Jacksonville daily news
Lejeune Deployed ~ News and photos from Camp Lejeune units deployed overseas

Commandant of the Marine Corps visits frontline troops in Helmand province

November 25th, 2011, 9:48 am by

Photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith Marines with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion listen as Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos addresses them at Combat Outpost Alcatraz, Nov. 24. Amos said his most memorable holidays are spent with his fellow Marines while in harm's way. "It's the spirit of being together in combat and being together as a Marine Corps family even though we are away."

Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division

Story by 1st Lt. Timothy Irish

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, Helmand province – The Commandant and Sergent Major of the Marine Corps visited nine Forward Operating Bases and Combat Outposts spread across all of Helmand province, Afghanistan, in one day, Nov. 24.

General James Amos and Sgt.Maj. Michael Barrett took time to address the Marines for Thanksgiving and to talk about the missions accomplished since their last visits in September.

“You’re making a difference,” said Amos, addressing the Marines at COP Alcatraz in Northern Helmand province. “We are going to walk out of here under a victory flag because of the progress you are making. The focus of the world has been on this area for so long and we are starting to see the progress we had hoped for when we began our mission in these areas.”

Throughout the visit they answered questions from Marines about the future of the Corps. Topics ranged from budget cuts, the Corps’ potential drawdown, uniform policy and the recent news of Marines serving overseas in Australia.

“It seems like the command is concerned and care enough to come down to talk to us,” said Lance Cpl. David Filho, a Marine with 1st Battalion, 6th Marines at COP Alcatraz. “They get a chance to see how we operate and it shows that we are not forgotten,” added the Colorado Springs, Colo. native.

Gen. John Allen, commanding general of International Security Assistance Force-Afghanistan, met up with the Commandant on Patrol Base Alcatraz early in the day. Allen is the top Marine officer in Afghanistan and the highest level commander in the country.

The units the Commandant and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps visited consisted of the bulk of the ground combat element for Regional Command Southwest. Their tour served many purposes in addition to the morale boost for frontline combat troops. As the service chief for the bulk of all the forces in the province, Amos is responsible to train, man and equip units prior to deploying.

Amos’ stewardship as Commandant will be paramount in the coming years as more Marine units rotate home and fewer are sent to Afghanistan. Marines and units will need to readjust to “garrison life” and a slower deployment tempo but will also need to train and refit for potential deployments and training exercises to new locales.

One of his first stops in the morning was to Forward Operating Base Whitehouse and the Marines of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment in Northern Helmand province. The base itself and the battalion is in territory that was highly kinetic and owned by insurgents little more than a month ago. The visit was the first chance Amos had to congratulate the Marines of 1/6 on the successful operation, known as Eastern Storm, to unseat the insurgency in this area. This area is one of the few in the entire province where new bases were recently constructed.

Later in the day he traveled south to Forward Operating Base Delhi in Garmsir District. First Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment handed over responsibility of their area of operations to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Nov. 17. The transfer of authority was significant due to the positive trend caused by 1/3 and previous Marine battalions. The units had successfully transitioned or closed several bases in the area due to decreasing violence and increases in skill demonstrated from partnered Afghan National Security Force units.

At each stop the Commandant and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps had a chance to speak to the assembled Marines and answer questions. They also had the opportunity to present awards for valor to several Marines and Sailors in the ground combat element, known as Task Force Leatherneck.

At the end of the day they stepped behind the serving line to dish out Thanksgiving dinner to Marines at Forward Operating Base Dwyer, the headquarters for Regimental Combat Team 5 in charge of Southern Helmand province.

Editor’s note: 2nd Marine Division (Forward) heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

Posted in: 1/6 • 2nd Marine Division • RCT-8 | Post a Comment »

Empathy & War: Fighting an enemy, fighting to understand the ‘enemy’

October 10th, 2011, 2:14 pm by

Story by Cpl. James W. Clark

SANGIN DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan – In fairy tales, it’s the wicked witch who desperately wants a pair of shiny shoes or the brutish baron of some dark and spooky tower who really just needs a hug. In romantic comedies, it’s the stuck up frat boy who belittles the scrawny underdog and his goofy cadre of friends in front of the dream girl.

