Marine Corps News Room

It was silly, really, this video of a Marine arranging the birthday song from Camp Fallujah.

Staff Sgt. Dan Norton stood at attention before the camera. In the background were sand-colored tents, an American flag waving. Norton called for support and four more Marines fell in behind him. The occasion? "My wife's 40th birthday," Norton said to the camera.

http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060430/NEWS01/604300367/1002

Cindy Corell
Connections

In lieu of cake, the Marines produced Oreo cookies, and in lieu of a party hat, Norton produced one made from funny papers.

"When I give the command to sing, I want you to sing loud and in the military manner," Norton called.

"Sing!"

Apparently the military manner is boistrous and more than a little off-key.

Liz Norton sat in Theater 4 at the Dixie Theater Thursday night, wondering why her parents had dragged her to the movies on the night she had art class. When her husband's mug showed up on the silver screen, she put her hands to her face, wiped away tears and laughed and laughed.

"Oh my gosh," she said.

"I fully expect my wife to laugh the whole time I'm on the screen," Dan wrote me via e-mail. "I know she'll be surprised, but not as much as you'd think — she knows I'm an oddball. I think she expects me to come up with stuff like this. That's why we make such a good pair — we're both a little strange."

Liz's parents, Lila and Bill Schafer took turns watching their son-in-law on the screen and their daughter's face as she nearly howled with laughter. When it was done, Marnie Gibbs, one of the chief volunteers at the Dixie handed Liz her very own package of Oreos.

"Thank you so much," Liz said. "I can't believe this!"

Liz moved from Camp Pendleton, Calif., to to live with her parents in Greenville when Dan was deployed to Iraq in February. He didn't want her to be alone. When she had her birthday on Monday, he wanted to be with her, so he did it the only way he could — through technology.

I first learned of the plans when Dan called me, then sent an e-mail, asking me to publicly thank John Zinn for arranging the event at the Dixie. Zinn is Gibbs' husband and they, along with dozens of other volunteers, spend an inordinate amount of their time making the Dixie project work, turning it from a discount movie house to a state-of-the-art community theater.

Playing a short DVD to make a Marine's wife's day was just part of the job. In fact, Dan asked John how much this would cost:

"You are paying any cost we would charge and much more by serving in the Marines," was John's reply. "We will provide free passes to the movie to your wife and her parents. This will be done so she will not know. After the show, we will present your wife with the DVD.

"Thanks for what you are doing for all of us," John added.

Before he left for Iraq, Dan and Liz had taken a long walk in downtown Staunton. He said the idea for the DVD emerged when he remembered how much fun the two had had at the Dixie.

"At some point we spoke of a recent trip to the Dixie Theater, how we enjoyed it, and how Liz planned to see as many movies as she could there while I was gone. I'd also been trying to dream up something special for her birthday, and I guess the two thoughts came together naturally," he said.

"Liz is quite simply the love of my life," he wrote. "She is endlessly creative, and probably the most open-minded person I know. She is a very caring, selfless woman, who constantly puts the needs of others ahead of her own. She is brave and intelligent, able to face hurricanes, cars that break down, all of the bills, evil cats and needy dogs, and the endless, everyday emergencies that couples deal with — all by herself, in a strange state, for months on end.

"She loves sleeping in on the weekend, watching cartoons, and getting lost on back country roads. She has no idea what she wants to be when she grows up, and I hope it stays that way. She loves to discover new things, and has an endless appetite for the oddities, mysteries and conspiracies of our world, past, present and future. She is my Sweetie, my WifeUnit, my inspiration, and again, and always, the love of my life."

"He's loony," Liz said, standing in the lobby of the theater after the show. "I don't know what else to say.

"He's Boomer, that's what everyone knows him as. He's a wonderful husband, he's funny and good-hearted. He's a family man."

"He's a real Marine," Lila added. "I'm proud to say he's my son-in-law."

Marnie walked the family across the street from the Dixie as they exited. Turning around, Liz saw on the marquee: Thank you Dan. I love you, Liz."

More hugs and thanks from the woman holding Oreos and still a bit overwhelmed by her trip to the movies, and we all went home.

Reflecting on it, it was so much more than a husband sending birthday wishes — it was a man in love with his wife, a community theater going the extra mile because it can, a mom and dad going out of their way to ease the heartache they know their little girl is facing and a Marine far away hoping everyone who deserves it gets recognition.

Yes, it was silly, the image of this goofy Marine in a funny papers hat singing off-key but loudly, even when at the end his voice broke as he said, "Happy Birthday, Liz. I love you. I miss you. God bless."

Very silly.

So why were there tears in my eyes?

Posted by at 10:02 AM | Permalink

Volunteers landscape injured Iraq vet's yard, bring him a new Harley
Dan Priestley got a home makeover, Marine Corps-style.

The staff sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserves was confused when his wife, Lisa, woke him at 7:30 Saturday morning. But the confusion dissipated when he saw retired Marines arriving on motorcycles with heavy equipment to work on the front and back yards of his Parma home.

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1146386438269970.xml&coll=2

Sunday, April 30, 2006
Angela D. Chatman
Plain Dealer Reporter

Months ago, Priestley said he wanted to fix up his yard and play with his sons.

He also planned to ride a motorcycle again, just like he did before his wife became pregnant with their second son.

But he was not able to do much of that.

Priestley, a 12-year member of the Marines, was deployed to Iraq with the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment in February 2005.

Three months later, he nearly lost his legs and died when his unit came under enemy mortar fire while patrolling north of Baghdad.

He has since had 22 painful operations that saved his legs. Two more are scheduled this summer.

Dozens of people descended on the modest Brookdale Avenue home early Saturday, including more than 20 members of the Leathernecks Motor Club International Inc., from as far away as Columbus, Lorain and Mentor. Their wives, girlfriends and children joined them, as did representatives of organizations that donated products and services to the cause.

In addition to $6,000 in landscaping work, the club arranged for the Priestleys to get a flagpole, a new patio, a stainless-steel grill, and a play set for their two sons, Garett, 6, and Tyler, 2.

But the highlight came just before noon, when Priestley took the seat and grabbed the handlebars of his new Harley-Davidson Deuce. Bedford's South East Harley-Davidson cut the price of the $22,000 motorcycle to about $17,000. Priestley's Marine friends raised money to defray some of that cost. "Rev it up, Dan," one man yelled.

"Ride it like you stole it," said another, as Priestley took a brief ride on the royal blue and chrome machine.

"I've seen people help people before, but not like this," said 84-year-old neighbor Frank Crish, who retired from the Army in 1961 after serving 22 years.

Priestley is expected to ride his Harley again today when the Leathernecks gather on Public Square for a rally for the troops.

The plan was to keep the surprises rolling, Leathernecks organizer Tim DeWolf said.

Priestly savored the friendship of his military brothers. He remains in the military and hopes to pass a physical fitness test that will allow him to continue to serve.

"That's the one reason why I stay in the Marine Corps. All these guys are outstanding," he said.

Posted by at 9:54 AM | Permalink

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- At an obstacle course set amid sage and prickly pears, Marine recruits lined up to don gas masks and swing on a rope across a gravel patch representing a blown-out bridge.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0604290286apr30,0,3282328.story?page=1

By Russell Working
a Tribune staff reporter
Published April 30, 2006

In the crowd of young men wearing helmets and camouflage makeup, I couldn't pick out my stepson, Sergei.

Sgt. Alex Kras, who ran the course, tried to help. "Second from the right," he said.

"With his back to me?"

"No, right here, standing."

Thirty feet away, a young warriorstood preparing to put on his gas mask. The day was sunny, and backlight cast his face in shadow.

"Him?" I said. "Oh, yeah. Yes, you're right."

Two months into boot camp, my son looked like a Marine.

In February, Sergei--who like his mother is a Russian immigrant--had shocked my wife, Nonna, and me by enlisting. Now I was visiting this base north of San Diego to observe the Crucible, a 2 1/2-day test of endurance that is the climactic trial of Marine boot camp.

During the Crucible, recruits march 40 miles between tasks that include tackling combat assault courses and carrying ammunition boxes over log-and-chain obstacles. It ends with a 10-mile hike in which recruits lug M16A2 service rifles and 50-pound packs up a mountain known as "the Reaper."

Mine was an unusual visit. I was not only a reporter--a common visitor to Marine bases--but the father of a recruit. It is all but unheard of for a dad to look in on boot camp, but the corps agreed to my request to see part of boot camp if I was going to write about Sergei's enlistment, as I have been doing since February.

The company commander, Capt. Rich Vallee, said nothing would be done to compromise recruits' safety, but added, "You're going to see your son in some pain, sir."

Vallee seemed worried that I wouldn't get it. What might look like bullying to a civilian parent--hounding recruits to the point of exhaustion--serves an essential purpose, the corps believes. The Crucible forces men to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles by working as a team.

After all, Alpha Company 1st Sgt. Carlos Reina said, "The enemy's not going to look at you and say, `Oh, well, he's tired. I'm not going to come after him.' The enemy's going to kill you."

Spotting me at the obstacle course, Sergei grinned. Then the drill instructors marched the recruits off to the next event, urging the men to keep their ranks tight. The recruits answered in a booming dialogue.

