Life in the Marines
U.S. Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test Requirements
Background:
The United States Marine Corps requires that all Marines perform a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and a Combat Fitness Test (CFT) once per fiscal year. Each test must have an interval of 6 months (same standards apply for reservists). The PFT ensures that Marines are keeping physically fit and in a state of physical readiness. It consists of pull-ups, crunches and a 3-mile run for males. For females it consists of flexed arm hang, crunches and a 3-mile run.1 October 2008, the Marine Corps introduced the additional pass/fail Combat Fitness Test (CFT) to the fitness requirements. The CFT is designed to measure abilities demanded of Marines in a war zone (continue reading…)
Times have boot Marines heading to combat
Private First Class Chad A. Brown, 18, of Nederland, Texas, and more than 30 other fellow leathernecks of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division are prime examples. They checked into the battalion here Jan. 10 as riflemen and learned their new unit is deploying to Ar Ramadi, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom the end of February.
After attending Marine Corps Recruit Training and receiving more advanced training at the School of Infantry, Brown will soon find himself in combat and have to rely on the war fighting skills he so recently learned.
“It’s nerve raking because I don’t know what to expect,” said the young freckled faced fair skinned Marine who enlisted a day after turning 17. He needed his parents to sign legal consent papers.
Brown said he is in good spirits despite the deployment and the risks it brings. He’s motivated and welcomes the fact that he’ll soon be doing what he’s spent the last six months training for – fighting.
“I joined the Marines for the title, and to support my family,” said the newlywed and father of a five-month-old daughter. “I’ll get to spend at least six months with my family when I get back, before I have to deploy again.”
According to Staff Sgt. Javier L Vega Jr., 29, of Oceanside, Calif., and platoon sergeant for 3rd Platoon, Weapon’s Company, Marines like Brown are ready.
“It’s a bonus being fresh out of SOI because they have quick obedience to orders,” Vega said. “Since day one (of their infantry career), they have been preparing for war. They have the ability.”
Vega said their time in a combat theater should sharpen their skill by forcing them to make decisions on their own.
He also offers encouragement to the new Marines by reminding them of the battalion’s history in Iraq. The upcoming deployment will be the second and, for some Marines, the third time to go there. “This is a combat experienced unit.”
Vega also said the new Marines won’t be thrown into the mix right away, but be supplemented instead.
“We will give them simple missions at first,” he said. “As their skills grow, so will their responsibilities with us.”
The Importance of Gear
The 3rd Mobile Assault Platoon took sniper fire all day as they conducted a relief in place with 1st Mobile Assault Platoon.
As Lacey Springs, Ala., native Lance Cpl. Bradley A. Snipes, antitank assault man, 3rd MAP, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, sat in the turret of his hummer watching his assigned sector behind his M-2 .50 caliber machine gun, it happened.
?We were doing a relief in place with [1st MAP] and had been taking sniper fire across the wadi all day,? Snipes, the 21-year-old, 2002 graduate of Brewer High School, said. ?I was sitting in defilade, just my head above the turret when it felt like someone hit me in the head with a baseball bat.?
The sniper had shot Snipes square in the side of his head, hitting him directly in his Kevlar helmet.
?I was in shock, I didn?t know what happened. I remember thinking ?Am I still here??? he said.
Snipes dropped down in the turret. It was at that point he realized he was, in fact, still with the living thanks to his helmet. While inside the cab of the hummer, another shot tore through one of the handgrips of his .50 caliber machine gun, partially shattering it. The sniper then began focusing on the vehicles tires.
After a moment, he composed himself and raised his 5-foot-11-inch frame back up into the turret to engage the sniper with his machine gun.
According to Cambridge, Ohio native 1st Lt. Jeremy S. Wilkinson, platoon commander, 3rd MAP, his own platoon?s organic firepower and a 500-pound bomb from overhead air support eventually silenced the sniper.
Bradley Snipes? life, though, was saved by his gear.
?I was really surprised. It?s supposed to be able to stop a 7.62mm round at long distances. Well, it did,? he said. ?The gear works, don?t doubt it. This is proof.?
Currently, Snipes, who is a veteran of combat operations in Afghanistan, is trying to keep his helmet as a memento.
?I want to put it in a case with a plaque that says ?The little bullet that couldn?t.??
Teenager Keeping Weapons in Check
While many 19-year-olds juggle a busy college class load or their first part-time job back in the United States, one peer carries the responsibility of ensuring his battalion?s weapons are prepared for battle here.
?It is an awesome responsibility,? said Lance Cpl. Christopher Ruiz, 19, battalion armorer, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Radio Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD). ?I don?t know too many 19-year-olds back home who can say the same thing about what they are doing.?
Ruiz, whose unit is based out of Marine Corps Base, Hawaii, has been in Iraq since May and is responsible for the battalion?s weapon arsenal.
?I am a one-man shop,? he said. ?But, I like having the responsibility. I ensure all the weapons are in proper working condition. If they don?t work when they need to someone?s life could be in jeopardy.?
According to his staff noncommissioned officer, he carries the responsibility well.
?We have our battalion spread out from here to Husaybah, near the Syrian border,? said Gunnery Sgt. Kent D. Cartmill, S-4 chief and native of Garden City, Kan. ?He is responsible for all the weapons. If there is a problem at another base, he flies out there to assess the situation, and diagnose whether the weapon can be fixed or if it needs to be brought in for repair. The job is always independent for him when he goes out.?
Ruiz also assists with other billets in the battalion.
?He has held the billet as a Marine Integrated Maintenance Management Systems clerk and supply clerk to assist others,? said Cartmill. ?He is well-rounded and very mature to take on tasks, as well as having a lot of initiative to go out and search for things that need to be done instead of waiting on someone to come to him.?
Ruiz had only been with his unit in Hawaii for a month before deploying to Iraq.
?He got to the battalion as a [private first class] straight from school and a month later we deployed,? said Cartmill. ?He came out here and has really stepped into the job running. All the reports come back positive.?
Ruiz joined the Marine Corps in August 2004, but said he has known he wanted to be a Marine since he was 7 years old.
?My step-dad was a Marine,? he said. ?Plus, when I saw the Marines on TV they appealed to me more than the other services.?
At first Ruiz wanted to be in the infantry. However, taking his uncle?s advice about jobs in the military, Ruiz decided to follow his footsteps and become an armorer.
When he found out he would be coming to Iraq, Ruiz broke the news to his family.
?My step-dad knew I was going to end up coming here,? explained Ruiz. ?My grandmother didn?t want me to come out here, but I told her not to worry. I said, ?If anything was going to happen to me it would happen no matter where I was.??