This individual carries a number of names, from villain to foe – it’s the nemesis with a million faces or the shadowy figure hiding in the alleys of the mind and riding on the back of one’s thoughts. It is the enemy.

Out here in the knee-deep “moon” dust of the Sangin District, the enemy is often formless, and faceless. For a squad of Marine infantrymen patrolling small patches of land teaming with life and color, known as the green zone, an area both beautiful and exceedingly dangerous, it’s a violent phantom whose face is rarely seen.

In today’s war, Marine and coalition forces are required to exhibit a level of restraint rarely seen on the battlefield, but in order to succeed in their mission, they must do more than restrain. Marines and sailors build rapport with the local populace on an individual level. They learn names and histories, forge bonds and after enough time and shared hardship – friendships.

They empathize and connect, but in some ways this is nothing new. For men at war, there are always questions they ask themselves, and at times, one another.

Who are these men we’re fighting? What drives them? What makes them want to do us harm? Do they have a family? Will they be missed?

“My very first challenge with being a Marine in the infantry was when we did a [Battle Damage Assessment] on a target that was killed,” said Sgt. Daniel Pluth, from San Marcos, Texas, now on his fourth deployment where he serves with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. “I got to talking with someone and it popped into my mind; that guy, what was he doing a few days before that? What was he doing ten minutes before? Was he drinking tea? Twiddling his thumbs waiting for us to show up?”

For Marines like Pluth who have carried the brunt of the war effort, from Operation Phantom Fury in 2004, when he took part in the push to take Fallujah, Iraq, to the helicopter-borne insertion into the insurgent held city of Marjah, Afghanistan, during Operation Moshtarak on his last deployment with 1/6. The nagging of his conscience has caused his thoughts to wander to the men he and his peers are called to fight.

“I’ve talked to others about not knowing who these men we’re fighting are, and wanting to know what they did,” explained Pluth, a 2003 graduate El Capitan High School of Lakeside, Calif. “Maybe it’s just one of my things, but I’d really like to try to understand where the thought comes from. Why are you going to put that [bomb] in the road, to kill me? Is that it; is that your only answer? But, what if his answer is, I’m doing it so they don’t die; my family, my children. That’s something I would do for my family, if I was stuck in that situation.”

The thought of a warrior with a conscience may seem like an overused cliché. In a war with no clear line in the sand dividing combatants from civilians, and where success depends heavily on the support of the local populace, it may prove instrumental, not only to the mission, but to the clarity of conscience for Marines and sailors returning home after a decade of war.

“The significance of empathy [in combat] is you then begin to put a face to the war and you’re not just going out and hunting after somebody,” explained Navy Lt. Nathan Rice, a chaplain with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, from Katy, Texas. “You’re actually thinking; that is someone’s son, someone’s child. The other side of it is, you also have to protect yourself. I think the importance of empathy is you begin to understand your actions in regard to the mission at hand. Not to question it, but to help retain your humanity while at war.”

“A lot of that is getting to understand the brutality of war,” said Rice whose role within the battalion is to offer guidance, both spiritual and moral to Marines and sailors in need.

“It’s almost like a necessary evil, but you have to remind [Marines] that this is what we’re called to do,” explained Rice, who worked as a history teacher at Katy High School, before pursuing his commission as an officer in the Navy

“You have to take into account that you’re doing what you’re commanded to do…and you’re protecting your brother, that guy next to you,” said Rice. “If you have someone shooting at you the natural response and what we want you to do is shoot back, but you also have to understand the humanity of it. That’s why the empathy is there; you have to understand your actions.”

Though the moral strain can at times seem too much to bear, and one’s inner monologue so littered with doubt that peace of mind seems as hard to attain as regaining one’s lost innocence, that voice can be what is most needed to stay both moral and sane.

Conscience, explained Rice, and a Marine or sailor’s ability to empathize, not only with his brothers in arms, but those they meet on the battlefield can be their saving grace.

