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Friday, February 21, 2014 Vol. 49, No. 7 Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.
Charlie Gate Traffic Alert See Page 15
“The noise you hear is the sound of freedom.”
n Entertainment n News Briefs n Weather n In The Community n Around The Corps
2 3 3 9 10
NMCRS active duty fund drive Page 6
Big leadership skills, little package Page 14
100,000 jobs for veterans Page 15
Run. Hide. Fight. Cpl. Timothy Norris Staff Writer
Run. Hide. Fight. Through a Department of Homeland Security grant, the city of Houston produced a short video informing viewers of three potentially life-saving actions that embody these concepts to survive an active-shooter attack. The public service announcement, viewable on YouTube, has more than 2.5 million views. It begins by showing a normal office setting and playing ominous music. The narrator establishes the perpetrator. “Their motivations are different,” says the narrator. “The warning signs may vary, but the devastating effects are the same, and, un-
fortunately, you need to be prepared for the worst.” Then an active shooter scenario begins to play out on unsuspecting workers. “It can happen,” said Serge Watson, the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort antiterrorism analyst. “The lone offender is the biggest threat in the workplace, and it’s the least expected. “The best thing we can do is have a policy and plan in place, and train to make sure you are prepared to deal with it,” he said. Watson advised that the “Run. Hide. Fight.” video is a good personal policy to follow in the event of an active shooter. The first guideline given is to run. see
shooter, page 12
Silver Eagles sweep into Sentry Savannah Cpl. Sarah Cherry Staff Writer
Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 left to participate in Sentry Savannah 2014 at the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center in Savannah, Ga., Feb. 11. Sentry Savannah 2014 is a month-long joint service air-toair combat training exercise to help prepare service members for deployment, including pilots from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort along with Air National Guardsmen from Florida, Vermont, Hawaii and South Carolina. “In the real world, that’s how it’s going to go down,” said Capt. Chris Robinson, a pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115. “You’re going to have an integration of Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps in some fashion.” see
sentry, page 4
Burn, baby, burn: Fire fighters train in Pine Grove Cpl. Sarah Cherry Staff Writer
The Structural Fire Department and Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort joined forces to train and fight fires in Pine Grove aboard the Air Station, Feb. 10. While the Air Station is home to one of two buildings in Beaufort County designed for firefighting, called a burn building, this specific training provides a different kind of opportunity. The burn building’s interior and exterior walls are made of brick, and fires are only permitted in one room which is protected by thermal layers built into the building. Burning the condemned buildings of Pine Grove gives fire fighters a less readily available opportunity for more realistic, accurate training in extinguishing structural fires, identifying the source of the fires, and understanding the effects of fires on houses. “It’s designed for fire suppression and fire suppression only,” said Barry
Shughart, assistant chief of training and emergency medical services. “[Training in Pine Grove] gives us the opportunity to light a fire in a room and let our guys actually go in and watch how the fire develops in that room, and then [suppress the fire]. They can work in zero visibility and see how the fire’s going to react to what they’re doing.” There are several other benefits to using the condemned houses of Pine Grove for training. In the burn building, fire fighters can’t practice cutting open the roof, breaking down walls and ceilings, or venting the building. “If we [compare] the burn building to an actual house, it’s like the difference between watching T.V. on a black and white set with bunny ears and watching on a flat screen with all the bells and whistles,” said Brynne Burrough, assistant fire chief. The structural fire department worked closely with the Tri-Command, base contractors, base environmental and the see
Fire, page 13
The Structural Fire Department and Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort joined forces to train and fight fires in Pine Grove aboard the Air Station, Feb. 10.
Sharing emotion through art See page 8
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The Jet Stream
Games and Entertainment
Friday, February 21, 2014
MCAS Beaufort Movie Schedule
Saturday 2 p.m. PG-13 (1:32)
Mess hall Menu Monday - Friday Breakfast: 6 - 7:30 a.m. Lunch: 11 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Dinner: 4 - 6 p.m.
Saturday 4:30 p.m. PG-13 (1:46)
Saturday 7 p.m. R (2:01)
MCRD Parris Island Movie Schedule
Saturday, Sunday and holidays Brunch: 8:30 - 11 a.m. Dinner: 4 - 6 p.m.
Midrats Sunday - Thursday 11:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. Takeout Window Hours: Breakfast - Mon. - Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Lunch - Mon. - Fri. 12:45 p.m. - 4 p.m. Dinner - Mon. - Fri. 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday Dinner Lunch Beef short ribs and Bayou jerk pork loin roasted zucchini and rice Lunch Salmon with cucumber relish
Sunday
Dinner Baked ziti with italian sausage
Sunday 2 p.m. PG (1:25)
Sunday 4:30 p.m. R (2:06)
Sunday 7 p.m. R (1:24)
Word Search Word Bank
Monday - Friday Breakfast Hot farina, hot hominy grits and oven-fried bacon Monday Dinner Lunch Spicy shrimp with Baked smoked ham cheesy grits and sweet potatoes Tuesday Dinner Lunch Herbed roast pork Chicken and dumploin with pan gravy lings and rice Wednesday Dinner Lunch Manhattan clam Roast turkey and chowder green beans Thursday Dinner Lunch Apple glazed corn Arroz con pollo and beef and squash garlic bread
Marines Hero Air Force Army Coast Guard Duty Enlist Fight Militant Mission Navy Recruit Rescue Risk Terrorist Veteran War Weapon
Friday Lunch Herbed baked chicken and carrots
Dinner Chili macaroni and green beans
Chapel serviCes Roman Catholic • 9:30 a.m. - Sunday Mass • Confession takes place before Mass • Confession Monday - Thursday at noon Protestant • 9:45 a.m. - Protestant Church School (Sunday School) • 11 a.m. - Protestant Sunday Worship Service (Children’s church is also available at this time) • 5 p.m. - Wednesday Protestant Bible Study • 5 p.m. - Saturday Worship Service at Laurel Bay Youth Center Buddhist • 11 a.m. - Saturday Worship Service in the Chapel Fellowship Hall Labyrinth Walk • 8 a.m - 4 p.m. - Monday in the Chapel Fellowship Hall
Answer key will be available on facebook.com/MCASBeaufort on Feb. 26.
