Marine Corps News Room

YUMA PROVING GROUND, ARIZ. (June 30, 2006) -- The Marines of Marine Wing Support Squadron 273, preparing to deploy to Iraq later this summer, conducted training exercises here, as part of their pre-deployment training cycle for the past three weeks.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/A10BC2B39AF7406C8525719D004A2400?opendocument

June 30, 2006; Submitted on: 06/30/2006 09:29:48 AM ; Story ID#: 200663092948
By Pfc. Jason D. Mills, MCAS Beaufort

Desert Talon is the aviation community’s pre-deployment certification evaluation exercise that mirrors desert operations.

With temperatures ranging from the low 90s at night and a boiling 110 degrees every day the Sweat Hogs of MWSS-273 learned what it really meant to be a Sweat Hog.

“We came out here to, as closely as we could, simulate life, as it could be, in Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Jeff Hooks, the commanding officer of MWSS-273. “We wanted to let the Marines feel the heat out here to prepare them for a desert environment.”

The unit shipped over all of their equipment and close to 500 Marines and sailors to Arizona for the exercise. They were tested in their ability to deploy along with operating in a combat situation.

“Our original mission was two fold,” Hooks said. “First was the safe move out here, which was a success. Secondly was the evaluation of our aviation ground support and of course to complete our pre-deployment training before we go to Iraq.”

After a successful evaluation period MWSS-273 is now officially ready for Iraq. Some of the evaluations focused on the establishment of a fully capable forward arming refueling point, the readiness of the Incident Response Platoon Marines and the seamless integration of all parts of the Air Wing, according to Maj. Jason Pratt, the operations officer for MWSS-273.

“The evaluations have been great,” said Maj. Jim Stone, the executive officer of MWSS-273. “They have been brutally honest but that is what is needed. It’s better to make mistakes here rather than in theater.”

Although the evaluations were difficult the Sweat Hogs of MWSS-273 passed with good marks, according to Hooks. If, for some reason, the Sweat Hogs had not passed the evaluations then the training operation would have been extended for remedial training or they would have been given suggestions for improvement before their deployment to Iraq, depending on the severity of the failing score.

“We passed the evaluation,” Pratt said. “It was an absolute success. It has been very busy and we are now better trained for Iraq than we were before.”

Desert Talon ended June 22. After nearly three weeks of intense training the Marines of MWSS-273 are ready for their deployment to Iraq later this summer, according to Hooks.

“I absolutely feel that now, after my training here at Desert Talon, I am better prepared for my deployment to Iraq,” said Cpl. Terry Wells, a supply Marine for MWSS-273.

During Desert Talon each Marine, regardless of their job, was presented with an opportunity to train.

“I got to do a lot of things that I know will benefit me in Iraq,” said Cpl. Edward Watson, the legal chief for MWSS-273. “Practice is good, the more you do something the more proficient you become.”

Posted by ph at 8:26 PM | Permalink

Ramadi, Iraq - New York City Police Department Detective Evan L. Schwerner had nearly 21 years off active duty in the Marine Corps when in the four-year wake of Sept. 11, 2001, he decided he could better serve his family and country in the global war on terror as a Marine in Iraq.

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,103579,00.html?ESRC=marine-a.nl

John Cordero
June 29, 2006

Cpl. Schwerner joined the Marine Corps Reserve in May 2005 as a hazardous material and waste Marine then volunteered to deploy with the 3rd Civil Affairs Group. He was subsequently assigned to the CAG’s Detachment 4, currently based at the Provincial Civil Military Operations Center and Government Center in Ramadi, Iraq.

Known to other CAG Marines as “Pappy,” the 43-year-old civil affairs noncommissioned officer’s duties as part of the detachment’s force protection team include searching visitors at the entry control point who conduct business at the PCMOC and providing escort security for the detachment commanding officer, Col. Frank Corte.

“It’s our job to ensure the safety of detachment personnel and all Iraqis who visit the PCMOC,” said the Shrub Oak, New York, native.

By protecting detachment personnel and visitors in the PCMOC, Schwerner and his force protection team allow the detachment to focus on its mission to increase the Al Anbar government’s capability and help it move toward self-reliance.

Ensuring people are safe is nothing new to Schwerner, who served on active duty from 1981 to 1985 as an aircraft rescue firefighter and who has helped saved lives and capture criminals as an NYPD police officer for the last 19 years. He spent his first 11 years as a patrol officer and the last eight as a detective and hazardous material technician with the Emergency Service Unit, which is a tactical and rescue team of about 450 men and women who specialize in forcible entries, high-risk search warrants, bridge climbs to talk-down suicidal people, and rescue of people involved in construction and automobile accidents.

“When a citizen needs help, they call the police; when the police need help, they call the ESU,” said Schwerner.

An experience of helping people that is forever etched in Schwerner’s memory is when his ESU team was called on Sept. 11, 2001.

“My squad was working that morning and we responded,” said Schwerner about the day of infamy now commonly referred to as 9/11.

He was part of Team 5, which was assigned to the North Tower and arrived before either of the Twin Towers collapsed.

“When we were entering the North Tower, the South Tower came down,” said Schwerner. “My team took cover and, after the dust settled, cleared a path to help about 100 people out of the North Tower.”

According to an official report, after surviving the South Tower’s collapse, Schwerner’s team spread into chain formation and created a path for civilians who exited the North Tower to evacuate the World Trade Center complex by descending the stairs on the north side of World Trade Center Buildings 5 and 6. The team remained at this position helping people until the North Tower collapsed, yet all team members survived because of training and a little luck, according to Schwerner.

Of the 23 NYPD police officers who died on Sept. 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center, 14 were from the ESU and two were from Schwerner’s squad.

“I’m amazed that my team survived,” he said. “It’s still hard for me to talk about that day.”

While it is difficult for him to not be overcome by emotions as he talks about 9/11, he is quick to add he is now serving on active duty in honor of the fallen heroes of 9/11, out of love for his country, and for the sake of his family.

“My wife and kids are a big reason why I’m in Iraq,” he said before quoting “The Crisis” by author Thomas Paine. “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”

His service in the CAG prior to and during the deployment has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

“His law enforcement experience not only helped Detachment 4, but the rest of the CAG as he used his expertise to help train the Marines and sailors,” said Gunnery Sgt. Ben Trevizo, the detachment’s governance team leader for electricity.

“He was instrumental in the training of the CAG in urban warfare, room clearing, and searches and seizures of personnel,” said 39-year-old Trevizo, a native of Surprise, Ariz., who in his civilian job is the service coordinator for Arizona Public Service, Phoenix’s public utility company.

Trevizo said the main thing that sticks out in his mind about Schwerner is he goes the extra mile in everything he does. Schwerner has proved his mettle by protecting CAG leadership during attacks at the Ramadi Government Center; assisting in the training of law enforcement techniques, tactics and procedures for 83 newly graduated Iraqi policemen assigned to Ramadi; and on one occasion spotting a possible enemy observation post near the PCMOC.

Schwerner’s superior performance, leadership and conduct in a combat environment resulted in his June nomination for a combat meritorious promotion to sergeant, several days before he found out he was eligible for a regular promotion to sergeant on July 1.

His hard work, however, has not stopped him from constantly thinking about his family.
This deployment is the first time Schwerner has been separated for an extended period of time from his wife of 11 years and three children.

“My kids are taking it kind of hard, but my wife is a strong woman, so she’s holding everything together while I’m gone,” said Schwerner. “I’m fortunate to have a supportive family.”

“I’m scared, but proud of him and support him 100 percent,” said Susan Schwerner, his wife, during a phone interview. “The kids understand what he’s doing and why he’s doing it.”

Schwerner also has a supportive community.

“Where I’m from is very patriotic,” he said. “I’ve gotten support from my family, fellow police officers, and community members since I’ve been deployed.”

He said he regularly receives boxes filled with food and health and comfort items, but that support has even been shown toward his family as co-workers and community members provide assistance with such things as car and home repairs.

During a winter storm in 2005, a fence around his home was damaged. His whole ESU squad replaced the fence posts and had the fence up in a couple of hours.

“People are constantly calling me to see if I need anything,” said Susan.

“It humbles me to think of all the support I receive,” Schwerner said.

He said the support he and his family receive is vital in keeping him focused on his mission with the 3rd CAG.

“I can concentrate on what I have to do here because the support is so amazing and I know things are taken care of,” said Schwerner.