“Conscience plays heavy in war. [Service members] get back home after the war and they kind of close up,” said Rice, explaining how Marines within the battalion have dealt with the death of friends in combat. “I spend a lot of time dealing with operational stress. The first [casualties] we had, my job was limited because the Marines were already doing it – talking among one another. They were opening up and talking, they truly were feeling like brothers, sharing how they felt. To come to peace with yourself you have to deal with it – you can’t just bottle it up.”

Like those heroes and villains in fairy tales, the impact Marines and their enemies have on one another goes far beyond the physical. The marks left on flesh are no less deep than those left on the mind, but by carrying the heavy moral weight of one’s conscience, service members can grow from their experiences at war, rather than being haunted by its memory.

Editor’s note: First Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghanistan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling the ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.


Posted in: 2nd Marine Division • RCT-8 | 1 Comment »

Aviation support Marines fuel success in southwestern Afghanistan

October 10th, 2011, 2:12 pm by

Story by Pfc. Sean Dennison

Aviation support Marines fuel success in southwestern AfghanistanPhoto by Pfc. Sean DennisonSgt. Jason O’Hearn, a Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 motor transportation operator and a native of Merrillville, Ind., operates an aircraft refueling system at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, Oct. 2.


CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan – The Marines of Marine Wing Support Squadron 371’s fuel division are well acquainted with military aircraft.

Not only do they fuel almost every Marine Corps aircraft on Camp Bastion, a major hub for aviation combat operations in southwestern Afghanistan, they also serve a major role in allowing those aircraft to reach the far corners of the region.

The Marines refuel thousands of aircraft each month according to Staff Sgt. Tirrell Enoch, the squadron’s fuel division staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge, and a native of Greensboro, N.C.

“This is one of the busiest fuel sites in Afghanistan,” said Lance Cpl. Paul Rodriguez-Sanchez, a Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 bulk fuel specialist and a native of Oceanside, N.Y.

The squadron supports 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), the aviation combat element for the southwestern regional command of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.

“Without fuel nothing here moves,” said Lance Cpl. Ryland Grimstead, a Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 bulk fuel specialist and Asheboro, N.C., native. “Without us, grunts and supplies can’t go out.”

The fuels Marines also support forward arming and refueling points which speckle the deserts of Afghanistan’s Nimruz and Helmand provinces.

“A FARP is an oasis for fuel,” said Sgt. Jason O’Hearn, a Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 motor transportation refueler, and a native of Merrillville, Ind.

These refueling points, created when and where they’re needed, allow aircraft to stay in the air longer, providing extended support for ground forces. With the forward arming and refueling points, pilots need not return to major bases, like Camp Bastion, when they run low on fuel or ordnance while supporting a mission.

Refueling truck operators like O’Hearn convoy to the various forward arming and refueling points to keep them fresh with fuel.

“There are aircraft constantly moving,” said O’Hearn. “With all the missions we support out there, we’re a big part of what drives them.”


Posted in: 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) | Post a Comment »

West Coast Marines take over Afghanistan aviation ground support as East Coast Marines head home

October 6th, 2011, 8:56 am by

Story by Pfc. Sean Dennison

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – The gentle thump of helicopter blades wafts over a formation of Marines at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.

In a predawn ceremony, the Marines of Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 assumed the mission of ensuring that sound never stops.

Support squadrons complete a number of missions on the ground to keep the aircraft of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) flying. This includes refueling jets and helicopters, aircraft rescue firefighting, construction and motor transport support.

Marine Wing Support Squadron 272, based in New River, N.C., carried out those tasks until early October when they relinquished command to Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, deployed from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.

Lt. Col. Dale Kruse, the Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 commanding officer, led his squadron in support of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) for more than six months.

“It’s been a highly productive deployment,” said Kruse, a native of Morenci, Mich. “Not only have the Marines exceptionally executed our standard missions, they’ve also been part of several large-scale building operations.”

Support squadrons also expand the reach of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) by creating landing zones, expeditionary airfields, and forward arming and refueling points. These support squadron projects allow British and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft to fly farther and stay in the air longer supporting coalition troops in southwestern Afghanistan.

