Army 3-star general: Army should be more like Marines
January 31st, 2012 | Afghanistan Manpower Reserve | Posted by James Sanborn
The head of the Army Reserve said Tuesday that the Army should be more like the Marine Corps — at least in the way the Marine Corps cultivates a strong life-long brotherhood.
Although Marines and soldiers usually boast about being better than the other, Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, head of the Army Reserve, said at this year’s Reserve Officers Association symposium in Washington, D.C., that the Marine Corps does a good job inculcating the idea of “once a Marine, always a Marine.” That helps them pull active duty Marines into the Reserve at the end of their service.
The Army would do well to mimic that as a way to retain hard-won experience in Iraq and Afghanistan.
While many soldiers see their four-year contract as finite, many Marines see it as just the first chapter of their military career. Army leadership, he said, often paints a black and white picture by asking soldiers near the end of their service if they are re-enlisting or getting out. They should be asking if soldiers are re-enlisting or transitioning to the Reserve, he said. They could do more to make a career in the reserve an enticing prospect.
Marine brothers featured on 60 Minutes after Afghanistan deployment
January 9th, 2012 | Afghanistan Infantry Reserve | Posted by Dan Lamothe
CBS’ “60 Minutes” offered an uplifting portrait last night of families sacrificing together.
Five sets of brothers were members of 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, out of Houston, Texas, during the unit’s deployment to Afghanistan last year. The decision wasn’t reached lightly: Battalion commander Lt. Col. Todd Zink had to be convinced it was a good idea, he told CBS’s Lara Logan.
The quick comparison made, of course, is to the Sullivan brothers of World War II. Five Sullivan brothers famously served together on the cruiser Juneau, dying together after the Japanese torpedoed their ship.
This story had a much happier ending: They’re all back in the U.S. now.
1/23 Marine goes to great lengths to return wedding ring to widow
October 4th, 2011 | Afghanistan Infantry Reserve | Posted by Dan Lamothe
There are no easy ways to explain the individual tragedies of war.
We all got a reminder of that this weekend as the Houston Chronicle published a touching story about members of 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, out of Houston, returning the wedding ring of a fallen friend, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Smith, 26, to his wife.
Rachel Smith, 25, received the keepsake on Saturday from Sgt. Jarred Hammonds, who is credited with rooting through the dirt where Smith died April 6 for a long period of time to find it. Staff Sgt. Smith and Hospitalman Benjamin Rast were reportedly killed by an errant Hellfire missile, so the scene must have been grim.
Rachel described her feelings in the Chronicle story:
On Saturday, Jeremy’s battalion returned home without him. Rachel went to Ellington Field to welcome the men back.
“I’d regret it if I didn’t go,” she said. “I’m ecstatic that they’re home, and I can’t wait to see them because now it’s like I’m going into Jeremy’s shoes and I have to go make sure they’re OK … because he’s not there to do it.”
After everyone else had kissed and hugged and left the airfield, Hammonds and other Marines from her husband’s platoon returned the ring to Rachel in a private ceremony, along with a journal Jeremy kept.
One by one, the men told Rachel what Jeremy meant to them. Everyone wept.
Rachel will wear her husband’s ring on a necklace. “I think I’ll feel better with it being closer to my heart,” she said.
Massachusetts battalion takes over in Afghanistan
September 14th, 2011 | Animals Camp Leatherneck Infantry Reserve | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Sgt. Matthew Swan, of 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, shoots his rifle to battle sight zero at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, on Sept. 5. (Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Chandler)
As they say in the sports world, it’s time for a homer alert.
The unit from my home state — 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, out of Fort Devens, Mass. — has deployed to Afghanistan, taking over this week for 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, out of Houston.
The Massachusetts battalion is part of the Marine Corps Reserve, and includes Marines from across New England. It has companies based out of Topsham, Maine; Londonderry, N.H.; Plainville, Conn.; and Fort Devens.
The unit will take over 1/23′s missions, which included providing security at a variety of forward operating bases, including Camp Leatherneck, the Corps’ main hub of operations in southern Afghanistan. That mission includes patrolling “Soak City,” a shantytown of squatters north of the base.
Marines in Marjah witness “extreme special ops measure”
June 17th, 2011 | Afghanistan Battle Rattle Marjah Reserve | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
Stargazers all over Afghanistan went to bed late as they stayed up to see a lunar eclipse. Photo by Master Sgt. Michael O'Connor.