“I’m glad to be able to serve my country in this capacity,” he said. “Just to be able to make the sacrifice at this point in my life is an honor. I have a lot to be thankful to my country for, and this is my way to make my contribution and show my thanks.”

As the 3rd CAG nears the end of its seven-month deployment, Schwerner said he is looking forward to reuniting with his family and friends. His wife has similar feelings.

“I’m excited and anxious about his return” Susan said.

She said she is excited because she misses him so much and she is anxious because she knows it will take time for her husband to adjust to life in the United States after being in Iraq for seven months.

“He’s the most patriotic person I know. This is unfinished business for him,” said Susan about her husband’s desire to do his part in the fight against worldwide terror.

Perhaps it will help bring some closure to the events of 9/11.

Posted by sr at 2:23 PM | Permalink

ARLINGTON, Va. — Authorities have found the laptop containing personal data on 26.5 million veterans and current servicemembers that was stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee, the FBI announced Thursday.

An initial review of the computer equipment indicated that the personal data had not been accessed since the laptop was stolen, an FBI news release says.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=38303

By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, June 30, 2006

On May 3, the laptop was stolen from a VA employee’s home.

“A thorough forensic examination is under way, and the results will be shared as soon as possible,” the news release says.

The release did not say where the stolen laptop was found but did say that police in Montgomery County, Md., were involved in its recovery, along with U.S. Park Police and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General.

No arrests have been made in connection with the burglary, an FBI spokesman said.

Also Thursday, the Associated Press reported that the VA official whose laptop was stolen did in fact have permission to bring the information to his home.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, VA general counsel Tim McClain said one of the documents shows the employee had permission to have “software” at home.

“I’m not a computer geek, but [there] would be no point at using this software at home if — you know — if you couldn’t use it,” said U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla.

McClain said he could not comment further because it is a personnel matter.

Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., said he was uncomfortable talking about the matter in public “because this individual has rights.”

In the wake of data loss, the government had vowed to pay for credit monitoring for those affected, but now that may not be necessary, said U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.

“If the FBI can confirm that the data has not been removed from the computer since it was stolen, I think we will be able to save taxpayers millions of dollars. The FBI says they have reason to be optimistic,” Craig said in a news release.

But Joe Davis, a spokesman for Veterans of Foreign Wars, said the government should continue to pay for credit monitoring for those affected until authorities confirm that the personal data was not compromised.

Credit checks can cost up to $100.

Asked if it was realistic to have the government pay for so many credit checks, Davis said, “Nobody who is affected by this data loss should have to pay one dime for a mess they didn’t create.”

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:45 PM | Permalink

This High Altitude High Opening jump was one of many conducted by 4th Force Reconnaissance Company recently during Southern Canopy 2006, a bilateral training exercise with the Royal Australian Armed Forces and U.S. Marine Corps in Nowra, located in New South Wales.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/517F0D362B0F40C08525719B0082A5EC?opendocument

June 28, 2006; Submitted on: 06/28/2006 07:47:01 PM ; Story ID#: 200662819471

By Sgt. Ryan O'Hare, Marine Forces Pacific

NOWRA, Australia (June 28, 2006) -- When the hydraulic cargo doors opened at an altitude of 25,000 feet into the black abyss of the Australian night sky, Marines performed their final gear and oxygen mask checks before giving the ‘thumbs up’ to the Jumpmaster. Frigid air quickly filled the C-130 transport plane, and little could be heard over the sounds of the rushing wind. Seconds later, the jump caution light switched from red to green and it was time to go. One-by-one, each Marine walked to the edge of the ramp, taking a leap few others in the world are trained to do.

This High Altitude High Opening jump was one of many conducted by 4th Force Reconnaissance Company recently during Southern Canopy 2006, a bilateral training exercise with the Royal Australian Armed Forces and U.S. Marine Corps in Nowra, located in New South Wales.

The exercise focused on military parachuting, reconnaissance patrolling and limited service-support cross training. It honed the skills of the Australian and U.S. reconnaissance units, allowing the two to share their own styles of training while fostering a strong working relationship.

“It’s always a great opportunity for us to train with the Marines,” said Australian Army Sgt. Simon Meehan, a jump instructor at the Australian Parachute Training School. “Each of us has our own way of doing certain things, so it’s good to get together and learn from one another.”

This year is the first time 4th Force was able to attend Southern Canopy due to deployment schedules of the other active duty reconnaissance units that usually support the exercise.

“This is a great opportunity for us to be able to come down here to Australia and conduct the training that we are doing,” said Gunnery Sgt. Jonathon Brown, 4th Force Recon Paraloft chief and military free-fall jumpmaster. “Because we have unrestricted airspace down here, it allows us to get in a lot more training jumps than we might get back at home.”

The exercise, which consists of Marines from both 4th Force Reconnaissance Company Headquarters at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and Marines from their detachment in Reno, Nevada, fulfills the two-week annual drill requirement reservists must complete. It also gave the unit a change of pace from their normal training routine.

“We wanted this to be a sort of retention exercise,” said Brown. “With a lot of our guys just getting back from Iraq, it’s a bonus to be able to train down here as well as have a good time.”

The training, which started with a series of basic refresher classes at PTS for the Marines, also covered some safety hazards they might encounter once they hit the dirt in Australia, such as indigenous snakes, spiders and ticks. Once classes were finished, it was time to polish their skills in the air.

Before jumping, each team, or stick, runs through a series of safety checks. These checks include everything from what to do in case of a malfunctioning canopy or entanglement to proper emergency landing procedures.

“Safety is our main mission when doing this kind of training,” said Brown. “It’s important that everyone knows exactly what to do in case something goes wrong.”

The parachute training portion of Southern Canopy consisted of three phases: low-level static line jumping, High-Altitude Low-Opening and also High-Altitude High-Opening jumps.
During the low-level static line jumps from 12,999 feet, the most basic of the training package, Marines sharpened their techniques as they worked on speed, direction and landing capabilities. During these jumps, parachutes are automatically deployed as each Marine exits the aircraft.

“It’s a very important part of our job to have practical and tactical insert methods,” said Lance Cpl. Roger Kalkhouven, a 4th Force Recon Marine who has nine jumps. “It’s been an excellent time jumping down here and I’ve really improved on my landings already.”
After Kalkhouven’s first jump from 25,000 feet, he had a few other words to say. “That was by far the coolest thing I have ever done in my life. That’s the first jump where I actually closed my eyes for a second when I did it.”

Some static line jumpers were also getting familiar with a new kind of parachute different from the MC-5 system they learned at jump school. Although these parachutes were new to some, they will soon be replaced with the Multi-Mission Parachute System, a new Marine Corps-specific parachute that provides better maneuverability and speed while in the air.
Once the static line jumps were completed, it was time for the free-fallers to gain altitude and fly like birds.

During HALO, Marines can jump from altitudes more than 25,000 feet with a free-fall time of more than two minutes and temperatures of negative-80 degrees with the wind chill. Because of the extreme altitude and atmosphere, Marines are qualified to breathe oxygen during their decent. The oxygen tank, which adds another 15-20 pounds, allows the Marines to survive the jump without contracting life-threatening symptoms such as hypoxia and decompression sickness.

“Free-falling is an actual art,” said Staff Sgt. Travis Haley, a 4th Force Recon Marine and military free-fall jumpmaster with over 1,500 jumps. “You have to fly your body and manipulate the wind. You don’t just simply fall to the earth.”

Another training package the Marines ran through was HAHO. During these jumps, Marines open their canopy at high altitudes, allowing more distance to be covered while they descend. Depending on weather conditions and wind speed, Marines can cover more than 20 miles while navigating their decent using a compass, global positioning system and a map. These missions are also performed at night and can be very dangerous without proper training.

“When you jump out of the plane, you’re getting a massive blast of wind. If you deployed your chute immediately, there’s the danger of damaging your canopy,” said Haley. “You need to have a small delay. Because the aircraft is moving a lot faster at that attitude, about 225 miles per hour, you need to actually get out into the air and slow yourself down first, then deploy.”

Haley added that when descending at night, some of the biggest difficulties are finding the other jumpers, getting together in a group and landing safely, because there is no real depth perception.

He also explained that many people have the misconception that skydiving from a plane gives the same stomach sensation as being on a rollercoaster. Because the plane is already moving at the same speed as when they jump, they have already reached their terminal velocity and there is not really any gravity to fight, so the only real feeling is wind.