"Tighter!" the sergeants growled.

"KILL!" the recruits answered.

"Tighter!"

"KILL!"

"Tighter!"

"KILL, KILL, KILL THEM ALL!"

It was unsettling to see Sergei roaring along with them.

Throughout the 2 1/2-day Crucible, he and the other recruits would sleep fewer than five hours a night and eat just three meals.

A cohort of sergeants would push, berate and hound the 261 recruits of Alpha Company through the Crucible. For the 45 men of Sergei's Platoon 1081, the most important figures were their own drill instructors. Since the start of boot camp, three of them had striven to mold an elite killing force out of young men who may not even have thrown a punch in a schoolyard fistfight.

There are time-honored traditions to a drill instructor's harangues. Sarcasm is relentless: "Don't worry, nobody's waiting for that," Staff Sgt. Sergio Rodriguez bellowed at a recruit lugging an ammunition box.

With civilian visitors present, the drill instructors used alternatives for more familiar expletives. ("I guess we're losing our frickin' discipline."). Sometimes a tired sergeant's voice switched to a scary croak.

Dragging 40-pound dummy

"Fred" is the collective name for dummies that represent wounded Marines. Anytime a recruit slips up, he must drag Fred up a dirt road and back. Fred weighs maybe 40 pounds, but the toil is exhausting.

Sergei crossed bridges, scaled walls, crawled under barbed wire. He and his buddies assaulted a bayonet course where Freds hung from wooden frames, like prisoners of war strung up after a medieval siege.

All day, my independent-minded son bellowed assent to every thought that crossed the drill instructors' lips, whether it was an order to clean his rifles ("AYE, SIR!") or the notion that Marines would all be in prison were it not for the taming influences of the corps ("YES, SIR!").

It was 11 p.m. Wednesday before the recruits collapsed under poncho tents pitched on a dusty plateau.

Thursday morning, their weariness showed. Sergei no longer smiled when I caught his eye but gave a look that seemed to say, "You see what I mean?" But drill instructor Sgt. Nathan Downey had no intention of letting the men forget what all this was about.

"You think you're hungry and tired, don't you?"

"NO, SIR!" the recruits roared.

"Well, it could be worse."

"YES, SIR!"

"Where could you be?"

"I-RAQ, SIR!" Sergei roared along with the others.

This was not an answer that would cheer Nonna. The Marines have told Sergei he will work in legal administration, but we have no idea where that job might take him.

At around noon Thursday, the recruits gathered for a round of close combat with pugil sticks--padded rods with one end colored red to signify a bayonet. They were paired off to fight two-on-two.

When Sergei's turn came, his partner was quickly dispatched, leaving him to fight his opponents alone.

I found myself willing him quickness and strength. It was only a game, but if he couldn't prevail on this field, what might happen in real combat?

The whistle cheeped, and the recruits went at it. At first Sergei fought a circling bout, keeping one opponent in the way of the other. But then a foe smacked Sergei on the helmet with the "bayonet." Killed.

The whistle blew. I exhaled.

Reaper day began in predawn blackness. The recruits were sleeping under the stars when a drill instructor pulled up to the field in a pickup truck. Then he switched on his headlights and blasted the horn. A roar arose as the drill instructors charged in to rouse their platoons. It was Good Friday, 3 a.m.

Dawn found Sergei and the rest of the company resting beside a mockup of a bombed-out village used for combat training. They gazed up at the Reaper, the mountainside green after rains earlier in the week.

Halfway up the slope, a robed figure could be seen dragging a huge cross. He was slathered in crimson paint, his brow gory and crowned with thorns. A Marine marched beside him, flogging him with a branch.

Lt. Cmdr. Scott Radetski, a Baptist chaplain, was carrying a cross the 10-mile route alongside the recruits. In church, he said, he had promised that "someone would be out here walking it with them."

A Marine spokesman said Radetski hadn't asked Alpha Company officers' permission to be there and they were concerned that he would offend non-Christian recruits. The corps is, after all, a secular institution.

The sergeants roused Alpha Company. Sergei, who had written that boot camp wasn't as physically demanding as high school football, ascended the hill with a dire look on his face. Everyone made it to the top.

Afterward, as they wolfed down a "warrior breakfast" that included steak and eggs, Staff Sgt. Brian Kiraly praised the performance of 1081. "This is the best platoon that I've ever had," he said. "Nobody ever dropped out, nobody fell behind. I can't tell you enough about how proud I am of these guys."

A rare privilege

Before I left, the Marine Corps was kind enough to grant me another rare privilege: five minutes with my son. When Vallee summoned Sergei in the barracks, my son marched up, saluted and roared that recruit Working was reporting to his company commander, as ordered.

Vallee sent us to a drill instructor's room to speak. A gunnery sergeant followed, perhaps worried that I might try to slip Sergei a cake with a file in it.

My son and I hugged. We didn't really talk about the Crucible. What Sergei wanted was news. How was Mama? How was Lyova, his 2-year-old brother? Had his aunt Ira chosen a name for her baby?

Then our time was over, and Sergei marched out. My last glimpse of him was of a bristly-headed United States Marine Corps recruit, striding away from me to his barracks.

----------

rworking@tribune.com

Posted by sr at 7:43 AM | Permalink

JORDANIAN BORDER, Iraq (April 29, 2006) -- Near the Iraqi-Jordanian border, key leaders from the Iraqi Government and the United Nations met to figure out the fate of a growing number of Iraqis of Palestinian heritage who are trying to leave Iraq due to recent violence in Baghdad.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/74D6838B4E062B448525715F005CFBC0?opendocument

Submitted by: Regimental Combat Team7
Story Identification #: 2006429125537
Story by Cpl. Graham A. Paulsgrove

The meeting between the two organizations came after more than 200 Iraqi men, women and children took up residence along the border here weeks ago, after being denied passage into Jordan by Jordanian border officials.

The Iraqis left Baghdad to escape “violence and persecution” by insurgents, who targeted hundreds of Iraqi families there because of their Palestinian heritage, according to one Iraqi man who fled Baghdad several weeks ago and now lives with his wife and three children in this refugee camp.

“The terrorists came in, threatened us, told us to get out or ‘bang-bang-bang,’” said the refugee as he used his hands to gesture shooting a handgun.

“[My wife and I] left because it is safer for them (here),” he said, pointing to his three children.

Iraqi Government officials and U.N. representatives from Jordan held the meeting to discuss future needs and any concerns about the Iraqi refugees’ current situation, and to assess the refugees’ living conditions.

While the Jordanian Government will not allow the Iraqis to cross the border into Jordan, the refugees refuse to return to Baghdad because of the violence, they said.

Now, they live in tents and are provided food, water, medical supplies and clothing from the Iraqi Red Crescent – an organization similar to the American Red Cross.

Officials from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, based in Amman, Jordan, attended the meeting to assess the situation, but offered no immediate solutions to the problem.

“We come here with no solutions. We came here to assess the needs of the group, assess the difficulties faced by [the Iraqi border authorities], help find options for the future and establish good communication between (United Nations) and border authorities,” said Charles Lynch, a U.N. representative who attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Red Crescent, an Iraqi organization similar to the American Red Cross has provided the refugees with food, supplies, tents and some medical care. But that support is due to run out in 45 days, at which time the Iraqi Border Authority will provide an additional 30 days of support to the refugees.

Beyond that, the Iraqis’ fate is uncertain.

Still, the refugees say they are happier living here in less-than-ideal conditions than having to return to their homes in Baghdad.

“The terrorism and violence was too much - that is why I left [Baghdad]. I liked my home but now all I want is to live in peace and get on with my life,” said a 29-year-old refugee.

“No solutions were hammered out in this meeting - that was expected but still disappointing,” said Vernon Hills, Ill., native Gunnery Sgt. Brian K. Yount, the team leader of 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion’s Civil Affairs detachment.

The southern California-based Marine battalion provided security for those in the meeting, and will assist the Iraqi Government by ensuring the Iraqi border patrols are “beefed up,” adding additional security for the refugees, according to Maj. Matt Good, the battalion’s operations officer and 33-year-old Andrews, Texas, native.

While the Marines have beefed up security measures, it has been the Iraqi Government; which has taken the lead in ensuring the refugees have provisions and security at the camp.

“Iraq’s got the lead,” said Good. “When we first got out there, (the Iraqi colonel) asked us what we wanted him to do, but we told him – ‘This is your show.’”

“We are here to keep everyone talking and help facilitate the next step,” added Yount. “Until [a solution is found], all we can do is to continually give humanitarian assistance and support.”

While the refugees’ fate is undecided, many have not given up hope that they will be allowed to eventually cross into Jordan, where some have family.

“My wife is a Jordanian citizen and even she wasn’t let in,” said Taha, another refugee. “Her parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters all live there.”

After refusing the Iraqis passage into Jordan, the Jordanian Government closed the port of entry into Iraq and reinforced their guard with extra troops, trucks, and tanks to prevent any crossing from happening, according to Col. Mohammad Abas, the acting director of the Iraqi Border Authority here.

“The refugees were treated poorly and insulted by the Jordanian authorities so we gave them a place to stay and some assistance,” said Abas. “It is our duty to do so.”