Marjah, Afghanistan – It started with two bursts of gunfire outside the Hesco walls of the patrol base, a small square in the center of town at the governor’s compound.
Within moments, the 3rd Platoon Marines of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, were mustered by their vehicles wearing the required uniform: shoes, pants and weapon.
It was about midnight. After a quick head count, and a determination that the gunfire had come from unknown activity between Afghan police, the Marines were told by platoon sergeant Staff Sgt. Chad Cada they could stand down and resume their sleep.
But something had changed since the early evening and many turned an eye toward the heavens. Though the moon had been nearly full in recent days, it was now partially covered by a dark, crescent-shaped shadow. No one had seen a lunar eclipse before, nor was anyone aware it was supposed to happen, but there it was, as clear as the day is long.
The stars in the newly darkened sky were like a spray of hot, sparkling diamonds and great swaths of gauzy white constellations floated from one end of the sky to the other.
Some of the Marines stood in the dark, watching the eclipse progress to completely cover the moon.
The next morning it was learned that the shots fired had been celebratory gunfire at the unusual crescent moon. Cpl. William strong had a theory of his own.
“The United States turned off the moon so some SEAL team could do a special mission,” he said.
Tent liners bring cool relief
June 13th, 2011 | Afghanistan Gear Infantry Reserve | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
Patrol Base Boldak, Afghanistan – A casual conversation with an infantryman, who’s had a few deployments here and in Iraq, reveals a happy history of heat, cold and general discomfort along the lines of “I lived in my vehicle for seven months.”
That is still par for the course — and a form of shared misery preferred by many Marines. But the procurement system has brought some smart comfort to enhance existing structures, such as these insulating tent liners I watched being installed here.
They’re made by HDT for the 100, 200 and 300 series shelters and can bring the temperature inside a tent down a good 15 degrees. Add air conditioning and you practically get a meat locker effect.
They look like quilted space blankets and are placed between the tent’s outer and inner liners.
Staff Sgt. Israel Maldonado, who installed several liners in a day of dusty hard work with Gunnery Sgt. Marcelino Barajas and any Marines nearby, said he found them by accident.
“I had ordered some new tents to replace some of the older ones here, but they sent these,” said Maldonado, who works with the company gunny in Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, a Reserve battalion headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Maldonado is also cutting down on fuel consumption by installing netting with built-in solar panels that bring power into the tents.
No doubt all a part of the Marine Corps’ drive to be more “green,” but for one Marine, sleeping behind the liners after a night of patrolling, it was just a nice perk.
“Yeah, it’s a lot cooler. I had to get my sleeping bag,” his voice came from the darkness of an insulated tent.
Marines behind the scenes at the shura
June 13th, 2011 | Afghanistan Camp Leatherneck Embedded journalism Infantry Reserve | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
Patrol Base Boldak, Afghanistan — Much has been made of the deftness with which some Marine officers have been able to form productive ties and friendships with local tribal leaders in Helmand province.
They meet in weekly “shuras,” or consultations, to discuss needs, problems and ideas.
The tribal leaders get to report things that have happened as a result of the presence of the Marines, both good and bad, such as “your tanks rolled over my crop field,” (even though the Marines in this area don’t have tanks) and “we like you better than the British unit that comes down here.” The issues can sound the same week after week, but some progress can be made and it keeps the lines of communication open.
Thomas serves food to the tribal leaders at the shura.
And then everyone eats.
As hosts of the Saturday shuras at this small patrol base south of Camp Leatherneck, the Marines of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, provide the food and serve it to the visitors and to their own. The “kitchen” is set up in a bunker behind the meeting area and the operation is as smooth as a rifle drill.
Hot food is served in a bunker by Charlie Co. Marines
At a shura this past Saturday, Marines dished out hot rice, goat stew and fries from coolers; the plates were passed on to the gunnery sergeant, then on to the platoon commander who delivered them two at a time. He and another NCO also delivered stacks of bread and plates of lettuce and tomato.
Dessert was watermelon, freshly cut with the five-inch blade of a folding Benchmade pocket knife.
By 10 a.m., their grievances heard and pleasantries exchanged, the full-bellied tribal leaders’ sped off in their cars and mopeds.
Rugs were rolled up and put away, and the shura area resumed its daily purpose – the smoke pit.
Toys for Tots Marine gets shanked on Black Friday
November 26th, 2010 | Reserve | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
This is how the store manager, Orvin Smith, tells it in the Augusta Chronicle.