A select few Marines were also qualifying on the Tandem Offset Resupply Delivery System (TORDS), otherwise known as bundle jumping. During these bundle jumps, Marines simulate delivering supplies into a drop zone. In this case, the bundle was a 50-gallon barrel with a simulated load of 350 pounds strapped to the Marine on a ten-foot teather. Because of the complexity of this sort of jump, only Marines with more than 100 free-fall jumps could qualify.

As word quickly spread throughout Parkes, the town where the drop zone was located, locals came out daily to watch as Marines appeared from the sky and landed at their hometown airfield.

For the Marines who were not jump qualified, Southern Canopy 2006 allowed the opportunity to sharpen other aspects of their Marine Corps training. Non-parachute qualified reconnaissance Marines and prospective reconnaissance Marines did training focused on patrolling and patrol-based operations, land navigation, communications training as well as survival and field skills training at Jervis Bay.

“The reconnaissance field requires the mastering of these skills to ensure the success of the mission,” said Stokley, a former active-duty scout sniper who taught some of the land navigation and patrolling package during Southern Canopy 2006. “The training here at Jervis Bay has helped refresh the headquarters Marines and also helped prepare myself and a handful of other Marines awaiting the Basic Reconnaissance Course.”

He also stated that maintaining proficiency with these skills is a very important part of reconnaissance training. The Marines need to know exactly what to do and how to do it in case they are deployed.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:41 PM | Permalink

RAMADI, Iraq (June 29, 2006) -- In recent days, the tempo of security operations have significantly increased in this insurgent stronghold.

As U.S. and Iraqi forces push further into the city they plan to hold the ground they take by setting up small outposts on the insurgents' doorstep.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/354D53B2D7F6B70D8525719C00705568?opendocument

June 29, 2006; Submitted on: 06/29/2006 04:26:58 PM ; Story ID#: 2006629162658

By Cpl. Daniel J. Redding, 1st Marine Logistics Group

Under sporadic small-arms, rocket and mortar fire, five Marines emplaced over 300 concrete barriers in 27 hours to provide secure borders for a new Iraqi army outpost in this capital city of the Al Anbar province.

The Marines, from Combat Logistics Detachment 115, utilized heavily armored forklifts, commonly referred to as TRAMS, to help the U.S. Army secure a heavier presence of Iraqi Security Forces in the most dangerous city in the region.

Combat Logistics Detachment 115, part of Combat Logistics Regiment 15 at nearby Camp Taqaddum, a sprawling logistics base east of here, was recently mobilized to help the Army's 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, build several outposts in the city.

"We are trying to get a Coalition and Iraqi presence in an area that previously didn't have one," said Capt. John P. Hiltz, commander, Charlie Company, 40th Engineer Battalion.

Two mortars landed in the first 10 minutes the Marines were on the ground at the outpost, known as Combat Outpost Falcon. Several more fell within the first hour.

"It was pretty tough the first hour and a half to two hours, a baptism by fire" said Pfc. Michael D. Jordan, one of the TRAM operators who braved hostile fire to build a safe spot for the U.S. and Iraqi soldiers.

TRAM is a Marine acronym for 'Tractor, Rubber-tired, Articulated steering, Multipurpose'

Undeterred, the Marines quickly got down to business. Working in shifts, they emplaced the barriers, guided around the small confines of the outpost by the Army engineers in charge of the barrier emplacement operation.

The barriers are being used to create entry control points and limit access to the area now controlled by the ISF in the heart of the city.

Initial predictions estimated the project would take 48 to 72 hours, but the Marines completed 90 percent of the work in 24 hours, said Hiltz, a 30-year-old native of Chelmsford, Mass.

Hiltz paused during the operation to praise the capabilities of the Marines working for him. "Without their skill, we wouldn't be a day ahead of schedule," he said. "They have been working (nonstop) putting these barriers in to protect the COP."

Familiarity with each other and their equipment, along with the intensity of the environment, enabled the fast-paced mission accomplishment, said Lance Cpl. William D. Weatherspoon, a 21-year-old native of Lee County, Ky., and a heavy equipment operator with the detachment.

"It was a comfort knowing that the up-armored forklifts were here and available to us, knowing that we didn't have to worry about pot-shots or in-direct fire," Jordan said. "It made it more comfortable to operate."

The up-armored protection was added several months ago by the unit while at Camp Taqaddum.

Soldiers from Task Force 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, along with Iraqi soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 7th Division, conducted operations from the outpost while the Marines fortified the borders of the camp.

In between emplacing barriers, the Marines repeatedly provided security for the soldiers. A member of the ISF was wounded by an insurgent attack and was quickly brought here for treatment.

The logistics Marines guarded the surrounding area as the patient was stabilized and loaded onto one of the Army's nearby vehicles for medical evacuation to Camp Ramadi.

An American soldier was later wounded by a rocket attack. As the urgent call "Medic" was yelled by soldiers nearby, the CLD 115 Marines responded to provide security.

All five Marines agreed that operating under the intense reality of a possible insurgent attack at any moment was difficult, but they said that's simply what Marines do.

"The things I've seen out here, I'll never forget," said Jordan, a 23-year-old Detroit native.

"It's good to know I played a partial role in what we're doing out here in Iraq, giving (them) positive things to think about the Marine Corps," Jordan said.

The soldiers and Marines agreed the ISF utilizing the new COP for combat operations gave hope for an independent Iraqi military.

"I've been impressed with the (Iraqi soldiers) out here," Hiltz said. "They've looked like infantrymen... like tankers. ...When you equip them properly, they stand up to the job. They are as good as any other soldier."

"Every time we build a new combat outpost, we take it to the enemy," said Hiltz. "Right now, COP FALCON is the frontline of Ramadi."

Email Cpl. Redding at daniel.redding@cssemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:34 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 29, 2006) – Gavin Schuck, son of fallen combat engineer Cpl. Brandon Schuck, sits in his mother’s arms, June 29. Schuck was presented savings bonds valued at $4,000 by the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation to put toward his college education. Schuck was killed in action, Feb. 6, in Baghdadi, Iraq, while conducting combat operations and was with 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/65996F5AB48C70FD8525719C0062C0C9?opendocument

June 29, 2006; Submitted on: 06/29/2006 01:58:38 PM ; Story ID#: 2006629135838

By Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston, 2nd Marine Logistics Group

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 29, 2006) -- A child sits in his mothers arms, looking around, and chewing on his bottle like any boy his age would.

This twinkle-eyed young boy of just 18 months has experienced what many don’t experience until they have children of their own, the loss of a father. Although he is not old enough to realize it now, the young boy who has lost so much has been given a gift toward his future.

Gavin Schuck, son of fallen combat engineer Cpl. Brandon Schuck of 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, was presented savings bonds valued at $4,000 by the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation to put toward his college education.

Schuck, a Safford, Ariz., native, was killed in action, Feb. 6, by an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations in Baghdadi, Iraq.
His comrades and platoon commander had good words to say about the character of the fallen Marine.

“He was always bragging about his son and wife,” said 1st Lt. Jason R. Berner, Schuck’s platoon commander during the operation. “He was a driving force to get the mission done.”

The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by former Marines and law enforcement members who have given more than $24 million to the children of fallen Marines and members of the law enforcement community.

A majority of the money raised comes from community events such as lunches, dinners, golf tournaments and private donors.

Megan Schuck, widow of Cpl. Schuck, had nothing but thanks toward the organization that is helping support her son’s education.

“It takes a lot of pressure off,” said Schuck. “Sometimes I wonder how I am going to support him, but this takes a lot of pressure off.”

The boy, with a smile on his face the entire time, just looked around with bewilderment with a smile he apparently adopted from his father.

“One thing about Cpl. Schuck, he always had a smirk on his face,” said Berner. “No matter what the situation, he was always smiling.”