Sudoku
Other Faith Groups • For Jewish, Mormon and Islamic support, contact the Chaplain’s Office at 228-7775
Mission Assurance
Hotlines
MCAS Beaufort Station Inspector Sexual Assault Response Coordinator Force Protection information and concerns PMO Dispatch Severe Weather and Force Protection
228-7789 228-6904 228-6924 228-6710 1-800-343-0639
Sexual Assault The contact number for a Uniformed Victim Advocate is 592-0646. This number can get you in contact with a UVA 24 hours a day.
Fraud, Waste and Abuse
If you know of or suspect any fraud, waste or abuse aboard MCAS Beaufort, call 228-7777. If you know of or suspect any fraud, waste or abuse within MAG-31, call (252) 466-5038. The automated answering service on these lines is available 24 hours a day.
Answer key will be available on facebook.com/MCASBeaufort on Feb. 26.
Command Information
The Jet Stream
Tri-Command Weather 7 Day Forecast
Friday, February 21, 2014
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Did you know...
Feb. 24, 1991, I Marine Expeditionary Force and coalition forces began a ground assault on Iraqi defenses in the final chapter of Operation Desert Storm. The 1st and 2d Marine Divisions stormed into the teeth of Iraqi defenses while heavily armored allied forces attacked the Iraqi defenses in Iraq from behind. In 100 hours, U.S. and allied forces defeated the Iraqi Army.
Happenings
Forecast according to weather.com
HQMC is accepting time-in-grade waiver requests for retirement in grade from active component Marine officers in the grades of colonel and lieutenant colonel during FY15 and FY16. This force shaping program allows for eligible active duty officers to retire in their current grade with two years time-in-grade instead of three.
Marine Corps Community Services is scheduled to hold a Warrior Challenge, Feb. 24 at the Air Station Fitness center. For more information call 228-7192.
A “For the Leathernecks III Comedy and Entertainment Tour” is scheduled to take place March 6, at the MCAS Beaufort theater from 1 - 2 p.m. The event is free and open to active duty Marines and sailors only. Prizes will be raffled off and food and drinks will be available.
A hazardous waste and prescription medication collection event is scheduled to take place Mar. 1, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Bluffton Public Works Site on Ulmer Rd. For more information call 255-2734.
Additional 2nd quarter tuition assistance funds have been approved. Education personnel began approving TA on Feb. 5. TA will not be approved retroactively. For more information call 228-7754.
The photocopying of U.S. Government identification cards is a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code Part I, Chapter 33, Section 701 and punishable by fine and imprisonment.
Be aware of possible near or below freezing temperatures throughout the winter months. Exposure to cold can cause frostbite or hypothermia and become lifethreatening. Infants and elderly people are most susceptible. What constitutes extreme cold varies in different parts of the country. In the South, near freezing temperatures are considered extreme cold.
Jet Stream The
Contact us: 228-7225 mcasbeaufort@gmail.com BFRT_JPAO@usmc.mil Commanding Officer MCAS Beaufort Col. Peter D. Buck
Brain Teaser
Public Affairs Officer
There are two plastic jugs filled with water. How could you put all of this water into a barrel, without using the jugs or any dividers, and still tell which water came from which jug?
Capt. Jordan Cochran
Public Affairs Chief
Gunnery Sgt. Stephen Traynham
Press Chief
Staff Sgt. Terika S. King
Comm/Media Relations Chief Sgt. Marcy Sanchez
Answer for this week’s brain teaser will be available on facebook.com/MCASBeaufort on Feb. 26.
A power trip Lt. Twig Sargent
MCAS Beaufort Staff Chaplain
In 1979, Bob Dylan touched a cultural nerve with his Grammy award winning song, “Gotta Serve Somebody.” Dylan sings, “Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” Everybody serves somebody. Whether you are a Marine/ Sailor under the CO’s command, a driver obeying (hopefully) traffic laws, or a child obeying his parents. Everybody is under someone else’s control. Dylan hints that the person holding the power may or may not use his power for your good, but nevertheless, all of us serve somebody. Sometimes, those over us misuse their power. Hopefully, in these cases, we have a way to receive true justice (civil/military laws, appealing to the chain of command, writing your Congressman/ woman, right to a trial by your peers, etc.). In these cases, abuse of power needs correction. But before you turn this into a “blame-it-on-someone-else” moment, let me tell you a story. I once heard a story of a girl, named Katherine who was 9 or 10 years old and her younger brother named Billy. Billy had a several dimes in his piggy bank. Knowing what was in Billy’s pig-
gy bank, Katherine hatched a scheme. “Hey Billy,” she said, “will you trade me my nickels for your dimes? The nickels are bigger. Don’t you want to have the “bigger” coins?” Billy thought, “Bigger is better. If nickels are bigger than dimes, they must be worth more.” Billy agreed and Joanna gladly gave him her nickels for his dimes. Joanna tells us a lot about ourselves. We are all are in positions of power. We may not be the officer in charge of squadron “x” or section “y,” but all of us have power over someone else. We
have abused the power that you have been given (like me). All of us then are on both sides of the equation; both having received abuse from another’s misuse power AND misusing the power we have been given. So what then do we do? The answer can be humbling. You see, in both cases the answer lies outside of ourselves. When we are the abused person, we are to seek justice outside of ourselves. Hopefully, true justice is served. But the in the other case (that we sometimes abuse power), this also lies outside of ourselves. As we see that our neighbor is much like us, then we can practice forgiveness towards each other. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” the Bible says in Leviticus 19:18. But the answer lies outside of ourselves deeper still. Full forgiveness must come from someone who ALWAYS uses his power for our benefit. God in his grace is in the midst of a rescue mission by means of One who ALWAYS uses His power to benefit others. He uses his power to rescue us from the wrongs done to us AND the wrongs done BY us. If you want to hear about this Rescuer, I encourage you to take advantage of the MCAS Beaufort Chapel worship schedule, Sundays: Lutheran Eucharist 0830, Roman Catholic Mass 0930 and Protestant Worship 1100.