While deployed to Afghanistan, Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 added taxiways to the runway of Camp Bastion, created a runway for unmanned aerial vehicles at Camp Leatherneck, and built dozens helicopter landing zones, dotting the Helmand River valley.

“Each day we’d start fresh and start a mission, knowing there’d be one right after it,” said Kruse. “That was a great motivating factor.”

Though Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, deployed to Afghanistan two years ago, they will support a much larger force in this deployment.

Lt. Col. Michael Prosser, the squadron’s commanding officer, and a native of Golden, Colo., said his Marines are ready for the challenge.

Prosser, who first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001, said the progress the country has made is noticeable.

“Afghanistan’s lights are on now,” he said. “When I flew here in 2001, not a lot of power was up. When you fly around now, you get to see the lights.”

“My plan is to capitalize on the success of previous [squadrons] using their achievements as a model for my team to emulate,” Prosser said. “We intend to support combined teams and assets at multiple locations to ensure the aviation combat element is prepared to provide the Marine Air-Ground Task Force with the most efficient and effective air support.”

Posted in: 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) | Post a Comment »

RCT-8 seeks Marine feedback at NCO Symposium

October 6th, 2011, 8:54 am by

Story by Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, Afghanistan – A contingent of non-commissioned officers gathered at Forward Operating Base Delaram II, Afghanistan recently to discuss lessons learned from their experiences on the battlefield.

From every unit across the Regimental Combat Team 8 battle space, the Marines converged on the regimental headquarters for the first RCT-8 NCO Symposium Sept. 21-22.

The Marines shared some of their experiences concerning different topics ranging from countering improvised explosive devises to working in a counterinsurgency situation.

“There are all kinds of lessons learned, (techniques, tactics and procedures) and best practices,” said Sgt. Maj. David Jobe, regimental sergeant major. “I feel my job as a senior enlisted leader is to make sure we are sharing information throughout the battle space.”

Sitting around a large conference table, each of the 16 attendees took their turn addressing successes and failures in how they go about the business of securing their areas. Each topic was open for discussion amongst the group and ideas poured into the air.

“It’s really interesting to hear what (others) are dealing with and the things I can bring back to my unit,” said Cpl. James Leitch, a team leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. “This has been a great learning experience. It’s been awesome meeting some of the other NCOs and learning how they do things.”

These NCOs will normally see only limited areas of the district their battalions operate in over the course of a deployment. The insurgent knows this and will use it to his advantage. Meetings such as this keep the small-unit leaders informed as to the enemy’s newest tactics in other areas.

“I thought it was extremely informative just to have everybody together,” said Leitch, an Orlando, Fla. native and 2007 graduate of Orange County Public High School. “I primarily deal with the ‘brown zone’ where there are lots of IEDs, but I’m sitting across the table from a guy who isn’t dealing with as many IEDs but it’s kinetic all the time.”

The discussion primarily focused on tactics and procedures as well as the use of military working dogs and the use of counterinsurgency operations.

“In the past two days, I’ve learned about errors I’ve been making,” said Cpl. Paul Chambers, a squad leader for Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines. “Some things I’ve been omitting from patrols. There are different thought patterns from guys in our neighboring sectors from 1/5 where they talked about their compounds and the way they look at compounds. In my (area of operations), we might not go into compounds because there’s no need. If we have a safer manner to go in there, a procedure that has been used in other AO’s, why not use it?”

The symposium also opened their eyes to realizing not all of the units represented were infantry battalions. Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines is filling a role as an infantry company even though their Marines come from an artillery background and includes patrols with individuals from all walks in the Corps.

“Echo 2/12 has proven it…they’re a cannon battery running around just like grunts,” said Chambers, an Ocean City, Md. native and 1997 graduate of Stephen Decatur High School. “There’s wireman, a [communications] guy and motor-t personnel in the symposium. They’re doing things in just the same manner as grunts do.

“As particular as grunts like to be about what we do on the deck, and say ‘hey, that’s my job; you do your thing,’ we all know that sometimes you get thrown in positions you’re not prepared for because that’s not your job specifically,” said Chambers. “With this type of environment and how you can just get tossed into something, everyone should be cross trained to an extent. You should be a master of your trade but a jack of all trades; (you) should still come up the Marine Corps way,”

Overall, the lesson being taught wasn’t lost on one single topic during the nine-hour discussion.

