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GLOBE Serving Camp Lejeune and surrounding areas since 1944
THURSDAY JANUARY 19, 20 2012
WWW.CAMPLEJEUNEGLOBE.COM
VOLUME 74 EDITION 3
SHIR GHAZAY, AFGHANISTAN
GARMSIR DISTRICT, AFGHANISTAN
Combat engineers perform route recon mission CPL. MEREDITH BROWN
2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward)
Photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder
Lance Cpl. David Rodriguez, a fire team leader with third platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, walks along a ridgeline after clearing compounds with Afghan National Army soldiers during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds), recently. CPL. REECE LODDER Regimental Combat Team 5
The heart of Garmsir District is safe. Over the past five years, coalition forces have operated with Afghan National Security Forces to defeat the insurgency in the central Helmand River valley. Driven from the green zones, or populated areas, of districts in southern Helmand, enemy fighters have sought refuge in bed-down locations west of the Helmand River. This area on the outskirts of Garmsir District has been, until now, nearly untouched by Afghan and coalition forces and the Afghan government. During Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) Afghan forces and Marines with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment cleared the area of insurgent activity, weapons and improvised explosive device-making materials, recently. From their position of overwatch, the Marines are working to transition lead security responsibility of Garmsir to Afghan forces and the district government. Together, the partnered forces have greatly increased security and the ANSF presence on the east side of the Helmand River, but there
are few signs of Afghan government to the west, said Lt. Col. Matthew Palma, the commanding officer of 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines. He said the operation brought Afghan forces to this largely untouched area, enabling them to promote legitimate governance and remove remnants of insurgency. “When the people see (Afghan National Army) and (Afghan National Police), they see governance,” Palma said. Col. Roger Turner, Regimental Combat Team 5 commanding officer, said the increased ability of Afghan forces to secure the population centers of Garmsir has given the ANA and Marines the opportunity to conduct operations on the periphery of the district. “We’re going to operate deeper into the west bank of the Helmand (River),” Turner said. “Together, we can operate in areas (the enemy) has rarely seen us in. By removing enemy safe havens, we’ll prevent him from being able to insert himself into the district center and attack the population.” Long before sunrise on the first morning of the operation, lines of shadowy figures treaded through frozen fields toward the rhythmic whir of
Photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder
Rocky, an interpreter attached to third platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, speaks with Afghan National Army soldiers while resting in an abandoned compound during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) recently. helicopter blades. Shrouded by the black of night, they disappeared into the steel birds to begin their assault. The blades spun faster, creating a deafening roar as the helicopters rose and disappeared into the darkness. As the birds touched down, their noise echoed over a barren desert pocked with rocks. In three interlocking positions, ANA soldiers and Marines with Weapons, L and I Companies, ran down the ramps, emerging from screens of dust to move on their objectives. Farther west, Marines with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion stood ready to block ene-
my movement toward the desert west of 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines position. Simultaneously, the Marines of Company K, teamed with the ANP to screen traffic on the eastern side of the Helmand River. Greeting Afghan homeowners in their native tongue, ANA soldiers led the Marines in searching compounds for illegal drugs, weapons and materials used to make IEDs. “We’ve learned a lot from the Marines — searching, patrolling, and sweeping for IEDs,” said ANA Sgt. Khal Mohammad, an infantryman with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps. “Now, I’m proud to lead them during this operation.”