With more than three months of his deployment behind him now, he said his family still worries but they are supportive.
?The family still worries due to what they hear on the news,? said Ruiz.
His mother is one of those who shares in the worry.
?It makes me nervous he is in Iraq,? said his mother, Estella Matthews. ?He has been there since May and I pray for him each and every spare moment I have. I wish he was home with me, but I know, and he knows, he has a job to do and he won’t be coming home until the job is done.?
She said she has known since he joined the Corps he would end up in Iraq.
?I was very proud he wanted to join especially during these times, but he explained this is something he really wanted to do and he was willing to go to Iraq for his country,? she said.
Matthews, a native of Santa Ana, Calif., said her son has a very strong family support group back home.
?Christopher is a very independent, smart, caring young man,? she said. ?As his mother, I am so very proud of who he has become. I know part of that is due to the Marine Corps. I always knew he would become someone special. Since he was a child he has always shown leadership skills.?
Since boot camp, Matthews said she has noticed changes in her son.
?I was nervous to see him after boot camp, I was afraid that he may have changed,? she said. ?Well, he did change, my little boy was now a young man, he stood taller, he spoke with respect, his room was cleaner and his clothes were pressed. He was a United States Marine and he was proud!?
Now, with four months left on his first deployment, Ruiz is already looking ahead at his future in the Corps.
?I want to try and go to school,? he said. ?I am currently leaning toward reenlisting. I want to be in charge of others, to help them and others in the unit.?
Ruiz is currently working on Marine Corps Institute correspondence courses and recently won a meritorious promotion board and will be promoted to corporal Dec. 2.
?I have learned a lot from the people who lead me, especially how to lead other Marines,? he said. ?I want to take the knowledge back and develop a new leadership style.?
Responsibility of a USMC Squad Leader
Many of the veteran squad leaders of 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines Regiment, are young Marines under the age of 22.
Corporal Marcus J. Ward, 20-year-old squad leader for Kilo Co., 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, Regimental Combat Team-8, leads a joint patrol through the city of Fallujah, Iraq, April 1. Most squad leaders for the battalion are undertaking their third deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Mostly corporals, these Marines are responsible for the accomplishment of their mission as well as the lives and well being of 12 or more Marines while conducting combat operations.
“Our job is to guide and direct our Marines, make tactical decisions for the squad and enforce the rules,” said Cpl. Marcus J. Ward, a 20-year-old squad leader with Company K.
Squad leaders for the battalion ensure their Marines receive serviceable gear, good living conditions, physical conditioning, proper training and supervision, according to Ward, a native of Butler, Pa.
Of their many responsibilities though, a squad leaders’ greatest task comes under a hail of gunfire.
During combat, squad leaders are responsible for the very lives of their Marines, directing them through every step of the battle.
“Their lives depend on your decisions and how well you handle yourself under pressure,” Ward explained.
The Marines chosen for this burden of leadership are well prepared for the challenges they face.
During their time as rifleman, Marines are observed for a special blend of infantry skills, experience, toughness, intelligence, selflessness and communication skills, according to Gunnery Sgt. Jean-Paul Courville, the 32-year-old company gunnery sergeant for Company K.
“Time is the teacher,” said Courville, a native of Denham Springs, La. “Sometimes they’re baptized by fire, but most have time to build a foundation.”
Most of the battalion’s squad leaders are on their third deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, making their responsibilities easier to shoulder.
The squad leaders of the battalion are proud to be in their positions as leaders and advisors, and see their responsibility as greater than that of the typical non-commissioned officer.
“I think it says a lot to be able to bear the burden of others’ lives,” said Hill, a native of Paul’s Valley, Okla.
Corporal Marcus J. Ward, 20-year-old squad leader for Kilo Co., 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, Regimental Combat Team-8, leads a joint patrol through the city of Fallujah, Iraq, April 1. Most squad leaders for the battalion are undertaking their third deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Leadership and Tradition Combine
Despite an injury causing him to be medically discharged, one Company L Marine remained motivated enough to return here to accomplish his mission of becoming a Marine.
Private
First Class Ryan Chandler, Platoon 3245, graduated Marine Corps recruit training today, adding to his family�s legacy of military service.
Ryan comes from a family full of service members. He has two uncles and a cousin who are Marines, and both of his grandfathers were in the Navy. His father is also an active duty Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
“We have had a family member in every conflict the United States has fought in since the Chandler name has been in the country,” said Ryan�s father, Master Gunnery Sgt. Brad Chandler, operations chief, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. “The first conflicts the Chandlers were in were the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.”
Ryan grew up living the Marine Corps way of life. He watched his father work on Light Armored Vehicles and was around when his father served as a drill instructor in the same battalion he is now graduating. His father also served with Sgt. Maj. Robert Eriksson. Sgt. Maj. Eriksson is currently the sergeant major of the same battalion they served in, Third Recruit Training Battalion. Master Gunnery Sgt. Chandler was the senior drill instructor and Sgt. Maj. Eriksson was the senior green belt drill instructor of the same platoon for two cycles from 1992 to 1994.
Throughout high school, Ryan was among the top academically in his class. His family thought he would go to a university on a full-ride scholarship and were surprised when Ryan decided to join the military. He made the decision to join because he wanted to continue his family�s tradition and make a good life for himself.
His father, mother and stepmother took him into each of the military recruiting offices so he could make an educated decision on which branch of service he wanted to join.
“I�ll never forget what Ryan said when we walked out of the Air Force recruiter�s office,” said Cynthia Chandler, Ryan�s mother. “He looked at us and said, �I want to be a Marine.�”
Ryan�s family was a big inspiration to him. He had always wanted to follow in his father�s footsteps. He said he felt joining the Marine Corps was a good way to better himself and serve his country. He even chose infantry as his military occupational specialty in hopes of becoming an LAV crewman like his father.
“When Ryan decided on doing something, he would do it to the best of his ability and he wouldn�t stop until he finished what he started,” said Tammy Chandler, Ryan�s stepmother.
Ryan arrived on the depot in July 2005 and started training with Co. K. Unfortunately, he developed a hernia and was dropped to the Medical Rehabilitation Platoon. Due to his surgery, he spent more than five months in MRP before picking up training with Co. M.
While Ryan was in MRP, his father came to visit him before he went on deployment to Iraq.
“He told me no matter how long it took him, he would not stop until he was a Marine,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Chandler.
After a short time back in training, the hernia re-developed and Chandler was dropped to MRP once again. He was given the choice of staying at the depot for an additional six months or going home to recuperate. He chose to go home and spent a year in recovery.