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:33 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The commandant of the Marine Corps has stressed the importance of improving the leadership and skills of noncommissioned officers so they can take charge in a variety of stressful situations. Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Base, is doing its part to train NCOs to become the leaders of tomorrow by sending their Marines through the Corporal’s Course June 13-23. The two-week course helped to hone leadership abilities that have been learned by the students, turning them into NCO’s who can not only lead Marines in their section but lead all Marines whether in a safe stateside environment or on the battlefield, according to Sgt. Stephanie Whitehurst, an instructor at the course.(Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brandon R. Holgersen)(released)

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/79EA0886F2772B408525719C00505981?opendocument

June 29, 2006; Submitted on: 06/29/2006 10:37:37 AM ; Story ID#: 2006629103737

By Lance Cpl. Brandon R. Holgersen, MCB Camp Lejeune

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — (June 29, 2006) -- The commandant of the Marine Corps has stressed the importance of improving the leadership and skills of noncommissioned officers so they can take charge in a variety of stressful situations. Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Base, is doing its part to train NCOs to become the leaders of tomorrow by sending their Marines through the Corporal’s Course June 13-23.

The two-week course helped to hone leadership abilities that have been learned by the students, turning them into NCO’s who can not only lead Marines in their section but lead all Marines whether in a safe stateside environment or on the battlefield, according to Sgt. Stephanie Whitehurst, an instructor at the course.

“The course was a powerful reiteration of the basic leadership traits and gave me a better understanding of the principles of leadership,” said Cpl. Casey Burns, a student undergoing the course.

Corporals participating in the course are kept at a high standard and must maintain an 80 percent grade average throughout the course, according to Whitehurst. They are not only graded on their performance on their three exams, covering the materiel they learn in the classroom, but they are also graded on their participation in classroom activities and their conduct.

The first week of the course involved physical training, drilling and sword manual, instruction on military justice and land navigation, according to Whitehurst. The instructors also taught the corporals innovative ways to exercise besides mundane exercises such as running, along with tips on time management and maintaining accountability.

“The course makes them work as a team, so it gives them tools to help make other Marines work as a team,” Whitehurst said.

During the course, the students learned how to correctly execute drill movements, call commands and march a unit of Marines, giving the Corporals the training and confidence to lead Marines in a formation, according to Whitehurst. Corporals are evaluated on their drilling throughout the course by using drill cards, which are used at Drill Instructor School.

“The drill was the hardest part for me,” said Burns. “Before this, I hadn’t drilled since boot camp or drilled a platoon.”

Throughout the course, the corporals also participated in a camouflage utility uniform inspection, a service C uniform inspection and a wall locker inspection, according to Whitehurst. The uniform inspections ensure that the corporals know how to properly perform an inspection and know the proper way a uniform should be worn, while the wall locker inspection teaches the Marines how to have accountability for required items and be able to spot missing items.

The second part of the course focuses on different types of counseling systems, weapons, force protection, urban war fighting and war games which taught the corporals how to lead a small unit in wartime environments, while in a multiplicity of situations, according to Whitehurst.

This portion of the course also allowed the corporals to learn from each other, while learning about urban warfare. The course was made up not only of base Marines but also infantry Marines from 2nd Marine Division who have deployed to Iraq, and they helped teach their fellow Marines how to move and operate in an urban environment, according to Staff Sgt. Mercedes Cancel, the staff noncommissioned officer in charge.

The instructors in the course strive to have as many hands-on tasks as possible because it makes the training more realistic and easier to understand, according to Cancel.

The course gives these corporals the knowledge they need to be successful leaders in the Marine Corps and continue with the Marine Corps traditions that have been passed down for hundreds of years, according to Cancel.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:30 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (July 29, 2006) -- As the hidden lead scout locates the enemy bunker through his binoculars in the brush, he radios their position back to Marines awaiting coordinates. The Marines hastily compute the position to artillerymen standing ready next to 16,000 lb. cannons. After an explosion in the distance, the scout takes another look through his binoculars and sees the blazing rubble of where the enemy bunker used to be.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/C47651A708E6A83C8525719C006300F6?opendocument

July 29, 2006; Submitted on: 06/29/2006 02:01:23 PM ; Story ID#: 200662914123

By Pfc. Josephh R. Stahlman, 2nd Marine Division

Pfc. Colby C. Alberts, a fire direction controlman with Battery I, 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, trained at Gun Point 13 for his future deployment. During the five-day training exercise, Alberts and his battery performed different tasks they would carry out while deployed to a forward position.

“The battery is out here training for what it’s going to be like when we are deployed,” said Alberts, who’s been in the Marine Corps for almost a year now.

“Our battery is split into three different platoons,” said the Kasson, Minn., native. “The first platoon is providing security around the perimeter and has set up a vehicle check point.”

The second platoon is in reserve and the third is on the gun line, where there are usually six 16,000 lb M198 howitzers, Alberts said.

“Each platoon takes turns at every station,” Alberts said. “My job is to calculate information given to me by forward observers and give that information to the gun line.”

“The forward observer’s job is to give us coordinates on enemy locations and obstructions,” said Lance Cpl. Jeremy K. Anderson, a Birmingham, Ala., native and also a fire direction controlman.

“After I check the data to make sure it’s all correct, the radio operator gives the calculations to the Marines on the gun line and they move the howitzers into position to fire,” Alberts explained.

When the Marines on the gun line are given the go ahead to fire, they fire high explosive rounds as far as 30,000 meters with a 100-meter kill radius.

“It gets pretty hectic when you get a lot of grids coming at once,” Alberts said. “You have to be fast to make sure the information is right and send it to the gun line.”

“It takes everyone to do their job right to get the right information to the gun line and Alberts is always fast and correct with his,” said 29-year-old Anderson. “For a guy his age to be doing what he’s doing is outstanding.”

Alberts, who is 19 years old, grew up on a farm and graduated from Kasson High School in June 2005.

During high school, Alberts worked as a painter, a construction worker and a small gas engine mechanic.

“I had a lot of different jobs growing up,” Albert said. “I enjoy doing different things and I don’t mind a little hard work.”

Alberts played football and wrestled in high school, winning the all-state championship his senior year.

He said he wanted to do something different than anyone else he knew was doing. Alberts made that decision when he joined the Marine Corps in May 2005.

Using all the skill and determination it took for him to become a state champion, Alberts now hones his skills to be better prepared for Iraq.

“Even with all the chaos of everything going on at once, we still manage to calculate the information and send it to the gun line for the howitzers to fire,” Alberts said. “When everything is over, and I hear that we hit our target, it feels good to know I did my job right.”

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:27 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 29, 2006) -- The Marine takes a final breath before he kicks in the door and enters the old, beaten down house full of insurgents. He points his rifle to the right and glances to the left to see an enemy insurgent lifting his gun to attack. The Marine turns to fire on the insurgent and simultaneously feels a sharp pain in his lower left side. He’d been hit, and he’s going down.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/B9D49E97F3EEA86B8525719D00512794?opendocument

June 29, 2006; Submitted on: 06/30/2006 10:46:25 AM ; Story ID#: 2006630104625
By Pfc. Josephh Stahlman, 2nd Marine Division

As he lies on the floor and watches his fellow Marines shoot the insurgent and clear the rest of the room, an instructor walks in and looks down to him and says, “you better be glad this wasn’t real Marine.”

Lance Cpl. William C. Michener, a field artilleryman with 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, trained at the military operations on urban terrain facility here, June 5. Michener and his battalion were trained in basic infantry tactics in an urban environment, during the five-day exercise.

“The training we do out here is basically how to survive in an urban environment,” said Michener, a St. Joe, Ark., native. “They teach us how to work together as a team and maneuver through an urban environment.”

The Marines were taught the different aspects of urban terrain and how to maneuver through it in a classroom setting during the first two days. The third day was spent patrolling through the town in four platoons made up of three, four-man fire teams each. Michener was chosen to be a fire team leader by Cpl. Sidney C. Moore, a field artilleryman and 3rd Squad leader.

“I chose Michener because of his outstanding ability to lead Marines,” said Moore, a Dracut, Mass., native. “I also spent seven months in Iraq with him, so I know he’s seen this stuff first hand.”

Michener and Moore were both deployed to forward operating base Trebil, Iraq, in March 2005. The Marines at Trebil responded to more than 20 improvised explosive devices. They went on patrols every day and conducted vehicle check-points to search for weapons and ammunition in the town.

Moore and Michener spent many hours on post, reminiscing about home and getting to know each other.

“After hours of patrols and standing post, you get to know the people around you very well,” said Michener, the youngest of eight children. “After being out there so long, you start to trust the Marines you’re surrounded by a lot more; this training helps you start to develop a trusting relationship with the Marines in your squad.”