Their thorough searches yielded IED components and several hundred pounds of illegal poppy seed, but the partnered forces came across little insurgent activity. “We’re making progress in Garmsir every day,” Mohammad said. “Ten years ago, the insurgents were stronger than us, but today, they are weak. We’re stronger than them because we’ve been trained by professionals.” While the compounds were cleared, Marines collected census information, logging names, number of residents and taking photos of household elders. Identifying these SEE OPERATION 7A
Two Marines carefully stepped out of the mineresistant, ambush-protected vehicle and extended their metal detectors to full length during a route reconnaissance mission on Route Red, recently. The quick checks were conducted to calibrate the detectors and the Marines began the meticulous sweeping process, ensuring that the area was clear of improvised explosive devices. After the initial sweeps were made, the vehicle commander, Sgt. Mark Prado, stepped out of the MRAP and began his duties of taking photos and measurements of the area. The sweepers finished clearing the area and headed back to the armored vehicle and Prado marked down the grid coordinates in order to catalog another section of Route Red. Combat engineers by trade, the Marines of second platoon, Company A, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Fwd.), are responsible for a host of duties to include providing security for other platoons in the battalion and conducting route reconnaissance missions like this recent task. Route Red is a main means of travel for local residents and military personnel traveling from Highway 1 (the main highway in Afghanistan) north to Shir Ghazay. The purpose of the mission was to document inclines and declines in the route, sharpness of curves, the shortest width during the route, and where culverts were located or needed to be placed on the route to prevent wash out. “The route has been an ongoing improvement since we took over from 7th ESB,” explained Sgt. Elliot Stamschror, the security element SEE ROUTE 4A
CAMP LEATHERNECK, AFGHANISTAN
INSIDE THE GLOBE
DoD officials ‘impressed’ with 2nd MLG (Fwd.) operations aboard Camp Leatherneck CPL. KATHERINE M. SOLANO
2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward)
AFGHAN, MARINE FORCES CLEAR REMNANTS OF INSURGENCY PAGE 3A LEJEUNE SPORTS 1B INSIDE LEJEUNE 1C CLASSIFIEDS 3C CAROLINA LIVING 1D
Officials with the Office of the Secretary of Defense toured areas of Camp Leatherneck as part of an informational visit, recently. Among them was Frank Kendall, the acting under secretary of defense, Acquisitions, Technology and Logistics. Navy Capt. Ted Lucas, the deputy director of the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell, and fellow OSD member, said the purpose of the group’s tour was to “see what the warfighter is doing and what the warfighter needs.” Other visitors included Sharon Burke, the assistant secretary of defense, Operational Energy, Plans and Programs; Gary Motsek, the deputy assistant secretary of defense, Program Support; and Richard Ginman, the director, Defense, Procurement and Acquisition Policy. The visitors spent the first part of the afternoon with 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) junior Marines, beginning with a lunch,
during which the Marines had the opportunity to speak with the high-ranking government officials. The talks at the table centered around family and similar military experiences. With 2nd MLG (Fwd.)’s deployment drawing to a close, many of the officials were curious to know what the young Marines would be doing with their first few days home. There was also talk of the upcoming Super Bowl. Rival fans made good-natured jabs at each other throughout the meal. Following the lunch, the group parted ways with the junior Marines and began the business aspect of their visit. They toured the sort, supply and the Intermediate Maintenance Activity lots. The logistical aspect of the OSD group directly correlated with the mission of the MLG, and Brig. Gen. Michael G. Dana, commanding general of 2nd MLG (Fwd.), was quick to point out the progress his Marines have made on each of the lots. As Operation Clean Sweep is conducted aboard the base, acres of materials
have been organized, sorted and inventoried. This large-scale operation is in response to the commandant’s vision of Marine Corps combat troop withdrawal. Regional Command Southwest directed all elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force account for all of the gear and equipment that has been used by the Marine Corps over the last 10 years. The progress thus far within the MLG had the visitors admittedly impressed. “It’s great to see firsthand how the troops are doing over here and how logistics are truly serving the mission,” said Army Col. Mark Malatesta, the senior military assistant for Kendall. Burke’s military assistant, Army Col. Daniel Georgi, agreed that the firsthand observation of the progress made in Operation Clean Sweep, including the implementation of retrograde and organization of logistics, was impressive. “(We) are impressed with the morale and the capabilities of troops here,” Georgi concluded. “We are impressed with the dedication to the mission and how well it’s completed.”