“Keep an open mind to what other people are doing,” said Leitch. “Don’t get into the mindset of what I’m doing is the right thing. My opinion has been changed about a lot of different things we’ve been doing just hearing what different units have been successful in, and their failures as well, and having them critique what I’m doing.

“That diversity of experience helps round me out to be a better NCO and Marine,” added Leitch.

The symposium was deemed a success by the Marines involved and they hope to return to their unit equipped with the new information and spread the word about what they learned.

“I have definitely got a lot out of this, and I’m going to bring it all back,” said Chambers. “I hope to share this information amongst the platoon and throughout the company. From the company commanders down, it should be seen by all. All Marines should see what’s going on throughout [the area] and every one trained up and down with what we are talking about here.”

EDITORS NOTE: Regimental Combat Team 8 is currently assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

Posted in: RCT-8 | Post a Comment »

Wheat seed distribution gives hope to Helmand Afghans

October 6th, 2011, 8:52 am by

Photo by Cpl. Katherine M. Solano Staff Sgt. Jason Skaggs, a transportation coordinator with 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), flies with 4 pallets of wheat and vegetable seed from Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan, to Kajaki, Sept. 30, 2011. The seed will be distributed to local farmers over the next several weeks as part of a four-year counter-narcotic program in Helmand province.

2nd Marine Logistics Group

Story by Cpl. Katherine M. Solano

KAJAKI, Afghanistan – For decades now, Afghan locals have been relying on a crop cycle of poppy and cannabis to provide income and a stable livelihood for their families.

According to the United Nations, profits from the narcotics trade are directly linked to the insurgency in Afghanistan, creating $155 million in revenue in 2009, while Afghanistan supplies roughly 90 percent of the world’s opium.

It is the mission of the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team’s counter-narcotics cell to give the local populace an alternative to the drug trade by way of wheat and vegetable crops.

For the previous three years, the PRT has been conducting seed and fertilizer distribution efforts in Helmand province. The program, initiated by the Helmand provincial governor, Golab Mangal, has touched the lives of more than 40,000 farmers and their families this year, according to Maj. William Bye, a key developer in the wheat seed distribution program with the PRT in Lashkar Gah.

By promoting the harvest of legitimate food crops, the PRT looks to drastically reduce the effects of the heroin drug trade in the area, which currently affects nearly 100,000 citizens in Helmand province alone.

“Everybody in Helmand knows somebody who is addicted or has a family member themselves who is addicted,” Bye said. “They’ve seen the devastating effect it has on those individuals. They are also reasonably well educated in the fact that the insurgency gains a lot of their income from poppy and from the opium trade. They’re aware that the insurgency is killing them and is making their freedom of movement difficult. So on the whole, they generally do not want to grow poppy. They are receptive to persuasion to grow something else, if they’ve got the security and the freedom of movement to do so.”

It has been the joint efforts of the combat forces of Regional Command (Southwest), the Afghan Uniformed Police and the Afghan National Army to provide locals with this security and peace of mind over the last four years while the counter-narcotics cell implemented the project.

Bye also pointed out the far-reaching effects the poppy crops have on the international drug trade. He emphasized the importance of giving Afghans a lifestyle alternative to stabilize the country in order to positively affect the rest of the world.

“Heroin from Afghanistan is found routinely on the streets in Europe and in America,” he said. “Where there are illicit drugs, there is always violence and crime associated with it. If we can reduce the amount of heroin that is flowing into our markets, then we can work on reducing the crime that is found at home.”

According to Bye, over the past four years, the program has spread to 11 surrounding districts. The most recent district to become involved was Kajaki. Up until Kajaki joined the distribution efforts, the seed had been delivered solely by ground movements. However, Kajaki can only be reached by air.

The 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) was called upon to provide logistical support for the first air delivery of the seed and fertilizer to Kajaki. Staff Sgt. Jason Skaggs, the 2nd MLG (FWD) transportation coordinator, assisted in the movements of the wheat seed from Lashkar Gah, where it is held in large warehouses, to Kajaki. Thirty-four warehouse pallets weighing a total of 21 metric tons will be delivered over the course of the next several weeks.

