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January 28, 2016

New mess hall at Weapons Training Battalion dedicated to fallen staff sergeant

By Adele Uphaus-Conner | Marine Corps Base Quantico | January 28, 2016

Marine Corps Base Quantico -- “It’s fitting that this mess hall is being named for Staff Sgt. Malachowski because he was hungry,” Lt. Col. Jonathan Sabado, executive officer of Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, said at a dedication of the new building at Weapons Training Battalion aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico Jan. 19. “I don’t mean he was hungry for chow hall food. He was hungry for something deeper that we can all relate to. We all have goals, dreams, and aspirations. Staff Sgt. Malachowski was no different.”

Continue reading "New mess hall at Weapons Training Battalion dedicated to fallen staff sergeant" »

January 26, 2016

Marine Recruiter Wounded In Chattanooga Shooting Receives Purple Heart

Jan 26, 2016 | by Hope Hodge Seck

A Marine Corps recruiter wounded on the job during the deadly mass shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee last July received the Purple Heart medal today.

Continue reading "Marine Recruiter Wounded In Chattanooga Shooting Receives Purple Heart" »

January 21, 2016

Marine Raider awarded Silver Star for heroism in Afghanistan

By Matthew L. Schehl, Marine Corps Times 7:46 p.m. EST January 21, 2016

A Marine Raider has been awarded the nation's third-highest valor award for heroic actions during a 2013 deployment to Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine Raider awarded Silver Star for heroism in Afghanistan" »

December 30, 2015

Marine diagnosed with cancer posts video sharing his story

By Dan Lamothe
The Washington Post
Published: December 30, 2015

WASHINGTON — After a weight-lifting session left him struggling to catch his breath, Marine Staff Sgt. Mark Fayloga made a decision: It was time to visit a doctor and find out what was wrong with him. He'd been struggling with fatigue for months, but chalked it up in part to his long commute from Columbia, Md., to the Pentagon.

Continue reading "Marine diagnosed with cancer posts video sharing his story" »

December 22, 2015

Paralyzed Marine turns to growing sport of sled hockey for rehabilitation, community

By Nicole Kwan Published December 22, 2015 FoxNews.com

When Josh Sweeney stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan in October 2009, the Marine Corps Sergeant lost both legs above the knee. Now, the Purple Heart recipient is an accomplished athlete- scoring the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team’s game-winning goal to earn its third gold medal at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games and receiving the inaugural Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2014 ESPYS. Sweeney’s transition from Marine to injured veteran to team captain is just one example of the positive impact the growth of sled hockey has had on veterans and paralyzed athletes in the past decade.

Continue reading "Paralyzed Marine turns to growing sport of sled hockey for rehabilitation, community" »

December 19, 2015

Meet Hisham Tawfiq, the rising star of 'The Blacklist’

By JACQUELINE CUTLER
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS 10/19/2015 12:11 PM ET

Hisham Tawfiq plays a badass on TV. In real life he’s even tougher.

Continue reading "Meet Hisham Tawfiq, the rising star of 'The Blacklist’" »

December 9, 2015

These 13 Chesty Puller quotes show why Marines will love and respect him forever

by David Nye - Dec 9, 2015 12:58:16 pm

Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller, is a Marine Corps icon who’s known for his quotable quotes nearly as much as his battlefield accomplishments.

Continue reading "These 13 Chesty Puller quotes show why Marines will love and respect him forever" »

December 5, 2015

Twentynine Palms Marine performed with Rascal Flatts

Denise Goolsby, The Desert Sun 1:03 p.m. PST December 5, 2015

A Marine Corps Staff Sgt. is somewhat of a resident celebrity at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms.

Continue reading "Twentynine Palms Marine performed with Rascal Flatts" »

November 15, 2015

Marine killed in WWII's Battle of Tarawa to be buried

Stars and Stripes
Published: November 15, 2015

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — The remains of a Marine who went missing 72 years ago in World War II’s Battle of Tarawa will be buried with full military honors Monday in Denver.