“God in his grace is in the midst of a rescue mission by means of one who ALWAYS uses His power to benefit others. He uses his power to rescue us from the wrongs done to us AND the wrongs done BY us.” Lt. Brian C. Salter may be parents over our children, Corporals in charge of a fire team or older sisters with younger brothers. I venture to say that all of us have been Katherine’s position, using our power to benefit ourselves firstly and foremost. My question to you is “How do you use the power you have been given?” Do you use your power ALWAYS to benefit others and not only for personal gain? If the answer is not “always,” then you
Editor
Cpl. John Wilkes
Staff Writers
Cpl. Sarah Cherry Cpl. Timothy Norris Cpl. Brady Wood Lance Cpl. Brendan Roethel
facebook.com/MCASBeaufort
youtube.com/mcasbeaufortsc1
beaufort.Marines.mil
Editor’s note: We at The Jet Stream care about our reader’s opinion. In reaching our goal to put out the best possible product, we understand the importance of your feedback. Please add a comment to the “How can we improve The Jet Stream?” topic on our www. facebook.com/MCASBeaufort discussion board on how we can better your base newspaper. Published by the Savannah Morning News, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of Defense, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, or Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., under exclusive written contract with the United States Marine Corps. This commercial-enterprise newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the military services. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Marine Corps or the U.S. Navy and do not imply endorsement thereof. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts and supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DoD, the Marine Corps, the Navy, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., or the Savannah Morning News of the products or services advertised. Everything in this newspaper shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. If a violation of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the contractor shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. Editorial content (i.e., all content other than paid advertisements) is edited, prepared and provided by the public affairs office of the installation. All queries concerning news and editorial content should be directed to: Jet Stream, Marine Corps Public Affairs Office, P.O. Box 55001, MCAS Beaufort, S.C., 29904 or (843) 228-7225. All queries concerning business matters or display ads should be directed to the Savannah Morning News at (843) 815-0800.
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The Jet Stream
More of The Story
Friday, February 21, 2014
SENTRY continued from page 1
The Air Station’s F-18s shoot through the air over Savannah, Ga., along with F-22 Raptors, F-16 Falcons, and F-15 Strike Eagles. “What we bring to the table here is our proximity to the ocean where we can host
a massive dogfight like [Sentry Savannah 2014], as well as our ability to work with our joint partners — with the Navy and with the Marines in Beaufort,” said the Savannah CRTC commander, Air Force Col. Thomas Grabowski. “The real key is that these guys are going to get out there for this exercise with 1,000 people and multiple types of aircraft, and they’re going to be able to train in a realistic, cost-effective setting that will
prepare them for their next tasking.” Sentry Savannah is an important addition to the training our pilots receive in Beaufort because of the unique opportunity to train with other units and aircraft from across the country, while getting a different perspective on ability and tactical proficiency. “Big picture wise, it’s about the integration of all our different assets,” said Rob-
inson. “[It’s about] using secure means of communication between assets, exercising the Savannah range down south, utilizing a different airfield with Marine Corps assets here, and operating with Air Force controllers.” “We know the skies over Savannah will be noisy [during Sentry Savannah], but we like to refer to that as the sound of freedom,” said Grabowski.
Classifieds
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Friday, February 21, 2014
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In Other News
Friday, February 21, 2014
Supporting each other: NMCRS active duty fund drive Cpl. Sarah Cherry Staff Writer
The Marine Corps is currently holding an active duty fund drive to bring in money for the NavyMarine Corps Relief Society, announced Feb. 5 in All Marine Corps Activities message 005/14. The funds will go toward helping service members with finances, education, and emergency travel. “The positive impact is teaching service members to live within their means and helping them financially when they need it the most,” said Pam Mentzer, director of the Beaufort NMCRS. “It can be very hard; for many of them this
is their first job, they’re away from home, and supporting themselves and a spouse.” Although the NMCRS has consistently grown and changed to fit the financial and emergency needs of Marines and sailors since its inception in 1904, they have also focused on educating those service members by providing information and assisting them with budgets, said Mentzer. According to the NMCRS website, “our main goal is to help each person who comes to us get support for their immediate needs. Our long-term mission is to help Sailors and Marines become financially self-sufficient by learn-
ing how to better manage their personal finances and prepare for unplanned expenses,” according to the NMCRS website. To donate, visit the webpage at http://donate.nmcrs.org/page/ contribute/nmcrs-donate for a one-time donation or monthly donation. Donations are tax deductible by the Internal Revenue Service code, section (c)(3). Marines and sailors can also help the NMCRS help service members through volunteering, assisting clients, teaching workshops, and helping in thrift stores. Last year, the NMCRS helped more than 65,000 Marines with interest-free loans and grants to-
taling 48.6 million dollars, and supported the Marine Corps with on-call service around the world, according to ALMAR 005/14. “NMCRS is a vital contributor to unit readiness, and a lifeline when an unforeseen crisis exceeds a Marine’s financial ability to cope,” said Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, in the ALMAR. “Our opportunity to help fellow Marines through NMCRS is now! During the months of March and April, I ask all who wear the eagle, globe and anchor to commit to the 2014 active duty fund drive in support of NMCRS.” Before the NMCRS formed in 1904, service members didn’t have
organizations to provide medical, retirement, or a way to help the families of the deceased. Service members would pool money to help other service members and their families. “For 110 years, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society has been there for Sailors and Marines who faced family emergencies, natural disasters and other unexpected life events that strain monthly budgets,” said retired Admiral Steve Abbot, U.S. Navy, president of NMCRS. “When Sailors and Marines fall on hard times, Society volunteers are there to help them get back on their feet, and you make that happen!”