While many of the refugees left Baghdad to escape violence and persecution, many have their own stories to tell of intimidation by local criminals.

Through an interpreter, one man recounted his decision to move his family out of Baghdad - “Some men told us to leave or there would be hell to pay, we shrugged it off until a man who lived not far from us was killed- it was time for us to go.”

The refugees abandoned their homes in Baghdad by their own admission, but many knew their chances of entering Jordan without proper documentation was slim, according to Yount.

Instead, many of the refugees hoped to get the attention of international agencies, like the U.N., he said.

Attention was exactly what they got – the border was closed, prohibiting anyone and everything from crossing the border, to include delivery trucks and even people seeking medical help, which Abas described as an “international incident” - which is why the U.N. got involved, he said.

“Luckily, no medical emergencies occurred, because the next closest medical facility is [110 miles away] in Rutbah,” he said.

The border was opened back up, but not to the inhabitants of the refugee camp. Also, the continuous attention at the border due to the refugees’ presence requires solutions to a few problems which are hoped to be solved during the next meeting.

“This isn’t the right place for the group - it is too crowded and there are a lot of trucks coming through, this is not a suitable place especially with all of the children,” said Abas.

The Iraqi Border Authority wants to establish a new camp two kilometers away from the port of entry, so the refugees can be better protected, he said.

“I am asking for an urgent solution. Our summer season is coming up and it is very harsh,” said Abas.

The current camp, though, “isn’t that bad,” according to Taha.

“[My family and I] could use a better tent,” as he pointed to water that had leaked inside the tent during recent rainstorms. “But overall, not bad. We have a good supply of food and our water tanks are filled every day or so.”

At least some of the refugees are opposed to the idea of relocating, though. Through an interpreter, one refugee complained that if they move to the proposed location, they will fall off the Iraqi Government’s radar, and eventually be left to their own devices to survive.

For better or for worse, if a new camp is built, it would be an incentive for more Palestinians to flee Baghdad because they would have somewhere to run away from the violence, according to Abas.

“We expect about 450 people to eventually get here,” said Abas. “Because of the threat of violence and bloodshed, they are leaving. It’s not safe [in Baghdad].”

Posted by sr at 9:43 PM | Permalink

KARABILAH, Iraq (April 29, 2006) -- A two-time veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Lance Cpl. Aaron W. Simons was a Marine who could be counted on in any situation.

http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/ad983156332a819185256cb600677af3/e29179a20c5529f085257163001be1ce?OpenDocument

Submitted by: Regimental Combat Team7
Story Identification #: 2006531432
Story by Cpl. Antonio Rosas

“He could’ve done anything he wanted to. He didn’t have to be in the Marine Corps, but he chose to fight among us,” said 1st Lt. Richard J. Cannici, Simon’s platoon commander.

That “fight” took Simon’s life, a 20-year-old team leader from Modesto, Calif., on April 24, 2006. The infantry team leader died during combat operations near the Iraqi-Syrian border in Iraq’s western Al Anbar Province.

The Marines of Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, better known as “Suicide Charley,” mourned the loss of Simons during a memorial service at the Marines’ base here, or “battle position,” as the Marines call it.

The service was held the day after he died.

The Twentynine Palms, Calif.-based Marines, partnered with an Iraqi Army unit, have spent nearly two months now conducting counterinsurgency operations in this region and mentoring their Iraqi counterparts to become a self-sustaining force.

As fellow Company C Marines from neighboring bases congregated for the memorial, they shared photographs and stories about Simons, the details surrounding his death, which was still fresh on their minds.

“He had those qualities you look for in young Marines,” said Cannici, 26, Simon’s platoon commander, recalling the day he met the young man. “He was very bright and always challenging others to excel.”

As Simon’s platoon leader, Cannici was always impressed with the Grace M. Davis High School graduate. “He had the ability to elevate the conversation beyond my understanding.”

Others remembered Simons as the man with the aviator sunglasses, which he never took off.

“He always wore those glasses ever since our last deployment,” said Lance Cpl. Jonathan A. Humphries, a mortarman who served in Charley Company.

Those aviator glasses adorned the fallen Marine’s Kevlar helmet alongside his service rifle, dog tags and combat boots at the service – a symbol representing the fallen Marine.

Many remember him for his guitar playing and sense of humor.

“He wasn’t just good at playing the guitar, he was gifted at it,” said Humphries, from Versailles, Ind., who hosted “jam sessions” with Simons using a pair of bongo drums during the battalion’s deployment here last year.

Simons was someone who was always telling jokes and spreading laughter wherever he went, according to the Marines from his unit.

“The guy was very optimistic and funny,” said Humphries. “Every time things went bad in Iraq, he always had a joke about it.”

Company C Marines said Simons was a person who could be counted on when it was time to strap on the body armor and leave the security of the Marines’ forward operating base to conduct foot patrols through the city. Simons had done so numerous times during the battalion’s last deployment to the same area of operations.

Iraqi soldiers who served alongside Simons also paid their respects at the memorial, standing alongside Marines and shedding tears for the fallen warrior they had served with on numerous security patrols with.

"The participation by the Iraqi soldiers was very impressive," noted Sgt. Maj. George W. Young, the battalion sergeant major.

Iraqi soldiers have also suffered casualties in this region while working hand-in-hand with their Marine counterparts.

The Iraqi Army soldiers serving alongside First Team’s Marines have suffered their own casualties in recent weeks where a suicide-vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack occurred several hundred yards from the Company C area of operations, according to battalion officials.

Following the memorial, the Marines wiped away tears and once again donned body armor to leave the security of the reinforced base. In Iraq’s Al Anbar Province, where U.S. Marines have suffered hundreds of fatalities since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom three years ago, protection for U.S. troops here comes from not only from their body armor and weapons, but also from watching out for one another.

“You’ve got to take care of each other. You have to be physically ready for whatever comes your way,” said Cannici. “We can’t let something like this let us down.”

After a few minutes of putting on their heavy loads – body armor with protective ceramic plates, Kevlar helmets, ammunition and various weapons, the Marines piled into their seven-ton trucks and headed back to their various bases – the Marines call them “battle positions” – to continue the fight against the insurgency in this remote corner of western Al Anbar.

Before his death, Simons had an inspiration to make a unit t-shirt using a logo he designed, according to fellow Marines in the unit.

His unit will make good on their fallen comrade’s idea and complete the project upon their return to the United States, the Marines said.

“The shirt will be a way of representing the unit as well as a remembrance of him,” added Humphries, recollecting the moments he spent with Simons. “I’m really going to miss that guy. His presence always lit up the room.”

Posted by sr at 5:37 PM | Permalink

He died in a flood 60 days after he was deployed to Iraq.

God must have built Lance Cpl. Eric A. Palmisano without a filter, because he would say exactly what was on his mind -- and it was always hilarious.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/obituaries/orl-memorial2906apr29,0,6433124.story?track=rss

Rich Mckay
Sentinel Staff Writer
April 29, 2006

More than 70 of Palmisano's friends gathered with his fiancee, Claire Kohake of Oviedo, at New Life Church of God to remember their fallen friend. And they came not just to cry, but to laugh at his antics and give thanks that he was a part of their lives.

Afterward they set off to do what he loved best: to party. Maps to the location with instructions to bring booze were beside the guest book and dozens of photos of "Eric and Claire."

Although some of the service was somber, people hugged Kohake -- who wore one of Palmisano's dog tags -- and almost everyone had a funny "Eric story."

Jorge Duprey recalled a 4 a.m. escapade to Wal-Mart where they, a little tipsy, bought 30 or so cans of whipped cream and sunglasses for a "CoolWhip fight."

"The cashiers were definitely baffled," Duprey said. "We cleaned out their shelves."

They talked of his nights lingering in the bars downtown -- mostly Casey's on Central, cheering for the Bucs when they were always losing. His friend Tammy Topelski recalled that he once broke a toe cheering when his team scored a touchdown -- but part of that story is unprintable.

They talked of his kindness -- even if it involved breaking rules, such as when he sneaked a puppy into a hospital to cheer up a friend.

His friends recalled driving to countless houses for parties and lying in the bed of his Chevrolet S10 watching the sun come up while Jimmy Eat World blared in the background.

And he swore to never grow up, said his longtime friend Jackie Kutudis, who also said that she, "Claire and Eric were like three pieces of the same puzzle."

They worried about him when he joined the Marines last year. But Palmisano said he needed to find focus in his life. Taking a cue from his grandfather Bob McClauskin and an uncle who served in the Marines, he joined the corps.

In the Marines he earned top marks in the toughest of tests of physical and mental ability. He earned the designation of expert marksman -- something that career Marines say could take a decade to earn.

He earned his tan belt in martial arts and kept his sense of humor. He told his friends in an e-mail, "The world is not safe. [But] I took an oath to use my powers only for good. Or was that Star Wars?"

Palmisano, 27, died April 2 -- 60 days after he was deployed to Iraq. He was on a combat logistics mission in the Al Asad province with seven other Marines and a sailor when they were caught in a flash flood.

The fierce waters toppled the seven-ton truck. Only one Marine lived. It took nine days for the military to find Palmisano's body, and it was still in the water.

For days, his family prayed nonstop that he might somehow be found alive.

