Marines Lead “Parade” through Sangin’s Green Zone
April 30th, 2012 | Afghanistan Infantry Photography | Posted by James J. Lee
Lance Cpl. Tanner Morgan, Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, patrols alongside children and animals in Sangin's "green zone," the agricultural area near the Helmand River. The security patrol was to collect local atmospherics and get to know the terrain prior to the fighting season that traditionally starts following the poppy harvest. (James J. Lee/Marine Corps Times)
SANGIN, Afghanistan — Senior Writer Dan Lamothe and I made it down to Forward Operating Base Shamsher this weekend, joining Baker Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines.
Today, we joined a patrol with 1st Squad, 2nd Platoon, through through Sangin’s “Green Zone,” an agricultural area that runs adjacent to the Helmand River. The patrol rolled out with several extra Marines, including Lt. Col. David Bradney, battalion commander, and Sgt. Maj. Keith Coombs, the senior enlisted adviser for the unit.
The patrol began to take on the air of a parade when we were joined in the fields by local children and barnyard animals. Soldiers with the Afghan National Army, their weapons brightly decorated, interacted with them regularly, joking with the kids while music played on transistor radios. The whole entourage snaked its way carefully through the poppy and wheat fields.
The Marines of 1st Squad were encouraged by all the activity, guessing that if an enemy threat were imminent, the local youth would have been absent from the festivities.
Still, 1st Squad maintained tight discipline through it all, highly aware of the blood that has been shed here by previous units. They understand that despite today’s festive atmosphere, the mood can change in an instant. The harvest is wrapping up, and Afghanistan’s traditional fighting season is expected to start any day.
Second Platoon, 1st Squad goes on patrol in Sangin's "green zone," the agricultural area near the Helmand River on April 30, 2012. The security patrol was to collect local atmospherics and get to know the terrain prior to the fighting season that traditional starts following the poppy harvest. (James J. Lee/Marine Corps Times)
Dog kisses in Kajaki
April 13th, 2012 | Photography | Posted by James J. Lee
Lance Cpl. Richard Bissett gets some love from Camo, an improvised explosive detection dog at Observation Post Shrine in Kajaki, Afghanistan, on Friday. (James J. Lee / Staff)
OBSERVATION POST SHRINE, Afghanistan – I miss my dog, but I didn’t realize how much until I met Camo, an improvised explosive detection dog. This little position on a hill overlooking the Taliban-held area of Zamindawar is referred to as a “static ambush position,” so Camo doesn’t get much of a chance to do her thing up here.
After sitting for hours at the feet of handler Lance Cpl. Richard Bissett as he stands post at one of the gun positions, Camo tears around the camp kicking up dust, sweeping water bottles off cots with her tail and getting lots of laughs from all the guys up here with her infectious energy.
She’s permanently attached to Bissett’s side, except for frequent stops to get a little attention from other members of the squad. Bissett will have to turn Camo over to a new handler this summer when he returns to Camp Lejeune, N.C., but until then she’s spreading morale to Third Squad, Second Platoon, in Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines.
For more from embedded Marine Corps Times journalists Dan Lamothe & James J. Lee, check out the Marine Corps Times blog, Battle Rattle.
Autograph
March 12th, 2012 | Photography | Posted by Mike Morones
President Barack Obama signs the prosthetic arm of Marine Corps Sgt. Carlos Evans after greeting wounded warriors during their tour of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 6, 2012. First Lady Michelle Obama met Evans, who was injured in Afghanistan while on his fourth combat deployment, during a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2010. (White House photo by Pete Souza)
MCMAP Demo
March 11th, 2012 | From the Ranks | Posted by Mike Morones
CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, Japan — Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructors Sgts. Justin Kloppe, green shirt, and Joseph Kobrick, black shirt, demonstrate a hip throw while Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members look on at Roberts Field on Camp Kinser Feb. 28. The MCMAP demonstration was part of a day-long phase of the Japan Observer Exchange Program, involving approximately 300 JGSDF members and U.S. Marines. The day included briefs detailing the organizational structure of III Marine Expeditionary Force and 3rd Marine Logistics Group and discussing leadership principles and the presentation of various static displays of Marine Corps weapons, equipment and vehicles. Both Kloppe and Kobrick are with Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd MLG, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sungmin Ahn)
Night Landing Qualifications
March 9th, 2012 | From the Ranks | Posted by Mike Morones
An AV-8B Harrier with Marine Attack Squadron 311, part of the Air Combat Element of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, lands on the USS Essex (LHD 2), March 6. The pilots of VMA 311 were conducting night carrier landing qualifications in preparation for the 31st MEU’s Certification Exercise. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and remains the nation’s force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. (Cpl. Garry J. Welch/USMC)
Drill Practice
March 9th, 2012 | From the Ranks | Posted by Mike Morones
U.S. Marines assigned to the Silent Drill Platoon practice a drill sequence in preparation for a performance at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Feb. 28, 2012. (DoD photo by Cpl. Dengrier Baez, U.S. Marine Corps)
Man’s Best Friend
March 7th, 2012 | From the Ranks | Posted by Mike Morones
SAFAR BAZAAR, Afghanistan - U.S. Marine Cpl. Kyle Click, a 22-year-old improvised explosive device detection dog handler with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Grand Rapids, Mich., shares a moment with his dog Windy while waiting to resume a security patrol on Feb. 27. (Cpl. Reece Lodder/USMC)
Unfair Advantage
February 26th, 2012 | From the Ranks | Posted by Mike Morones
Staff Sgt. Elijah Bowser, a Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, arm wrestles a Thai boy during a visit to a child protection and development center here, Feb. 22. Marines and Sailors cultivated land around the center for the children to use as gardens. The event comes at the conclusion of exercise Cobra Gold 2012. (CPL Garry J Welch/USMC)
Josue Barron: Darkhorse Pride at Marine Corps Trials
February 21st, 2012 | Photography | Posted by Mike Morones
Cpl. Josue Barron lost his left leg and left eye in an improvised explosive device blast, Oct. 21, 2010. But he will never forget where he came from or who he is: a member of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment … the Darkhorse Battalion. It is this pride that drives him to excel as he competes against other Wounded Warriors in the 2012 Marine Corps Trials. Barron is from Cudahy, Calif. (Sgt. Mark Fayloga/USMC)
Sgt. Mark Fayloga has been moving a nice selection of images from the 2012 Marine Corps Trials at Camp Pendleton, including this stunning photo from swim practice. I was struck by his portraits of Cpl Barron, particularly the second photo of his legs. Stay tuned for more of Sgt. Fayloga’s work from the Trials. -Mike
Bold Alligator 2012
February 10th, 2012 | Photography | Posted by Mike Morones
A CH-53 lands aboard USS Wasp in Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 03, 2012. The Wasp is participating in Bold Alligator 2012. (Mike Morones/Staff)
I spent a few days aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp for part of the exercise Bold Alligator 2012 with Marine Corps Times writer Dan Lamothe. I don’t get away from the desk much so it was a nice change of pace to spend some time with the sailors and Marines as they went about their business. As often happens our coverage plans went out the window in the face of unforeseen circumstances, bad weather and some logistical problems but we adjusted as best we could. Despite not seeing everything we wanted to report on, it was a great chance to experience life aboard a ship, especially in light of the fact that many Marines have never served aboard a ship. You can see some of Dan’s work over on the Battle Rattle blog.