Skaggs weighed in on the benefits of promoting wheat and other crops over the harvest of poppy.

“Wheat can provide income and food, whereas poppy is a cash crop that is made into an illegal drug, causing instability due to its addictive nature,” he said. “Poppy will only degrade the Afghanistan culture further.”

Posted in: 2nd MLG | Post a Comment »

Marines bid farewell to fallen brother in Afghanistan

October 5th, 2011, 8:50 am by

Courtesy Photo Capt. Ryan Iannelli, an AH-1W Super Cobra pilot with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, and a native of East Greenwich Township, N.J., died Sept. 28 supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. In the wartime chapel on Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan where Capt. Ryan Iannelli once worshiped, his fellow Marines gathered to remember him in a ceremony, Oct. 3.

Story by Cpl. Brian Adam Jones

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan – In the wartime chapel here where Capt. Ryan Iannelli once worshiped, his fellow Marines gathered to remember him in a ceremony, Oct. 3.

Iannelli, an AH-1W Super Cobra pilot assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), died Sept. 28, supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain.

The Marines who served alongside Iannelli described him as a deeply spiritual man who strove to make a difference.

“Whether you knew him for five minutes or five years, he impacted you in a positive way,” said Capt. Scott Neidecker, a Super Cobra pilot with the squadron. “He was the kind of guy who would do anything for anyone.”

Neidecker said he had known Iannelli since they met at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., for flight school.

“We worked in [operations], writing the schedule together,” Neidecker said. “After I checked in with the squadron, he came out here too and we still wrote the schedule together. We were really good friends. He was my best friend here.”

At the ceremony, Neidecker read Bible verse Matthew 34:40:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
Days before Iannelli’s death, Col. Ben Hancock, the assistant wing commander for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), traveled to Camp Dwyer to fly with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, there he met the young captain.

Hancock flew a mission that Iannelli had been slated to go on.

“Here comes this old colonel, taking his flight time,” Hancock said. “A lot of guys would have been upset, but he was very gracious, very sharp, very motivated and very helpful.”

Hancock said Iannelli loaned him his helmet, his flight vest, his supply of cold water and even his rifle.

“It was quite tragic to hear about his loss, but it was even more personally tragic to know, ‘That’s the kid who hosted me down there,’” Hancock said. “By all accounts, he was extremely well respected and liked – an extremely unique individual who was not just a great aviator, but a great person as well. I got the impression Ryan Iannelli was the kind of guy everyone wanted to hang out with.”

Iannelli, 27, was a native of East Greenwich Township, N.J.
He graduated from Kingsway High School in 2002, where he excelled as an athlete.

After high school, he attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., playing baseball for the university for four years.

His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

“We all know that this is a part of our profession, we all understand there’s an element of potential risk and sacrifice,” said Hancock. “We’re all hopeful that we will grow old and be alive and well, but we all know there are a lot of very great young Marines and exceptional people who die in the line of duty.”

Sgt. Maj. William E. Sweeney, the sergeant major for Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, said the Marines of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269 will remember Iannelli’s character, and that will help them as they complete their mission of providing close-air support for coalition forces eradicating terror and violence in southwestern Afghanistan.

“It hurts to lose a Marine,” Hancock said. “But knowing the risk, we have to move on; we have to pick it back up. The infantry expects and deserves our support.”

Sweeney said, “I think ultimately, this will bring us tighter and closer together.”

Posted in: 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) | 2 Comments »

Marine brother serves with Air Force sister in Afghanistan

October 5th, 2011, 8:47 am by

Photo by Cpl. Justin Boling Marine Corps Sgt. Eric Rader and his sister U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Rebecca McHenry, serve together at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. Rader and McHenry were raised in a military family, and have learned to rely on each other through tough times, including their current deployment. Rader is the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) air chief and McHenry is an aeromedical evacuation specialist with 651st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward)

Story by Cpl. Justin Boling

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Allen Rader’s service to the Air Force took his family from their home in Charleston, W.Va., to Alaska, Arizona and Florida. Even overseas.