When Ryan was home, he studied Marine Corps knowledge and stayed dedicated to going back to boot camp and accomplishing his mission of becoming a Marine. When his injury healed, Ryan reenlisted in the Marine Corps.
His mother commented she was not surprised when she received word of his decision. She said he had his heart set on being a Marine and that is what he would do.
On Oct. 23, Ryan returned to the depot for another try. He was given the guide position by his senior drill instructor the first day of training and maintained that position throughout his time at boot camp.
“He has a leader�s personality and having been through some training already, I think it gave him the upper-hand over the other recruits. He knew his knowledge and knew how to take charge,” said Sgt. Isaac Orta, senior drill instructor, Platoon 3245.
Ryan believes he has learned many important things from his training. He feels he has learned integrity and the traits of being a good leader. He also thinks these things, coupled with the continuing support of his family, will help him be successful in the Marine Corps and for the rest of his life.
Job of a Drill Master
In a small office decorated with Marine Corps art resides a Marine whose duties go unknown to the visitors of each graduating company on the depot.
Gunnery Sgt. Michael J. Mullins ensures perfection in almost every ceremony that takes place here. He is the Recruit Training Regiment drill master and takes charge of the three battalion drill masters on the depot.
Mullins, a native of Annapolis, Md., joined the Marines Dec. 12, 1990 with no intention of becoming a regimental drill master-a billet held by only two Marines in the Marine Corps. The other drill master is at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C.
After four years working as an ammunition technician, he took on the task of being a primary marksmanship instructor at Weapons and Field Training Battalion, Edson range, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
When he completed two years of teaching recruits how to accurately fire their weapons, he returned to his previous military occupational specialty before he decided to become a drill instructor in 1997.
After three years on the drill field Mullins returned to the Fleet Marine Force where he spent another five years as an ammunition technician. He then returned to the depot for another tour as a drill instructor.
Only six months into his second tour aboard the depot he was hand-picked by the sergeant major of RTR in 2005 to serve the Marine Corps as a regimental drill master.
“His love of the drill field brought him back,” said Staff Sgt. James D. Doss, narrator, RTR and native of Indianaplois. “The way he talks and feels about drill is beyond comparison of that of his peers.”
Mullins works with officers and depot staff by going over the ceremonial routine to perfect each graduation. In addition to these responsibilities, he is also tasked with coordinating retirement ceremonies, change of command ceremonies and most recently, the enlisted Marine Corps birthday ball.
Throughout an individual�s career in the Marine Corps, he will be reintroduced to the basics of drill that were first brought to his attention in boot camp. Whether it is simply standing at attention or saluting an officer, drill is something a Marine encounters daily.
“I�ve been out of boot camp for more than a year now, and I still use drill for things like physical training and ceremonies,” said Pfc. John A. Chretian, depot combat camera. “It was instilled in us for a reason. Everything we learned, we use.”
While the recruits are in boot camp, their drill instructors teach them everything they need to know about drill whether it is standing in formation for uniform inspections or reporting to a new unit. The drill masters from each battalion help test these skills during drill competitions, where they critique the drill instructors� recruits and recommend improvements.
Mullins has to ensure that each battalion is consistent in its execution of drill movements. His peers say he meets and exceeds the standards of drill master by going out of his way to seek perfection in all that he does.
One of the purposes of drill is to instill discipline and instant, willing obedience to orders in the recruits who pass through the depot during their 13-week training cycle.
“A basically-trained Marine is introduced to the basics of drill throughout training, whether it is in the squad bay or on the parade deck,” said Mullins.
Drill in itself is the building-block from which all recruits learn how to be Marines, Mullins said.
Drill instructors spend more time on drill than anything else in boot camp, he added. Everything recruits go through is important, and the discipline they need to accomplish those tasks is provided through drill.
Drill has been an essential part of the Marine Corps� past and will continue to be a part of its future. Although some aspects may change, the concept of drill assisting in the making of Marines will remain the same, said Mullins.
Fit to fight
Three days before graduation, recruits don their Service “A” uniforms and stand tall in a battalion commander’s inspection.
“This inspection is the final graduation requirement,” said 1st Sgt. Anthony A. Spadaro, Company C’s first sergeant. “This is a chance for recruits to show off in front of their battalion commander.”
“One purpose of this final inspection is to make sure that the recruits’ uniforms fit,” said Spadaro. “Also, this gives the battalion commander a chance to see if his recruits have the confidence and bearing to be Marines. They are in his charge after all.
According to Spadaro, most recruits pass this inspection with no problems.
“These lads know how to stand an inspection by now,” he said. “They’ve been through a senior drill instructor’s inspection, a series commander’s inspection and a company commander’s inspection.”
This inspection is quite longer than the others, and the time spent standing can make this a grueling experience for recruits. A few recruits buckle under heat or lock their knees, causing them to faint, but drill instructors are on standby to aid these recruits. There are also benches and jugs of cold water behind the big, green formation.
“This happens to Marines too,” said Spadaro. “This inspection also helps these recruits prepare for any long formations once they are in the fleet.”
Spadaro explained why recruits wear the Service “A” uniform for this inspection: “They wear their main service uniform,” said Spadaro. “It’s their highest inspection, so they wear their most formal, issued uniform.”
According to Spadaro, the battalion commander’s inspection is a final culmination of what the recruits have learned throughout the training cycle, and it is a time for them to present themselves to their commander as a Marine.
Crunch Record Broken by Recovering Recruit
As the Marines of Company L walk across the Shepherd Memorial Drill Field today, one individual will leave having broken the depot�s crunch record by two repetitions.
During his company�s final physical training test, Pvt. Jason T. Pacheco, Platoon 3032, executed 260 crunches in two minutes.
�It�s amazing that he broke the record,� said Sgt. Rahine Smith, drill instructor, and a Columbus, Ohio native. �Not many people can do more than 200 crunches in two minutes.�
Pacheco, a Las Vegas, N.M., native, came to boot camp able to do 150 crunches in two minutes. He was active in high school sports and played just about everything that was offered, according to Pacheco.
�The sports I played in high school helped me out a lot,� said Pacheco. �But my drill instructors were the ones who really pushed me to succeed. Without their motivation, this may not have happened.�
Something happened to Pacheco during boot camp where he had to look to his drill instructors for their support.
During field week at Edson Range, his company was conducting a night hike when he twisted his ankle, causing a stress fracture in his right leg.
He didn�t want to be dropped from training, so he attempted to hide his injury from his drill instructors, until it got worse.
He was recommended by medical personnel to be dropped from training due to his injury.
