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GLOBE Serving Camp Lejeune and surrounding areas since 1944 WWW.CAMPLEJEUNEGLOBE.COM
VOLUME 74 EDITION 5 CAMP LEATHERNECK, AFGHANISTAN
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2012
RCT-8 honors walks path fallen brothers of progress CPL. CLAYTON VONDERAHE 8th Marine Regiment
CPL. JEFF DREW 2nd Marine Division (Forward)
Musa Qal’eh, once terrorized by insurgents, now shines as a symbol of progress in the province, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials, Afghan security forces, Marines and sailors of the 2nd Marine Division (Forward) and other coalition partners. They have worked together to eliminate the insurgent threat in the area, and local Afghan officials have tightened security and invested in infrastructure and education, successfully laying a strong foundation for years to come. “Before, the security circle was very limited,” said Naimatullah Sameen, district governor of Musa Qal’eh. “Nobody could walk around confidently in the bazaar. Up to one kilometer around us, it was not possible to walk around. There was no coordination among government authorities, and we were in a very vulnerable position. We did operations in the north, south, west and east. We expanded security, established (checkpoints), helped people, and more than 30 kilometers the security has been expanded.” The district’s bazaar saw an increase in trade as residents began to feel safe in the area. According to Sameen, approximately 2,000 shops are now open, providing jobs and a renewed confidence in the district’s economy. Upon the established base of security, windows of opportunity and progress opened to local citizens. “In Musa Qal’eh District, before there was security, there was no education either,” said Sameen. “As we have improved security, education has been improved. Education establishes the foundation of a society.” Education has taken flight in Musa Qal’eh during the last year. Afghan children are required to help their families harvest crops throughout the year, causing inconsistencies in the student reporting process and leading to inaccurate student attendance statistics. This year, however, teachers and education directors identified the most reliable times of the year to count students. Improvement in the student reporting process from the provincial to district level has led to a more accurate record of student attendance. “Illiterate people don’t know that (someone) might be tricking them,” said Sameen. “We tried hard in the section of education so that people would know about (corruption).” Currently there are 53 registered
INSIDE THE GLOBE
Photo by 1st Lt. Timothy Irish
Helmand Provincial Governor Gulab Mangal cuts a ceremonial ribbon officially opening the Musa Qal’eh Wadi Crossing. The crossing was constructed by Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 and will assist the local citizens through the rainy season. teachers educating 2,436 students within the 650-square-mile district. The increased interest in education has led to the current construction of a new primary school, which will join the five existing primary schools and two high schools already operating. Schools aren’t the only things being built in the district. Flood walls are being constructed to divert rising water levels from residential areas and roads are being paved to increase the freedom of movement for local residents. With paved roads, the people of Musa Qal’eh are able to reach their provincial government in the city of Lash Kar Gah and improve the value of their goods by providing the markets with quality produce, unbruised by the formerly bumpy roads. The pinnacle of infrastructure improvements made in the district is the recent completion of the Musa Qal’eh Wadi Crossing. During the winter months, water levels of the nearby wadi, or seasonal river, rise, disabling travel and cutting off residents of Musa Qal’eh from the local government center and markets. Prior to its completion, farmers attempted to ford the river in vehicles, often risking their lives to ferry their harvested goods to market. The two, 60-meter spans which make up the crossing are comprised of approximately 63 concrete slabs and allow Musa Qal’eh residents to sell their goods at the market and conduct business at the district’s government center year-round. “We have had a lot of achievements in Musa Qal’eh District,”
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WHITEHOUSE, AFGHANISTAN
Bulk fuel Marines keep bases, operations running CPL. KATHERINE M. SOLANO
2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward)
COMPANY E, AFGHAN FORCES ESTABLISH SECURITY POSTS PAGE 3A LEJEUNE SPORTS 1B INSIDE LEJEUNE 1C CLASSIFIEDS 3C CAROLINA LIVING 1D
said Yar Mohammad, the deputy district governor of Musah Qal’eh. “In Musa Qal’eh District, which was in two portions before because of the river, the bridge project is a very big project because it is uniting both sides of Musa Qal’eh. People are very happy, and they come and sit with us and tell us this is one of the successful and fundamental projects. I can say confidently that the Musa Qal’eh District has come to a very united place.” All of the changes in the Musa Qal’eh District are leading to the ultimate goal of transitioning security control to Afghan forces. In 2011, local Afghan officials began taking the steps needed to achieve that goal in the future. “The district community councils have begun taking over the (development) projects,” said Staff Sgt. Joseph Spencer, the development chief and education officer for the Civil-Military Operations section of 2nd Marine Division (Fwd.). “Elders will (now) go to the Afghan government before going to the Marines. The (council) will then have a shura to talk about the best way to fund the project. The people are going to GIRoA and asking for things, and GIRoA is producing and providing (support) without our help.” For more information on progress in Musa Qal’eh and the rest of Southwestern Afghanistan, view video interviews with Afghan officials at "New series gives voice to Afghan leaders” or visit the division’s unit page at the Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System.