"We prayed every second, every millisecond. We didn't sleep for praying," his fiancee said.

On Friday, Marine officers delivered his personal effects to his mother, Roberta "Bobbie" Samme. The effects included a laminated card his mother gave him years ago when he was struggling in college. It said, "I love you son."

"Not many 27-year-old men carry cards from their mother in their wallets," she told the Orlando Sentinel in a telephone interview from her home in Florence, Wis.

His family had Palmisano laid to rest April 22 next to his father, Salvatore Palmisano, in Hillside, Ill. His father died of cancer in 1981 when Eric was 3.

His mother said, "He never really knew his father. He was too young. And I felt that now, he would finally be able to be with him and catch up on all the years they missed together."

She sent her well wishes to Kohake but knew that her son's friends would want to have a party without the grownups.

Kutudis remarked that even in the somber setting of the church, she felt Palmisano wouldn't sit still and would joke.

"He'd be there talking smack and say: 'Tootie [Kutudis], why are you in a church dressed in black? You gonna rob the church?' "

And Kohake shared some of his letters and e-mails with her friends, including one that showed Palmisano's deep caring and sensitive side beneath the wisecracking.

He wrote: "I miss you so much and think of you every second. My biggest fear of joining the Marines is that it will take me even further away from you (if that's possible), and I know my only chance of true happiness in this world rests with you. No matter what happens to me, or where I end up, please know that you were my one and only chance at true love."

Posted by at 5:01 PM | Permalink

Before leaving home for his second tour to Iraq, Staff Sgt. Daniel Clay left a letter with his family and an instruction to open it only in the event of his death. Clay was killed in action in Iraq on Dec. 1, 2005.

http://www.op29online.com/articles/2006/04/29/news/news02.txt

Cpl. Heidi E. Loredo
Combat Correspondent

“But here is something tangible,” wrote Clay. “What we have done in Iraq is worth any sacrifice. Why? Because it was our dutyŠWithout duty, life is worthless.”

Clay and 12 other Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, who perished during their deployment to Iraq while performing their duties as Marines, were honored at a memorial service April 21 in the presence of their families and brothers-in-arms. The War Dogs deployed to Iraq for the second time in July and returned to Twentynine Palms late January.

“Every Marine we honor here this morning was a great and selfless man drawn to the Corps by a sense of duty,” said Lt. Col. Joseph a. L'Etoile, commanding officer, 2/7. “A duty they were faithfully and bravely performing when they were taken by the enemy, an enemy that attacks hope and the human spirit.”

The first casualty the battalion suffered was Pfc. Ramon Romero, 19, of Huntington Park, Calif., Aug. 22, 2005, when the vehicle he was in was struck by an improvised explosive device near Fallujah. Romero's mother said her son aspired to study criminology after his enlistment and wanted to become a police officer.

The lives of two other Marines were taken by the enemy Nov. 12 from an IED when they engaged enemy forces in Al Amiriyah. Lance Cpl. David A. Mendez Ruiz, 20, of Cleveland, Ohio, was on his second tour to Iraq. The youngest of eight children was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and moved to the United States when he was 6 years old.

Lance Cpl. Scott A. Zubowski, 20, of Manchester, Ind., was on his second tour to Iraq. Prior to his departure, Zubowski married his high school sweetheart, Klancey Eberly.

Disaster struck the battalion on Dec. 1, in one of the worst tragedies to occur to a Combat Center unit. Ten Marines died while on patrol from an IED fashioned from several large artillery shells.

Gone but not forgotten are:

Lance Cpl. Adam W. Kaiser, 19, of Naperville, Ill.

Lance Cpl. Andrew G. Patten, 19, of Byron, Ill.

Lance Cpl. Holmason, 20, of Surprise, Ariz.

Lance Cpl. Robert A. Martinez, 20, of Splendora, Texas

Lance Cpl. Craig N. Watson, 21, of Union City, Mich.

Lance Cpl. David A. Huhn, 24, of Portland, Mich.

Lance Cpl. Scott T. Modeen, 24, of Hennepin, Minn.

Cpl. Anthony T. McElveen, 20, of Little Falls, Minn.

Sgt. Andy A. Stevens, 29, of Tomah, Wis.

Posted by at 4:51 PM | Permalink

Hailing from the harsh and barren terrain of the Combat Center, Mike Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, composed of roughly 100 Marines, trekked to a similarly desolate and unwelcoming desert of southern California to participate in the four-week Weapons and Tactics Instructors course March 24 to April 21.

http://www.op29online.com/articles/2006/04/29/news/news03.txt

Lance Cpl. Michael S. Cifuentes
Combat Correspondent

The battery of artillerymen and logistical servicemen brought with them, along with their convoy, five M777 Lightweight Howitzers, crew served weapons and their infantry skills to Niland, Calif., neighboring the Salton Sea.

Their mission was to provide artillery support to Marine pilots who are going through WTI, which is basically a Marine aviation schoolhouse, said Capt. Kevin M. Stout, commanding officer of Mike Battery.

Squadrons throughout the Marine Corps send pilots to WTI for training on close-fire combat and call-for-fire missions. The pilot's mission after the four-week evolution is to return to their unit and teach the latest on weapons and tactics to other pilots in their squadron, added Stout, a Martinsville, Ind., native.

“Also from the squadrons were forward observers riding along in the cockpit with the pilots,” said Stout. “Those FOs have been trained on how to call for fire. A lot of our missions were run by them. We'd mark their targets with artillery rounds, and they'd come through air and drop ordnance on them.”

Mike Battery's mission was to provide artillery support when students needed it, said Stout. The battery fired rounds nine days in support of WTI out of the 29 days they were there.

“With only nine training days out of the 29-day evolution, you have to come up with your own things to do,” said Stout.

The battery also trained for firing missions not in support of WTI, as well as sharpened their infantry skills.

“We did three separate emergency fire mission shoots,” said Stout. “There were times when the battery convoyed down a road and the XO [executive officer] of the battery would give a fire for effect call. We'd just basically pull over to the side of the road, about 10 to 15 meters out, set up the [weapon systems] and get ready to shoot. In the final emergency fire mission, we had rounds out of the gun 14 minutes after the mission was called. It went really well considering we haven't done this before.

“From there we rolled into a hand grenade throw,” said Stout. “Each Marine of the battery received one live hand grenade and two blue bodies [practice grenades]. We spent half of the day on grenade exercises and then moved on to a 50 caliber [heavy machine gun] shoot. Every Marine in the battery fired 100 rounds of 50 caliber ammunition. We used a brand new sport utility vehicle for a target, which our Marines lit on fire after shooting the gas tank.”

The battery then transitioned into a three-day training period for squad leaders. The battery broke down into squads and trained for live-fire and maneuvering drills. They executed the drill successfully under horrible, windy weather conditions, said Stout.

“Our purpose in the field as artillerymen is to try to make timely and accurate impacts on targets, and to make targets for air support,” said Sgt. Michael E. Gilliland, a 23-year-old artilleryman with Mike Battery, from Chula Vista, Calif. “We are also trained to do infantry work. When we are not firing rounds downrange from our guns, we must be prepared as grunts [infantrymen]. We're always up for any call.”

During Operation Iraqi Freedom I, Mike Battery deployed to Iraq as an artillery unit, during OIF II, they deployed as a convoy security unit, and during OIF III, their mission was detainee operations.

“We can do most infantry tasks,” said Gilliland, “but, not anyone can be a cannoneer and do our job.”

This training evolution was very important to the battery, said Stout.

“We have a lot of time to train basically how we want to train,” said Stout. “WTI in itself is a pretty undemanding shoot for us as far as ‘need.' We shot about as many rounds for WTI that we normally would do in a two- or three-day training exercise back in Twentynine Palms. The best part about coming out here was the opportunity to train the Marines in areas we felt we needed to work on - one of them being squad live-firings.

“It's easy to say every Marine is a rifleman, but unless you practice it, that's usually not the case,” continued Stout. “With all the provisional missions artillery has been tasked with, such as convoy security, detainee operations and being a provisional rifle company, there needs to be some level of expertise in the battery to take the fight to the enemy. That's the biggest training I believe we got out of this.

“We became pretty proficient at the squad level before we went to Iraq this past year,” added Stout. “But it can be easily forgotten if you don't train. They [Mike Battery] certainly have a hard job. Infantry skills is one of the things that the Marine Corps says every Marine can do. But in reality, if you don't train for it then you won't be able to execute it well.”

Posted by at 4:46 PM | Permalink

DAVIE · The oak trees at The Ridge of Nob Hill community remained standing after Hurricane Wilma, unlike other landscaping throughout the town.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-stree29apr29,0,2008910.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

By Thomas Monnay
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted April 29 2006

So when the Forest Ridge Women's Club decided to honor Sgt. Adam Cann, killed in Iraq on Jan. 5, they chose to plant a 12-foot oak in hopes it will serve as an everlasting reminder of the Marine's bravery, courage and service to his country. Under the tree will be a plaque that reads: "In Honor of Sgt. Adam Leigh Cann, Our Hero, Our Neighbor, Our Friend."

The tree-planting ceremony, which coincided with National Arbor Day, was held Friday on the southwest corner of a passive park near the entrance to the development, east of Nob Hill Road and south of State Road 84.