The Marines used simulation rounds to show where the impact of the actual bullet would be while clearing the buildings on the final days of training. Simulation rounds are plastic projectiles filled with colored laundry detergent.

“The instructors give us sim rounds to give going into the buildings more of a real feel,” Michener said. “They are used to show how many casualties you would have after clearing a room.”

“The Marines are taught different situations that might happen while deployed to a forward position,” said Cpl. Joel W. Winkler, a basic urban skills training instructor. “We teach the Marines techniques on how to enter a building and clear it, whether it be through the front door, the back door or a window, the assault needs to be quick to catch the insurgents off guard.”

Winkler said the Marines are taught that speed and communication is the key to any successful operation.

“To survive in Iraq you have to be able to communicate with your fellow Marines,” Michener said. “While we’re out here, we get a feel of who’s going to freeze up and who’s going to take charge.”

Michener and the rest of the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment will be using the training they received at the MOUT training facility here, to effectively accomplish their mission while keeping each other alive during their future deployments.

Posted by ph at 9:01 PM | Permalink

This Best Seller leaves no doubts if you wonder what it’s like fighting with the US Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces in Iraq, you are in for a hair raising ride when you read Leatherneck Publishing’s latest and greatest book release by Gunnery Sergeant Patrick Tracy.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/6/prweb404349.htm

Oceanside CA (PRWEB) June 28, 2006 -- The Best Seller, “Street Fight in Iraq,” leaves no doubts if you wonder what it’s like fighting with the US Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces in Iraq. Readers are in for a hair raising ride when they read Leatherneck Publishing’s latest book release by Gunnery Sergeant Patrick Tracy.

A seasoned 19 year Marine Corps Warrior of many battles, GySgt Tracy takes the reader second by second on heart pounding, breath stopping missions through the streets of Ramadi seeking out the terrorists who hide in the shadows of inhumanity. Around the next corner awaits a surprise ambush, a massive fire fight or a little child wired for your touch.

GySgt Tracy is a master at describing each moment as he lived it. He recorded each event in his personal mission log over a seven month tour of duty in one of the hottest combat zones, Ramadi, Iraq.

"Street Fight in Iraq" relates with great candor the unvarnished realities of dealing with day to day combat in and around Ramadi. Readers will be shocked, fascinated, outraged and frustrated when they read about the fight for Democracy and Peace in Iraq. This book is about Marines who made the journey to combat and the unbelievable events that made up their seven month combat tour. The language is harsh, the writing brutally honest and the message clear. This is a definite “must read” for military and civilians alike.

Patrick Tracy was born in 1967 and raised in Pittston, PA. A 19 year career infantry Marine stationed in Scotland, Japan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington D.C., Hawaii, and Colorado and presently resides in San Clemente, California with his wife Janet and daughters Sonia and Danielle. He reported for duty at Camp Pendleton in September of 2003 and deployed to Iraq in August of 2004 as the Company Gunnery Sergeant for Fox Company 2nd Battalion 5th Marines. In December of 2005, Patrick was promoted to First Sergeant. Currently he is on active deployment.

“Street Fight In Iraq” is published by Leatherneck Publishing located in Oceanside, CA. The book is available directly from http://www.leatherneckpublishing.com , or your local bookstore. Dealer discounts offered through Ingram Books and Baker &Taylor.

Review copies are available to accredited media venues by calling (760) 754-3100 or by email. When requesting via e-mail, please provide your name, title, organization, address and phone number.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 7:57 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Marines with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, move through the cover of smoke during a live-fire exercise on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms. Supported by machine gun teams, the Marines attacked multiple bunkers during the mock assault. Participating in the month-long Mojave Viper training, the battalion conducted platoon, company and battalion sized live-fire operations.

http://usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/E9A48043E0BF64CE8525719C00399226?opendocument

June 29, 2006; Submitted on: 06/29/2006 06:28:49 AM ; Story ID#: 200662962849

By Cpl. Paul Robbins Jr., Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (June 29, 2006) -- Pinned down in a covered position with enemy gunfire impacting overhead and the explosions of enemy mortars moving even closer, Marines in combat have one thing to rely on - each other.

Team building and unit cohesion is an integral part of the pre-deployment, Mojave Viper training evolution aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., where infantry battalions focus their efforts on unit-driven operations and simulated combat environments to prepare their Marines for the trials ahead.

The specialized and in-depth training provided during this evolution is a step above the usual training provided.

“It is a big step but a natural one,” said 2nd Lt. John D. Branson, a platoon commander for B Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. “It is a built-in progression to the training.”

In an attempt to duplicate realistic combat experiences, the Marines focus on live-fire assaults, coordination of supporting fire and unit cohesion training.

Using the many ranges provided by the Tactical Training Exercise Control Group, known as the “Coyotes,” the battalions have been able to provide realistic combat situations to their Marines.

Marines assault bunkers, hills and urban towns in mock battles with a simulated enemy. The Marines use live ammunition in coordinated assaults, while "Coyotes" use artillery simulators and radio communication to affect the battle's progression.

“With all the noise and explosions, I think it really simulates that fog of war,” said Lance Cpl. Jorge L. Rivero, a team leader for A Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.

Many of the Marines who participated believe that using live rounds in the simulations provides the necessary element of danger for infantry Marines. Some of the combat tactics employed by Marines can only be demonstrated by the use of live ammunition.

“For an infantry platoon, geometry of fire is everything,” said Branson, a 23-year-old native of Washington, D.C., “You can practice with blanks all day long, but the Marines aren’t going to get it until you put live rounds down range and their buddies are running around them.”

The true combat environment also helps to build confidence on the battlefield, according to Lance Cpl. Michael J. Howard, a team leader for B Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.

The live ammunition, pop-up targets and elaborate entrenchments also add excitement and accomplishment to the training cycle.

“Anytime you can put rounds down range, it’s a good day,” said Sgt. Gilbert J. Hernandez, a machine gun section leader for B Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.

But the seriousness of the training is not lost on the Corps' warriors. With deployments looming for all who participate, the Marines recognize the training as important, effective and necessary.

“The way we perform out here is the way we will perform in Ramadi, and the Marines know that,” Branson said.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 5:27 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (June 28, 2006) -- Marine Corps Combat Development Command has created four new products dealing with counterinsurgency, which are now available online for viewing and judging.

Two of the items are concepts, and the others are doctrine, one of which was a joint project with the Army.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/A3D000BE40DD67868525719B005D5701?opendocument

June 28, 2006; Submitted on: 06/28/2006 12:59:31 PM ; Story ID#: 2006628125931

By Lance Cpl. Travis J. Crewdson, MCB Quantico

All four products are in the form of a book or pamphlet. The version available now for most of these is only a draft that is open for comments and will then be edited and updated at a later time.

In the early 20th century, while assessing the nature of the anticipated conflict in the Pacific, the Marine Corps concluded that the United States could not afford the luxury of avoiding that which was incredibly difficult. Rather than avoiding the problem, the Navy-Marine Corps team attacked it. The result was a “Tentative Manual for Landing Operations” published in 1934. Acknowledging there was still much to learn, this manual was refined through numerous exercises and experiences until 1940. This document provided a common framework for further exploration and refinement of the tactics, techniques and procedures that would be creatively -- and successfully -- applied on a global scale.

It was from this success that the first book of the four “Tentative Manual for Countering Irregular Threats: An Updated Approach to Counterinsurgency Operations,” was created. It is the in-depth version of concepts used in current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The title comes from the old landing manual. It is best for battalion commander and up or anyone with interest in capability and development of a unit, said Lt. Col. Lance McDaniel, one of the creators from the Concepts Branch of the Concepts and Plans Division of MCCDC.

“The idea is that the concept isn’t done yet,” McDaniel said. “We will rewrite it as many times as we need to, in three months, six months, two years, whenever, we will write it again based on what we learn through experimentation and combat operations.”

The manual has a three month timeline before it is taken back into an editing stage for updating. The original project for this manual began in summer of 2005. Lt. Gen. James Mattis, commanding general of MCCDC appointed Col. Doug King, head of MCCDC’s joint coordination, to have his Marines create a concept manual for counterinsurgency. McDaniel was tasked, used his experience from two tours in Iraq, along with Maj. Farrell Sullivan, a coworker of McDaniel who has experience in Afghanistan. They worked with international officers at the war colleges and did their own research as well.