Years later, two of his children, Eric and Rebecca, find themselves overseas. The siblings serve together at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.

“We always had each other,” said Eric Rader, a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant, who deployed to Afghanistan in February. “Looking back at it now I really appreciate having her and my brother, and appreciate serving with her now.”

Eric’s sister, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Rebecca McHenry, arrived in Afghanistan in September. The siblings said they’ve had a lot to catch up on in Afghanistan – including Rebecca’s wedding.

“We both have our own families now,” said Rader. “We will definitely spend more time together when we get back home.”
McHenry serves in Afghanistan with the U.S. Air Force’s 651st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. Her squadron flies injured troops out of Afghanistan when the medical care they need is greater than military hospitals here can provide.

“I love being able to help those who need it most and keep brave troops alive,” said McHenry.

“There is a great sense of pride in knowing that my sister helps my fellow Marines and other troops get back on their feet and home to their loved ones,” said Rader.

Rader is deployed with 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. He serves with the headquarters of the air combat element for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force southwestern regional command, and helps units rotating in and out of Afghanistan.

“I am very proud of my brother for being a Marine,” said McHenry. “I like knowing that he does a great job, and I see the fruits of his labor seeing all the Marines walking around in Afghanistan knowing he played a small part in that.”

Despite the rigors of a deployment to Afghanistan, Rader and McHenry said they find time to speak about their lives and families back home almost every day.

“My sister is always sitting at the dining facility waiting for me at lunch,” said Rader. “It makes the time go by faster, having something to look forward to almost every day.”

“He used to pick on me sometimes,” said McHenry of her brother. “Since being out here he has only been protective. The perfect gentlemen.”

Posted in: 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) | Post a Comment »

Coalition builds camaraderie by remembering loss, celebrating triumph together in Afghanistan

October 5th, 2011, 8:45 am by
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – With tables set and food prepared, officers from three nations gathered together under a single tent on 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward)’s compound at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.

During the dinner, leaders from the Afghan National Army, British forces and the U.S. Marine Corps gathered around a few tables for a hearty meal and to reflect on their service together in Afghanistan.

“The event was very good for our relationship with our allies,” said Afghan National Army Brig. Gen. Ghulam Farooq Parwani, the deputy commanding general of the Afghan army’s 215th Corps.

“We are very happy to celebrate our coalition and the successes we have shared.”

Marines and British forces fight side-by-side with Afghan troops in southwestern Afghanistan. The coalition forces also offer aerial support, military training and mentorship to the Afghan military, boosting its proficiency in fighting the insurgency here.

Col. Ben Hancock, the assistant wing commander of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), said Afghan troops have shown their strength in military training and operations. The dinner highlights the importance of building camaraderie, he added.

The Marines and British troops served as hosts explained Col. Peter Eadie, the commander of Task Force Jaguar, the British aviation element of the NATO International Security Assistance Force in southwestern Afghanistan.

“Our relationship with our Afghan peers is very strong,” said Eadie. “It was made evident in the short speech given by Brig. Gen. Farooq during the festivities.”

“The event to us felt like a celebration of our established friendship and growth,” said Farooq. “Due to everyone’s hard work we constantly see security improvements toward a more stable Afghanistan.”

Eadie said he felt inspired to see how much the Afghans troops appreciate the efforts of the coalition to help them keep Afghanistan secure.

In addition to senior British and Afghan military officials, the dinner was attended by Maj. Gen. Glenn Walters, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward)’s commanding general, and Maj. Gen. John Toolan, the commanding general of Regional Command (Southwest). Toolan serves as the commander for all NATO International Security Assistance Force troops in southwestern Afghanistan.

“Tonight is about the collective sacrifice of our nations and to pay tribute to all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” 2nd Lt. Jay Glover said, the most junior officer present at the event.

Spread throughout the tables were 60 identification tags looped around flickering candles. Each tag bore the name of a fallen coalition troop who had given his life in Afghanistan.

