Happy Holidays from Battle Rattle
December 23rd, 2010 | Animals | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Cpl. Chesty XIII stands at attention during a Dec. 3 holiday party inside Crawford Hall at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. (Photo by Cpl. Bobby J. Yarbrough)
With Christmas upon us, staffing at Marine Corps Times is a bit thin right now, and it’ll grow even thinner over the next few days.
That means it’s more than time to extend good wishes to all of our readers during the holidays. Posting on this site may be a bit thin here for about a week, but we wish each and every one of you well.
Happy Holidays!
Behind the Cover: Surprise changes to the GI Bill
December 21st, 2010 | Behind the Cover | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Marines often say that one of the biggest reasons they read Marine Corps Times is for the stories on pay and benefits.
If so, consider this week’s issue meat-and-potatoes coverage at its finest.
Congressional editor Rick Maze delivers a cover story this week outlining 13 changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill. They include perks like extending an existing $1,000 book bonus already available to student veterans to spouses and active-duty service members.
The bill passed through Congress last week in a surprise. It’s considered a compromise among veterans groups, schools and the Veterans Affairs Department to gripes that existed with the GI Bill.
This week’s Marine Corps Times also includes a full pull-out chart outlining the BAH rates for every city and every rank in the service. Check it out on newsstands now or subscribe here and see it right now.
Amos: Corps will “step out smartly” to implement new policy on homosexuals
December 19th, 2010 | Leadership The CMC | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Jim Amos has said it before and he said it again tonight: The Marine Corps will demonstrate its fidelity to the constitution of the United States by implementing the new policies that will govern the service of openly gay men and women in the military.
“As stated during my testimony before Congress in September and again during hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month, the Marine Corps will step out smartly to faithfully implement this new policy, ” Amos said in a statement released Sunday evening.
He and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlton Kent, he said, “will personally lead this effort thus ensuring the respect and dignity due all Marines.”
“On this matter, we look forward to further demonstrating to the American people the discipline and loyalty that have been the hallmark of the United States Marine Corps for over 235 years,” Amos said.
The 17-year-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” law, which prohibits openly gay service members from serving in the U.S. military, was repealed Saturday in a 65-31 Senate vote. The measure had been passed by the House of Representatives Dec. 15 in a 250-175 vote. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill into law this week.
The new rules won’t go into practice for months while a plan is refined by the Defense Department. In the meantime, the law remains in effect as is.
As momentum grew to repeal the law, Amos carried a strong message for the Corps against repeal of the law, telling reporters on Dec. 14 that he didn’t want to “lose any Marines to the distraction. I don’t want to have any Marines that I’m visiting at Bethesda with no legs to be the result of any type of distraction.”
His comments drew fire from gay rights groups and political and military observers, but Amos’ words echoed those of former Commandant Gen. James Conway, who said the Corps “recruit a certain type of young American, a pretty macho guy or gal” and that openly gay Marines would not be a good fit.
In a Defense Department survey on repeal of the law, more than half of the Marines who took the survey registered opposition to its repeal.
Bored Marine Video: ‘She Got a Donk’
December 16th, 2010 | Bored Marine Video | Posted by Dan Lamothe
It has been a few weeks since Bored Marine Video has featured Marines dancing, and for good reason: Sometimes, you just have to take a break.
We’re back this week, though, with a new, ridiculous video featuring two Marines dancing to the melodic stylings of Soulja Boy. For those more into Metallica or Toby Keith, it’s She Got a Donk,” Marine-style.
It’s a mixed bag, to be honest. At times, our fearless heroes pull off some truly ridiculous and magical dance moves that are sure to turn heads (My favorite comes around the 1:22 mark). At other time, they seem to grow tired. A little planning would have gone a long way.
For comparison’s sake, here’s the original video. You know, just in case you need to waste any more time today.
Reconnaissance Marines gain ‘Black Diamond’ nickname from Taliban
December 15th, 2010 | Afghanistan Infantry Marjah Reconnaissance Sangin | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Sgt. Zachary Zobrist of Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., engages the enemy during a firefight in northern Trek Nawa, Afghanistan, on Aug. 15. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Ezekiel Kitandwe/Marine Corps)
The Marines of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion are expected to return this week from Afghanistan to Camp Pendleton, Calif., after a seven-month deployment. They were replaced during a relief in place ceremony at Camp Leatherneck last week with 2nd Recon, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.
First Recon deployed in the spring, and was quickly dispatched to areas surrounding the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah. They eventually also played a role in Sangin, where Marines have faced a tough fight in the last few months.
At the time, Marjah district was likely the most dangerous place in Helmand province for Marines, and 1st Recon was called on by Marine commanders to take on the Taliban in the countryside surrounding Marjah. They eventually played a large role in security operations in Trek Nawa, to the east of Marjah. Remarkably, they did not lose a single Marine.
Lt. Col. Mike Mooney, 1st Recon’s commander, and some of his Marines weighed in on the deployment last week, telling a combat correspondent that the Taliban tagged them with a new nickname: “Black Diamonds.”
Nothing proves this more than the nickname the Recon Marines received from Taliban fighters — “Black Diamonds”. The name comes from the mount worn on the Recon Marines’ helmets that is in the shape of a diamond. For the Taliban, the Black Diamonds became a force they would avoid at all cost.
“We first heard it over the radio in Trek Nawa,” said Cpl. Micah Fulmer, a reconnaissance Marine with 1st Recon Bn. “It followed us to Sangin and they said, ‘Don’t mess with the ‘Black Diamonds.’”