�When he was recommended to be dropped to the (Medical Rehabilitation Platoon), he came to me and said he wanted to try and stick it out,� said Staff Sgt. S. G. Moyer, senior drill instructor. �He was a �more than an average recruit� throughout boot camp, so I made the decision to let him stay.�
His senior drill instructor kept his faith in Pacheco and let him stay in training, despite the injury to his leg. While he was on limited duty, as a result from his injury, he was unable to participate in some training events that involved the use of his legs.
However, before his injury, Pacheco had a high PFT score, including a run time of 19:30, which also convinced his senior drill instructor to let him stay.
After his injury healed, he came back, broke the crunches record and learned something about himself in the process.
�I joined the Marine Corps because I wanted to become a better person,� said Pacheco. �After I recovered from my injury and broke the crunches record, I felt more confident in myself and now I feel like I can do anything.�
Pacheco had always wanted to join the Marine Corps since he was young. He had family members in the Marine Corps and he wanted the self-improvement that he saw in them.
His grandfather, Orlando Gonzales, was a Marine during the late 1950s, and he inspired Pacheco to make the decision to join the Marine Corps.
�My grandfather used to tell me stories about the Marine Corps,� said Pacheco. �He always conducted himself in a professional manner, and I have always wanted to be like that.�
Those stories motivated him to make his grandfather�s experiences his own. Pacheco said he wanted to become a Marine to gain more confidence in himself, to stay out of trouble, to gain more respect and responsibility in life and to become a better person overall.
�Jason always had a lot of heart when he was growing up,� said Gonzales, a Las Vegas, N.M., native. �Nothing makes me more proud than to see my grandson do what he�s doing. I think all young men should join the military service, because it makes them better people.�
Courage and Commitment in the Marines
Marines who graduate today from the rigorous 13-week training cycle of Marine Corps boot camp possess three values that set them apart from who they used to be.
The Marines of Company L were introduced to these values before stepping on the yellow footprints. They heard them when they sat down with their recruiter and memorized their definitions before departing for boot camp.
�(The core values) are the foundation of which Marines are made,� said Sgt. Matthew A. Montgomery, Recruiting Substation West Las Vegas, Recruiting Station San Diego, 12th Marine Corps District.
Montgomery said without honor, courage and commitment � the core characteristics of a Marine � an individual cannot consider himself a Marine at all.
�When individuals become Marines, they no longer represent themselves. They represent their entire organization,� said Montgomery.
According to the Navy and Marine Corps core values card, honor is having integrity, responsibility and accountability.
Honor is upholding the name and values of what an individual stands for. Montgomery said by living his life by the strict standards of the core values, he has stayed out of trouble and is able to be a positive role model for the young men and women he recruits.
The core values card states that courage is doing the right thing, in the right way, for the right reason.
Many times during recruit training a recruit will face a challenge he believes is impossible to accomplish. But, after completing what his mind told him he could not do, he feels a sense of triumph which instills in him the courage he needs to be a United States Marine, said Isaac S. Orta, senior drill instructor, Platoon 3245, Company L.
Commitment is being devoted to the Corps and to fellow Marines. It is being 100 percent willing and able to take a task and stick with it until it is complete, according to Montgomery.
�All three of the core values are equally important,� said Montgomery, a Danville, Ind., native. �Different circumstances call for one to take precedence over the other two, but in the end they all make up the mental and moral character of a Marine.�
In boot camp, recruits endure mental and physical challenges, which call for them to rely on the core values, said Orta.
�Whether it is on the battlefield or here in garrison, the core values are used in every aspect of a Marine�s life,� said Orta. �Everyone was raised different, and core values give a Marine the baseline on how to treat people and treat themselves.�
Orta, a San Antonio native, said that all of the Marines he has worked under have taught him something about the core values and how to put them into practice in his own life.
For more than 231 years, the Marine Corps has remained the world�s finest fighting force because of the strict standards Marines choose to uphold, said Montgomery.
The pride that comes with honor, courage and commitment is a pride that never fades, even years after a Marine leaves active duty. The core values are the bedrock elements that make Marines stand out as the few and the proud in America, Montgomery added.
Corps Instills Confidence and Consistency for Detroit Marine
The Marine Corps represents different things for different people. Sometimes Marines forget why they joined ?America?s 911 fighting force?. One young Marine hasn?t let that happen.
?The Marine Corps taught me how to be consistent and confident,? said Lance Cpl. Jeremy D. Tolhurst, field wireman, 8th Communication Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Headquarters Company, II MEF (FWD).
The Detroit native explained what he meant about consistency in detail.
?Even if you?re having a bad day,? he said, ?you still have to be at work, you are still graded on your performance. If I fix a phone, my name is on the list and people will come back to me if it?s not done right. You have to be consistent in your job at all times.?
Tolhurst, a 2003 graduate of Western International High School in Detroit, said he didn?t make good grades throughout high school. He was a basketball athlete, but other than that, he didn?t have goals.
?Me and my friends were driving by the recruiters [office] one day,? said the 20-year-old. ?I decided I wanted to go in and see what it was all about. I wanted to be in the hardest service.?
Shortly after enlisting, Tolhurst left for boot camp. After graduating in February 2004, he was off to military occupational school in Twentynine Palms, Calif., to begin training as a field wireman.
?I graduated the highest in my class [at MOS school],? Tolhurst said. ?I picked up lance corporal because of it. I just pushed myself to learn all I could.?
On his first deployment, Tolhurst said it?s not what he expected.
?It?s not hard. It?s probably harder for my wife,? said Tolhurst, who has been married for nine months. ?I work long hours out here, but I know my job so well, that it?s not hard for me.?
A wireman?s job description can range from fixing phones to laying down wire or fiber. Tolhurst shares his knowledge as a wireman to aid others in his unit.
?I know my job. I ask questions when I need to and I teach the other Marines what I know,? he said.
Tolhurst said he takes advantage of the deployment atmosphere.
?I want to learn more,? he said. ?I started picking things up when I got out here and it just gets easier.?
With new Marines being deployed into his work section, Tolhurst has already started training them.
?If I had one thing to tell them, it would be to be confident in their work,? he said. ?When I first got here, I was a little intimidated because I had never experienced Iraq before. Looking back, I just wish I had been confident from day one.?
Developing new characteristic traits while advancing through the Corps is something no one can take away from Tolhurst.
?I can proudly say I am going to be a millionaire one day. Own a business, something like that,? he said with a smile. ?I have accomplished things that I never thought I could. I have a new outlook on life now because of the Marine Corps.?
Warrior Ethos
Memorials of boots against inverted rifles, draped with dog tags and topped with Kevlar helmets are among the most common tributes paid to military personal when they die in combat.
