Could Marines rejoin the Army in eastern Afghanistan?
July 28th, 2011 | Afghanistan Infantry | Posted by Dan Lamothe
A soldier with the 101st Airborne Division returns fire with a M249 squad automatic weapon during a March 2011 firefight in Kunar province, Afghanistan. (Photo by Pfc. Cameron Boyd/U.S. Army)
By now, you may have seen an Associated Press report that highlighted some of the difficulties that will come with transitioning Lashkar Gah and other locations from U.S. control to Afghan security forces.
The story includes another detail from the field worth commenting on, however:
Residents routinely tell the Marines that they detest the insurgency but fear retribution if they cooperate with NATO forces. And all of them were aware that the Taliban would be around long after the coalition leaves.
Of the 30,000 coalition troops in Helmand, a number of Marines stationed in the province will leave by the end of the year and others may shift to eastern Afghanistan where NATO officials say more international terrorists are based.
Marines shifting to eastern Afghanistan? That’d be a marked change, considering Marines have been based in southwestern Afghanistan since returning to the war-torn country in 2008 with the deployment of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.
There’s a running joke about Helmand province being “Marine-istan,” and it’s for good reason: Virtually all of the estimated 20,000 Marines are based there. Marine embedded training teams were based in eastern Afghanistan until last year, but they’ve all shifted to the southwest now, too.
Still, Marines returning to eastern Afghanistan would be more back to the future than anything else. Infantry battalions were deployed there through 2006, when soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division replaced 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, in Kunar province and the surrounding area.
In one notable operation of that deployment, 1/3 Marines took part in Operation Mountain Lion, in which soldiers and Marines stormed the notorious Korengal Valley. It began with 11 Marine and Afghan platoons landing helicopter landing zones at elevations of more than 7,000 feet above sea level.
Setting the record straight on Dakota Meyer, Medal of Honor recipient-to-be
July 26th, 2011 | Awards Ganjgal Leadership | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Dakota Meyer, photographed at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., in November. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Staff)
With the dust starting to settle, it’s time to set the record straight about Dakota Meyer, who will become the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in decades.
As someone who has covered the fallout of the Sept. 8, 2009, ambush in Gangjal, Afghanistan, since days after it occurred, I’ve noticed a variety of inaccuracies work their way into stories about the incident, Meyer’s service and the Medal of Honor process. Many of them cite my story last week that confirmed the award decision had been made, so it seems fair for to correct the record.
Let’s look at a few inaccuracies:
Meyer will be the first living Marine in 41 years to receive the Medal of Honor.
That’s a falsehood, and since it was reported by the Associated Press, it has been appeared in dozens, if not hundreds, of news accounts.
I reported last week that Meyer would be the first living Marine recipient of the award since now-retired Sgt. Maj. Allan Kellogg received the medal for actions for 41 years ago in Vietnam. I assume that’s where the 41-year figure comes from, but there’s nuance there that can’t be left out.
It’s true that Kellogg was honored for valor 41 years ago on March 11, 1970, but he received the medal from President Nixon at the White House on Oct 15, 1973. That means it has been about 38 years since the last living recipient received the Medal of Honor.
Meyer acted as a sniper in the battle.
Meyer was an infantry rifleman in the Corps, and trained as scout sniper, too. During the Battle of Ganjgal, however, he was serving as a member of an embedded training team, and never functioned as a sniper. There were snipers providing overwatch during the battle, but they were with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, out of Fort Drum, N.Y.
On a related note, some media accounts said Meyer was in Afghanistan at the time with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines. As Marine Corps Times previously reported, Meyer was with 3/3 before his deployment in 2009, but volunteered for the training team assignment instead of deploying to Iraq for a second time.
Meyer currently lives in Austin, Texas.