Cpl. Phillip Duggan, 24, was stabbed in the back around 1:15 pm Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, as he and three other Marines in their dress blues collected festive holiday gift items for the Toys for Tots program in front of the Best Buy store in Augusta, Ga.
Surveillance cameras caught a shoplifter stuffing a laptop under his coat and when he was approached by store clerks to drop it, a scuffle ensued. The robber let go of the laptop then ran toward the front door. On the way out he brandished a knife.
He hadn’t counted on the Marines.
The Marines, Smith said, “clotheslined him, and after that he kind up got up and started swinging a knife around. He stabbed one of the gentlemen in the back. It wasn’t a severe cut, probably a couple of stitches at the most. After that, they subdued him and we held him down until the cops came.”
Duggan pulled the man down the ground, Gunnery Sgt. Robert Ritchie says in the story, “the guy had a knife and came over the top and got Duggan in the back.”
Duggan, says Gunnery Sgt. Sherry Barrera, had joined the Reserve unit three months ago.
According to the Chronicle story, Duggan’s wound is not believed to be life-threatening.
Javeline Thrust 2010 now just a memory for 24th Marines
June 25th, 2010 | Afghanistan Infantry Reserve Training | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
Marines with 1st Battalion, 24th Marines will head back to their Selfridge, Mich., headquarters Saturday after working their seats off for two weeks in Javeline Thrust 2010.
More than 4,500 Marines from air, ground and logistics units participated in the exercise, the largest Marine Forces Reserve exercise of the year. It took place between the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif., and the Hawathorn Weapons Army Depot in Hawthorn, Nev.
The terrain, with elevations ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 feet over a 180-square-mile area, simulated conditions in Afghanistan, minus actual Taliban fighters.
Memorial Day is no summertime kick-off for these Marines
May 28th, 2010 | Iraq Reserve | Posted by Gina Cavallaro
Marines from 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, a Reserve unit from Oak Brook, Ohio, on patrol in Al Anbar in 2005. The unit lost 46 Marines and two Navy corpsmen during its 7-month deployment to Iraq. (Courtesy of Nathan Huffman)
It’s been five years since 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines made the headlines for becoming the heaviest hit battalion in Iraq.
The Reserve unit from Brook Park, Ohio, lost 46 Marines and two Navy corpsmen during its seven-month deployment to Al Anbar province, and while the headlines may have faded for the many, the memory of those lost brothers burns brightly for the few.
A group of Marines currently and formerly in the 3/25, has organized an ambitious Memorial Day weekend event, a 106-mile run that will begin on Saturday at 7 a.m. at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Va.
They’ll run north on Route 1 and with a schedule based on a 13-minute mile, the runners expect to be in Fredericksburg at approximately 5 p.m., in Quantico around 9 p.m., with a projected finish-line crossing around 7 a.m. on Sunday.
They hope to see at lot of people along the route – runners, walkers and flag wavers.
The idea started as a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project and they’ve already collected more than their $5,000 goal, but it has since evolved into more than that.
“Iraq affected me in a pretty significant way, my life hasn’t been the same since then,” former Lance Cpl. Joe Shearer said of that 2005 deployment. He got out of the Corps in 2008 and works now as in security.
The project of organizing the run and getting back in touch with his old battle buddies has had a cleansing effect.
“I had some … issues early on and this [project] has helped me a lot, just reconnecting with the Marines.”
One of Shearer’s fellow organizers, Nathan Huffman, who left the Corps as a sergeant in 2007, said it’s frustrates him to see Memorial Day treated by the masses as “a summertime kick-off for beach season.”
Huffman said he would like to see people take more of their time off to honor the fallen. The run through the neighborhoods and communities along Route 1 is meant to raise that awareness.
“We want people to look at us and see what we’re doing and maybe take 15 minutes out of their day to remember the fallen,” said Huffman, who has been training for the run but probably won’t be making it because his wife just gave birth to their first baby.
“We’re focused on the 48 who died in Iraq, but this run is for every Marine, every soldier, every sailor and every airman who has died,” said Huffman, a Richmond police officer.
Several officers from the Richmond Police Department, including some former members of the 3/25 who are on the force, will provide a police escort from Richmond to Arlington.
Donate money by going to the group’s Facebook page “Memorial Day 100” or join them on the run, even if it’s for 15 minutes.