16 posts from October 2008

Story by Lance Cpl. Jerry Murphy

RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 21, 2008) – Ensuring community wellness is an essential component to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1’s success during their current deployment to Ramadi, Iraq.

Maj. James B. “J.B.” Runyon, the battalion’s executive officer, along with other members of the battalion and its subordinate Marine and Army units, attended a weekly meeting between Ramadi Mayor Latif Obaid Ayadah and local civic leaders at the Ramadi Government Center, Oct. 20.

“The secure environment that we hope to provide the people of Ramadi will allow the community to participate more fully in what direction the community is going,” said Runyon, a native of Albemarle, N.C. “These weekly meetings are a way for the Directors General (DGs) of Ramadi to convene with the mayor to discuss problems and what they will do in the next few weeks to fix them.”

In this week’s meeting, which is just one of many to have convened over the past six months, attendees discussed several problems with traffic, sewage and electricity in the city.

“They’ve had some problems with traffic and are trying to move a couple of checkpoints to help the traffic flow,” Runyon said. “They’re also having problems with sewage and electricity. Basically, the mayor gives the DGs his (ideas to fix the problems) and they put them into action.”

Marines with the battalion and members of Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team- Ramadi assist the civic leaders in planning and providing security for projects to improve the city’s infrastructure.

The ePRT is a joint state department unit tasked with working with the military to manage projects within a given community.

“We’re here to assist in providing a secure environment for the community. We’re trying to make it to where the people can live their day to day lives and are more willing to come out and participate in events going on in the community,” Runyon said. “We work with ePRT to do this, and we coordinate events so that the Iraqis have (the basic necessities) they need.

Runyon said senior leaders with the battalion meet with the mayor regularly to inform him about things Marines are seeing and hearing while engaging the community.

“Our Marines are engaging themselves in the community on a daily basis, and talk with tribal and community leaders,” said Runyon. “They find out what the DGs may not know. The people tell the Marines about troubled spots in the city and we bring it to the attention of the mayor.”

Although the battalion arrived to the area only a month ago, the Marines have hit the ground running and show no signs of slowing down any time soon.

We will continue to assist the city of Ramadi in securing a safe environment for its people and providing a safe place for them to live and work for years to come, Runyon said.

Story by Cpl. Chris T. Mann

RAMADI, Iraq – Service members with embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team-Ramadi, Regimental Combat Team 1, met with the mayor of Ramadi, Iraq, to donate educational books to local schools recently.

The books, designed to teach children in elementary schools from first through sixth grade, will be given to teachers in the city for use in their students’ daily curriculum.

The books are designed to help improve daily lessons in core classes and will supplement courses Iraqi teachers and headmasters of district schools are already teaching.

“We are very grateful for the books given to us today,” said Latif Obaid Ayadah, mayor of Ramadi. “The books will immediately be put to good use to teach the future of Iraq.”

The books are part of educational packets distributed by a prominent publishing company in the U.S., but are printed in Arabic.

The teaching aids, enough to fill a large warehouse, were ordered by Coalition forces in May this year. The cost for the books and their shipping totaled approximately $380,000.

Only 25 percent of the order has arrived to Iraq, but several more pallets of books are scheduled to arrive soon, said Army Lt. Col. Joseph Fasceski, civil affairs officer with ePRT.

Officials with the educational ministry of Iraq are working on a plan to evenly distribute the donated materials to schools throughout the city.

Ramadi has approximately 270 schools that range in size from large buildings to small, one-room classrooms in rural areas. In several small areas and communities, families living near one another send their children to a neighborhood house where they meet each day for classes.

“We are working to try and increase the education for students and add lecture halls for teachers to implement programs that will be highly beneficial to students,” said Fasceski. “These books were donated … so that teachers can keep them in the classrooms and use them for the next few years.”

With classes beginning later this month for many children in Ramadi, the new learning aids will offer them new opportunities.

The books and teaching aids are scheduled to be delivered into schools throughout the next several weeks.