The Marines of 2nd Recon will continue the same mission, with the same message to the Taliban.
“The enemy is going to know and fear 2nd Recon too. They are not going to know what hit them,” Mooney said. “They are going to know the ‘Black Diamonds’ are in their backyard and it is going to be hell on earth for them.”
It sounds to me like the unit is working to build up that recon mystique. But, what’s wrong with that?
Six years after son’s death, Marine dad gets Gold Star license plate
December 14th, 2010 | Camp Pendleton Iraq | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Cpl. Mike Anderson, is shown here in February 2004 near Mt. Suribachi. He died on Dec. 14, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq. (Photo courtesy the Anderson family)
Cpl. Mike Anderson was deeply entangled in one of the largest battle’s in Iraq when he died six years ago today.
A 21-year-old squad leader with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., he was shot to death while raiding houses in Fallujah. He kicked open a door with eight insurgents behind it, and immediately faced a hail of gunfire. He died in the doorway, and a 35-minute firefight ensued, said his father, Mike Anderson Sr. One of Mike Jr.’s last letters home later lived on after it was published in Newsweek.
All of this comes up today for a related reason: Four years after beginning a push to have California develop a Gold Star license plate for the closest family members of those lost in combat, Anderson Sr. received the first Gold Star license plate in California history last week. The plate was awarded at a ceremony in Sacramento attended by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Sen. Jeff Denham, who will soon become one of California’s newest congressmen.
Despite its strong military concentration, California became just the 45th state to have its own Gold Star license plate. One of the hangups was money — the state faces a severe budget crisis, so it passed a law in 2008 allowing for the creation of the plates on the condition that the necessary $300,000 was raised through private donations.
Battle Rattle caught up with Anderson Sr. by telephone today while he met with seven of his son’s closest buddies in 3/5 at Pendleton. They flew across the country to meet him there — an annual tradition.
“I’m deeply honored to be included in their circle,” Anderson Sr. said. “They were some of Mike’s closest friends, and we’re like a band of brothers.”
Anderson said it was frustrating that it took two years to raise the money after the bill’s passage, but he’s proud of how military families and charities combined to make it happen.
“It’s an acknowledgement of sacrifice,” he said, adding that he thinks his son would be proud of him. “I think he’d probably be looking at me and be saying, ‘Dad, I can’t believe you did that.’”
Yes, Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent has seen the handshake video
December 13th, 2010 | Pop culture The CMC The Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps | Posted by Dan Lamothe
This morning, I met with Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent in his office for a wide-ranging interview. We discussed a variety of issues for future stories, and eventually the subject of this blog, Battle Rattle, came up.
Kent, the Marine Corps’ top enlisted Marine, then asked about “the handshake video.” As in, had we seen the video of him shaking hands with recently retired Commandant Gen. James Conway? The one adapted from the service’s 2009 birthday message and set to the music of legendary rapper Snoop Dogg?
For those not familiar with what I’m talking about, feel free to review it here. Fair warning: yes, there is some rough language in the video:
Why bring this up now? Once the subject was raised, I asked Kent what he thought of the video. He grinned and said he “didn’t mind it.” He also said he didn’t mind it appearing here, showing he can be a good sport when the Lance Corporal Underground works its mysterious magic.
Behind the Cover: A colonel under fire
December 13th, 2010 | Behind the Cover Leadership Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego | Posted by Andrew deGrandpre
In this week’s print edition, West Coast bureau chief Gidget Fuentes lays out the host of complaints made by Marines about a full-bird colonel currently serving as Headquarters Battalion commander at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Col. Stephanie Smith, a judge advocate by training, is a decorated officer and the recipient of numerous judicial accolades over her 23 years in the service. The complaints against her — which include claims made by officers and NCOs that she abused her authority and intimidated subordinates — came to light recently after a former drill instructor filed an appeal of his special court-martial conviction with the Navy Department’s top lawyer in Washington.
The Marine Corps Inspector General’s Office also is looking into the Marines’ claims, Marine Corps Times has learned.
Check out the complete story in this week’s Marine Corps Times, on newsstands now. Or subscribe here and read it right now.
Despite denial, records show Golden Girl was a Marine
December 10th, 2010 | Pop culture | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Marine Corps Times is one of several publications that covers the all-too-common phenomenon in which random wannabes pretend to be Marines.
As part of the enlistment process, Arthur underwent interviews that resulted in the production of “personality appraisal” sheets. One such analysis described her conversation as “Argumentative” and her attitude and manner as “Over aggressive.” In a handwritten note, the Marine interviewer remarked, “Officious–but probably a good worker–if she has her own way!”
There also is this:
The military records, released in response to a Freedom of Informaton Act request, include “misconduct report” filed against Arthur while she was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina. That misconduct determination stemmed from Arthur’s contracting of a venereal disease, which left her “incapacitated for duty” for five weeks in late-1944. As a result, her pay was reduced for that period.
Well, I can’t say I saw that one coming, either.
Bored Marine Video: Marine takes on leaf blower
December 9th, 2010 | Bored Marine Video | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s hard work finding content worthy of Bored Marine Video. Some weeks, it takes deep searches on YouTube, with nothing more than hopes and dreams that a lance corporal somewhere will man up and post something new and interesting.
Other weeks, the comedy gold comes to us. This is one of those weeks:
A Marine with a leaf blower? What could possibly go wrong?