In many cases, however, these solemn memorials are just the beginning of the homages paid to these fallen warriors. Each unit has a different way of honoring and coping with their losses and ensuring their brothers and sisters are not forgotten. Some tributes are large. Some are small. All honor people who were more than Marines to those who knew them
Sign of Respect
Outside a compound within Camp Fallujah, Iraq, home of II Marine Expeditionary Force, stands a newly painted sign bearing the words ?Camp Farrar.? The camp was recently renamed after Sgt. Andrew K. Farrar Jr., who was killed in action in the Al Anbar Province on Jan. 28, 2005. Units often rename their camps after the area of operations or as an honor to a hero in their service.
The military police officer’s death was a tragedy for his unit, A Company, 2nd Military Police Battalion, and even more so for his family. Farrar was killed on his 31st birthday.
The Weymouth, Mass., native left behind a wife and two children. He also left a lasting impression on his fellow Marines.
?I think about Andrew everyday,? said Sgt. Jonathan Bates, an accident investigator stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C. ?He taught me that Marines want to be led, and that it’s my job to step up and lead them.?
Farrar’s impact on Bates went beyond the ranks.
?I had the privilege of calling him my friend,? he said.
Closing Emotional Wounds
In another effort to honor and cope with the passing of Marines, large ceremonies are held to grieve over the fallen and to reflect on the Marines’ lives. Entire communities and family members are invited to large remembrances where they get inside views on what type of person their loved one was.
Staff Sgt. William F. Hornsby served in Iraq with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment as a scout sniper platoon sergeant and assistant operations chief. He and about 200 others recently took part in a ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii to honor 1/3?s fallen.
Marines are often deployed for long stretches of time. This not only leaves a void in the community, but can also make the Marines strangers to their families, said Hornsby. Ceremonies allow families to meet people who knew their loved ones and were with them before their deaths. This gives them insight to who they were.
?They see the man that their Marine was,? said Hornsby, a Pensacola, Fla., native. ?They get a sense of closure.?
The family also sees the bonds their Marines had with their brothers and sisters.
?They witness the ?band of brothers,? that we talk about and brag about,? said Hornsby.
Indelible marks
About 1,000 people recently attended a memorial service for Marines of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Two Marines stood out among those people attending the memorial. Warrant Officer James R. Newton and Staff Sgt. Pasquale R. Pappalardo both got tattoos of the M-16A2 service rifle memorial on their right calves.
The tattoos honor Sgt. Byron Norwood, a squad leader with 3/1 who died in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
?He was all about the Marine Corps and he would have appreciated the (memorial) service. He was a Marine?s Marine,? said Newton in an interview with Camp Pendleton?s pubic affairs office.
Permanent honors to Norwood recently reached a national level when President Bush signed into affect a law that renamed a local post office in Pflugerville, Texas, after Norwood, according to a White House press release. The Marine’s hometown post office is now called, Sergeant Byron W. Norwood Post Office Building.
Healing Words
When many of are at a loss for words, others find their voices and are able to articulate the feelings so many have at the passing of a loved one. Songs, like ?Last Letter Home,? by the Dropkick Murphys, who played at Farrar’s funeral, at his request, remind listeners of the lives left behind by the servicemen and women deployed around the world.
Others, like Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Kelly Strong, remind us of service members’ sacrifices through their poetry. ?I wondered just how many times that taps had meant ?Amen? When a flag had draped a coffin of a brother or a friend.?
Requiem
Regardless of the size, shape or style of the memorials, friends and loved ones honor their fallen Marines in ways that mean the most to them. At camps in the faraway Iraqi deserts and in homes across America, men and women are remembered not for their deaths, but for the lives they led and the impact they made on those they touched.
Urban Environment Survival
Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment and 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment trained at the military operations on urban terrain facility here June 5.
During the five-day training exercise, the Marines were taught how to properly patrol through a village, clear different sized buildings with insurgents inside and use different techniques while maneuvering through buildings.
?During the first two days of MOUT training, we teach the Marines different aspects about urban terrain and how to maneuver while inside them,? said Cpl. Joel W. Winkler, a basic urban skills training instructor who has two deployments to Iraq.
?The first two days are taught in a classroom and the other three are taught in MOUT town,? said the 20-year-old Winkler, a Durham, N.C., native.
The town is made up of a hospital, bank, school, church and a number of other buildings. The Marines maneuver through the buildings while going through different scenarios. Clearing buildings with insurgents inside, counter-sniper maneuvers, and different ways of entering buildings are just a few of the scenarios the Marines go through.
Winkler said the Marines are taught different situations that might happen while deployed to a forward position. Breaking down while inside them,? said Cpl. Joel W. Winkler, a basic urban skills training instructor who has two deployments to Iraq.
?The first two days are taught in a classroom and the other three are taught in MOUT town,? said the 20-year-old Winkler, a Durham, N.C., native.
The town is made up of a hospital, bank, school, church and a number of other buildings. The Marines maneuver through the buildings while going through different scenarios. Clearing buildings with insurgents inside, counter-sniper maneuvers, and different ways of entering buildings are just a few of the scenarios the Marines go through.
Winkler said the Marines are taught different situations that might happen while deployed to a forward position. Breaking down doors to search a building or clearing buildings of insurgents is common on patrols in Iraq.
?A lot of the things we are taught here are very important because they are used every day over in Iraq when clearing buildings or patrolling villages,? said Cpl. Sidney C. Moore, a field artilleryman with 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, who was deployed to Iraq in March 2005.
To add to the realism of the training, Winkler said the Marines are given simulation rounds during the final days of training.
Simulation rounds are plastic projectiles filled with colored laundry detergent and are used to simulate being hit with an actual bullet. By using these rounds the Marines get experience reloading their weapons under fire and learn to conserve ammunition during a fire fight.
doors to search a building or clearing buildings of insurgents is common on patrols in Iraq.
?A lot of the things we are taught here are very important because they are used every day over in Iraq when clearing buildings or patrolling villages,? said Cpl. Sidney C. Moore, a field artilleryman with 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, who was deployed to Iraq in March 2005.
To add to the realism of the training, Winkler said the Marines are given simulation rounds during the final days of training.
Simulation rounds are plastic projectiles filled with colored laundry detergent and are used to simulate being hit with an actual bullet. By using these rounds the Marines get experience reloading their weapons under fire and learn to conserve ammunition during a fire fight.
?The sim rounds are kind of like paint balls, but hurt a lot worse,? said Moore, a Dracut, Mass., native. ?Getting shot with them also quickens your reaction time.?
Winkler said communication and teamwork while in a firefight are some of the biggest things taught at MOUT.