Classifieds
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Friday, February 21, 2014
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In Other News
Friday, February 21, 2014
Gunnery Sgt. Randy Borrell
Sharing emotion though art Cpl. Brady Wood Staff Writer
Every day, Marines work endlessly in order to make sure they are ready to answer the call to arms to defend the United States of America, but hobbies are a way for Marines to break away from the stress of work. These hobbies could include vehicle maintenance, painting, motorcycle riding, hitting the gym or messing around with radio controlled cars. But there is one Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Marine that has taken a liking to photographing various locations around the world in order to relieve stress. “For me photography is very therapeutic,” said Gunnery Sgt. Randy Borrell, an air traffic controller for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. ““Photography helps me
break away from the stresses of combat I experienced.” Borrell, a native of Tuscon, Ariz., who studied art at the Parson’s School for Design, has some of his art on display at the gallery located on Charles St. and is waiting to share more of his artwork with the Lowcountry. “This isn’t just art I’m sharing with the world,” said Borrell. “What I am trying to share is emotion, the feelings that I felt at the very moment I took the photos.” Borrell’s photography can be viewed at www.borrellphotography. smugmug.com. He has approximately 50 photos from different locations throughout the world and his website has been visited more than 13,000 times. Borrell said he researches various locations and once he has found a
location he begins the planning process to reach that location. Borrell is planning for a trip to Europe, India and China in the next two years. Borrell said that his art in no way, relates to being an air traffic controller, but his officer-in-charge thinks differently. “His photography shows a lot of attention to detail,” said Maj. Christopher Nolf, the former OIC of ATC. “He definitely captures the poetic scenes. “Attention to detail and trying to perfect a hobby you enjoy can relate because being an air traffic controller is one of those jobs that you have to continuously work at in order to perform well,” he said. Nolf also commended Borrell for the great work that he’s done while at ATC. “He joined us January 10 and since
then has been filling in as the ATC staff noncommissioned officer-incharge which is usually a Master Sgt.,” said Nolf. “He puts a lot of great work into the facility and does a great job looking out for the Marines.” Capt. Anthony Ambriz, the new OIC for ATC, agreed with Nolf. “Borrell has already shown he has a strong attention to detail and focuses on troop welfare,” said Ambriz. Borrell’s Marine Corps career, as well as, the time he’s spent as a photographer has helped him realize that everyone needs a hobby that will help them get away from the stress of the Marine Corps life. “You need something that will help you relax and get away from being a Marine for a short time,” said Borrell. “You need something that will help you vent your frustrations but also allow you to express your-
self in a healthy manner.” By becoming a Marine, Borrell said he was able to apply certain aspects of his Marine Corps career to his photography. “The Marine Corps has taught me organization,” said Borrell. “I am also thankful for the selling skills that I gained from recruiting duty and the communication skills that I have developed. It’s helped me get the word out about my art and tell a better story with my photos.” After the Marine Corps, Borrell said he plans on growing his business at his own pace. “Once a hobby turns into a job and you depend on it for money and income people seem to lose sight of why they started doing the hobby in the first place,” said Borrell. “I only sell prints to cover expenses but never to make grand profits.”
In The Community
The Jet Stream
Friday, February 21, 2014
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Sweathogs train at Hunting Island Cpl. Timothy Norris Staff Writer
A Marine with Marine Wing Support Squadron 273 digs out the roots of dead trees on the Hunting Island State Park beachfront, Feb. 14.
Lance Cpl. Tyler Craven, a Marine Wing Support Squadron 273 combat engineer from Mebane, N.C., cuts through a stump to remove it front the Hunting Island State Park beachfront, Feb. 14.
Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 273 battled Mother Nature on the beaches of Hunting Island, Feb. 8-18. The Sweathogs were invited to help with erosion control as a mutually beneficial project between the park and MWSS273. With Hunting Island’s approximately one million visitors every year, “It’s an ongoing battle with the erosion,” explained Daniel Gambrell, the Hunting Island park manager. “We’ve been excited for the last two years now to have the Marines come out and assist us. It’s something we could not accomplish without their help.” Hunting Island is a 5,000 acre semitropical South Carolina state park that was created in 1935 and is the most visited state park in South Carolina. The park is home to the only publicly accessible lighthouse in the state and has the only public beach access in Beaufort County. Because of the confluence between the Atlantic Ocean and the Saint Helena Sound, the island has experienced severe erosion since the 1980s. “We have a lot of man-made and natural debris on the beach and we do not have the equipment, manpower or finances to take care of a job of this magnitude,” Gambrell said. “That’s why we asked the Marines to come out and assist with it. It’s a win-win situation.” The team consisted of 32 Marines and 1 Navy corpsman. With communication specialists, motor transportation Marines, heavy equipment operators, combat engineers and food service specialists, the
team was completely self-sufficient and gave Marines in other fields of work an opportunity to operate in a simulated forward environment. “It’s a fairly big project,” said Sgt. Joshua Bickford, a MWSS-273 engineer equipment operator and project manager from Bangor, Maine. “Our junior operators who haven’t had an opportunity to deploy get to come out here and get more operating time in their military occupational specialty and become more proficient.” The combat engineers and heavy equipment operators were the backbone of the project, felling trees with chainsaws and removing and transporting stumps, concrete and other debris. “We sweep for improvised explosive devices, do demolitions, build squad huts and airfields, however chainsaw operating is one of the things that’s often overlooked,” said Sgt. Jessie Gibbens, a MWSS273 combat engineer from Hoyt, Kansas. “It’s good to come and get realistic training in a challenging environment. It’s a challenge, but not one we can’t handle.” Gibbons and Bickford agreed that practical application is one of the best methods of training to prepare Marines for deployment. “There are a lot of areas in the world Marines deploy to. A lot of them have terrain like Hunting Island,” Gibbens said. “Training in the full spectrum, we’ll know how to fell trees in a safe, effective and timely manner.” After ten days, the Sweathogs cleared nearly four miles of beachfront on the island. The Marines were more prepared to deploy and patrons of the park had a safer and cleaner environment to enjoy.
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The Jet Stream
Around The Corps
Friday, February 21, 2014
Corps Bits
Exercise Cobra Gold 2014 offers fun for community NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand -Members of the Royal Thai Air Force and U.S.Marines and sailors worked together during a combined community relations event at Nakhon Ratchasima Punyanukul School in Nakhon Ratchasima, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 11 during exercise Cobra Gold 2014. Service members participating in CG 14 played games and had the opportunity to interact with the local children. CG 14 is a Thailand-sponsored multinational exercise that aims at enhancing and increasing interoperability between partners. “It was a unique and amazing experience to have a combined joint community relations project with the Royal Thai Air Force in their community,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Travis E. Coffey, deputy chaplain for Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “It solidifies our military partnership in a practical, meaningful and tangible way.” Some students introduced themselves by showing off their dance moves before everyone got together to perform “The Chicken Dance.” Throughout the event, Royal Thai Air Force members could see how service members in another country performed outside of their military occupation specialty. “I feel honored to be able to work alongside with U.S. service members,” said Flight Lt. Rungroj Pomwatthanamongkol, a pilot with Squadron 401, Wing 4, Royal Thai Air Force. “To see their professionalism outside of military training and in the real world is amazing. It’s great to be able to share this humanitarian relations event and to create a relationship with everyone.” Once the games had ceased, the service members spent their last moments sharing treats and interacting with children. Staff from the school ended the day by presenting gifts to both U.S. service members and members of the Royal Thai Air Force. “I’m thankful that the Royal Thai Air Force service members and the leadership of Marine commands made it a priority to not only combine efforts in the tactical measures, but into community relation projects as well,” said Coffey.