Story by Cpl. Stephen McGinnis

RAMADI, Iraq (October 19, 2008) – Warriors share a common bond, a mutual respect of the warrior instinct, a bond that extends beyond the battle field.

So it comes as very little surprise that most service members are great fans of Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters, and that the fighters are often huge military supporters.

To show their respect for what service members are doing in Iraq, three of UFC’s finest fighters visited with and hosted a clinic for service members aboard Camp Ramadi, Oct. 19, as part of the UFC 2008 goodwill military tour.

Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon, Heath “The Texas Crazy horse” Herring, and Jorge “El Conquistador” Rivera, spent a few hours teaching grappling, fighting in the clinch, and stand up fighting techniques to approximately 60 personnel living on Camp Ramadi.

“I think what you guys are doing is amazing, and it’s absolutely important to support you,” said Lauzon, a native of Bridgewater, Mass. “I wanted to do what I could for the (service members). We have been trying to visit two camps a day and meet and greets with everyone we can.”

Camp Ramadi was only one of the many stops on their tour. The fighters also visited Camp Habbaniyah, Camp Fallujah, Camp Taqaddum, and several others.

“We have been going base to base, doing meet and greets, teaching some Muay-Thai boxing, grappling and stuff like that,” said Rivera, a Milford, Mass., native. “Our country is at war right now and we have to support our troops. We live in the world’s greatest country and in my opinion this is the least I can do to give back to the country that has given me so much.”

At Camp Ramadi, the fighters divided the service members into two groups. Lauzon worked with one group on ground fighting and grappling techniques, and Rivera and Herring worked with the other group on stand-up and fighting in the clinch techniques.

Before they did any meet and greets or photos, the fighters took some time to grapple one on one with some service members.

“My favorite part of the day was that I got to grapple with some UFC fighters because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to fight with some pro fighters,” said Seaman Andrew Chase, a 22-year-old hospitalman from Eugene, Ore., with Regimental Combat Team 1.

For Rivera and Herring, the tour is not their first time visiting troops in a combat zone. Last year they visited troops in Afghanistan.

“This is my first time to Iraq, but I went to Afghanistan,” said Herring, an Amarillo, Texas, native. I like to really support the military; it gives me a chance to come out and work with the troops and see what is going on over here.”

The fighters’ visit may have helped service members physically with their fighting skills, but it was the mental morale boost that may carry them through the rest of their deployment.

“We’ve been here going on 4 months so it was nice to get that taste of home,” said Cpl. David Ammon, a 22-year-old machine gunner from Whitesville, Ky., with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1. “After this visit morale is at its highest point, possibly for the whole deployment.”

The fighters signed autographs and posed for photos with their supporters before flying to Camp Fallujah to show their support to other service members.

Story by Cpl. Stephen McGinnis

Story by Cpl. Chris T. Mann

RAMADI, Iraq –Marines with Civil Affairs Team 3, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, assessed a new irrigation system being built in an open expanse of farmland in the Sophia area of Ramadi, Iraq, Oct. 8.

The new system is one of six being built to improve the quality of life for many local farmers and civilians living in Ramadi.

Each system will enhance farmers’ ability to raise crops and animals, helping to boost the local economy.

“The biggest benefit of irrigation is farmers have water available to grow crops and feed their animals and family,” said Staff Sgt. Ben J. Lund, a 34-year-old assistant team leader from North Lake, Wis., with Team 3.

The systems also assist farmers in raising a surplus of crops and animals to sell on the local market, said Lund.

Much of the soil in Iraq is not completely ideal for farming. Arid atmospheres, hot temperatures, little rainfall and sandy topsoil put a serious hamper on many simple farming operations.

Irrigation is a method of farming that has been used since the Mesopotamian era and helps produce fertile soil in what would be an otherwise barren landscape.

Irrigation projects like this one help keep farmers in Ramadi in business.

