM officials said, 63 nations are supporting the global war on terror. Since the coalition's inception, 27 nations have deployed more than 22,000 troops to Iraq. In Afghanistan, coalition nations have deployed more than 3,000 troops hailing from 42 nations. These figures exclude U.S. forces.

Twice weekly, coalition senior leaders -- or senior national representatives, as they are officially called -- meet to discuss operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The "SNR roundtable," as it has been unofficially tagged, is one of many meetings the coalition holds to keep abreast of progress on the global war on terror. In between these roundtables, working groups for maritime operations, humanitarian service missions and other groups meet to coordinate and plan their militaries' efforts in the war on terror.

The room is filled with uniforms as varied as the people who wear them. Flags from various nations -- France, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Britain, Pakistan and Germany, to name a few -- adorn uniforms.

Danish air force Brig. Gen. Soren Falk Portved is the senior coalition officer, overseeing operations of the coalition partners. "Everything here is developed by bilateral agreement," Falk said. "Here we're talking about military strategies."

Coalition partners offer what they can to the global war on terror, Falk said. And coalition forces have made important contributions in the war against terrorism, CENTCOM officials said. They have provided intelligence, personnel, financial support, equipment and assets for use on the ground, air and sea. Coalition members also have provided liaison teams, participated in planning, provided bases, and granted over-flight permissions, as well as make sizable contributions of humanitarian assistance.

Coalition partners have provided about $3 billion in financial assistance Iraq and about $217 million for Afghanistan. Coalition countries have been involved in more than 1,700 reconstruction projects in Central Command's area of responsibility.

The liaison officers link their governments and their deployed troops to CENTCOM. Their presence here enables each nation to be a proactive contributor to global anti-terrorism operations.

Coalition military personnel make personal sacrifices to serve in the war on terror. Many are separated from their families for months serving combat tours in Iraq or Afghanistan, and others are away from loved ones for extended periods as they serve the coalition in Tampa.

Azerbaijani army Lt. Col. Akbarov Ilham's family traveled with him to the United States. Their adjustment has been relatively smooth since his wife is an English teacher in Azerbaijan.

Ilham said his nation and the United States share a common thread that brought both nations together. "We're suffering from terrorism in our own country too," he said. "We're faced with these problems, so we're willing to do this for the global war on terror."

Ilham said he keeps his government informed of developments in the war. But he also serves soldiers on the ground, he said. "We try to resolve any of their problems from here at CENTCOM," Ilham said. "We try to facilitate things for them."

In addition to serving as a vital link for their home nations, coalition officers here work on helping coalition forces adapt to ever-changing environments on the battlefield, handling complex logistical and tactical issues. "One of the things we're constantly worried about is the (improvised explosive devices)," Falk said. "It is a grim weapon. We're constantly seeking ways to improve our tactics to stay ahead in the game."

Falk said officers from countries directly influenced by the conflicts help the coalition better use forces because of their cultural, political and geographical awareness of the region.

"We're targeting bad