Police Chief John George, Fire/Rescue Chief Don DiPetrillo and Mayor Tom Truex were there to pay their respects to Cann's parents, Carol and Leigh Cann, who live in the development.

"It just touched me when I found out about Adam passing away," said Patti Reid, a club member and family friend. "It will be a reminder of Adam."

Cann, 23, who was born in Davie in 1982, was killed in Ramadi when a suicide bomber walked into a crowd and detonated a vest full of explosives.

Leigh Cann said Adam, who died a few weeks before his 24th birthday, was supposed to return home this month. He said Adam Cann, who was working security at a police recruiting center, shielded two fellow Marines and his bomb-sniffing dog, Bruno, during the explosion.

"He was tough as nails. I'm very proud of him," said Leigh Cann, a production manager at the Florida Department of Transportation in Miami. "Adam was a different kid. He was very responsible and did things for people he did not even know.''

He said Gov. Jeb Bush has agreed to name the FDOT building after Adam. "I guess I will never retire," he said, saying the naming could take place in July.

Adam Cann, who joined the Marines in 2000 after graduating from Plantation High School, served in Afghanistan before going to Iraq in 2005. He was assigned to the border between Syria and Jordan, but volunteered to work in Ramadi, his father said.

"He always wanted to be where the action is," Leigh Cann said. Adam Cann received several medals, including the Purple Heart.

Posted by sr at 1:05 PM | Permalink

PALM SPRINGS - "Be careful."

That mother's admonition so often evokes rolled eyes from children; or a reflexive, reassuring but not heartfelt "I will" in response.

http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006604280350

Keith Matheny
The Desert Sun
April 28, 2006

But it was a warning Jamie Woodard of Paris, Texas, always offered as she said her goodbyes with her son, Marine Lance Cpl. Ben Hardgrove.

Woodard had good reason to urge her son's caution. Hardgrove, a member of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines out of Twentynine Palms, had served two tours of duty in Iraq, the last commanding a Humvee that patrolled the violent streets of Ramadi, in the Sunni Triangle.

On the evening Hardgrove returned home from Iraq March 29, he called his mother in Texas from Twentynine Palms.

"He said, 'Mom, I'm standing out front of the PX with civvies (civilian clothes) on. I am so happy to be home,'" Woodard said.

Hardgrove, as always, promised his mom he'd be careful. He told her he loved her. Those were the last words they spoke to one another, she said.

Today, as he has for nearly a month, Hardgrove, 20, lies in a coma in Desert Regional Medical Center. His skull is fractured, eight ribs and his collarbone broken, his pelvis shattered. He has brain damage from which he is not expected to recover.

Hardgrove was struck by a car hours after his return from his Iraq tour, as he celebrated being home with fellow Marines.

"That's something I think about daily: How could he have gone and been a combat warrior, served his country, never got hit, never got scratched, then the day he returns something like that happens?" Woodard said.
"I don't know. It's something that's beyond my ability to understand."

Hardgrove and fellow Marines celebrated that first night back at a motel in Yucca Valley. Hardgrove was always adamant about not drinking and driving, or being in a car with someone who had been drinking, his mother said.

At the motel, there was rowdy horseplay. There was drinking. And, for one moment, Hardgrove wasn't careful.

Hardgrove ran from the motel's parking lot out into a nearby highway and was struck by a car. In a cruel twist of fate, the car was driven by a retired Marine who had served in Vietnam, Woodard said.

Doctors offer little possibility that Hardgrove will recover from his persistent vegetative state. But as long as he struggles for recovery, his mother will have hope, she said.

"One thing I do is just keep going forward and fighting for him," she said. "I can't just give up on him, and take what the doctors say."

Hardgrove is Woodard's oldest child. She has five other children, ranging in age from 17 to a 6-month-old baby. Woodard came to Palm Springs to be with Hardgrove the day following his accident, but had to return to Texas April 11 to care for her other children, she said.

Angels arrive to help

Hardgrove's aunt, Susan Haeg, a retired Navy captain, has visited him at his bedside in the hospital frequently.
Also pitching in are Jim Forneris, a Palm Springs winter resident, and Ashley McGuire of Palm Desert. Both are volunteers with a group called Soldier's Angels.

The organization's members typically write to deployed military personnel and send care packages. But when Angels officials learned about Hardgrove's accident, they searched their roster for local volunteers who could visit him in the hospital and be a support for Hardgrove and his family.

Forneris said he has visited Hardgrove daily - talking to him, touching him, encouraging him to open his eyes and wiggle his toes.

"When I walked in (to Hardgrove's room) I thought, 'My God; that could have been my son lying there,'" Forneris said.

McGuire also visits Hardgrove regularly, and stays in almost daily contact with Woodard.

"It's so heartbreaking," McGuire said.

"You can't just bail on this guy. The family believes miracles can happen."

Born to be a Marine

Ben Hardgrove was literally born into the military, at Cherry Point Naval Hospital in North Carolina. Ben's father, Woodard's ex-husband, Steve Hardgrove, was also a Marine.
"From the time Ben was old enough to know what a Marine was, that's what he wanted to do," Woodard said.

As a high school junior, Hardgrove signed up with the Marines' delayed entry program, so he could begin training in preparation for enlisting upon graduation. Less than two months after being handed his diploma, he was in boot camp. From there he chose combat infantry school, his mother said.

Hardgrove's first seven-month tour in Iraq was spent primarily in Husaybah, a city near the Syrian border. He came home for a year, then was re-deployed to Ramadi last September.

During a firefight March 18, less than two weeks before he came home, two friends of Hardgrove's were killed, Woodard said.

"When he called home, he said, 'Mom, his brains were in my hands,'" she said. "It wasn't the first time he had lost friends he served with. There's no way I'll ever believe that did not affect him."

Woodard has struggled with trying to make sense of how her son's accident occurred.

"I think he just didn't realize where he was at, that it was on a highway," she said.

When she would give her motherly warnings to be careful, "Ben would always say, 'I'll be fine. I'll make it. I'm invincible,'" Woodard said.

"Part of that is youth; part of it is the mentality they had to develop to do what they did over there.

"The thing is, when they come home, they're not invincible here."

'It's time ... to serve him'

Hardgrove laid shirtless in his hospital bed Wednesday. A feeding tube gives him nourishment. Though he can breathe on his own, a tracheostomy tube is in his throat.
On one of his arms is a tattoo with the eagle, globe and anchor symbolic of the Marine Corps and the words Semper Fidelis, the Marine slogan, Latin for "always faithful."

The tattoo on Hardgrove's other shoulder reads, "Don't mess with Texas."

There are plans to move Hardgrove back to his home state next week, to a rehabilitation center in Austin. That's a more than five-hour car ride away for his family, but much closer than California.

Those who've spent hours at Hardgrove's bedside swear he shows signs of recognizing people, making eye contact, moving his toes on command, occasionally crying. Doctors, however, read less into his apparent responses, and are not optimistic about Hardgrove's long-term recovery prospects, Woodard said.

Still, she holds out hope; a mother's hope.

"He's stubborn," Woodard said. "I just find it very difficult that they would make a prognosis about the rest of his life in the first few weeks."

Hardgrove's Texas community and fellow Marines and their families have provided encouragement, prayers, food, gifts and cash donations, Woodard said. Some who've provided support are Gold Star mothers, whose sons were killed in Iraq, she said. A Marine mother Woodard never met bought her airplane ticket to come to California, she said.

"We are financially in a mess right now," Woodard wrote in a recent e-mail chain with Soldier's Angels members. "We have enough to pay bills but might need some food next week."

Hardgrove's story is more than a tragedy. It's a call to action, Fornaris said.

"A young man served his country, and now it's time for our country to serve him," Fornaris said.

"I think it's our obligation to get him the care he needs, the support he needs. And the family needs support, too."

How to Help

A support fund for Lance Cpl. Ben Hardgrove and his family has been established at a bank in his hometown of Paris, Texas.
To make a contribution, make checks payable to the Lance Cpl. Ben Hardgrove Fund and send them to:
Lance Cpl. Ben Hardgrove Fund
First Federal Community Bank
P.O. Box 370
Paris, TX 75461-0370

Posted by sr at 8:44 PM | Permalink

CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq (April 28, 2006) -- Iraqi Army soldiers are paying close attention to what the Marines have to say here. They’re teaching them not just to be better soldiers, but to lead men in combat.

Marines and sailors from 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, recently trained several Iraqi soldiers successful tactics during a ten-day Combat Squad Leaders Course. It’s an on-going effort Marines continue to run at this small base just outside Fallujah, Iraq.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/6394E50CA804EC23852571630030B172?opendocument

Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20065345151
Story by Cpl. Brian Reimers

“We are here to influence and train some of the future leaders of the Iraqi Army,” said Staff Sgt. John M. Joudy, staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the course.

A team of six Marines, one Navy corpsman and two interpreters spent their days teaching students ways to thrive on the battlefield.

“They are being taught techniques that will make them more survivable and successful out there,” Joudy, from New Milford, Conn. said “The students here get the same training the Marines get.”