“The underlying theme for the evening was everyone celebrating working together and the strength of our partnership despite our losses,” said Eadie.

“We spent a lot of time planning and preparing this event to share our traditions with our Afghan allies,” said Hancock. “I feel that the hope is to teach the Afghans the importance of both building troop appreciation and remembering those lost.”

Posted in: 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) | Post a Comment »

Pinjadoo: another success story in Nawa district

October 5th, 2011, 8:43 am by

Photo by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde Haji Abdul Manaf (right), the governor of Nawa district, Helmand province, speaks to an older man at the Pinjadoo Bazaar. Manaf has been Nawa’s district governor for approximately two years. The district was a hotbed for insurgents prior to Manaf’s tenure as district governor, but the last two years have seen increased security and development in the area, creating a bright future for the Afghan people.

2nd Marine Division

Story by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde

PINJADOO, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The Pinjadoo Bazaar was already buzzing – hundreds of Nawa district residents were out selling and trading goods, conducting business on what seemed like a normal day. The already energetic atmosphere became even more excited when Nawa district’s governor, Haji Abdul Manaf, arrived on scene. A small crowd gathered around the governor as he shook hands and talked to people.

Afghan Uniformed Police patrolmen and Marines with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, escorted the district governor through the Pinjadoo Bazaar as he interacted with citizens during a recent visit to view the progress the village is making to promote commerce and stability in the area.
The crowd following the governor around the bazaar grew steadily as more and more people joined him.

“He’s got a unique ability to connect with his citizens and spread the positive message of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” said Capt. Jason Goodale of Woodbridge, Va., the commanding officer of Charlie Company, 1/9. “I thought the governor was well-received and very pleased to be among his people.”

The people have every reason to appreciate their district governor. Nawa has been a shining example of success in Helmand province during the past two years, ousting a visible insurgency and installing legitimate government officials like Manaf, among others. Pinjadoo has greatly benefitted from the area’s prosperity, and today its bazaar is a major center of commerce within the district.

“Everybody’s glad. Everybody’s happy,” said Manaf. “I haven’t seen anybody (who is) going to come up to me (and) complain.”

Manaf also took the opportunity to visit the adjacent Pinjadoo Afghan Uniformed Police precinct and a school in the village. Manaf, Goodale and the local AUP commander discussed the progress in Pinjadoo and future plans while drinking chai at the precinct.

“The governor reminisced about his mujahedeen days and some of the fighting that occurred in the Pinjadoo area around the bazaar (in the past),” said Goodale. “We also discussed the fact that he wants to build a new high school in Pinjadoo on the backside of the bazaar and talked about his vision for that, as well as education as a whole in Nawa.”

Education, a privilege some Americans may take for granted, is lacking in many areas of Helmand province. Only 34 percent of Afghans are literate, and only 28 percent of children are enrolled in secondary school. Manaf wants to make sure his citizens are getting a good education – both boys and girls.

“There are still some things that (need) to happen in Nawa; we need to be honest about that,” said Manaf. “For example, girls’ school; we don’t have any girls’ school. If you’re talking about democracy, there has to be girls’ school as well.”

Manaf’s final stop was at a school in Pinjadoo where classes were packed with young boys. The students were hard at work when their district governor paid a visit.

Nawa has certainly come a long way in two years: a bustling bazaar, a legitimate and competent police force, and classrooms filled with Afghanistan’s youth would have been unfathomable as late as 2009.

“I think the situation (in Nawa) is pretty good,” said Goodale. “We’ve got a strong government. We have rapidly developing and strong security forces within Nawa. We’ve got a very hard-working populace that is dedicated and devoted to the future of not only Nawa, but Afghanistan.”

Editor’s note: First Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

Posted in: 2nd Marine Division | Post a Comment »

« Previous Entries
ADVERTISEMENT 
ADVERTISEMENT 
powered by
google
Search
        Search: Web    Site

Copyright © 2012

Contact Us | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Advertising Info | Local Businesses | Site Map

Autos | Homes | Jobs | Classifieds

Freedom Communications, Inc

Freedom Communications, Inc.

SEO Powered by Platinum SEO from Techblissonline