I’ll take the heat for this one. In Marine Corps Times’ initial story posted last week, I reported that Meyer lived in Austin. Meyer shared that detail with me in April, but subsequently moved back to his hometown of Greensburg, Ky., a few months later. He couldn’t be reached for comment last week, but I have subsequently verified and corrected our initial story. The first report led to confusion for some Texas news outlets.
Meyer was a sergeant in the battle.
Some media outlets have reported that Meyer was a sergeant in the battle, while others say he was a corporal.
The truth is, he was a corporal at the time, and left active-duty service as one in June 2010. He has subsequently been promoted to sergeant while in the Individual Ready Reserve, an organization in which Marines can be called back to active-duty service, but rarely are. He wore sergeant’s stripes at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball last year.
Behind the Cover: Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett fires away
July 26th, 2011 | Behind the Cover Leadership The Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Say this about the Marine Corps’ new top enlisted adviser: He certainly doesn’t mind calling things as he sees them.
That has become abundantly obvious since Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett became the 17th sergeant major of the Marine Corps on June 9, taking over for retiring Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent. Barrett, a scout sniper, already has raised eyebrows in some corners, particularly with his blunt comments on the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy were published last month.
This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story includes more of that frank talk. In his first interview with our newspaper, Barrett discussed a variety of issues on the record last week, touching on everything from whether the Combat Fitness Test should be tougher to what it takes for Marines to be ready for combat.
He also outlined plans for the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Symposium, which will bring senior enlisted leaders from across the service together in Washington from Aug. 1 to Aug. 5.
The latest edition also includes expanded coverage of the White House decision to make Dakota Meyer the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in 38 years. And, it outlines three big changes that will toughen the Corps’ enlisted-to-officer programs.
For more details, check the paper out on newsstands, or subscribe online here to read it now.
Marine ball invitations for celebrities: The good, bad and ugly
July 19th, 2011 | Pop culture | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Last week, it became entirely predictable that scores of Marines would take to the Internet this year to ask their favorite celebrity the Marine Corps Birthday Ball.
After all, it famously worked for Sgt. Scott Moore, who will be taking one Mila Kunis to the ball for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. It later worked for Cpl. Kelsey De Santis, who leveraged Kunis’ invitation to convince her “Friend with Benefits” co-star, Justin Timberlake, to attend her ball this fall in Washington, D.C.
The successful invites first gave rise to Sgt. Ray Lewis — perhaps jokingly — inviting former Golden Girl Betty White. As you might expect, however, there is now a growing list of other celebrities who have received YouTube invites from Marines, with varying degrees of class, originality and humor.
What follows is the good, the bad and the ugly for Marine Corps ball invitations, with thanks to the Twitter account of Mike Dowling, a Marine veteran.
First, Cpl. Michael Sullivan decided to ask Emma Stone, who appeared in “Superbad,” “Zombieland” and other movies:
Cpl. Brenton Gunning went with Hayden Panettierre of “Heroes” fame for his invitation:
This Marine decided to invite Lindsay Lohan… although he may have confused her with Miley Cyrus:
And these Marine chefs decided to invite Nicky Minaj. No word on whether they’ll cook for her.
This female Marine asked rapper Drake to go with her. Her husband must be thrilled.
Another female Marine, another invitation for Drake:
Cpl. Bates asks Hugh Hefner to get him a ball date with all of his Playboy Bunnies. Shockingly, his jaw appears to be wired shut due to some unfortunate party accident:
Finally, this Marine takes a minute of his “not very busy day” to ask Scarlett Johansson.
Several other Marines had invitations posted, but their videos were subsequently removed. I assume a gunnery sergeant somewhere may be involved.
Surely, we’ve exhausted all possibility of originality with this phenomenon… right?
Behind the Cover: Big changes for Marine NCOs
July 19th, 2011 | Behind the Cover Infantry Leadership Manpower Sangin | Posted by Dan Lamothe
This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story gets to the heart of the newspaper’s audience: It focuses on changes coming for non-commissioned officers, and the junior enlisted Marines they lead.