Continue reading "Marine killed in WWII's Battle of Tarawa to be buried" »

Inside the legacy of the oldest living sergeant major of the Marine Corps

By Gidget Fuentes, Special to Military Times 10:24 a.m. EST November 15, 2015

As Marines gather to celebrate the Corps' 240th birthday, chants of "oorah!" are likely to be heard around the world. That iconic battle cry is just one mark of the long-lasting legacy left by the oldest living sergeant major of the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Inside the legacy of the oldest living sergeant major of the Marine Corps" »

November 12, 2015

Friends Bring Marine Corps Ball To Ocean Pines To Honor Veteran

Posted on 11/12/2015 by Bryan Russo

OCEAN PINES – There are few things Ted Rollings enjoys more than going to the annual US Marine Corps ball, but this year, the ball came to him.

Continue reading "Friends Bring Marine Corps Ball To Ocean Pines To Honor Veteran" »

November 11, 2015

Retired Marine the voice behind the 'oorah'

USA TODAY NETWORK Gidget Fuentes, Marine Corps Times 3:33 p.m. EST November 11, 2015

The oldest living sergeant major of the Marine Corps is a legend of sorts.

Continue reading "Retired Marine the voice behind the 'oorah'" »

November 9, 2015

Voices: An enduring hero of Marines' most iconic battle

Jim Michaels, USA TODAY 8:26 p.m. EST November 9, 2015

Crouched in a large shell crater, Marine Capt. Donald Beck gathered what was left of his company’s leaders together as bullets whizzed overhead.

Continue reading "Voices: An enduring hero of Marines' most iconic battle" »

Marines gather to honor fallen brother’s memory

Story by Sgt Grace L. Waladkewics
Date Posted:11.09.2015 12:21

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C.- Marines and family members gathered at a New River Air Station Chapel with heavy hearts to honor the life and service of fallen Staff Sgt. Denver Sugano during a memorial service at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Nov. 4.

Continue reading "Marines gather to honor fallen brother’s memory" »

November 4, 2015

Remains of NY Marine Killed in '43 Pacific Battle Identified

Associated Press | Nov 04, 2015 | by Chris Carola

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Growing up in New York City, twins Michael and James Reilly did everything together. After the U.S. entered World War II, they enlisted in the Marines on the same day. When the leathernecks landed at Tarawa, the brothers were in the same assault wave.

Continue reading "Remains of NY Marine Killed in '43 Pacific Battle Identified" »

November 2, 2015

Rafael Peralta: Warship honoring Marine christened at Maine shipyard

DAVID SHARP, ASSOCIATED PRESS
9:54 AM, Nov 2, 2015 | 10:02 AM, Nov 2, 2015

BATH, Maine (AP) -- First in English, then in Spanish, the mother of a fallen Marine who shielded his comrades from an insurgent's grenade christened a new Navy destroyer in his honor.

Continue reading "Rafael Peralta: Warship honoring Marine christened at Maine shipyard" »

October 31, 2015

Images: USS Rafael Peralta

U.S. Marine Corps photos Sgt. Gabriela Garcia/Released
Date Posted:10.31.2015 22:10

The Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta's family members and friends, the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps were in attendance for the christening of the destroyer which was named after Sgt. Peralta who was killed during the second battle of Fallujah in 2004, Oct. 31, 2015.

Continue reading "Images: USS Rafael Peralta" »

October 28, 2015

Retired gunny honored for completing 439 MCI courses

By Matthew L. Schehl, Staff writer 5:05 p.m. EDT October 28, 2015

A retired gunny has gone on record as being the most-Marine-Corps-Institute-educated devil dog of all time.

Continue reading "Retired gunny honored for completing 439 MCI courses" »

October 24, 2015

Destroyer USS Rafael Peralta, named for Marine killed in Iraq, to be christened

By Beth Brogan
Bangor Daily News, Maine
Published: October 24, 2015

BATH, Maine (Tribune News Service) — The future USS Rafael Peralta, the 35th Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer to be built by Bath Iron Works, will be christened on Oct. 31.

Continue reading "Destroyer USS Rafael Peralta, named for Marine killed in Iraq, to be christened" »

October 23, 2015

Family, friends of F/A-18 pilot killed in UK crash share tributes

By Jennifer Svan and Adam Mathis
Stars and Stripes
Published: October 23, 2015

Maj. Taj Sareen, the Marine Corps pilot killed Wednesday when his F/A-18C Hornet fighter jet crashed near RAF Lakenheath in England, left behind a young daughter and a close-knit family in Hillsborough, Calif.

Continue reading "Family, friends of F/A-18 pilot killed in UK crash share tributes" »

October 22, 2015

Marines Identify Maj. Taj Sareen as Pilot Killed in England Hornet Crash

By: Sam LaGrone
October 22, 2015 8:05 PM

The Marines have identified the pilot who died following a Wednesday fighter crash in England.