?The entire exercise teaches us how to go into a building, clear it of insurgents, and come back out alive,? Moore said.
Marines will be using the tactics they learned at MOUT during their deployments overseas. Moore said the Marines can use this training to effectively accomplish their mission while keeping each other alive.
?The key to any operation is getting the mission accomplished without sacrificing a life,? Moore said.
Mess Night – A Marine Tradition
When members of the 1953 3rd Marine Regiment combat swim team were invited to have dinner with their British rivals in the midst of an annual competition, they did not realize the following events would lead to one of the Marine Corps’ most honored traditions.
During the competition, Marines from the swim team were invited to attend what the British Royal Marines call a mess night. It was a tradition that dates back to the days of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
But, as Gunnery Sgt. Johnnie C. Watkins, Sergeants Course staff noncommissioned officer in charge, SNCO Academy, Camp Hansen explains, the event has evolved to how U.S. Marines conduct it today.
“The purpose of today’s mess night is to recognize and pay homage to the Marines who came before us,” the Brunswick, Ga., native explained. “It also gives us a chance as a band of brothers to socialize with one another in our best dress uniform.”
The mess night is fashioned to fit a formal gathering with a military flavor present. A Marine is assigned to be president of the mess; he is in charge and controls the flow of events.
The vice-president of the mess, or ‘Mr. Vice,’ as the title has come to be known, acts as the enforcer of the president’s decisions and also regulates who may speak to the president.
Invited guests are also part of the group. Conventionally, their place is at the head table with the president. The remainder of the participants make up the mess. They are the heart of the event, and are expected to pay fines as the president sees fit for issues brought up by the mess men.
During the formal meal portion of the mess night, members of the mess have the opportunity to charge another mess man with a fine if he has a legitimate reason to.
A mess member must stand at attention and ask Mr. Vice’s permission to address the mess. Mr. Vice has the option to turn the request away or to forward it to the president. If the president grants permission, the mess member must state his case on why his comrade must be fined.
If the mess member makes a good case, the president fines the guilty party a certain amount that he sees fit, or forces the defendant to perform a show for the mess, Watkins said.
“The president also forces certain members of the mess to perform humorous rituals,” Watkins added. “It all depends on how creative the Marine sitting in as president is.”
Other procedures also go into the tradition of mess night. It starts with a social hour where Marines of the mess have drinks with one another as well as meet and greet the guests.
The formalities of mess night begin when the mess marches in, followed by the head table guests. Then the fun of mess night begins with the meal. Marines of the mess sit down to a formal dinner, normally Prime Rib. During this time, Marines bring forth outrageous situations to be fined, Watkins explained.
“In the 25 plus mess nights I’ve been to since I’ve been a Marine, I’ve seen a lot of insane situations,” Watkins recalls. “For example, I’ve seen Marines have a pizza delivered to another member of the mess during the meal.”
An intermission will then sound after the mess portion of the night, followed by the toasts given by members of the mess. Tributes are given to battles Marines have fought in the past as well as the future, Watkins said.
“The toasts of the mess is what mess night is all about,” Watkins mentioned. “It pays honor and respect to all the campaigns the Marine Corps has fought in. The final toast is always to the success of the Marine Corps.”
Other portions of the mess night are included as well. Normally a guest speaker will make a presentation, The Prisoner of War/Missing in Action table is recognized, and the kitchen’s head chef will parade the beef in regards to the mess’ liking.
For some Marines, mess night is a rare occasion that all Marines should take full advantage of, said Sgt. Iris M. Feliciano, wire noncommissioned officer in charge, communications platoon, 12th Marine Regiment.
“How often do Marines get in their best dress uniform and spend an evening like this with the people they work with?” the Chicago native asked. “It’s rare to have everyone from a unit, from the commanding officer to the lowest private, all in one place to socialize with one another.”
Feliciano also feels that mess night is more than just a tradition; it’s a learning experience as well.
“Mess night builds knowledge on customs and courtesies, as well as camaraderie,” Feliciano claimed. “One of its purposes is to build Esprit de Corps, and until you’re a part of one it doesn’t mean much.”
For those who have not been a part of a mess night, Marines who have been around the Corps several years and attended many mess nights recommend that no one pass up the opportunity to participate in one.
“I strongly encourage all Marines to attend and support a mess night in their unit,” said Sgt. Maj. Efrem A. Wilson, director of SNCO Academy. “It’s all about educating, training and leading Marines.
Marines Movie – Coming Soon
It was in Stanley Kubrick?s 1987 movie ?Full Metal Jacket? that R. Lee Ermey portrayed Gunnery Sgt. Hartman, the quintessential Marine Corps drill instructor and for many Marines, a movie version of the nightmare they overcame in training. The movie is a staple on nearly every Marines shelf and has easily become the most quoted and re-enacted film in Corps history ? for now.
In the coming months and into 2006, the film industry will again turn its focus to telling the Marine Corps story. On Nov. 4, “Jarhead? starring Jake Gyllenhall and Jaime Foxx is set to open nationwide, and in 2006 ?Flags of our Fathers? directed by Clint Eastwood is scheduled to premiere
?Jarhead? is a film adaptation of Anthony Swofford?s novel of the same name. After hitting bookstores in December 2003, the manuscript made its rounds through the Corps and was met with some controversy. The bitter memoir of a sniper in the Persian Gulf War is an unyielding examination of the terror of war and leads the young Marine depicted in the book to question everyone and everything, including the Marine Corps.
The film version of the book follows Gyllenhall (The Day After Tomorrow) through boot camp and into a war he doesn?t fully understand while fighting an enemy he can?t see. Foxx (Ray, Collateral) plays a hardcharger who leads his sniper platoon into battle. They?re also joined by Chris Cooper (American Beauty, The Patriot) and Peter Sarsgaard (Skeleton Key, Kinsey) in a star-filled cast that brings the movie an air of credibility.
After viewing the trailer, the film looks to be a cross between ?Full Metal Jacket? and ?Apocalypse Now.? Once word gets out about this movie, Marines in the Jacksonville area are sure to fill the theaters, so be prepared for long lines and sold out showings. To view the film?s trailer or for more information visit www.jarheadthemovie.com.
It?s the most famous photograph, perhaps in world history. Six men standing on the summit of Mt. Suribachi during the battle for Iwo Jima, raising the American flag. Six men whose lives would be forever changed by a one-four hundreth flash in time.
Author James Bradley, whose father, John Bradley, was one of the only survivors out of the six Marines and Sailors raising the flag, penned a novel that detailed the lives of the men who appeared in the photograph. His touching story weaves together legends of the old Corps and recounted the back story of an important time in Marine history.