“This project is one of the smaller ones that we are working on, but the big overall picture will benefit many people living near the irrigation stations and substations,” said 1st Lt. David B. Gilliland, a 24-year-old civil affairs team leader from Florence, Ky., with Team 3.

The team met with an Iraqi contractor in charge of designing the irrigation canal and discussed details of the systems design.

A pipe will be placed to carry water from the Euphrates River to the farmland. An electric pump pushes the water into separate canals dug in the farmland, distributing water to crops and their root systems planted in columns next to the canal.

The pump will run off of a fuel-powered generator designed to provide electricity in an area where power gridlines aren’t available to the local populous. Sheiks and tribal leaders from the area will maintain the generator and provide the fuel used to run it.

“Once a scope of work has been established and a contract is signed, we monitor the project to completion,” said Lund. “Our job is to verify the work is being done per the contract and no shortcuts are being taken.”

The irrigation project and several others were planned by provincial ministries that maintain water resources for the Government of Iraq.

Coalition forces simply help coordinate purchases and contracts and check on progress and the security of the neighboring areas.

The project is being paid for using Iraqi Commander’s Emergency Response Program funds rather than (U.S.) CERP funds.

ICERP allows U.S. military commanders the ability to spend Government of Iraq funds to provide urgent humanitarian relief and reconstruction requirements within their areas of operation.

“The really great thing about this project is that it is being paid for with Iraqi funds,” said Gilliland.

Civil affairs Marines frequently work with provincial government organizations of Iraq, planning and executing future projects designed to restore balance to a once unstable region.

Many Iraqi citizens who live in predominantly rural areas earn their living raising crops and animals. Farming often times provides them with some of their only means to earn money.

What may only seem to be a simple water pump and an irrigation canal to many, will offer several citizens of Ramadi a better future.

The project is scheduled for completion within the next several weeks.

Story By Lance Cpl. Achilles Tsantarliotis

KARMAH, Iraq (September 28, 2008) – Corpsmen are often considered the medical ray of light for Marines in a combat zone.

Sometimes their light shines bright enough to reach local Iraqis in need, whether it be during a routine combined medical engagement, or for one Iraqi child who almost drowned, on the spot emergency medical attention that saved his life.

Navy Chief Roger Buck, a 34-year-old battalion medical chief from Niceville, Fla., with Task Force 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, saw the limp child cradled in his father’s arms during an Iraqi key-leadership, joint-forces dismounted patrol.

Buck ran toward the boy and immediately began administering CPR on the drown victim.

“(Our) interpreter explained I was like a doctor,” said Buck. “They told us they found him face first in a canal. He had a light, faint pulse. I tried to calm the parents down then immediately started applying medical treatment. I cleared his airway and started giving him CPR.”

Within a few minutes the boy regained consciousness, coughed up water and was taken to a local hospital for follow on care.

“He did everything he should have,” said Gunnery Sgt. John Schidlmeier, a platoon leader with Lava Dog Assesment Reaction Team, 1st Bn., 3rd Marines. “His actions were admirable; especially for the situation. He reacted even though he was posting security—made sure a Marine took his position and treated the kid immediately.”

Buck said he was merely in the right place at the right time and just doing his job, and the look of gratitude and appreciation on the terrified parents was all the thanks he needed.

Buck insisted that all corpsmen carry a great load of responsibilities, starting from the first day of corpsman training, to adapt and be versatile with varying situations. To him, it was just another day of life in the operating forces.

“I was just happy I could bring the kid back,” he said.

Days later, the battalion recognized Buck’s heroic actions and awarded him a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his reactive measures and successful treatment.

“There are a thousand things a day that corpsmen do that go unseen,” he said. “It's always good to save a life. You don't always get to save everyone, so when you do it's very rewarding.”

Story by Lance Cpl. Scott Schmidt

KHALIDYAH, Iraq – While Iraqi Police continue to progress in their role as law enforcers, civic leaders in Khalidyah, Iraq, are making advancements of their own to uphold the rule of law.

