3/6 sentries—all guards, no glory
Story by Cpl. Chris Lyttle
FALLUJAH, Iraq (July 8, 2008) – On the outer perimeter of Camp Baharia in Fallujah, Iraq, there are vigilant eyes and ears that never rest—Marine sentries manning guard towers alertly in their desolate surroundings with miles of open desert and roadways in the distance.
FALLUJAH, Iraq (July 8, 2008) – On the outer perimeter of Camp Baharia in Fallujah, Iraq, there are vigilant eyes and ears that never rest—Marine sentries manning guard towers alertly in their desolate surroundings with miles of open desert and roadways in the distance.
Working as a sentry
on Guard Force may seem tedious and uneventful to some, but it’s
arguably one of the most important jobs in terms of securing a military
compound.
Cpl. Luke J. Weber, a
sentry with Guard Force, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd
Battalion, 6th Marines, walks his post and patrols with other Marines
several hours each day. He described how sentries frequently change
assignments to master multiple jobs and avoid combat complacency.
“The majority of the
day I stand post, but we alternate people around different posts so we
don’t get complacent,” said Weber, a native of Austin, Texas. “We keep
a lookout over the area and watch for even the littlest things.”
Weber, an avionics
technician by military occupational specialty, said he remembers his
deployment last year when terrorist activity was reported almost daily.
Now that Iraqi Police are filling the security role in Fallujah and the
level of violence has decreased, sentries must ensure they do not
become idle, he said.
“The fact that there
is less violence makes it harder not to be complacent,” Weber said.
“That’s why we have to stay on our toes. If something were to happen,
we have to be ready and expect it. Stuff doesn’t happen nearly as much
as it used to, but we still have to look at everything as a potential
threat.”
Lance Cpl. Michael
Smith, originally a mortarman with the battalion, stood out on post
with Weber on what they described as one of the quieter days. The only
thing that breaks the total silence around their post is walking,
reporting to each other or radio traffic. Smith said any activity seems
to make the shifts go by faster, but the days of their deployment often
feel like they blend together.
“Time passes by
faster when there’s a lot of military traffic passing through,” said
Smith, a native of Coatsville, Pa. “When there’s nothing going on, we
always find a way to keep ourselves occupied. Plus we have to stay in
the mindset that something could always be out there.”
Smith and Weber said
there have been a few incidents when the battalion has sent quick
reaction forces out to investigate suspicious activities, but on this
deployment, no major incidents have occurred.
Smith described only a few minor incidents during their deployment when people accidentally approached their post.
“Actually, we’ve had
a couple of people (Iraqi local nationals) come down here and they
couldn’t read, so they (weren’t aware of the rules),” he said. “I
actually saw one guy park his car and try to walk up here. He kept
saying, ‘Meeting meeting, Fallujah,’ so apparently he had to get to a
meeting. We always get them turned away before anything happens.”
Minor situations like
this could be something to be thankful for, but sentries must stand
post with the mindset that today could be the day an enemy wants to
attack. While terrorist activity has reached a lull without the
opportunity and perceived glory of combat action, the significance of
the sentries’ duty still remains.
“There’s not a lot of
glory, that’s true,” Weber said. “But people have to understand it’s
one of the most important jobs because everyone inside is relying on us
to keep them safe. The (senior Marines) tell us that all of the time.
It’s not the most glamorous job, but it’s definitely important.”
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