The movie version of the book is being directed by Academy Award winning director Clint Eastwood and stars an ensemble cast headed by Paul Walker (The Fast and the Furious) and Ryan Phillippe (Cruel Intentions). The film, set in the Pacific theater during World War II, is sure to compete for film awards at the end of 2006.
No further information concerning this film is currently available as the film is still in the production phase.
Although no one is likely to order their recruits to ?choke themselves? in either movie, each will attempt to carry on the strong tradition of quality Corps movies that started long ago with films like ?The Sands of Iwo Jima? with John Wayne and continued with ?Full Metal Jacket.? Hopefully each will find a way into Marines hearts and try and live up to the service members they seek to emulate.
Marine Walks Away After Getting Shot in Head
If anyone was proud to be labeled hard-headed, it?s Pfc. Fred M. Linck. The 19-year-old from Westbrook, Conn., took an enemy shot to the head and walked away with little more than a sore noggin and a white bandage.
Linck, of 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, was struck by a single enemy bullet May 5.
?It seemed like just another day in the city of Fallujah,? Linck said, an infantryman assigned to C Company. ?But everything changed for me that day.?
The young Marine just got off of a security post and was tasked to be part of a reaction force. The force was gearing up to respond to a call for help in the city.
?We got some intelligence stating that there was a possible improvised explosive device on the corner of the main street in Fallujah,? Linck said. ?My team of Marines reacted to the call and showed up to the site. We immediately dismounted our vehicles and set up a cordon of the area.?
Some of the other men in the team didn?t want to believe that it was a normal mission for them, in fact they had planned on it being much more than that.
?Something told me that this was going to be a set up, a pretty usual tactic for the insurgents to use against us,? said Lance Cpl. Randon O. Hogen, a fellow infantrymen and member of Linck?s fire team.
Hogen?s gut instincts were right. Somewhere in the shadows of the concrete buildings, an insurgent was waiting for the Marines to come into his view.
?I was running back across the street after we had confirmed that the IED we responded to was in fact not one, when I heard the shot,? said Lance Cpl . Kelvin J. Grisales, fire team leader and friend of Linck.
A single shot cracked through the air. Everyone jolted and not even Linck, who was hit, knew what happened.
?After the shot rang out, I remember hearing someone screaming ?Man down, Man down,? Linck said. ?I realized a second later that man was me, I was on the ground.?
It took a couple seconds for everything to appear clear to Linck. The sounds of Marines calling for help weren?t for anyone but him, but he was ready to get up and fight.
?I was pretty scared when I realized that I had just taken a round to the head, but the scariest part was that I was thinking about it and I felt fine,? Linck said, who has only served with the battalion for a few months. ?It felt as if I had fallen and hit my head, that?s it.?
The rest of his team did not know his status. They didn?t take chances and followed their training, evacuating him out of the area.
?When we picked him up, he grabbed my hand and told me that he was pretty nervous,? said 22-year-old Grisales, from Hartford, Conn. ?All I could do was to try to reassure him that he would be alright, at the same time I was trying to do the same for myself.?
Linck was transferred directly from the battlefield to the nearest hospital where he was treated and released without even a stitch in his head.
The issued helmet he wore stopped the majority of the round from penetrating. A small piece of fragmentation from the round pierced through the headband inside of the helmet, causing a small laceration on his forehead.
?It was such a relief for us when we pulled up to the hospital and we found out that he was okay,? Grisales said.
?I thank God that it happened the way that it did,? Hogen added.
Linck doesn?t discount Divine intervention or luck, but trusts his gear more now than ever.
?I know for sure that if it wasn?t for that helmet, I wouldn?t be standing here right now,? Linck said. ?It pays to wear all the gear the way it is supposed to be worn.?
?It is one thing to hear about what our gear is capable of, but this just makes it a reality,? Hogen said. ?It did exactly what it was supposed to do.?
Linck?s since returned to duty with a new outlook on life.
?It is kind of like a second lease of life,? he said. ?I want to make sure I do everything right.?
Marine Security Guard Duty
April 18, 1983, a building in Beirut, Lebanon was bombed, killing 63 people. Sept. 20, 1984, 24 people were killed when a bomb slams a shopping annex in Aukar, Lebanon. Aug. 7, 1998, buildings in Kenya, Nairobe and Dar es’ Salaam were decimated simultaneously, killing 291 people.
Every one of these bombings targeted a U.S. Embassy in an attempt to disrupt America’s influence overseas, according to the U.S. Department of State.
The U.S. has embassies in order to protect and oversee American interests in foreign nations.
It is the duty of Marine Security Guards to ensure the embassies are safe from any threat, in any place at any time, according to the MSG mission statement.
Marine Security Guards are responsible for the internal security of embassies in 115 different countries.
With so many Embassies, a large number of people are needed to fill the quota.
“We need as many people as we can get right now. If a Marine qualifies, we will use him,” said Gunnery Sgt. Edward Owens, an MSG Battalion Recruiter.
Marine Security Guard is not a primary military occupational specialty, but is a B-billet, or secondary occupation. It is a special opportunity for Marines who are willing to put in a little extra work to travel the world and see a completely different side of the Corps, according to Lance Cpl. Anna Renhard, who recently graduated MSG school.
“MSG is way different than the fleet, we have a mission unlike anyone else’s. The units are small, so you get to know the people you work with real well, real quick,” added Renhard, a former military policeman here.
The school, located in Quantico, Va., is one not to be taken lightly, according to Renhard. The curriculum is broad and intense on every subject. The school is relatively short compared to the amount of information students are required to learn, lasting only six weeks.
“The training is unlike any I have received anywhere else. There is more extensive training in martial arts and close combat weapons, you also get to use almost every weapon a Marine would come across,” said Renhard.
“Marine Security Guards are the most well equipped force, prepared and ready to complete their mission anywhere,” said Staff Sgt. Benjamin Dillon, the career planner here.
To join MSG, a Marine has to be a well-rounded individual, not just in training or physical aspects. They also have to be financially and mentally sound.
“You can’t go into MSG with a whole bunch of debt,” Dillon mentioned.
Included in the screening and interview document for MSG duty is a financial spreadsheet. The commanding officer can make a recommendation based on the financial stability of the Marine.
One requirement that cannot be waivered is sergeants and below cannot have dependents, and single parents need not apply.
Staff noncommissioned officers are allowed to have no more than three dependents. Dependents also have special requirements, which can be found in Marine Corps Order P1326.6D.
Aside from these requirements no one, except for MSG Bn. and the Marine’s MOS monitor can deny a Marine’s request to join MSG.
