Swansboro kayak race showcases wounded warriors Page 1B
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GLOBE Serving Camp Lejeune and surrounding areas since 1944 WWW.CAMPLEJEUNEGLOBE.COM
VOLUME 73 EDITION 41
THURSDAY OCTOBER 13, 20 2011
HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN
Photo by Cpl. Jeff Drew
An Afghan National Army soldier with 4th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, performs maintenance on a 122-mm howitzer D-30 artillery cannon at dusk in the Afghan desert. The ANA soldiers spent the first day of a recent three-day training evolution cleaning their weapons before firing a volley of rounds.
Afghan National Army rocks desert in first artillery shoot CPL. JEFF DREW 2nd Marine Division (Forward)
Temperatures rose in the desert as Afghan National Army soldiers with 4th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, recently fired their first artillery rounds in Helmand province since their unit was formed in May. The soldiers began their artillery training at the Kabul Military Training Center and, upon graduating, fell under the mentorship of Marines with the Combat Support Advisory Team attached to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, and select Marines with Battery C, 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. The CSAT has worked side-by-side with the Afghan artillerymen since May to get the soldiers ready for their live-fire shoot. The ANA knew how to process a fire
mission when the two military forces first met, but the Marines offered to increase their proficiency and skill. One of the biggest improvements made was in the Fire Direction Center, where Marines compute a target’s range, direction and precise target location when a request for fire support comes in. “In terms of the FDC, we wanted to bring their mission processing time down,” said 2nd Lt. Bradley Naert, an adviser with the CSAT. “It was taking them roughly 10 to 15 minutes to process a mission and have the data ready after receiving a call for fire. Now they are down to six minutes, so that is a big success.” The advisers often had no translators to instruct the ANA soldiers and had to learn Dari in order to teach them. When translators were
available, the mentors found it best to teach them in order to better describe it to the ANA members. The Afghan soldiers seemed excited and motivated to learn a new skill, whether taught by Marines or through translators. “When we trained the ANA, they were excited and paid attention to the training,” said Staff Sgt. Mitchell H. Hamilton, an adviser with the CSAT. “They learned and caught on very quickly. Even with the lack of interpreters at times, it was amazing to see how fast they caught on.” The soldiers put their new skills to the test during their first shoot in the Afghan desert. The first day the ANA and Marines arrived at the training area and began setting up the four sovietmade 122-mm howitzer D-30 artillery cannons. Before long the sun began to dip down below
Photo by Cpl. Jeff Drew
Cpl. Alonso Arviso (left), an assistant section chief with Battery C, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, observes an Afghan National Army soldier with 4th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps as he fires rounds downrange. The Afghan soldiers spent three days in the desert working with the 122-mm howitzer D-30 artillery cannons to increase the soldiers’ confidence with the weapon system. the horizon, and the soldiers sent their first volley of high-explosive dual-purpose artillery rounds downrange. Excitement erupted
from the soldiers as they saw all of their training pay off. The day ended on a high note, leading to more anticipation and shooting for the second day.
“I was happy when we shot because we put in practice and it shows we understand what we SEE ARTILLERY 11A
3/2 Marines honor their fallen brothers PVT. BRIAN M. WOODRUFF 2nd Marine Division
Marines, sailors, family members and friends gathered to honor, Staff Sgt. Jason A. Rogers, Cpl. Adam D. Jones, Lance Cpl. Peter J. Clore, Sgt. Mark A. Bradley, Cpl. Michael C. Nolen, Lance Cpl. Jabari N. Thompson, and Seaman Apprentice Aaron D. Ullom, during a memorial service aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Oct. 5. The service members, who were all a part of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, gave the ultimate sacrifice during the battalion’s most recent deployment to Afghanistan.
INSIDE THE GLOBE
The ceremony consisted of readings from scripture, personal reflections from the Marines who knew their brothers best, and a final roll call, which was carried out by Sgt. Maj. Dennis Downing, the battalion sergeant major. Each Marine was honored with the traditional battlefield memorial cross, a statue of a rifle, combat boots and identification tags, symbolizing their sacrifice and time honored traditions of the Marine Corps. Next to each of the statues stood a portrait by which their fellow Marines could remember the faces of the men who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The crowd wept as Marines who knew each of the fallen made personal reflections about what made
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Headquarters Marine Corps
LEJEUNE SPORTS 1B INSIDE LEJEUNE 1C CLASSIFIEDS 4C CAROLINA LIVING 1D
SEE HONOR 11A
Corps installations fall under new command LANCE CPL. CHELSEA FLOWERS
24TH MEU ACTIVATES FOR TRAINING, DEPLOYMENT PAGE 7A
those Marines particularly special. One testimonial was especially emotional. Staff Sgt. Jason A. Rodgers was remembered by his platoon commander as being a great Marine and an even better comrade. “I was fortunate enough to be able to call him my friend. Anyone who knew him understands what I say when I tell you he had a way of putting you at ease,” said 1st Lt. Will Riordon, platoon commander, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. “He would make you laugh and then get his point across.” Another Marine’s actions that were remembered
The Marine Corps has a new centralized command system for its regional commands, according to Marine Administration Message 575/11. The new command, Marine Corps Installations Command, went into effect Oct. 1 and was activated during the General Officer Symposium yesterday. MCICOM, located in the installations and logistics department at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., will take command of three subordinate regional commands: Marine Corps Installations East, Marine Corps Installations West and Marine Corps Installations Pacific. The activation of the new command comes in response to a review group ordered by the commandant in 2010 to study the roles and responsibilities of the Marine Corps and the structure necessary to support those ends. The review group deemed the creation of MCICOM necessary to serve as the sole command responsible for all installation matters. The aim of this unified command system is to better increase the management and operations of the installations with a clarification of authority and responsibility. In addition, MCICOM will work to standardize all installation functions as far as possible across the Marine Corps with hopes of better supporting the warfighting mission. To increase cohesion, all commanding generals from MCIEAST, MCIWEST and MCIPAC relocated to MCICOM in Washington, D.C.