Marines prepare for 31st MEU with escalation of force training CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Instructors from 1st Law Enforcement Battalion provided Marines from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, with non-lethal weapons training aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif. Feb. 4. Before deploying with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the Marines receive a variety of pre-deployment training, part of which being a weeklong non-lethal weapons package. Staff Sgt. Matthew Nilsby, training chief for 1st LEB, said he will never forget the first time he received his training and doubts the Marines he trained will either. “From a training standpoint, it increases the tools for the commander to use to prevent the need to use lethal force,” Nilsby said. “They train how to handle the tools they are prepared to use.” The training is anything but a check in the box. The non-lethal weapons package is a week that provides classroom knowledge on escalation of force, different non-lethal munitions, riot control formations, a course of fire using non-lethal rounds, ending with Oleoresin Capsicum spray and Taser acclimatization. “Getting OC sprayed was one of the most miserable experiences I’ve ever encountered—I don’t even know how to describe it,” Nilsby said. “I was only able to begin functioning after about an hour.” OC spray consists of concentrated chemicals from peppers, much more potent than regular pepper spray. The substance gets into the victim’s mucus membranes, makes it difficult to breathe and temporarily incapacitates them for, at minimum, 30 minutes. Capt. Scott Dibello, officer with 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, led his Marines in the painful OC spray and Taser training. “There are situations as a commander you are better used directing the orchestra, and there are situations where the example you set by leading will set a tone for the operation,” Dibello said. “Being the first Marine to go through the training and come out calm and collected allowed the Marines to see that it’s not the end of the world.” Chaos is the best test of how strong a unit and its leadership is, something the OC spray and Taser training made an example of.
Lance Cpl. John Lemar, a scout sniper with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s ground combat element, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, and a Hartsville, Tenn. native, practices a traverse using and ice axe and étriers during the Assault Climber Course here Feb.12. A team of instructors trained Marines to become qualified assault climbers. Their new skillset is an asset gained for the 11th MEU’s ensuing deployment later this summer.
11th MEU Marines reach new heights at assault climber course
Sgt. Melissa Wenger
11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -Select Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s ground combat element, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, gained a valuable skill, which will expand the capabilities of the unit. The I Marine Expeditionary Force Special Operations Training Group Assault Climber Course trained student Marines to transport themselves, other personal, and equipment over difficult terrain safely and expeditiously. The course is taught over five weeks and broken up into three phases. Students who successfully completed all portions of the training graduated as qualified assault climbers Feb. 14. Students learned knot tying, rope systems, single- and multipitch traditional climbing, urban climbing, night climbing, rappelling and cliff reconnaissance and assault tactics, giving them alternate ways to accomplish mission objectives. The Marines began the first phase of the course by learning the basics of tactical rope suspension techniques or TRST. Instructors familiarized them with anchors, rappelling for a controlled descent and building rope systems to cope with certain conditions, such as a need to cross a river or transport equipment. The second phase, the climb
phase, takes students with little to no hands-on experience to Joshua Tree National Park and literally elevates their skills. “In those two weeks, they went from never having climbed before to lead climbing upwards of 5.6 in the Yosemite decimal system on lead and in combat boots,” said Powell. “That culminated in a final exercise out in Johnson Valley where they got to use everything they had learned up until that point, to include the climbing and all the different TRST systems they had learned.” The last phase incorporates steep earth climbing, which could be employed on dirtbased cliffs and urban climbing techniques, tactics and procedures. “They’ve learned a lot of anchor theory and what they can use for different anchors and just being able to use essentially what is their imagination to make a safe anchor for them or their teammates to rappel on,” said Powell. “Urban really hits home to the reconnaissance teams and sniper teams who are set up in urban hides and need that capability of being able to quickly extract out of a building during a compromise.” Having Marines who’ve completed the Assault Climber Course gives geographical combatant commanders a greater range of flexibility with the sea-based Marine AirGround Task Force.
“The urban has the [possibility] of being used in visit, board, search and seizure operations for climbing up onto the ship … and then using some of these urban techniques to climb around on the ship if necessary,” said Powell. “It could be used in a humanitarian way after an earthquake or tsunami or something like that when maybe stairways and normal passageways are not exactly feasible to use. These Marines will be able to come up on the sides and actually be able to get the places they need to complete whatever mission they’ve been tasked with.” According to Powell, the newly-acquired talents of the students are not limited to amphibious operations. “For anything that’s taking place in the mountains, the techniques and skills they’ve learned here are going to significantly help them and increase their ability to complete the mission whether it’s moving over arduous terrain or if they actually need to conduct a cliff assault,” he said. These Marines make the unit more agile as they can enhance the combat proficiency other Marines augmenting the MEU. “If it’s the [Marine Reconnaissance Force] that’s going out there conducting some sort of long range reconnaissance, then these are the guys who they’d be pulling an attachment from if they don’t have
an organic mountain leader or assault climber on their team,” said Powell of the Marines who graduated the course. “This is who they’re going to rely on to give them the ability to conduct reconnaissance in those areas.” The Marine Corps has historically applied a combination of the techniques and tactics from this course to combat operations involving various landscapes. “It’s pretty important,” said Sgt. Travis Buck, a student and a mortarman with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment and a Phoenix native. “If we were ever to do an amphibious assault, a lot of the times, around the world, you go on amphibious assaults and just like in California you’re going to get to a cliff face. You have to have guys with this skill set able to get the Marines up that cliff in an orderly fashion and safely. It will definitely help on this next MEU.” According to Buck, the value of the course doesn’t end with the upcoming deployment. “The good thing about being in the infantry is that a lot of the times, if you stick around long enough, you get to go to a lot of cool schools learn a lot of cool things and then pass that onto the Marines,” he said. “It’ll [be] something I’m going to do on my off time as well.” The 11th MEU, partnered with Amphibious Squadron 5, is scheduled to deploy later this summer.