The lengthy story outlines plans that are underway this summer to reconsider the NCO’s role in the Corps. Of course, they’ll still serve as the backbone of the service, but top leadership has moved to sharpen it. That could mean big changes for infantry NCOs, in particular, but changes to training and education could stretch well beyond that.
Th new edition also includes an account from Sangin, Afghanistan, where senior writer Gina Cavallaro and photographer Tom Brown recently returned from an embed with 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif. They share the latest, with candid comments from the battalion’s commanding officer, Lt. Col. Tom Savage, and rank-and-file Marines.
To check it all out, look for Marine Corps Times on newsstands or subscribe here and read it now.
Betty White, 89, gets her own Marine Corps ball invite
July 18th, 2011 | Pop culture | Posted by Dan Lamothe
In the never-ending saga of Marines inviting celebrities to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball, a new one has emerged: Sgt. Ray Lewis has asked former Golden Girl Betty White, 89, to attend with him.
At least I think he’s serious. It’s hard to tell in this two-minute video:
In other news, not only has Justin Timberlake accepted Cpl. Kelsey De Santis’ invitation to another ball, he quipped this morning on the “Today Show” that he and “Friends with Benefits” co-star Mila Kunis “want to pay honor to our country and embrace their balls.”
While it lasts, here’s a clip of their interview on “Today” this morning:
Justin Timberlake accepts Marine Corps Ball invitation
July 17th, 2011 | Pop culture | Posted by Chris Kelly
At the same press event where Mila Kunis cleared the air about her invitation, Justin Timberlake accepted one as well.
The singer was invited by Cpl. Kelsey De Santis earlier this week and I’m guessing she’s feeling pretty good after watching the clip below.
Mila Kunis confirms: Marine ball date with Sgt. Scott Moore still on
July 15th, 2011 | Pop culture | Posted by Dan Lamothe
If you’re exhausted with all the coverage raising questions about whether actress Mila Kunis will attend the Marine Corps Birthday Ball, you’re not the only one.
As the LA Times reports, a reporter brought it up during a promotional event for her new movie, in light of the media sensation caused by Sgt. Scott Moore’s invitation and her subsequent acceptance. She looked irked to be hearing about it yet again, and quickly squashed the rumors.
“Never did I say that I was not going,” she said.
She continued: “I accepted an invitation and I’m staying true to my word… I got permission to be released from work for the day, so I’m flying in and flying out.”
The video:
So, there you have it. Mila Kunis. At the Marine Corps Birthday Ball for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, on Nov. 18 in Greenville, N.C.
God bless America.
Marine Corps releases profile on Sgt. Scott Moore, Mila Kunis’ potential date
July 14th, 2011 | Afghanistan Pop culture | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Another blog entry on Sgt. Scott Moore and Mila Kunis? Oh, why not. I give in.
The Marine Corps just released a profile on the Marine who caused an online sensation by asking Kunis, the 27-year-old star of “Black Swan” and other movies, to attend his unit’s Marine Corps Birthday Ball with him. Without a doubt, it’s an effort by the service’s public affairs arm to show some of the work its Marines do in Afghanistan.
Of course, we’ve now entered the will-she-or-won’t-she stage, but that’s another story entirely.
The Corps release profiles like this all the time on the Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System. Moore’s doesn’t appear to be live on the site yet, but it likely will be soon.
In the meantime, here’s the Corps’ release. We wouldn’t typically post these in their entirety, but given the widespread interest… well… you know.
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EXTERNAL RELEASE
JULY 14, 2011
Pennsylvania native makes connections in Helmand
MUSA QALA, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Showers and cold drinks in the 120-degree heat of the Afghan summer exist only in a Marine’s memory at some of the smaller patrol bases in the area, but one Grove City, Pa., Marine is determined to keep the unforgiving temperatures and desert sand storms from degrading a vital asset Marines and sailors use daily.