Instructors were side-by-side the soldiers every step of the way to ensure they grasped the training. Exercises ranged from zeroing their AK-47 assault rifles to plotting grid coordinates.

“It is my honor to be here because the Marines teach us well and make us more confident in fighting the enemy,” said Asaad Alhasnawi, an Iraqi Army soldier and student here.

Part of that respect was due to the fact Marines are teaching the Iraqi soldiers as fellow men-of-arms.

“We treat them like Marines,” added Sgt. Donnie E. Hebert, infantryman and instructor. “I am firm, but fair with them. After the training day is over, we all hang out together and joke around just like Marines do.”

Soldiers who attended the course were picked by their command based on rank and those who displayed leadership skills.

Most students were noncommissioned officers, have some combat experience and have been in the Iraqi Army for more than two years, according to Cpl. Joseph J. Wilichoski, an instructor from Mahopae, N.Y.

“The men that come to us are motivated to be here and eager to learn,” Wilichoski said. “We give a class on NCO leadership and pick one of the soldiers to lead the men for the day. Immediately after hearing the class, they demonstrate what they have learned.”

Wilichoski said even the small gestures are sinking in and the Iraqi soldiers are mimicking their Marine mentors by, “keeping accountability, letting the other soldiers eat before they do and checking on their welfare. The things that make leaders what they are.”

Not every class gets the same training as the next. Iraqi Army commanders recommend what tactics they want their soldiers educated on during their time here with the Marines.

“We are able to change gears to accommodate what the battalions want taught,” Joudy explained.

Each member of each class was inspected by Marines for proper gear and equipment to help them succeed while training here and fighting the enemy. Weapons were inspected to ensure they operate correctly. Damaged personal armor plating was replaced and hygiene kits were passed out.

“My team is here to help and do what we can to make them better soldiers,” Joudy said.

“They teach us to be brave,” one soldier said. “I feel that this course will help my people in the army to better themselves.”

Some instructors delved into their own seabags to help out their Iraqi counterparts.

“I noticed one of my students wearing a pair of boots that were in pretty bad shape,” Hebert said. “We didn’t have any extra boots to give out, so I gave him a pair of my own.”

The team devoted to training the foreign soldiers believes in their mission and knows the importance of their role. The greatest satisfaction, though, was watching their soldiers grow.

“It feels great to see these guys perform,” Wilichoski said. “It’s nice to know that we are making a pretty big impact on them.”

For their part, the Iraqi soldiers know they will roam the streets with greater ferocity against the insurgents.

“By taking the skills that we learn from the Marines and putting them together from the experiences that we have already, we can kill the enemy a lot better,” Alhasnawi said.

Posted by at 6:02 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (April 28, 2006) -- Family and friends waited anxiously at the Combat Center’s Victory Field for the Marines and Sailors of 1st Tank Battalion, TOW Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, to come home April 19.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/15E685149E3079C38525715E0060EE54?opendocument

Submitted by: MCAGCC
Story Identification #: 2006428133844
Story by Lance Cpl. Regina N. Ortiz

After waiting well into the evening, the crowd grabbed their welcome home signs and moved into the West Gym to wait as night fell over the field. Family members climbed the bleachers and shared a giant roll of tape to adorn the basketball court’s bare walls with their signs and pictures.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said Dorothy Delaroi, mother of Cpl. Ryan Delaroi, as she taped up one of two signs she and her husband made for his return.

“We’re so proud of him and we can’t wait to see him!” said Kenneth Delaroi, Dorothy’s husband.

Although the wait was long, the crowd was cheerful and friendly, and as patient as they could be, until more than 50 Marines and Sailors of 1st Tanks rolled into their arms 15 minutes past midnight.

Tess, an 11 year old golden retriever, traveled with the Sears family from Upland, Calif., to greet her best friend, Cpl. Brian Sears.

The two have been best friends since Sears was 11 years old, Sears said.

Tess’ tail wagged and she tugged on her collar when she recognized Sears in the sea of desert camouflage utilities.

This was the second return of the week for 1st Tanks. On April 17, the Combat Center welcomed home more than 100 Marines and Sailors from Bravo Company and Scout Platoon.

The Marines and Sailors who returned last week just finished a seven-month stint in Iraq for the unit’s third deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Bravo Co. and Scout Platoon served with Regimental Combat Team 7 for most of their deployment, while TOW Platoon served with RCT 5 and 8.

These Marines and Sailors conducted security patrols along some of the most dangerous main supply routes through Al Asad and Fallujah, said 1st Lt. Adam Johnson, 1st Tanks’ adjutant.

Leaving that behind to be reunited with loved ones is weight lifted off their shoulders, explained Lance Cpl. Dana Mullins, native of Jerome, Idaho.

“This is a great feeling,” he said, as he held his 4 month old son, Tegan, for the first time. “It was hard to leave my wife by herself, but even harder to leave her while she was pregnant.”

Mullins’ wife, Tessa, just began her pregnancy when he left for his third deployment with the unit.

“It was hard to see him go,” said Tessa. “He missed the birth and the first months of his life, so they have a lot of catching up to do.”

Mullins will spend the next few weeks getting to know his son and learning to be a daddy alongside his shipmates as they return to their lives at home.

Posted by at 1:06 PM | Permalink

"He had a brilliant mind, motivated by the heart of a child"

If you ever dined at Brio Tuscan Grille or the Black Fin restaurants in Winter Park, Eric Palmisano might have been the kid who parked your car.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-marine2806apr28,0,7105673.story?page=2&coll=orl-home-headlines

Rich McKay
Sentinel Staff Writer

April 28, 2006

Maybe you were at Five Points Soccer Center near Sanford one night when he was a goalkeeper for the St. Andrews co-ed team. Or you saw him some other night downtown, sitting across the bar from you at Casey's On Central, with his black scruff of a beard and old Tampa Bay Bucs T-shirt.

Even when we don't know their names, guys like Palmisano are part of the ordinary backdrop that defines daily life in Central Florida.

The war in Iraq has brought home the tragedy of early death in many forms. There have been stories of mothers grieving for sons, of children losing fathers. There have been stories of bravery under fire and of horror at the hands of brutal mobs. Stories of shattered love and senseless loss. In all, 106 Florida soldiers have died -- 21 from Central Florida -- since the war began in 2003.

The story of Lance Cpl. Eric Anthony Palmisano has no single, great theme. It is just another sad story about another young man whom a lot of people loved, and who is now dead. It's another reminder of how a war in Iraq can rip into the social fabric of the home front -- and take away the kind of people we so often take for granted.

Palmisano, 27, blended easily into the Central Florida scene. He lived here for nine years from 1996 to 2005, attending the University of Central Florida, building a future with his fiancee and playing sports. Like so many others, he hailed from somewhere else -- Chicago -- settling into the region's service industry waiting tables, toting luggage and stocking alcohol in downtown bars.

Earlier this month -- two months after shipping off to Iraq -- he and a group of soldiers were caught in a flash flood in the Al Asad province. Palmisano was part of a combat-logistics convoy. The fierce waters toppled their 7-ton vehicle. Palmisano and two other soldiers were swept away. It took nine days to find Palmisano's body. In all, seven Marines and one sailor died.

"Eric was the best sort of dreamer and the first guy to have at your back if you got into something thick," said his longtime friend, Jackie Kutudis, 25. "He had a brilliant mind, motivated by the heart of a child."

Palmisano spent his early childhood in Chicago. In the 1980s, he and his family moved to Tampa.

He came to Orlando in 1996 to study criminal justice at UCF and play soccer.

He met his fiancee, Claire Kohake of Oviedo, in 1997, when they were both UCF undergraduates and in the same soccer league. They met at a party. Although Kohake, now 25 and a marketing and research specialist, brought a date, she instantly fell for Palmisano's charm and fierce wit.

"It was like love at first glance, electric," said the couple's friend and Palmisano's former roommate, Anthony Hernandez.

Palmisano's charm stemmed from his outspoken nature, sense of humor and down-to-earth nature. He wore hand-me-down clothes and drove an old clunker that didn't have first or second gear -- and no reverse.

His late-night escapades included sneaking into a neighbor's pool with a beer and a cigar.

He drifted through his mid-20s in a lingering adolescence of sorts, floating from job to job.

He brought his unique personality to that work. If you tipped him with coins, he might throw them in a bush. He'd say it was his wishing bush -- wishing for a better tip. One time, he was told to park a police patrol car. He thought it would be funny to turn on the lights and sirens and hit some other buttons.

He was fired on the spot.

Last year, everything changed when he told his fiancee it was time for him to grow up. He wanted to show Kohake that he was ready to be a husband and someday a father, his friends say. So he joined the Marines.

"I was crying and saying no, please don't go," Kohake said.

His friends noticed a change immediately. He lost weight and got in shape. Once sloppy, now he couldn't go to bed without properly hanging up his clothes.

He headed to boot camp last summer at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He didn't lose his sense of humor.

Palmisano declared that he loved the Marine haircut.

"Turns out I have a perfect head. Who knew?" he wrote in an e-mail.

But the serious side of Palmisano was also emerging.

He wrote in an e-mail to his fiancee: "I don't have a lot to show for the past few years of my life and I've kept my potential success bottled up for too long. This is an opportunity to prove -- mostly to myself -- that when I give something all my effort, I cannot fail."