Corps Shot Cpl. Zachary Scanlon
UTAPHAO, Thailand -- Royal Thai and U.S. Marines begin to load the shipping container to the MV-22B Osprey at Utaphao, Kingdom of Thailand Feb. 17 during Exercise Cobra Gold 2014.
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Around The Corps
Fightertown deployed: VMFA-312 Checkerboards
Marines hone their skills for upcoming exercise
a detachment is currently deployed to the Western Pacific supporting VMFA(AW)-224.
31st Marine Expeditionary Unit Marines train for urban combat OKINAWA, Japan -- A team of Marines lurk through the jungle near a building held by an enemy force. Machine gun fire tears through the air from a rooftop, answered by suppressing fire from Marines in Humvee turrets nearby. With the enemy’s attention diverted, the Marines charge the building. Marines with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, separated into teams and faced-off to practice Military Operations on Urban Terrain in a mock urban village here, Feb. 8. To enhance the training experience, the Marines used Special Effects Small Arms Marking System (SESAMS) rounds, which are 5.56mm training rounds similar to paintballs. “[We] used SESAMS to mimic the realism of combat and make training as realistic as possible,” said 1st Lt. Gary J. Goodwin, a
Corps Bits
are currently deployed to the Western Pacific as part of the Unit Deployment Program.
MALS-31 Stingers
3rd Marine Expeditionary Force
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VMFA(AW)-224 Bengals
are currently deployed to the Mediterranean to promote security in the region.
Cpl. Henry Atentor
Friday, February 21, 2014
platoon commander with Weapons Co., BLT 2/5, 31st MEU, and a native of Brockport, N.Y. One team of 15 Marines dispersed into multiple buildings to act as insurgents while the other team of 15 formed into the assault force. The attacking Marines, equipped with their M-16A4 and M4 rifles, rode in Humvees armed with a Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun and a M240G medium machine gun. The defending “insurgents” were also armed with an M240G medium machine gun, their service rifles and simulated improvised explosive devices. After the fight was complete, the Marines switched sides and started again. “My job on the offensive side is to isolate the buildings [with a mounted M240G],” said Lance Cpl. Wesley Rhea, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, BLT 2/5, 31st MEU, and a native of Oklahoma City. “On the (defensive) side, I used my machine gun to harass from the rooftop.” The Marines used the training to hone their room clearing tactics in pairs or four
man teams. They also practiced spotting and identifying IED’s and traps while keeping consistent radio communications. The Marines trained in supporting fires as well, calling in assistance from the machine guns in the Humvee turrets to suppress aggressive enemies. The platoon of Marines are assigned to Combined Anti-Armor Team 1 and specialize in destroying armored vehicles and supporting foot-mobile infantry as a mechanized element. But this training took the normallymounted CAAT 1 Marines out of their element to refresh their close combat tactics. “We usually support from the mounted position,” said Cpl. Codey D. Sorteberg, an anti-tank missile man with Weapons Co., BLT 2/5, 31st MEU, and a native of Issaquah, Wash. “But this event put our boots on the ground to clear the room ourselves.” The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region and is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Marines milled about, preparing for a week of training when… SPLASH. Ripples disturbed the otherwise still water surface in the Del Mar boat basin as an improved ribbon bridge, a four-piece mobile bridge, used as a raft to transport equipment, was inserted into the water during a training exercise aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 11 to 14, 2014. “Today, and the rest of this week, my Marines are preparing for a much larger exercise,” said 1st Lt. Patrick Moran, platoon commander of Operations Platoon, Boat Company, 7th Engineer Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group. “We are planning an exercise in Nevada to get the Marines a real-world chance to train in an [arduous] environment.” During the exercise in Nevada, Marines will ferry equipment up and down the Colorado River for Bridge Plt., Boat Co., 7th ESB, CLR- 1, 1st MLG. The IRB that Marines will use as a raft is capable of transporting heavy equipment across rivers and other bodies of water, making it a vital asset if there is a body of water preventing the transportation of equipment on a deployment. “One of the challenges we will be facing in Nevada is the current of the river,” said Cpl. Anderson Krieger, licensing noncommissioned officer for Operations Plt. “We are training all week out here so our new Marines can get stick time on the equipment in a relatively safe environment before they do it in the river.” This is the last week of preparation training that the platoon will have before their exercise in Nevada in mid-March. “It is extremely important that we get the Marines the training they need so that they are confident before we have the current to work with,” said Moran. “I’m excited to see the planning process come to life.”
1/1, JGSDF conduct training for Iron Fist
Lance Cpl. Wesley Rhea, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Oklahoma City, Okla., reloads a M240G medium machine gun during urban combat training here, Feb 8. The Marines utilized Special Effects Small Arms Marking System (SESAMS) rounds and a Military Operation on Urban Terrain facility to simulate actual combat. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region and is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.
‘We Deal In Lead’
Lance Cpl. Ricardo Hurtado
15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -I Marine Expeditionary Force, Special Operations Training Group, Special Missions Branch conducted a training event for 1st Reconnaissance Battalion scouts aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif. Feb 12. The event consisted of live fires and known distance ranges with targets extending upwards of 1,000 meters. The SOTG special missions branch prepares and further trains specially qualified Marines in their area of expertise. “This evolution of training was a simple battle sight zero of the .50 caliber snipers rifle. We shot at 300 meters, and at 1150 meters,” said Staff Sgt. Roland Leblanc, Staff non commissioned officer in charge for Urban Sniper 1st SOTG. “We also put true zero with both the M-110 SAS and the M-40 rifles at 800 meters.” The multiple weapon systems applied during the event were present to confirm the accuracy of the scout’s rifles before continuing on to exercises and support roles worldwide. “We do this because we want them to have a good zero when they go on to further operations with the Marine expeditionary unit,” said Leblanc. “When they deploy it’s essential
to have a reliable weapon.” With the wide variety of scenarios that present themselves to Marines, training is always taught with a realistic application. For the scouts, shooting through objects becomes a factor when dealing with longrange engagements, said Sgt. Daniel McFarland, force reconnaissance scout, 1st Reconnais-
sance Battalion. “We did a glass shoot as well,” Daniel McFarland said “We shot through panes of glass on a target to simulate an urban environment and to see the deviation of shooting with and without glass as a variable.” SOTG’s aim is to make the best better. Sharpening the basics for these Marines hones the skills they already possess
as they develop they’re skill set. “We just recently did the SOTG urban sniper course back in August,” said McFarland. “The things we’re doing now are a continuation of developing the skills we picked up then.” Training with a realistic approach helps to better prepare the shooters for their vital role as scouts in support of operations around the world.