Continue reading "Marines Identify Maj. Taj Sareen as Pilot Killed in England Hornet Crash" »

October 20, 2015

Navy to name ship after Medal of Honor recipient Hershel 'Woody' Williams

Tuesday, October 20, 2015
by Elaina Sauber, Putnam County Reporter

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., on Tuesday applauded the Navy for its decision to name a ship after Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams, seen here with Manchin in 2014 after addressing the Marine Corps League National Convention at Embassy Suites. Hershel is the last surviving veteran of the Battle of Iwo Jima to have been awarded a Medal of Honor.

Continue reading "Navy to name ship after Medal of Honor recipient Hershel 'Woody' Williams" »

Retired Marine On Marathon Streak To Raise PTSD Awareness

By John Hanc TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2015, 4:35 PM

Hank can relate to the people he’s running for.

Continue reading "Retired Marine On Marathon Streak To Raise PTSD Awareness" »

October 14, 2015

Marine gets upgrade to Navy Cross 46 years later

By Heath Druzin
Stars and Stripes
Published: October 14, 2015

First, an ancient tape surfaced, then a letter that had been locked away for 40 years. Finally the full picture of Marine Sgt. Kenneth Altazan's bravery on a harrowing day in Vietnam began to emerge.

Continue reading "Marine gets upgrade to Navy Cross 46 years later" »

September 26, 2015

With Honor: Events set for Bonnyman memorial, funeral

WBIR Staff, WBIR6:48 p.m. EDT September 26, 2015

(WBIR - KNOXVILLE) The family of 1st Lt. Alexander "Sandy" Bonnyman, Jr., honored with the Medal of Honor after he was killed during World War II, has scheduled three public events in conjunction with his burial in Knoxville.

Continue reading "With Honor: Events set for Bonnyman memorial, funeral" »

September 25, 2015

Bonnyman's bravery filmed in Oscar-winning documentary

Jim Matheny, WBIR 5:35 p.m. EDT September 25, 2015

(WBIR) East Tennessee has been home to several recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for military valor. However, Lt. Alexander "Sandy" Bonnyman is the only recipient whose heroism and final moments alive can still be seen in stunning video that was recorded during a deadly battle.

Continue reading "Bonnyman's bravery filmed in Oscar-winning documentary" »

September 18, 2015

Pittsburgh Marine receives second Navy Marine Corps Medal

Date Taken:09.11.2015 | Date Posted:09.18.2015 14:31

Master Sgt., the adjutant chief for the 4th Marine Corps District, received the Navy Marine Corps Medal in a ceremony at the Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Sept. 11.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Marine receives second Navy Marine Corps Medal" »

September 5, 2015

Uncle: Fallen Marine was 'one heck of a human being'

By Dianna Cahn
The Virginian-Pilot
Published: September 5, 2015

NORFOLK (Tribune News Service) — The exercise was complex and dangerous, involving rappelling and fast-ropes techniques on a moving helicopter that can enable a Hampton Roads-based anti-terror unit to get into difficult terrain where aircraft might not be able to land.

Continue reading "Uncle: Fallen Marine was 'one heck of a human being'" »

September 1, 2015

Marine women look back on historic combat experiment

By Gretel C. Kovach | 5 p.m. Sept. 1, 2015

Will the Marine Corps fight to keep women out of the infantry? Female Marines who volunteered for research to help the commandant decide that question are eager to find out, along with many others tracking the contentious debate over women in combat.

Continue reading "Marine women look back on historic combat experiment" »

August 31, 2015

Cheerleader's High School Sweetheart Serves In The Marines But Refused To Miss Her First Game

CLAIRE PELTIER
Aug 31, 2015

Over the weekend, the St. Louis Rams hosted a game against the Indianapolis Colts and their stadium, the Edward Jones Dome.

Continue reading "Cheerleader's High School Sweetheart Serves In The Marines But Refused To Miss Her First Game" »

August 30, 2015

Marine who fought in Battle of Guadalcanal dies at 96

By Matthew L. Schehl, Staff writer 9:45 a.m. EDT August 30, 2015

The Marine Corps lost one of its last surviving veterans of the Battle of Guadalcanal this month.