He didn't fail. In fact he excelled as one of the best Marines in his company, Kohake said. He scored outstanding marks for conduct and duty performance.

He shipped off to Iraq in February. Friends and family didn't hear much from him because his duties kept him on the move and far from places where he could call or e-mail.

Kohake knew something had to be wrong when her phone rang about 5 a.m. April 3. It was Palmisano's mother calling with the news.

Today in Orlando, there will be a memorial service for Palmisano. His friends plan to gather at 7:30 p.m. at New Life Church of God, 2820 N. Alafaya Trail. They hope to tell stories of Palmisano's antics. Kohake said she hopes people laugh.

Palmisano wouldn't have had it any other way.

In fact, he probably would have loved to be there, himself.

Posted by at 12:48 PM | Permalink

Cameraman Pierre and I spent our first night in a week in the luxury of a cabin with a hard roof over our heads. Forward Operating Base Asadabad is only a few miles from where we were roughing it with the Marines in northeastern Afghanistan. It’s separated by a few ranges of mountains and it’s protected by flanks of artillery.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,193438,00.html

By Greg Palkot

In fact, the base, set in a lovely river valley and surrounded by gleaming mountains and lush green riverbeds, could be some kind of resort if it wasn’t populated with troops, Special Force-types and civil affairs workers.

Certainly the chow seemed like resort fare to us after scraping by with dwindling stocks of meals-ready-to-eat and water during our time up in the mountains.

Not much time to linger over eggs, sausages and French toast, though. We had an early appointment with Col. Nicholson, the commander of Operation Mountain Lion and the Third Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division. This was the first time we had a chance to talk to him since the mission kicked off.

He seemed pleased with the progress so far. While at this point there had not been any big ferocious Anaconda-style battles, there had been contact with the enemy all around the target valley and the beginning of efforts to regain the place for the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Col. Nicholson is actually a remarkable guy. He was always very friendly and warm with us. He let us sit in on a tactical planning session and showed us his temporary living quarters, showing off a picture of himself with his family.

And he certainly has an interesting story, as I explained in my TV profile of him. On Sept 10, 2001, he was wrapping up a respectable career in the military and getting set for retirement. Then his office at the Pentagon was turned into rubble by one of Usama bin Laden’s hijacked airplanes. That’s when he decided that he had to stay, hitching up with 10th Mt. and then spending months planning Operation Mountain Lion, an attack aimed at what some reports describe as “Usama’s Backyard” because of the multiple sightings of the al Qaeda leader there.

Talk about a 9/11 payback! Nicholson made no bones about how the opening minutes of the Operation were meant to mirror the al Qaeda attack in a distinctly American way. Four helicopter assaults were planned at four different locations in the target valley, they were aimed at surprising the terrorists where they made their home. Not unlike those four hijacked airplanes whose purpose was catching America by surprise.

After our interview we accompanied Col. Nicholson on a meeting he was conducting with the Governor of the Kunar province where the mission was concentrating. Col. Nicholson thought that schmoozing with the locals was as important as fighting the insurgency. It was “hearts and minds” basically and he worked hard at it. He knows that the U.S. military is leaving this area at some point and that it will be up to the locals to hold down the fort and fend off the bad guys.

The town of Asadabad is a dusty bustling place this Saturday. We get some glimpses as our convoy of Humvees speeds away from the meeting. We head back to the safe confines of the base to work with producer Kim to get some video reports ready for later in the evening. Afghanistan is eight and a half hours ahead of New York time, so our broadcast schedule is always a bit askew.

The whole thing, of course, is fueled by ample helpings of American food fare as we replace any calories burned off in our torturous mountain treks with blueberry muffins, frozen Mars bars, and the like.

We get the word that we will be leaving the base Sunday for Jalalabad, Bagram, Kabul, Dubai and home (London) to prepare more reports from the Operation.

But there’s also the story of the mission in those rugged crevasses of Kunar. We’ve been following it since we’ve been back. One incident involving a strike on a terror hideout which left civilian casualties got some news, as well as a B-52 bombing strike against another terror den.

I was impressed by the low degree of coverage, which is probably what Col. Nicholson had in mind. While he would have loved to have rounded up or finished off a passel of bad guys, the main intent of Operation Mountain Lion was to make this corner of Afghanistan a very unfriendly place for some unfriendly folks.

Oh, and someone else made news when we got back, too — Usama bin Laden. He had issued another one of his audio postcards from…somewhere. Who knows, maybe he was even in the patch of ground we were spending time in. I know the 21-year-olds in D.O. Platoon, the “9/11 recruits,” would be more than happy to fulfill President Bush’s early proclamation of hauling Usama bin Laden in “dead or alive.” In the meantime, they’ll keep on trucking through that very uninviting Afghan terrain. Good luck to them all, and stay safe.

Posted by sr at 8:57 PM | Permalink

Back from the war, Luke and Theresa reunite just days before the wedding

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Editor's Note: This continuing series has followed the lives of Luke Anderson, 25, and Daily News reporter Theresa Stahl, 28. The couple was engaged last May and they were planning an April wedding — after Luke returned from Iraq. This column runs two days before their Saturday ceremony.

http://www.bonitanews.com/news/2006/apr/27/military_engagement_homecoming_finally/?around_swfla

By Theresa Stahl
Thursday, April 27, 2006

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Editor's Note: This continuing series has followed the lives of Luke Anderson, 25, and Daily News reporter Theresa Stahl, 28. The couple was engaged last May and they were planning an April wedding — after Luke returned from Iraq. This column runs two days before their Saturday ceremony.

The waiting is over.

More than seven months after he left for Iraq, my fiancé and I were reunited last week on his Marine Corps base in California.

Luke and 110 other members of his company, part of the 1st Tank Battalion, arrived by bus here from a nearby Air Force base where their plane had landed.

I was waiting, along with Luke’s parents, that evening at a brightly lit baseball field on the base. A military band was warming up their instruments and smiling families, many with young children, gathered on the grass.

I told Luke’s mother, Carey, that I wanted to avoid the chaos when the buses pulled up. I’ve already waited this long, I thought, and I can wait a minute more so I’m not swallowed by the crowd. Plus, I didn’t know if I could pick him out from a distance, with all the guys wearing the same uniform and sporting the same haircut.

Around 9 p.m., three white buses rolled toward the field. Families started cheering and running toward the gated, chain link fence through which the Marines would enter.

When the troops started filing out, I thought I recognized Luke as one of the first guys off the bus. Immediately, I abandoned everything I had said to Carey about waiting and ran toward him.

On the way, I nearly knocked over one of Luke’s fellow lieutenants who is an usher at our wedding. He was standing in my path about the time I saw Luke.

“That’s him!” I exclaimed. Grabbing the lieutenant’s arm, I mustered a quick hello and moved him out of my way.

I ran up to Luke and threw my arms around him, hugging him so tight my neck was sore for two days. We embraced for a minute, until Luke loosened his grip so he could kiss me.

I had thought our reunion would be more of a rush of excitement, but it was mostly a relief, like all the anxiety from the past seven months was washing away.

Luke said his homecoming was surreal. Coming back after being away for so long, he was finding it hard to believe they were finally about to reach his base.

As the bus was getting closer, he couldn’t focus on the nearing reunion because the Marines had to make a stop before they were released. Luke, who is second in command of his company, had to oversee the collection of the company’s weapons before being dropped off at the field.

He said he didn’t start to relax until we had picked up his bags and were driving away from the base. After spending most of his time in Iraq with his all-male unit, it also took him a little while to get used to the woman who wouldn’t let go of his arm.

Since Luke’s return, our time together has been wonderful. We’ve gone shopping in Palm Springs, hiked through Joshua Tree National Park and even attended a church service on Luke’s base with President George W. Bush.

Despite all the activity, the best part has been the time we have spent hanging out at Luke’s apartment. While it hasn’t been anything extraordinary, it has been great to do normal things — have face-to-face conversations, cook dinner together and rent movies.

Through it all, we have had a chance to remember why we’re so good together. We’ve shared more of what has happened in each other’s lives for the past seven months (this time without a lousy phone connection), talked about our future and laughed until our faces hurt.

And with the wedding only two days away, we know that what we have now is only going to get better.

- - -

The final installment of Military Engagement will appear next Thursday. To read previous columns, go to web.naplesnews.com/special/military engagement.

© 2005 Bonita Daily News and The Banner. Published in Bonita Springs, Florida, USA by the E.W. Scripps Co.

Posted by at 7:04 PM | Permalink

GALVESTON — One of many messages inscribed on the car windows said it all: “My Marine is home.”

Family members stood with cameras in hand Wednesday afternoon as about 30 Marines climbed out of a Trailways bus at the reserve center in Galveston.

http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=4eb91dca938a47d5

By Kelly Hawes
The Daily News

Published April 27, 2006

There were lots of hugs and a few tears, but mostly smiles and laughter.

“This is such a relief,” La Marque resident Mike Lockwood said as his son, Matt, posed for photos.

His first sense of relief came a week ago, he said, when Matt called to say the unit had flown to Kuwait. Its members had been at Camp Lejeune, N.C., since Friday. They had flown to Houston on Wednesday before making the rest of the trip by bus.