Sgt. Michael Currier, a scout with Company A, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, tracks the shot adjustments for his .50 caliber rifle at a range of 1,150 meters. I Marine Expeditionary Force, Special Operations Training Group, Special Missions Branch conducted a training event for scouts from 1st Reconnaissance Battalion aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb 12.
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- As soldiers from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force sprint across a grassy field, they drop into the prone and begin to fire. Through the smoke of the blasts, they look up on the hillside and see U.S. Marines buddy rushing towards their objective to provide support. Again, the JGSDF soldiers rush forward toward their next objective and engage the enemy. For the Marines with 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, training that involves pushing toward and engaging the enemy is normal. This made the training conducted Feb. 5-10 was a good opportunity to share their experiences with the JGSDF who have limited opportunities to conduct this training in Japan. This training evolution was part of the on going Exercise Iron Fist 2014, taking place aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif. Iron Fist is an amphibious exercise that brings together Marines and sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, other I Marine Expeditionary Force units and soldiers from the JGSDF, to promote military interoperability and hone individual and small-unit skills through challenging, complex and realistic training. The purpose of the training was to practice operating together and conducting joint combined arms, as well as building a relationship with their allies, said Capt. Richard Shinn, company commander, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. During the first few days of training, the JGSDF soldiers fired their weapon systems, such as the 84mm Carl Gustav recoilless rifle and FN minimi machine gun, and observed how U.S. Marines operated their 60 and 81mm mortar systems. JGSDF soldiers and Marines also compared the different weapons and the way they used them. They realized a lot is similar; for example, the FN minimi machine gun and M240 medium machine gun are assembled and disassembled almost identically. Marines observed that the JGSDF are very professional, meticulous and safety conscious, Shinn said. They are also very technically and tactfully proficient. The training concluded with a combined company attack with the support of a U.S. platoon. The Japanese pushed through the range assaulting objectives while the U.S. Marines observed and provided assistance from nearby. Later during the exercise, Marines and soldiers with the JGSDF will work together again to conduct a combined amphibious attack.
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SHOOTER continued from page 1
-If there is an escape path, attempt to evacuate -Evacuate whether others agree to or not -Leave your belongings behind -Help others to escape if possible -Prevent other non-emergency personnel from entering the area “Call 911 as soon as you can and don’t assume that someone else will,” Watson advised. If escape is not possible, Watson agreed that hiding is the next best option. “If you’re out in the open, you need to quickly seek shelter in a safe environment, if possible in a designated assembly area,” he said. “Each building should have proper procedures posted.”
-Lock and/or blockade the door -Silence your cell phone -Hide behind large objects -Remain very quiet -Your hiding place should: -Be out of the shooter’s view -Provide protection if shots are fired in your direction -Not trap or restrict your options for movement As a last resort, and only if your life is imminently in danger, fight to subdue the shooter. -Attempt to incapacitate the shooter -Act with physical aggression -Improvise weapons -Commit to your actions Once you have escaped or are found by first responder personnel, keep calm, keep hands visible at all times, avoid yelling and pointing and follow directions precisely. Watson added that prevention and survival of active
shooter situations lies with the unyielding efforts of individuals. “Have good situational awareness,” he said. “I tell Marines to use their General Orders. To the supervisor, train those under you as if it were inevitable. Don’t be complacent. If you see something, say something. “The mission assurance department is dedicated and enthusiastic about making sure the community and personnel aboard this installation are protected from terrorism, active shooters or any other threat,” Watson said. “We take it very seriously and we need the community’s help to make the Air Station a hard target.” Watson advised that everyone take time to watch the six minute “Run. Hide. Fight.” video, by visiting http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSw ejU2D0&feature=plcp
More of The Story FIRE continued from page 1
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to get permission to burn down some of the houses slated for demolition. Training realistically can be a difficult task for fire fighters. Burning houses already slated for demolition helps the fire fighters aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort expand their capabilities, experience and knowledge in a realistic, controlled setting.