It may be fairly simple to get accepted to MSG School, the school and the duties assigned to the MSG Marines is no easily accomplished feat, according to Renhard.
This assignment is not something you can jump into lightly. Both Dillon and Renhard agree that if your heart isn’t in it, you don’t need to do it.
“You rely too heavily on your unit members to have someone go into it half-heartedly,” said Renhard. “The quickest way to get dropped is by showing a lack of effort.”
This special duty assignment is offered openly to any Marine who wants to do it, according to the MSG recruiters. Marines just have to look into it and see if it’s for them.
“MSG is a secret everyone should know about and everyone should take advantage of,” said Dillon. “I know that if I wasn’t retiring soon, I would jump at the opportunity.”
Marine Scouts Swim Undectected
loaked by night and veiled in silence, a squad of warriors moved undetected through Kin Bay. With deliberate actions, the squad promptly secured the beach before sending an ?all clear? report back to a ship waiting 25 miles off the coastline.
The ship was imaginary. The cold waters, stealthy tactics and exhaustion were not. The warriors swam through cold waters till their bodies cramped and shivered as III Marine Expeditionary Force?s Special Operations Training Group conducted a Scout Swimmer Course March 20-April 5 at various Okinawan beaches.
The Marines and sailors learned the intricacies of movement without detection as the course?s curriculum spotlighted clandestine insertion.
?Clandestine insertion is usually used at night when helicopter or (Assault Amphibian Vehicle) insertion is impossible,? said Sgt. Joseph L. Mills, an amphibious raid instructor with SOTG. ?It?s usually done on a secluded beach out of enemy sight.?
During the initial phases of the course, instructors gave classroom instructions covering such topics as hazardous marine life and equipment maintenance. After more than 10 hours of classroom instruction, the group moved to the Okinawan coastline.
As the course unfolded at a secluded beach near Kin Blue, the students found themselves in the water more often than not. On March 19, the students moved through water so calm it seemed to be made of glass. Their slow and methodical movements left ripples invisible to the naked eye in the water.
When conducting a clandestine insertion, a calm sea is a scout swimmer?s nemesis, Mills explained.
?In calm weather, you don?t have the sound of waves breaking to conceal your noise,? Mills said. ?This is why we try to avoid urban coastlines in actual missions.?
Manmade structures usually stop waves in urban environments, Mills stated.
The group moved to an urban training environment during the seventh day of training at Kin Red Pier, explained Sgt. Bart P. Dellinger, the senior amphibious raid instructor with SOTG.
The students were subjected to 2,800 meter swims with backpacks in tow throughout the course.
?It messes with your head,? said Lance Cpl. Kenneth A. Belovarac, an assistant small craft raid instructor. ?You keep kicking and it doesn?t seem like you have gotten anywhere.?
Once the team reaches the shore, they secure the area and send beach survey reports to the appropriate commanders. The commanders obtain detailed descriptions of what to expect on land in the swimmers? reports.
This course has proven to be extremely demanding and has one of the highest attrition rates of any course in the U.S. military, explained Mills.
?We started with 17 students and we now have eight,? Mills said on the sixth day of the 13-day course. ?The course is very physically demanding.?
According to Mills, a lot of casualties are caused by exhaustion and cold-related injuries.
The few amphibious warriors who endure the course become certified scout swimmers. The newly certified scout swimmers will have the ability and knowledge to help train units going through SOTG?s boat raid courses.
Marine Corps Combat List of Top 20 Must-Haves
16. Poncho & Poncho Liner: (not pictured) “The temperature at night is extremely different from the day,” said Lance Cpl. Jonathan Etterling, machine gun team leader. “If you don’t have some sort of protection at night, you end up freezing because you’re cammies are still damp from sweating during the day.”
Leadership by Example
During this time of year most people are busy preparing for the holiday season. There are presents to be bought, lights to be hung, and trees to decorate. For the Marines from Company K, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, preparations continue for what takes place after the holiday parties and the ball falls in Times Square.
While the clock ticks relentlessly toward the new year, time is at a premium for Cpl. Zachary R. Mendenhall as he continues to ensure his Marines are ready for war. Mendenhall, a squad leader with Company K, used the experiences from his previous deployment to Iraq when his Marines participated in training at the Military Operations in Urban Terrain facility here Dec. 7.
�We are focusing on MOUT operations and tightening up some loose ends,� said Mendenhall, a 21-year-old from Poseyville, Ind. �We worked on some reaction drills, things like reacting to sniper fire or an improvised explosive device.�
There were very few loose ends for Mendenhall to secure as the battalion recently returned from having their battle edge honed at Mojave Viper, a training exercise designed to simulate as fully as possible the situation on the ground in the Marine area of operations in Iraq. He said urban combat skills can get �rusty� if they�re not applied practically on a regular basis.
�If the Marines have just been sitting around the barracks for two weeks, you can still go up to any of them and ask how to do something and they can give you the answer verbatim,� Mendenhall said, �but they still need to actually get out there and do it. Ten minutes of remedial action will put them right back in (the proper mindset).�
Leading by example and making sure that his Marines know everything they need to down to the smallest detail is a trait his superiors notice.
�He�s real aggressive, a real hard worker,� said 2nd Lt. Matt D. Deffenbaugh, a 24-year-old Fayetteville, Ga., native. �He makes sure that he demonstrates everything and teaches everything in multiple ways. �
Mendenhall takes the time to share his experiences with the training and how it helped him during his first deployment to Iraq when his Marines are training.
�There�s no better trainer than combat experience,� he added. �I tell my guys all the time that they are going to learn more in two weeks over there than I have been able to teach them in seven months.�
Mendenhall isn�t waiting on his Marines to develop that experience. He said he feels his Marines are ready now after a seven month workup that he describes as 10 times better than what he got last year. It�s a different training environment as well, he said.
�Now you�re training a little different,� Mendenhall said. �When we trained last year we knew we were going to get to Iraq and do a nine day push. We knew we were going to see combat.�
The squad leader added that while combat is a near-certainty for his infantry leathernecks, the time leading up to departure, as well as the turnover process after they arrive in-country, is a dangerous time as well.
�The Marines have this big picture idea that they are going to be in gunfights as soon as they get off the truck, but we might not see any action for two weeks,� he continued. �Now it�s going to be a fight to keep them from getting complacent. It�s going to be up to the team leaders to make sure they keep their heads in the game the whole time.�
With the deployment to Iraq swiftly approaching, Mendenhall stresses the squad is more than just a collection of Marines with a common purpose; they are a family. As the holidays approach then pass, Mendenhall and other small-unit leaders will continue to take to heart their responsibility of preparing their Marines for war.