Mike Lockwood said the family had no elaborate plans for the homecoming.

“He said he wanted some good, old-fashioned Mexican food.”

Members of the Galveston-based amphibious assault unit had been away from home for nearly a year. They spent much of the last seven months patrolling the Euphrates River near the Haditha Dam in Iraq.

“It was a long 10 months,” the younger Lockwood said, “but we did a lot of good over there.”

Members of the platoon carried out two or three patrols on the river just about every day of their tour.

“Once or twice, we were out there for 10 days in a row,” Lockwood said.

Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas was on hand with other members of the city council to greet the returning troops. She read a proclamation urging local residents to extend a hearty welcome and to offer thanks to the Marines for their sacrifices.

Joe Cleary, the platoon’s commanding officer, expressed his gratitude.

“It’s a special day for the Marines,” he said. “It’s good to be home.”

Cleary of League City stood surrounded by his wife, Kim, and three children, 16-month-old Grace, 8-year-old Jake and 6-year-old Austin. Grace, he said, had changed the most.

“She was not even crawling when I saw her last,” he said.

Like Cleary, Lockwood had some catching up to do. He and his wife, Shawna, will be getting reacquainted. They were married only weeks before he headed off for his latest deployment.

Shawna said the couple would be headed back to College Station, where he is studying for a degree in architecture.

“When I graduate,” he said, “I want to go to officers candidate school.”

Lockwood, the staff sergeant of the platoon, wants to make a career in the Marines.

“I’ve already been in for nine years,” he said. “I joined right out of high school.”

Cleary, Lockwood and about two-thirds of their colleagues were returning from their second deployment in Iraq. They spent five months there after the initial invasion.

Cleary said he fully expected to go back.

“I think we know we made a long-term commitment to the Iraqi people,” he said. “I do believe we will be back over there.”

Shawna Lockwood said she was ready for that.

“It’s his job,” she said.

Posted by at 6:52 PM | Permalink

New Sony PlayStation 2 consoles and games will help Marines and sailors injured in support of the global war on terrorism fill time during long recoveries

JACKSONVILLE, N.C., April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless company, salutes our nation's Wounded Warriors at 1:00 p.m., next Wednesday, May 3, with a presentation of 10 Sony PlayStation 2s to "Maxwell Hall," the Wounded Warrior barracks at Camp Lejeune. The donation reflects Cingular's recognition of the sacrifice these Marines have made and is intended to help fill the hours of what can sometimes be a long recovery process.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060427/clth125.html?.v=1

Thursday April 27, 6:52 pm ET

"These young service members have served their country well, and Cingular wants to recognize that service by doing all we can to keep their spirits up as they recuperate and rehabilitate before going back to their units or their families," said Alison Hall, Vice President and General Manager for Cingular in North and South Carolina.

"We continue to be amazed at the generous support we receive from the community for our wounded warriors who have given so much for the cause of freedom ... we stand shoulder to shoulder in our efforts to care for our returning heroes," said Lt. Gen. James F. Amos, II Marine Expeditionary Force Commanding General, who will be accepting the donation to the barracks from Hall.

The Wounded Warriors Barracks allows wounded Marines to be billeted together as they recover from injuries sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Prior to the barracks' establishment in 2005, these injured Marines, many of them still in their teens or early 20s, would be sent back to their unit barracks or home for convalescent leave after being released from the hospital. As many of their units are still deployed, these Marines would often have been alone during long and painful recoveries. The Wounded Warrior Barracks provides a place where the Marines are able to share their experiences with others who are going through the same recovery process.

"Here they know that they are still a vital part of the team, that their Marine Corps family is here for them," said Amos.

In addition to Wednesday's donation, Cingular is also recognizing Camp Lejeune's Marines and sailors and their families by cosponsoring the May 20th Run for the Warriors benefiting the Wounded Warriors organization, which assists with transportation for wounded service members, establishes scholarships for spouses who may need to take an active role in the financial support of their families, provides assistance with specially-adapted housing, and provides respite for families as they care for wounded loved ones, as well as supporting the Wounded Warriors Barracks and the Wounded Warriors Spouses Support Group at Camp Lejeune.

Posted by at 12:40 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (April 27, 2006) -- Sleeping in dusty, wind-battered tents, waking up at 4 a.m. to carry heavy packs long distances and showering with wet wipes is just a brief description of life in the field.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/9F785272BF69C61F8525715D0059FC57?opendocument

Submitted by: MCB Camp Pendleton
Story Identification #: 2006427122253
Story by Lance Cpl. Ben Eberle

For some, this sounds like a nightmare. For Lance Cpl. Will “Dirty” McDermott, a rifleman with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, it sounds like a pretty good time.

The field, in fact, is where McDermott thrives, possibly because surviving with the bare minimum is something he can relate to.

“Before the Corps, I was homeless, living in a children’s home in Arizona. I saw a recruiter in front of the mall, and I joined,” McDermott said.

McDermott has a lot of “camping” to look back on, and after extending his enlistment April 9, he has a lot more to look forward to.

“I had to extend,” said the 22-year-old from Payson, Ariz. “I like to go to Iraq.”

McDermott, though seemingly unshakable, conceded that his job isn’t always fun.

One day in particular, April 13, 2004, stands out as the one day he regretted joining the Marine Corps.

McDermott added that the two-year anniversary of the event gives him a strange feeling.

His platoon was ambushed about seven miles from Fallujah, killing his friend, Pvt. Noah Boye.

“A Pavelow (alliance helicopter) went down, and we formed a quick-reaction force to pull gear from the bird,” said McDermott. “We sat there all night, and in the morning we were ambushed.”

McDermott received a Purple Heart in a separate incident during his first tour in Iraq.

On a night patrol in Al Karmah, a town west of Fallujah, McDermott’s humvee was hit by an improvised explosive device, sending shrapnel into his left leg.

“It’s funny because I was supposed to get out today,” he added, sitting in front of his pack in an Area 62 parking lot on Camp Pendleton.

He was waiting for a bus to take him and the rest of the battalion to a week of desert field training at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms.

His unique experiences and personality leave an impression on the Marines around him and nicknamed him “Dirty.”

“He likes the dirt, likes to stay dirty,” laughed Pfc. Matthew R. Tanous, a 24-year-old rifleman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines.

“Dirty” or just “McDermott,” has proven to be a valuable member of the battalion.

“It’s important to have guys like him to keep everyone motivated,” Tanous added. “He’s about as gung-ho as you can get.”

Three things keep McDermott going through deployments and field training.

“Red Bull, Red Bull, Red Bull. I live by Red Bull. It’s a necessity – and beef jerky,” he said.

During his four years in the Marine Corps, McDermott has deployed to Iraq on three separate occasions.

He’s currently working up to deploy with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Okinawa, Japan.

“It’s amazing how much some of these young kids have seen,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Brian E. Burlingame, 1/5 operations chief. “Some have seen a lot of combat in a short time.”

Despite these incidents, McDermott believes the Marine Corps has had a positive effect in his life.

“I’d like to make a career out of it,” he said.

Posted by at 12:37 PM | Permalink

MARINE AIR GROUND TASK FORCE TRAINING CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (April 27, 2006) -- Ready… Aim… Fire. Those three simple words become a lot more complex if your target has a weapon.

The Enhanced Marksmanship Program provides Marines, as well as the sailors who deploy with them, valuable training on how to shoot effectively in close quarters.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/F2083361E865D2118525715D00597F68?opendocument

Submitted by: MCB Camp Pendleton
Story Identification #: 2006427121733
Story by Lance Cpl. Ben Eberle

“You’re (rarely) 300 yards away when fighting in urban areas; you’re always going room-to-room,” said Cpl. David R. Myles, an EMP instructor with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

Myles helped train 54 Marines and sailors in enhanced marksmanship techniques during a week of field training at Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Center Twentynine Palms April 9-14.

Twentynine Palms is not the only installation that offers this shooting course.

It is also available at Division Schools and the School of Infantry, Camp Pendleton.

All EMP firing is conducted in combat gear, including Kevlar helmet, flak jacket, ammo pouches and even night vision goggles.

“It’s combat, not match, shooting,” said the 21-year-old from Landover, Md.

Participants fire from 30 yards to less than 10 feet from the target, moving closer as the shooting progresses.

Shooters focus their aim on high-percentage locations, concentrating mostly on the head. Getting the shots off quickly is imperative.

“It’s something you can’t learn in a classroom, the movements and coordination. You have to do it to learn,” Myles said.

Every section in the battalion was represented, including administration clerks and corpsmen. They fired about one-thousand rounds during two days of EMP training.

It’s important that all servicemembers regardless of their military occupational specialty, hone their close-quarter marksmanship skills because they support those on the line, Myles said.

Marines receive instruction on specific scenarios they might encounter in Iraq, as well as some short classes on how to adjust gear and move swiftly and efficiently into an effective shooting position.

“Confidence is important in a close-quarter shootout,” Myles said. “You’re not shooting at paper anymore; there’s someone shooting back at you. You have to be comfortable.”

Some Marines, even those who had previous EMP training, voiced positive feedback on the course.

“This is my third time (taking the EMP course), and I still like it,” said Lance Cpl. Quinn