Sergeant Scott Moore said he takes pride in the contribution the Communications Platoon provides to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 8. The data chief for the platoon is responsible for implementing and monitoring security measures for Marine Corps communication information systems networks and ensuring systems and personnel adhere to established security standards. He also leads a section of 11 Marines who work out of seven different locations throughout the unit’s area of operations.
“Speed and proficiency are extremely important to my work,” said Moore, a 2007 graduate of Grove City Area High School. “The communication (capability) we provide is used to securely relay important orders, messages, images and intelligence from the squad level to regimental headquarters in a very quick and efficient manner.”
The harsh environmental conditions here can take their toll on the electronic systems Moore is responsible for, but he and his Marines said they know their work is essential to support the infantry Marines patrolling the countryside. In the counterinsurgency fight, good communication keeps Marines both efficient and effective.
“With a little bias, I would say communication is the most important thing on the battlefield next to a Marine’s rifle,” said Moore. “The ability to communicate effectively gives us an overwhelming advantage over the enemy and has, without a doubt, saved lives.”
Moore’s platoon commander takes a slightly different take on the role communications plays on the battlefield.
“Everyone will claim their role in the war is the most important; I will not do the same,” said Rochester, N.Y., native 1st Lt. Nick Russo, the communications officer for 3/2 and Moore’s platoon commander. “However, becoming a professional communicator is not something you learn from a manual or online class. It requires a tremendous amount of effort, concentration, critical thinking and hands-on experience at the lowest levels.”
Moore displays a fierce pride that borders on cocky when it comes to the level of dedication and performance the Communications Platoon has demonstrated, even prior to the deployment, but humility is always present when he speaks of the infantry Marines they work to support. He explained the pre-deployment training the unit underwent was long and required a lot of hard work on little sleep for his Marines, but admitted it was not nearly as physically rigorous as it was for the infantry Marines preparing to fight insurgents.
“Sleeping, eating, showering, and working right next to all your fellow Marines for weeks on end is a bonding experience that definitely prepared us for the deployment,” said the 22-year-old Moore.
His work ethic and achievements during the training did not go unnoticed, and Moore earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his actions during pre-deployment training at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.
“Sergeant Moore and his data section worked approximately 16 hours a day (in preparation for the pre-deployment training) — they didn’t even leave to sleep — to build servers for the upcoming training event,” Russo explained. “It was a grueling and time-consuming process, which ultimately set us up for success for deployment to Afghanistan.”
“Sergeant Moore is a professional at his job,” added Gainesville, Texas, native Staff Sgt. Christopher Westbrook, the radio chief for the platoon. “He is definitely the force driver behind the Data Communications section. When it is work time, he is all about business and won’t stop until the task is completed.”
Moore said he has gained the life experience he sought by enlisting in the Marine Corps just months after graduating from high school and, with it, an everlasting brotherhood in the Marines he serves with.
“I joined the Marine Corps because I thought it was going to be the hardest thing I could do and was kind of rebelling against the expectation to go to college,” he explained. “I thought the Marine Corps could teach me a lot more about life and myself and would force me to grow up a little bit.”
Reflecting on the suicide of a Marine friend made in Afghanistan
July 14th, 2011 | Afghanistan Embedded journalism Infantry Marjah | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Sgt. Ian McConnell, right, prepares for a patrol on May 14, 2010, with Cpl. Anthony DePrimo, Staff Sgt. Ryan Clay and Gunnery Sgt. Benjamin "Gus" Lepping. (Photo by Tom Brown/Staff)
This is one of the hardest pieces of journalism that I’ve written in a long time.
As it appears online, the family members of a friend of mine — Sgt. Ian McConnell, 24 — are traveling today from Camp Pendleton, Calif., to his hometown in Woodbury, Minn. They’re preparing for his funeral at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, a U.S. cemetery in nearby Minneapolis.