“We spent a lot of time at the library,” McDaniel said. “The manual was also successfully used in the Expeditionary Warrior 2006 wargaming. These are future concepts, but many of them are simple enough that they could be used in Iraq today.”

The second product is a 15-page pamphlet for external audiences, “The Comprehensive Approach to Countering Irregular Threats.” It a shorter version of the first manual, and it had less military terminology and more pictures. Any reader can understand and benefit from the manual, McDaniel said.

The third product is about 250 pages of doctrine, not concept. This joint product, “United States Army and United States Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Manual FMFM 3-24” is a rough draft with an aggressive deadline before it is to be updated.

FMFM 3-24 was born from a joint decision from Mattis and Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the Combined Arms Center – the Army equivalent of the Marine Corps’ MCCDC -- and Fort Leavenworth, Kans. The Army provided a lead editor and each chapter had an assigned Marine and soldier to work together to write it. With the help of the research the Marine Corps had already done for the manual in 2005, the project was completed in about seven months and has eight chapters plus appendices. Both services are scheduled to meet at Ft. Leavenworth for revising in about 30 days.

“We believe even in draft form, it could be a utility today,” McDaniel said to encourage more people to read it hoping to increase feedback.

The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory Web site hosts the link to a fully viewable draft. McDaniel is the point of contact for corrections or general questions, but he said even compliments are helpful. Contact information for writers and editors is also included in the documents.

The last of the new products is the “Small-Unit Leaders’ Guide to Counterinsurgency,” a more practical how-to guide for counterinsurgency operations. The guide, like the FMFM 3-24, is considered doctrine and will benefit someone at or below a company commander’s level best. McDaniel said this project will probably also end up as a joint product, but the concept manuals will remain service specific.

To view the documents, visit www.mcwl.usmc.mil and look under the “What’s hot” section. Contact information is included in the materials, or comments can be brought to McDaniel at (703) 784-6605.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:43 PM | Permalink

BARWANA, Iraq, June 28, 2006 — As U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Brett Bartels stood in front of a military vehicle handing out hundreds of stuffed animals and soccer balls on a road in Barwana, his goal was simple - make sure each child went home with a smile on his face.

http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/june2006/a062806ls3.html

By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
1st Marine Division

Such humanitarian operations are the reason many of the local residents are starting to trust Marines and why insurgents are quickly losing their foothold in the city of 40,000 nestled along the Euphrates River, just southeast of Haditha, the 23-year-old native of Canoga, Park, Calif., said.

"People here trust us. With that trust we are hoping to build the basic programs needed to properly govern a city."

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Brett Bartels

"When we arrived in Barwana in March, the insurgents would threaten and intimidate anyone who cooperated with Marines," said Bartel, a team leader with 3rd Civil Affairs Group, a Marine unit with the primary mission of assisting Iraqi communities with improving local infrastructures and governance.

"The insurgents do not have that power anymore and they are desperate to get it back," said Bartel. "It is evident in their futile attacks that rarely produce the results they want."

As the insurgency is quelled, Marines here are focusing on developing and implementing programs that will one day be turned over to Iraqi government workers in Barwana after coalition forces withdraw from the city, said Bartels.

Many male residents have expressed an interest in becoming police officers and are willing to attend a police training camp in Baghdad, said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jose Soto, an assistant team leader with a civil affairs group.

A police force, coupled with an Army capable of independent operations, is necessary in order to provide security to residents without the assistance of coalition forces, said Soto.

"It is just a matter of time before people will start seeing some of the residents who are currently unemployed wearing a police uniform and protecting them from insurgents," said Soto. "The insurgency is crumbling in this city and we are winning the fight."

When the Marines arrived in Barwana more than three months ago, residents would not communicate with them out of fear of retribution from insurgents. Now, residents are beginning to welcome Marines and Iraqi soldiers in broad daylight - a sure sign of a weakening insurgency, said Soto.

Now the Marines are reaching out to the younger generation of Iraqis with an incentive for them to focus on their education through a program known as "gifts for good grades."

The program allows children to come to the base with their report cards and, depending on the quality of their grades, they are rewarded with toys and candy.

Soto came up with the program earlier this month when a child asked him for a soccer ball as he made an identification card for his parents.

"I asked him if he had a copy of his report card and he ran home and got it," said Soto. "The child made good grades in school so I gave him a soccer ball."

The child spread the word about the gift to other neighborhood children. Soon after, many more children showed outside the forward operating base and showed their report cards to Soto in the hopes of receiving a gift.

"I would give each child at least some candy," said Soto. "The soccer balls were the most sought after item, so I awarded that to the children with the highest grades. Others would get candy or stuffed animals."

Students began asking their teachers for copies of their report cards from previous grading periods after hearing about the program, said Soto.

"Our main goal with this program is to encourage the youth to excel in their education and lead more meaningful lives instead of having to turn to the insurgency for a source of income," said Soto, after returning from a three-hour patrol in Barwana where he and Marines from Company L, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment handed out more than two hundred toys to local children.

"People here trust us," said Bartels. "With that trust we are hoping to build the basic programs needed to properly govern a city."

Posted by sr at 8:50 PM | Permalink

The US military is targeted everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, some may be targets when they're at home. Some call it an enemy within. We have new information on a growing problem on military bases, where the people who fight for their country are fighting to keep more money in their wallets.

http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=5081855&nav=9qrx

By Flint Adam
NewsChannel 3

When a soldier returns home, he or she returns to a life of bills, family-care, and other expenses. Young soldiers don't make a lot of money and many of them haven't learned how to manage their money. So the bills add up and sometimes soldiers can't pay up, so they look for help. That's when trouble starts.

They are targets, each and every day, while trying to complete their mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. US soldiers face a tough battle overseas, but life isn't necessarily easier once they return home.

Back on US soil, soldiers have families, bills and expenses. Sometimes, a young soldier's wallet wears too thin, and help is needed. That's when they become targets, once more.

"They are a perfect target for payday lenders."

Major General Michael Lehnert commands most Marine bases west of the Mississippi. He says soldiers find nothing but trouble behind a payday lender's door.

"The reason they get in trouble is just the extraordinary interest rates that are being charged by payday lenders."

Here's an example. A soldier borrows $200 from a payday lender at 17-and-a-half percent interest. Two weeks later on payday, the soldier is expected to pay back the loan and interest, a total of $235. But often times, a soldier's paycheck isn't enough to get back on track, so the loan isn't paid off. Every two weeks thereafter, until the loan is paid off, the interest is charged again. In this case, the interest would equal 455 percent after one year. That's $910 interest on a $200 loan.

"That is not a legitimate profit."

But General Lehnert says this is a legitimate problem. He recently spoke with a group of 1,400 Marines about payday loans.

"I asked the question, ‘how many of you have someone that you know personally who has been in trouble with payday lenders, who has gotten in trouble financially with payday lenders.' Nearly every single hand went up."

Lehnert believes America's armed forces are being preyed upon by payday lenders. There's research that backs him up. A joint California State and University of Florida report finds that payday loan centers are disproportionately found near military bases.

Based on population, researchers believed a town the size of Twentynine Palms should have one payday lender. They found seven, all huddled near the Marine base.

At Camp Pendleton, near Oceanside, researchers expected five payday lenders. They found twenty-two near the south and east gates of the base. And it's not just near military bases that soldiers are targeted.

"Nowadays, a soldier doesn't even need to leave the base in order to get a loan. On the internet, there are literally scores of websites offering military payday loans."

In their defense, advocates of the payday lending industry say they're only offering a service. No one has to take their offer. And their business is legal. But soldiers are still getting in trouble.

"We can't do that to our military. It's just wrong."

37th District Senator Jim Battin says new legislation may help change some of that. Assembly Bill 1965 is being reviewed in the California legislature. It could make it harder for payday lenders to deal with soldiers and offer more protection from debt while they're overseas.

"It does defer interest, while they are deployed."

But is the bill a final solution?

"The bill, in my view, does not go nearly far enough."

General Lenhert says the state needs to adopt a payday interest rate cap, like several other states have. He says we owe it to our soldiers.

"We really have to ask ourselves as a nation, how does it look to send these young men and women, who are defending our nation, and then to come home and then to allow institutions to prey on them financially and to cause them financial grief? I just don't think that's the way, as America, we ought to be and how we ought to be treating these young men and women. I just think it's wrong."