City officials, with the assistance of 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Civil Affairs Detachment 3, Team 4, with Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, Regimental Combat Team 1, began construction of the city’s future courthouse.

“The judiciary needs an adequate and secure facility, which can provide the citizens of the Habbaniyah area basic civil services,” explained Capt. William Carman, the battalion judge advocate.

When completed, the courthouse will provide the necessary means for the judicial sector to provide civil services to local Iraqis, adjudicate misdemeanor-level offenses and examine evidence of felonious crimes.

“The courthouse is important to ensure justice is done as far as crime, punishment and rule of law are concerned,” said Carman.

Besides providing the judiciary with a facility, “The project stands as a symbol of the community’s desire to take the next step and stand on their own,” said Cpl. Isaac Martinez, a member of Team 4.

Iraqi courts follow what is called civil law, a legal system based on broad, conceptualized principles rather than precedent and customs.

Well before Coalition Forces’ assistance, a well-defined and developed Iraqi penal code, code of criminal procedure, and other laws were in place.

“The new courthouse will facilitate the development of the rule of law in a way that other projects can’t,” explained Carman. “It will serve as the substantive and symbolic center of justice (in the community).”

A building standing for ‘Iraqi solutions to Iraqi problems,’ the courthouse is a place where Iraqis may resolve disputes according to civil law and gain access to other public services.

“It will show that criminals, Iraqi security forces, and Iraqi citizens are all subject to and beneficiaries of the rule of law,” said Carman.

Currently in its first phase of construction, the Khalidyah Courthouse is scheduled for completion this spring.

Story by Lance Cpl. Achilles Tsantarliotis

FALLUJAH, Iraq – Most Marines agree taking care of the man on your left and right is the number one concern in combat.

Marriage and fatherhood, however, can often affect a Marine’s way of thinking and Cpl. David Thomason is learning why.

Thomason, a 23-year-old company clerk from Rochester, Minn., with Headquarters and Support Company, Task Force 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, has participated in one deployment to Afghanistan with his unit, and is now on his second Iraq deployment with them.

Throughout his first two deployments, Thomason served with his unit as a rifleman and as an M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon gunner. His only concern, he said, was his fellow Marines around him.

“I remember humping up a mountain in Afghanistan on a cool day,” recalled Thomason. “I remember thinking how nice a day it was before we started, but once we got up there, it wasn’t nice. It was cold. After unloading my 150-pound pack, I was drenched in sweat. It just starts freezing to your body. Guys were going numb. The cold was the least of our worries though, we were taking fire everyday, but I loved it.”

Thomason said during his first two deployments he had an almost “careless” approach to danger, thinking only of mission accomplishment when in a life threatening situation.

“Afghanistan was very dangerous,” said Sgt. Jon Owens, a section leader with JUMP platoon, H&S Company, Task Force 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, RCT-1. “We’d take incoming fire every day, get ambushed and mortared—it was serious. Thomason was motivated, though. It was our first deployment, we were all eager (to fight) and being family men was the farthest thing from our minds.”

After Thomason returned from his second deployment things changed for him. He met and married his wife Nicole, and together they parented a son Samuel.

Now about two months into his second Iraq deployment, Thomason said he still has an obligation to the Marines around him, but he also has a wife and newborn son to consider.

“I have a family now,” he said. “I can’t act like a cowboy anymore. I need to be safe so my wife has a husband, and my son has a father when we go home.”

Thomason’s role with his unit has also changed during his current deployment. As a company clerk, he maintains the company’s personnel and equipment accountability and helps to facilitate the company’s daily tasks.

“This is my first deployment as a company clerk,” he said. As a ‘grunt,’ you have a set schedule, or you know when you’re going out and when you have time to rest. Now, with the company needing to be accounted for and Marines to be taken care of, I work whenever needed.”

Being a husband and father has changed Thomason’s perspective on life in and out of the Marine Corps.