It’s common that when a person dies with most of his or her life seemingly ahead of them, friends and family create online memorials. Ian is no different. His sister, Meg, posted one on Facebook over the weekend, and it has overflowed with stories of his compassion, selflessness and sense of humor as a human being and his honor, courage and commitment as a Marine.
A key detail hasn’t been shared publicly, though.
Ian killed himself.
With a self-inflicted gunshot wound, he ended his life on the 4th of July, shocking those who know him as an upbeat, kind young man who went out of his way to regularly pick up the spirits of those around him. He left no note explaining why, his family said.
Count me among the shocked. I’ve known Ian for more than a year, and he’d demonstrated all those positive characteristics while staying in touch regularly after we met last year at the Yellow Schoolhouse, a small patrol base in Marjah, Afghanistan. We attempted to meet over beer in Virginia just a few weeks ago while he was nearby for training. Our schedules didn’t match, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Sgt. Ian McConnell shakes hands with a boy in Afghanistan last year. (Family photo)
Some readers of this blog undoubtedly remember the schoolhouse. We arrived there at the start of Afghanistan’s fighting season last year, and quickly found ourselves in a situation with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, where chaos reigned supreme outside the wire.
I captured much of that in this feature story published last May. Ian spent much of his seven-month deployment last year based there as an explosive ordnance disposal technician, disarming improvised explosive devices and pitching in on patrols.
When I arrived at the schoolhouse as a scared, but determined first-time combat correspondent, Ian was one of the first Marines to make photographer Tom Brown and I feel at home. He was curious about Marine Corps Times and journalism in general, and asked lots of cheerful questions.
With a knowing smile, he also approached me after my first firefight, asking how I felt and what I thought. I had handled the routine ambush pretty well, but it was nice to hear. He wasn’t the only one to check on me, either, and that speaks volumes for those Marines.
Ian had his demons, though. As a member of Pendleton-based 1st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, he was assigned along with Gunnery Sgt. Benjamin Lepping (of Sarah Palin tattoo fame) to handle the improvised explosive devices the platoon there encountered regularly.
It was exhausting, dangerous work, and for all his courage, it weighed on Ian, Meg said. His deployment ran from April to November, first with 3/6, and later with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, which replaced them in theater in August 2010. Nearly a year later, he still struggled at times with things he saw in Marjah, although he rarely talked about it.
Add in the usual ups and downs in life that we all struggle with, and the results were tragic — and in no way reflective of the courage and optimism with which Ian typically carried himself.
Sgt. Ian McConnell with his sister, Meg. (Family photo)
I struggled with whether to write about Ian once I learned what happened. Like many others, I consider suicide a painful and private matter for a family to handle as they see best. They’re the ones who must pick up the pieces.
Meg and I discussed it Friday, and again Saturday after she huddled with her family and pastor. They decided that if sharing it could help someone else, it was worth it. They asked me to post this blog entry as they brought his body back to Minnesota today.
“We want to make a difference,” Meg said. “We know this happens, but if we can help make this happen to less people, it’s worth it.”
Maybe it’s because another combat veteran considers opening up about his or her problems. Maybe it’s because the family of someone else struggling with demons listens a little more closely. With any luck, as long as people are talking, these kinds of tragedies decrease.
For the record, there were 52 suicide in the Marine Corps in 2009 and 37 in 2010, according to this briefing. There were 17 more through the end of June this year. It’s a problem for everyone, too — for every 100,000 people, about 20 kill themselves.
A few months ago, Ian dropped me a line after learning that I had received the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation’s 2011 Major Megan McClung Award for dispatch reporting done while embedded with his unit. As usual, he was upbeat and optimistic.
“Take lots of pictures at the banquet for us,” he said in a Facebook message. “You deserve it. And thanks for telling the stories you did. With the truthful pen and gritty wit that really captured how life was for us. Hope to work with you again someday.”
In some ways, Ian, I hope you think we are now. Rest in peace, brother.