Senator Battin says, if Assembly Bill 1965 passes, it would become law on January 1st of next year.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 1:12 PM | Permalink

DETROIT - A Marine and one-time recruiter who appeared in Michael Moore's documentary film "Fahrenheit 9/11" has died in a roadside bombing in Iraq.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_re_us/michigan_recruiter_4

Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar, 30, died Monday of wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Iraq's volatile Anbar province, the Defense Department said Tuesday.

Plouhar, who was stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., had taken four years off from active duty to serve as a recruiter in Flint after donating one of his kidneys to his uncle. He is seen in the 2004 film approaching prospective recruits in a mall parking lot.

"It's better to get them when they're in ones and twos and work on them that way," he says in the film.

Although Plouhar willingly appeared in the movie, which is critical of the Bush administration's actions after Sept. 11, his father said Plouhar didn't realize it would criticize the war.

"I'm proud that my son wanted to protect the freedom of this country whether we all agree with the war or not," he said.

Plouhar grew up in Lake Orion, about 30 miles north of Detroit.

He is survived by a wife and two children, ages 5 and 9. They live in Arizona.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 12:56 PM | Permalink

(RTTNews) - Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT | charts | news | PowerRating) said that EFW Inc, an Elbit Systems of America company, has won a $50 million contract from the US Marine Corps Systems Command for the supply of military systems.

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/tm.site/news/BREAKING%20NEWS/291669/

Wednesday, June 28, 2006; Posted: 04:15 AM

As per the deal, EFW would produce, integrate, install and provide logistics support for the systems on Marine Corps vehicles. The company noted that the systems are scheduled for installation during 2006.

Copyright(c) 2006 RealTimeTraders.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:40 AM | Permalink

CAMP HABBANIYAH, Iraq (June 28, 2006) -- Marines of Company A, 2nd Tank Battalion are supporting the grunts of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment by maintaining a constant presence with their M1-A1 Main Battle Tanks along the main highways in the battalion’s new area of operations.

http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/1640FF0B3BC30DD28525719C00424874?opendocument

June 28, 2006
By Cpl. Mark Sixbey
1st Marine Division

“We’re operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Gunnery Sgt. Michael J. Kadlub, a tank commander for 2nd Platoon. “There’s always somebody out there.”

The tanks followed Darkhorse to Habbaniyah when the battalion moved west from Fallujah at the end of May.

The transition to the new battle space was eased by the company’s previous work with the Darkhorse battalion south of Fallujah earlier in the deployment, Kadlub said.

“Fortunately, right before we came here, our platoon worked with India 3/5 for a month at another location,” said the 37-year-old from Atlanta. “We had a good working relationship with them, and it’s carried over here. It’s been nothing but good results.”

Tanks also support the Iraqi Army forces who share battle space with Marines in the area.

“We’re responsible for route security,” said Capt. Charles T. Montgomery, 2nd Platoon commander. “The Iraqi Army owns territory adjacent to us, so we work with them periodically on request.”

“If they need us they’ll call us, and we’ll assist them,” Kadlub added.

He said he’s seen some progress since moving to the more volatile area of operations closer to Ramadi.

“After the move here, the activity by the insurgents was definitely substantially increased from what we saw since we were in country,” Kadlub said. “It’s slowed down a little bit, but has definitely not gone away.”

The move brought changes in camp scenery, as the Marines now live in barracks built by the British army earlier this century.

“It’s a lot changed from where we’ve been,” said Cpl. Brian C. Gilliam, a tank gunner. “The living conditions are down a little bit, but the working conditions are boosted up.”

Camp Habbaniyah’s large hangar keeps the sunlight off the tanks, which he said helps while the Marines perform constant maintenance in the desert heat. The hangar is also located relatively close to their barracks.

“It’s not that far compared to Fallujah, where we had to get on a bus to get to work,” said Gilliam, 26, from Cumberland, Ky.

Montgomery, a 33-year-old from Charlotte, Ky., added that the close proximity between work and living quarters is good for maximizing operations, since the tanks require constant upkeep.

“Just like every rifleman has to zero in his rifle, we have to zero the tank gun,” Kadlub explained. “If you do everything the way you’re supposed to, it’s as easy as playing a video game.”

In two separate engagements, tanks have helped Marines of I Company stop insurgent attacks, he added.

Gilliam is on his first deployment to Iraq. He has the best view in the tank, behind the controls of the 120 mm main gun.

“I’m the one aiming in, scanning, doing all that,” he said. “When I pull the trigger, the target ceases to exist,” Gilliam said.

And for the grunts who patrol the roads and man the observation posts in Habbaniyah, 70 tons of metal rolling down the street is always a welcome sight.

“Their presence helps,” said Lance Cpl. David Conklin, a machine gunner with Combat Trains Platoon, Headquarters and Support Company. “When the insurgents see the tanks, they don’t really want to come out and attack.”

The 23-year-old from Temple, Texas, added that the tanks also provide peace of mind against improvised explosive device attacks, as the tanks’ armor can withstand just about anything buried on the road.

Posted by sr at 8:22 AM | Permalink

FALLUJAH, Iraq - Unlike many Marines in this dangerous city, Staff Sgt. George Scott could have said “no.” He could have stayed home in Ohio with his two young sons.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13582166/

The Associated Press

Updated: 8:18 p.m. CT June 27, 2006

Pentagon rules limit the number of times reservists like Scott can be called to duty involuntarily. But Scott keeps coming back. He’s on his third tour now, and said he’d volunteer for a fourth.

“I like to be a Marine, leading Marines, and being around them,” said Scott, who in civilian life is a car dealer service manager in Orwell, Ohio.

With the war in Iraq still raging after three years and the full-time military stretched thin, the Pentagon is counting on, and courting, committed volunteers like Scott to fill the ranks.

Scott served earlier in Iraq with another unit, but volunteered to help the 1st Battalion, 25th Regiment, 4th Marine Division, when it was looking for more troops. Many others also agreed to deploy again: About half of the 500 original members of the 1st Battalion are in Iraq by choice, said Gunnery Sgt. Pete Walz, a spokesman for the reserve battalion stationed in Fort Devens, Mass.

The 1st Battalion’s numbers show the increasing reliance on volunteers from the reserves and the National Guard, even as the total number of reserve units is going down.

The extended Iraq conflict, and the Afghanistan fight, have forced U.S. commanders to use reserve forces more heavily than at any other time in recent decades.

During the Vietnam War, active duty troops did the vast majority of the fighting. In Iraq, by comparison, the reserve troops made up half of the ground force for much of last year.

After signs that the reserve system was in trouble — including a major recruiting shortfall by the Army National Guard — the Pentagon moved to reduce the numbers of reservists called up. Of the roughly 127,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, the proportion has dropped to about 21 percent, said Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

U.S. commanders have said part-time troops will play a much smaller combat role for the remainder of the war.

Sharing the duty, and the dying
But reservists haven’t shared only the duty, they’ve shared the toll. In 2004, about 20 percent of the 845 U.S. military deaths in Iraq came from the reservists’ ranks. In the first nine months of 2005 — when an Army National Guard division was sent into battle for the first time since the Korean War — reservists accounted for 36 percent of 595 U.S. deaths.

Though many reservists and national guardsmen in Iraq have been assigned to support roles, others have been sent to some of the most violent areas of the country. Scott’s battalion is responsible for Fallujah, the former insurgent stronghold where militants are trying to make inroads.

It’s no less dangerous for these reservists than for the active-duty Marines.

Last year one battalion of Marine reservists in western Iraq suffered 48 fatalities during a seven-month tour. In the summer of 2005, the Army’s Georgia National Guard was stationed in Mahmoudiyah, one of Iraq’s most dangerous areas, and quickly suffered several deaths before being moved to a calmer area.

But despite the long deployments, the risks, and fears of an extended Iraq conflict that have driven many away, others continue to volunteer.

The view from Fallujah
In Fallujah, the Marine reservists who volunteered said they did so for many reasons, ranging from patriotism, to a sense of camaraderie with other troops from their hometowns, to the opportunity to save money.

“What I tell a lot of people is that we’ve got to finish what we started,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Hale, of Albany, N.Y., a correctional officer back home who now oversees one of six checkpoints leading into Fallujah. “I knew they needed a staff (noncommissioned officer), and the other guy wasn’t going.”

Some Marines, particularly those with wives and children, acknowledged the stress of being away for months. Sgt. Mark Sabourin, a carpenter back home in Bellingham, Mass., said he had a child back home who was “attached to his hip” but yet he still agreed to deploy to Iraq for the second time.