“Thinking back to when I was freezing on some mountain in Afghanistan and getting shot at and ambushed every day; time has gone by quickly,” said Thomason. “This deployment is going by quickly. I call my wife and son every so often to see how they’re doing and it makes things easier and gives me something to look forward to. It’s what dads do.”

Story by Lance Cpl. Scott Schmidt

KHALIDYAH, Iraq – Marines from Civil Affairs Team 4, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, in direct support of Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, visited the construction site of the Khalidyah government center Sept. 29.

The Marines evaluated progress being made at the center to ensure it will be completed in time for its grand opening ceremony later this month.

“The building is near completion aside from small, final cosmetic touch-ups,” said Cpl. Isaac Martinez, a 20-year-old communications chief from Espanola, Mexico. “When completed it will give people the access they need to their local government.”

Erected from the ground up throughout the last four months, the government center stands three stories high and will serve as a symbol of achievement in the community.

“There was no real government facility in the area,” explained 1st Lt. Matthew Ashton, the team’s officer in charge. “Every government should have a solid place to conduct business.”

Ashton said the Habbaniyah Mayor and City Council had requested a modern government center for some time, but were unable to attain the funds to build it.

The government center has the potential to be an enabler for future achievements in the community. It brings the two bodies of local government, the mayor and city council, together, allowing for one location where citizens can voice their concerns.

“The center allows the community to continue establishing their own government and become more independent,” said Hospitalman Timothy Tilney, a 23-year-old corpsman from San Jose, Calif. “It legitimizes and puts the local government officials in power.”

The construction project also fueled the growth of the community’s economy by providing jobs to local Iraqis, who, in some cases, learned a new skill they can use for future work.

Once opened, the Khalidyah Government Center will provide the

community with the necessary tools for continued economic and

governmental growth.

Story by Lance Cpl. Casey Jones

RAMADI, IRAQ (October 5, 2008) – Just over seven months ago, service members with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, packed their bags and traveled halfway across the world to Iraq, marking the unit’s first battalion-sized deployment since its reactivation in late 2005.

The battalion, also known as “The Walking Dead” because of an extremely high mortality rate (above 90 percent) it suffered during the Vietnam War, has completed its tour in Ramadi and is now making its way back to its home station in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marines and sailors serving with the battalion have spent the last seven months securing a nearly 800-square-mile battle space (almost the size of Rhode Island), which was the first and largest Mega-Area of Operations in the country assigned to a single battalion.

The AO was previously secured by two Marine battalions, an Army brigade headquarters and a tank company.

Ramadi, no more than two years ago, was arguably the heart of the insurgency in Iraq and considered by many to be one of the country’s most violent cities.

Violence in the city remained relatively high until mid-2007, when a group of sheiks, tribal leaders and other citizens agreed to join and fight against the terrorist insurgency that plagued the area.

Dubbed the “Anbar Awakening,” the unification occurred in the city and quickly spread throughout the province.

With the support of Coalition forces, the movement significantly reduced violence in the province and the region unofficially began a recovery and rebuilding process.

Although the number of attacks declined, the complexity of the mission multiplied.

The Marines of 1st Bn., 9th Marines, maintained security in a still dangerous city, while also partnering with Iraqi police and working with the civic government to rebuild the infrastructure.

“There were a lot of skeptics out there before we came,” said Sgt. Jeremy D. Puckett, a section leader from Padukah, Ky., with 81mm Mortar Platoon, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. “A lot of people said Ramadi wasn’t ready for just one battalion, but we definitely silenced those critics. We successfully met the commander’s intent and accomplished our mission.”

Throughout their deployment, the Marines and sailors oversaw a variety of critical infrastructure rebuilding projects and community events.

Each of the battalion’s companies devised and completed distinct projects appropriate to their area of operation.

In total, the battalion oversaw the completion of more than 216 projects.

“We definitely left our mark in the city with the various events we held and rebuilding projects,” Puckett said.