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Friday, February 21, 2014
Little leaders: Beaufort school preps tomorrow’s top dogs Staff Sgt. Terika S. King Press Chief
Marines are taught leadership traits and principles right from the beginning. From the day recruits land on the yellow footprints, Marines are molded into people who take initiative, prioritize and set goals. Those skills take time to hone and sharpen and some Marines struggle with the leadership concept. Imagine if teenagers walked into the recruiting station wellarmed with those skills. That may soon be the case in a few years when local elementary school students reach recruiting age. Coosa Elementary School in Beaufort focuses on being a “leadership school.” Students from kindergarten to fourth grade are taught the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” gleaned from a book written by Stephen R. Covey with the same title. The author realized children could benefit from the seven habits and wrote “The Leader in Me” geared toward children. “There’s a book called ‘The Leader in Me’ that our principal
read and she gave it to some of our staff members to read,” said Renee Roberts, the chairperson of the Lighthouse Group, Coosa’s committee that helps integrate the seven habits into the curriculum. “We presented it to the whole staff and everyone agreed it was awesome.” The school staff realized the program could help students learn more than just academics. “With everything going on in the world, some of those [life] skills are not being focused on,” Covey said. “It’s about empowering kids to realize, ‘I can be responsible for myself.’” During the school’s Leadership Day, where prominent members of the community were invited to see the student’s progress, the students handled everything from greeting guests to narrating the program. The children explained each of the seven habits and how they incorporated them into their daily lives. As each group of three addressed the assembly, one student would introduce a habit, another would demonstrate the
hand signal for the habit and the last one would give a personal example of how that habit impacted their lives. One student explained how one of his friends wanted him to play, but he thought of habit three, put first things first, and finished his assignment before playing. Another way students are prepared for adulthood is through the jobs they perform around the school such as hall patrol, cafeteria assistants and the recycling team. To obtain those jobs, students must fill out a work application just as they would in the real world. “[It helps them work] on their presentation of themselves,” Roberts explained. “They have to write in complete sentences and realize that they can’t use textspeak to communicate. It also helps them realize they’re not always going to get what they want. It sounds harsh, but there’s a selection process and it helps them learn to continue trying instead of giving up.” The students don’t stop at improving themselves, they are also taught to give back to oth-
ers through Community Service Learning Projects. Each grade level has a project appropriate for their ages. They have worked with the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program, raised more than $1,400 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and collected items for the Beaufort County Animal Shelter. Even the kindergarteners helped the community by making Valentine’s Day cards for a local nursing home. “The service learning projects show the kids that the world is not just about them. It’s about helping others. [It] gives them something to care about. They really get passionate about their project,” said Covey. Just as Marines are encouraged to keep track of their personal progress with their official military records, the students keep track of their personal and “professional” goals and progress in their leadership data notebooks. During Leadership Day, children representing all grades shared with guests their goals and accomplishments. The notebooks had pages dedicated to tracking
their quarterly testing so they can compare their grades set goals for the next quarter to improve their performance. The leadership skills the children are learning tie into the Marine Corps leadership principle of developing a sense of responsibility among your subordinates. If this style of learning catches on across the nation, the Corps may benefit from a slew of prospects ready to take responsibility for themselves and others. The leadership traits can also tie in to the program. Initiative matches up with the first habit which is “Be proactive.” “The faculty and kids have really embraced this program and I really hope other schools pick up on this,” said Covey. The leadership skills Marines use in their daily lives are sharpened with a lot of practice. The children at Coosa Elementary are getting a head-start on their peers and will perhaps land on the yellow footprints twice as prepared as their peers, leading to a Corps more advanced than ever before.
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Charlie Gate closed Feb. 22, with reroute to alternative entry point. Scheduled to be complete by April 11. ID check will occur at new guard shack. There may be a slight traffic delay. Cars in no parking area must be moved by the evening of Feb. 21.
First Lady: 100 Companies to Hire 100,000 Vets Over 5 Years Cheryl Pellerin
Armed Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON – First Lady Michelle Obama announced today that more than 100 construction industry companies have committed to hiring more than 100,000 military veterans over the next five years. Obama and Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez delivered remarks at the National Symposium on Veterans’ Employment in Construction, hosted at the Labor Department. The event brought together construction industry officials, government leaders and education professionals to highlight hiring commitments throughout the industry, and it addressed employment challenges and opportunities for transitioning service members and veterans. The first lady called the commitment to veterans “a huge deal,” adding, “It’s days like today that remind me why Dr. [Jill] Biden and I started Joining Forces in the first place.”
Joining Forces is a national initiative championed by the first lady and the vice president’s wife to engage all sectors of society to give service members and their family members opportunities and support. “We did this because we wanted to inspire businesses and organizations across the country to ask themselves one simple question: … What more can we do to honor and support our veterans and military families?” the first lady said. “And today all of you answered that question with this incredibly strong commitment,” Obama said. “I know that you all have made this commitment not just because it is the patriotic thing to do, … [but also] because you know that America’s military turns our some of the highest-skilled, hardest-working employees this country has ever seen.” The kind of work men and women in uniform do every day includes building cities in the middle of deserts halfway around the world, building schools in remote villages,
and repairing complex machinery in combat zones in the middle of the night, she said. “Our troops have taken on some of the most challenging projects in some of the most inhospitable places under some of the toughest deadlines and constraints,” the first lady said. “So when it comes to the attitude and the experience needed to thrive in construction jobs, our men and women in uniform are second to none.” As part of Joining Forces, the first lady and Dr. Biden issued a call to 50 U.S. governors to take executive or legislative action to streamline state licensing for service members, veterans and their spouses by the end of 2015. Today, 44 states have passed legislation that streamlines the process for service members and veterans to obtain civilian certification and licensure, according to a White House fact sheet. In his remarks, Perez noted that the Labor Department’s latest employment report indicates the private sector has created 8.5 million jobs over
the last 47 months. The construction industry showed one of the most dramatic growth rates, he said, adding more jobs in January than in any month since March 2007. The construction industry is expected to create more than 1.5 million jobs by 2022, Perez said, adding that the industry has long maintained a proven training and employment infrastructure. “Through apprenticeships, certification and credentialing programs provided by labor unions and individual employers, veterans can translate their skills into indemand civilian occupations,” the secretary said. “Nearly 8 percent of all registered apprentices are veterans,” he added, “while 23 percent of apprentices are active military members learning skills in over 120 occupations ranging from airframe mechanics to firefighters.” The first lady said she and President Barack Obama believe the nation’s men and women in uniform should be able to start pursuing such careers the minute they hang up their uniforms but that the
transition from military to civilian life can be difficult. “Too many of our troops … get excellent training [but] they don’t always know how to translate that military experience into good civilian jobs,” she said. “That’s why in 2012 my husband launched the Department of Defense Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force, and we’re already starting to see results.” Today, she added, service members nationwide participate in apprenticeships and accredited civilian training programs near their bases, and the Defense Department is working to help them apply military training toward earning civilian credentials, particularly in high-demand fields like plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The president has assured that veterans can use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to pay for career and technical training in construction and other industries, the first lady said, and veterans and companies can find jobs and qualified employees in 2,600 American job centers across
the country. Today’s commitment is about putting highly skilled individuals to work in highpaying careers and providing U.S. companies with the very best workers, but it’s also about “modeling a certain set of values for our communities and for our country,” she said. “By making these kinds of commitments … you all are sending a clear message that in this country we honor those who’ve sacrificed for us,” the first lady said to company representatives in the audience. And to service members and veterans in the audience and watching online, she said, “Please know that America has your back, and if you ever need to be reminded of how thankful we are for everything you’ve done for us, take a look around this room. “You’ve got representatives from some of the leading companies in America,” the first lady added, “many of whom have traveled a very long way to be here. And they’re all here because they want to serve you as well as you’ve served this country.”
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