“My biggest reason was to take care of my Marines,” said Sabourin, 37, noting that his battalion had several young Marines with only two years of experience. “I wouldn’t feel right sitting at home watching these guys on TV, doing what they need to do. That’s not why I joined the Marine Corps.”

Stress for those left behind
Sgt. Recordo Demetrius, a mechanic taking a break from repairing a Humvee damaged by a roadside bomb, said his wife was a “little reluctant” about his second tour in Iraq. He acknowledged that the stress of deployments often falls on relatives back home.

“I think it’s harder for the families back home than the Marines who are doing it. Some of them understand. Others are like, ‘Why are you doing it?”’ said Demetrius, a New York City police officer.

While sometimes their families lack confidence in the mission, many of these Marines said they see important gains in Iraq.

“Every day I think about going home. But if I had the opportunity, I wouldn’t. I’d stay here,” said Sgt. Manuel Felicio, 31, a native of Rhode Island, on his first tour.

Scott too says he thinks about home, and looks forward to spending time at the end of this deployment with his sons, ages 6 and 10. “It’s wearing a little bit, since my boys are at the age where I should be teaching them to throw a football, how to fish,” he said.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 7:51 AM | Permalink

HADITHA, Iraq (June 27, 2006) -- Marines here say a lieutenant who was leading Marines and Iraqi soldiers through the volatile streets of Haditha, Iraq, June 14, showed uncommon valor when he ran into a barrage of enemy gunfire to pull a wounded Marine to safety.

1st Lt. Rick Posselt, a 25-year-old from Crystal River, Fla., said he is not the Marine who deserves the recognition.

http://192.156.19.109/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/E70EA6BD6BB7D7148525719900666A20?opendocument

June 27, 2006; Submitted on: 06/26/2006 02:38:38 PM ; Story ID#: 2006626143838

By Sgt. Roe F. Seigle, Regimental Combat Team7

Cpl. Michael Estrella, who was killed by sniper fire during that same patrol, is the real hero and deserves the recognition, said Posselt.

The mission Posselt, a platoon commander assigned to the Hawaii-based India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, led the Marines and their Iraqi Army counterparts on that day was like any other – a patrol through the winding streets of Haditha. On this particular patrol they were searching for a suspected insurgent.

Haditha is a city of 30,000 nestled along the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad in Iraq’s Al Anbar province.

When Posselt came to an intersection in a marketplace, the Marines began receiving gunfire and saw Estrella, 20, fall to the ground.

Shortly after the initial ‘cracks’ of enemy gunfire pelted the ground below and spit up shards of concrete around him, Posselt said his platoon was shot at from another direction.

Posselt’s first instinct was to get Estrella to safety – and he did so risking his own life in the process.

As the enemy gunfire continued, Posselt ran to the wounded Estrella and pulled him approximately 15 feet to safety, further exposing himself to more gunfire.

“I just did what my instinct told me to do,” said Posselt. “I was just trying to take care of my Marines.”

Looking back, Posselt feels any other Marine in his position would have done the same thing that day.

“I just happened to be the Marine closest to Estrella when he fell,” said Posselt. “I had to get him off that street and that was really the only thought going through my mind.”

With Estrella out of harm’s way, several Iraqi soldiers returned well aimed and disciplined fire to the enemy’s position, without injuring any civilians on the street that day.

Still, Posselt does not believe he is worthy of recognition, but Capt. Andy Lynch, 31, India Company’s commanding officer, says Posselt will be recognized for his brave actions on the battlefield that day.

Sgt. Jason Sakowski, 26, said he also believes Posselt is worthy of recognition.

Sakowski, one of Posselt’s squad leaders, was present during the fire fight and called in reinforcements and a medical evacuation while returning and directing fire at the enemy combatants. The enemy combatants then fled the area.

“He (Posselt) put his life on the line without even thinking about it,” said Sakowski, a 26-year-old native of Wilkesboro, N.C. “This is my third combat deployment but it is the first time I have seen bravery to that degree.”

“Muhammad,” a soldier assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, was also present during the firefight and was one of the Iraqi soldiers who returned fire to the enemy combatants. He agrees with Sakowski – Posselt’s actions were commendable.

“He (Posselt) showed uncommon courage that day,” said Muhammad, through a translator. “He set an example for other soldiers to follow. I think he is a hero.”

Posselt gives more credit to Sakowski for his role in the fire fight than he gives himself for risking his life to pull Estrella to safety.

“Sakowski accomplished many things at once in the middle of the firefight,” said Posselt.

Sakowski called for a medical evacuation, directed fire and called in the reinforcements that arrived within a minute of being called out, said Posselt.

“Sakowski made some very important decisions under fire,” said Posselt. “He stayed calm and remembered his training in the heat of a battle.”

Posselt also said the Marines are mourning the loss of their friend and fellow warrior, Estrella, but are still focused on training the Iraqi Army to eventually provide security in this region along the Euphrates River on their own, allowing U.S. forces to eventually leave for good.

“I want to bring the rest of the Marines home safely, first and foremost,” said Posselt, right after a memorial service was held for Estrella at the Marines’ fortified base here. “But we also have to help get a government established so we do not have to come back here 10 years down the road with the same situation we had in 2003. We owe it to Estrella to accomplish the mission he came here to complete.”

The Hawaii-based Marine battalion, also known as “America’s Battalion,” arrived in March and are scheduled to depart Iraq this fall and be replaced by another Hawaii-based unit.

Contact Sgt. Seigle at: seiglemf@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil.

Posted by CB for MarineParents.com at 9:07 PM | Permalink

U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL, GUAM — Like most other military and Guam governmental agencies, Guam’s military school system awaits details to begin planning the major construction and staffing increases needed as 8,000 Marines come to the island.

http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=38216

By Teri Weaver, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Tuesday, June 27, 2006

But already Department of Defense Education Activity leaders are working with the military to discuss site planning, faculty hiring and other long-range changes needed to accommodate the Marines and the estimated 9,000 family members slated to move from Okinawa beginning in 2008.

“We will get considerably larger,” said Michael Diekmann, superintendent, Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools in Guam. “We could possibly double in size.”

The school system now has about 2,500 students, 250 teachers and 50 workers. Its annual $29 million budget supports children from about 6,500 military- linked families here.

Two of the four military schools are off base, a product of a 1997 change to give military families an alternative to Guam public schools. Plans to replace them with on-base campuses were well under way before the Marines’ move was announced.

A $29.5 million high school, being built near the naval hospital, is to open in July 2007. A $40 million elementary school, planned for Guam Naval Base, is to replace McCool Elementary School, which currently is outside the main Navy base. That school still is in the bidding process, but officials hope to open it by summer 2008, Diekmann said.

Those projects are to accommodate current enrollment needs, about 800 in kindergarten through eighth grade at McCool and 450 in ninth through 12th grades at Guam High School, he said.

But the schools, near the Navy’s main base on west-central Guam, are being built with enough common-area space — libraries, cafeterias, labs — that each can expand by adding classrooms, he said. The high school could increase 47 percent to 660 students. McCool could grow 38 percent to 1,100 students.

However, Diekmann added, whether those schools will need to expand is unclear.

The military has said it plans to use its existing footprint on Guam. Rear Adm. Charles “Joe” Leidig, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas in Guam, has said the Marines likely will be based at the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station in Finegayan, in northern Guam near Andersen Air Force Base.

Andersen already has two new schools, a $50 million project completed five years ago for grades pre-K through 8. They house 1,350 students but could expand to 1,600, officials said.

After approval, a school construction project takes about 15 months, Diekmann said. Marines are expected to move to Guam gradually, from 2008 to 2014.

Diekmann also has been working with military officials about Marine housing-area layouts.

Parents and students can benefit from a plan that puts school buildings in a central area, rather than enclosed within either enlisted or officer housing, said Diekmann, who also has been a superintendent for elementary and secondary Defense Department schools in Japan and Kentucky.

Diekmann said he hopes to avoid any suggestion that students and parents can begin to feel neglected or privileged because of their places on base. He said military planners appear open to the idea.

Diekmann also said he’s updated as much as possible about the buildup. “They keep us in the loop,” he said. “I have complete confidence we’ll be able to meet the needs.”

Posted by sr at 1:45 PM | Permalink