Weapons Company, along with embedded Provincial Recovery Team- Ramadi (ePRT) and Civil Affairs Detachment 2, hosted a city-wide, five-day soccer tournament in downtown Ramadi, which proved to be one of the more significant events.

“It says a lot about the strength of (1st Battalion, 9th Marines) and the city; that we were able to hold a soccer tournament,” Puckett said. “The security was so strong we were able to take off our gear and play a Marine versus Iraqi police game.”

To get the locals more involved in the rebuilding process, the Marines built upon the trust and relationships previous battalions established with the populace.

From day one, the “Walking Dead” made it a point to accentuate trust, respect, and honesty.

“This was a great deployment because we were able to form an even stronger relationship with our Iraqi counterparts,” said Capt. John Giannella, a 32-year-old from Hawthorne, N.J., and the Company A commander. “There was always respect on both sides.”

Respecting the Iraqis’ culture and being open-minded was stressed by the battalion’s command, said Puckett.

“It was important for us to embrace their culture because we’re in their country,” Puckett said. “During Ramadan, out of respect for their culture, we didn’t smoke, eat, or drink during the day in the presence of the locals. We’re not here to change their culture, but to better their lives.”

The “Walking Dead” was also responsible for mentoring and developing Ramadi’s maturing police force. Their ability to connect with police in their AO is one of several reasons why the force is now mostly independent.

“The IP’s professionalism has increased dramatically because of the strong relationship between Coalition forces and the IP,” Giannella said, “and also because of the strong leadership among the IP and Coalition forces.”

The battalion usually operated side-by-side with Iraqi security forces, conducting a large number of infantry operations and missions in an effort to train their counterparts.

“Training the Iraqi police was challenging at times because of the cultural and language barriers, and also because we’re military and they’re police,” said 1st Lt. Jacob Womble, a 25-year-old from Tulsa, Okla., and the commander of 3rd Platoon, Company C.
“Right now, they’re doing a lot of military work kind of similar to a militia. We’ve been transitioning them from that role to more of an actual police force.”

The service members trained thoroughly for the types of scenarios they were expected to encounter in Iraq before they deployed, but found themselves adjusting to new ways of operating on a frequent basis soon after their arrival.

“I think the phrase ‘adapt and overcome’ is perfect for what we’re doing over here,” Giannella said. “As a single company, we took over for three companies’ worth of battle space.”

“Although we’re infantry and we train for house-to-house combat and kicking down doors, it’s like what the battalion commander says, ‘we’re Jones and we’re here to paint,’ which basically means adapt to your situation and do whatever is needed to get the job done,” he added.

The IP’s ever-increasing competency allowed the Marines to reduce their presence in the city, gradually moving from living inside the city alongside the IP, to living in outposts along the cities’ perimeter.

Because the city’s security is still fragile, some of the locals worried the move was a sure sign the Marines were packing up and leaving, sooner rather than later.

“The people were a little concerned about our reduced presence,” Giannella said. “But we told them that we would still be here looking over their shoulders and not just leaving.”

While the city is much safer, the threat of attack still exists.

Throughout the deployment the battalion was the target of a number of attacks including eight suicide bombings, over a dozen small arms attacks and more than 10 improvised explosive device attacks.

In addition to providing and maintaining security in the area, the Marines conducted two battalion clearing operations, many cache sweeps and several cordon and knock searches. The battalion detained roughly 50 high value targets during their deployment.

“We did a lot of joint operations with the police,” Womble said. “Some of the night operations were a little intense, but we always made sure the intensity was appropriate to the operation because most of the people are not a threat. We didn’t want to make any enemies by making innocent people upset.”

A key aspect in counterinsurgency warfare is making yourself vulnerable to protect yourself and your fellow comrades.

The “Walking Dead” made that leap of faith and capitalized on the resulting friendships to leave Ramadi a better place.

“Although there were several attacks and there are still bad guys out there, I felt pretty safe the entire deployment,” Puckett said. “The security of the city lies with the people and I felt safe amongst the people.”