Marines and sailors from Regimental Combat Team 8 gathered in the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Theater, Jan. 25, for a remembrance ceremony to honor fallen heroes who served under the command of the regiment during their recent deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Regimental Combat Team 8 had nine Marine infantry battalions serve in support of them during their yearlong deployment to Nimroz and Helmand provinces in Afghanistan beginning in January 2011. Sixty Marines, sailors and airmen were killed in action throughout the area of operation, to include soldiers from three separate light infantry battalions from the Republic of Georgia’s army. “Each could have found a way to avoid being in harm’s way the day they were killed,” said Col. Eric Smith during the remembrance ceremony. “They could have feigned an ankle sprain or simply asked to sit out the particular patrol. But that is not who we are as a service. We move toward the sound of guns, and we close with the enemy. We are gunfighters. The men we remember today epitomize our ethos. We respect them, we are proud of them and we loved them.” Photos of each fallen service member were displayed on a wall spanning the entire hardwood stage. A battlefield memorial consisting of combat boots, a rifle, kevlar helmet and identification tags, sat solemnly amidst the photos. The strict military honors radiated a sense of reverence to the great sacrifice each of the fallen heroes made. The remembrance testified to the honor displayed by each individual hero and the loss suffered by their families and brothers in arms. “Greater love hath no man than this, that he give his life for a friend,” Navy Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. David Todd cited from the Bible during the ceremony. “It is good to know the cost of war, and it is important to express our gratitude and appreciation to those who have died for us and for the high ideals we fought together to uphold.” Seven rifles rang out in three unison bursts composing a solemn 21-gun salute, giving final respite to the freed souls and those gathered to honor them. The sound of bagpipes filled the theater with “Amazing Grace” and the Marines and sailors of RCT-8 gathered to give their individual respects to their brothers who did not return. “May God grant each of us the grace and strength to walk daily in faithful service and willing sacrifice so that when our day of crisis arrives, we may stand with our brothers who stood for us,” Todd said. The ceremony came to a gradual conclusion as individuals filed out of the theater in their own time. As the saying goes, all service members in the regiment gave some, but some servicemembers gave all during their tour to Afghanistan. As each attendant walked out of the dark theater and back into the beaming sunlight, they were left with memory of those who gave all, and the responsibility to live their lives in a manner becoming of the men lost. “Will we honor the men only until 10:45 or 11 o’clock,” asked Smith during his speech. “Or will we honor the dead, war dead, defenders of the constitution, by living our lives to a higher standard? Honor the lives and sacrifices of each of these men by being better today than you were yesterday. By being a more disciplined Marine or sailor today than you were yesterday, and by being even more disciplined tomorrow. Honoring the dead requires us to be honorable in all that we do. Our fallen brothers are no longer able to execute this task for us. The task of closing the last hundred yards now falls to us. Please don’t let them down. Honor the dead.”
There is a platoon within 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) that plays a vital role in every single ground operation conducted in the battlespace. The small number of Marines with Bulk Fuel Platoon, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, are spread over 19 different locations in Helmand province and are responsible for a fuel storage and distribution capacity of almost 2.5 million gallons. At each of their locations, they refuel tactical vehicles before and after operations, refill generators powering the bases, and even provide fuel for Afghan National Security Forces conducting coalition missions.
The responsibility of providing fuel for every operation out of FOB Whitehouse falls on two bulk fuel Marines and an engineer who was augmented to the unit to assist with the daily operations. “As a platoon, my Marines are doing the job of three companies,” stated Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Lee, the bulk fuel officer for the platoon. Lee added that other companies throughout 9th ESB had stepped up to provide Marines to help support the fuel mission throughout the area. He pointed out how important it was for the battalion to come together to conduct large, widespread operations such as this. The mission does not include simply refilling vehicles, Lee explained. SEE FUEL 5A
Photo by Pfc. James Frazier
Lance Cpl. Nicholas Simms, a member of Regimental Combat Team 8’s Police Mentoring Team, looks at the battlefield memorial on display at RCT 8’s remembrance ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune’s Theater, Jan. 25.