Continue reading "Marine who fought in Battle of Guadalcanal dies at 96" »

August 28, 2015

Army chaplain wins prize to give 9/11 sermon at chapel next to ground zero

By Ula Ilnytzky
Associated Press
Published: August 28, 2015

NEW YORK — An Army chaplain has won a national prize for an original sermon that he will deliver on Sept. 11 at a chapel near ground zero that became a sanctuary of consolation after the terrorist attacks.

Continue reading "Army chaplain wins prize to give 9/11 sermon at chapel next to ground zero" »

August 22, 2015

Foundation hands home over to injured veteran

By Pat Maio | 6 a.m. Aug. 22, 2015 | Updated, 5:04 p.m. | Aug. 21, 2015

FALLBROOK — U.S. Marine Corps. Sgt. Jason Ross was all smiles Friday at a ceremony where the Gary Sinise Foundation handed him the keys to a new home in Fallbrook that a wheelchair-bound double amputee could want.

Continue reading "Foundation hands home over to injured veteran" »

August 18, 2015

Missing Marine's family writes open letter to loved one

Jerick Sablan, (Guam) Pacific Daily News | 9:26 a.m. EDT August 18, 2015

The family of a Marine who went missing while swimming in the Tumon, Guam, area earlier this month has sent an open letter to the 20-year-old service member.

Continue reading "Missing Marine's family writes open letter to loved one" »

August 16, 2015

Sacramento Man, 22, Identified As Marine Who Died After Hike At Camp Lejeune

August 16, 2015 3:22 PM

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Officials have identified the Marine who died after collapsing during a training hike at Camp Lejeune on the North Carolina coast.

Continue reading "Sacramento Man, 22, Identified As Marine Who Died After Hike At Camp Lejeune" »

August 12, 2015

Sculptor unveils likeness of first Marine EOD technician killed in Iraq War

By Kelly Humphrey
Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach
Published: August 12, 2015

EGLIN AFB (Tribune News Service) — According to his widow, Niceville resident Sara Clark, Gunnery Sgt. Michael Clark was a low-key, easy going Marine who didn't like a lot of fuss made over him. On Friday, however, Clark's family and friends gathered at the EOD Memorial Wall to remember him in a unique way.

Continue reading "Sculptor unveils likeness of first Marine EOD technician killed in Iraq War" »

August 9, 2015

Oklahoma Patriot Guard Escorts Marine's Ashes On Trip Home To Georgia

Posted: Aug 09, 2015 8:08 PM CDT Updated: Aug 09, 2015 10:33 PM CDT

TULSA, Oklahoma - Oklahoma's Own helped a Marine reach his final resting place.

Continue reading "Oklahoma Patriot Guard Escorts Marine's Ashes On Trip Home To Georgia" »

Oklahoma Patriot Guard Escorts Marine's Ashes On Trip Home To Georgia

Posted: Aug 09, 2015 8:08 PM CDT Updated: Aug 09, 2015 10:33 PM CDT

TULSA, Oklahoma - Oklahoma's Own helped a Marine reach his final resting place.

Continue reading "Oklahoma Patriot Guard Escorts Marine's Ashes On Trip Home To Georgia" »

August 8, 2015

Healing but scarred: Marine wounded in July 16 attack is back to recruiting

By Shelly Bradbury
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Published: August 8, 2015

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Tribune News Service) — The bullet holes are everywhere inside the Marine recruiting office on Lee Highway.

Continue reading "Healing but scarred: Marine wounded in July 16 attack is back to recruiting" »

August 2, 2015

Wounded Marine completes hand-biking trip across USA

Garrett W. Haake, WUSA-TV, Washington, D.C.11:26 p.m. EDT August 2, 2015

ARLINGTON, Va. — A wounded Marine is getting some much-needed rest after a 63-day journey across America.

Continue reading "Wounded Marine completes hand-biking trip across USA" »

July 31, 2015

Maj. Bambi: Meet The Marine Who Was Disney's Famous Fawn

JULY 31, 2015 4:46 AM ET

Donnie is a hard-nosed Marine, a highly decorated veteran of the Vietnam War who served for a quarter-century. First drafted in the '50s and subsequently promoted 13 times in 21 years — a Corps record at the time, he recalls — Dunagan found the Marines a perfect fit. That is, so long as he could keep a secret.

Continue reading "Maj. Bambi: Meet The Marine Who Was Disney's Famous Fawn" »

Young Marine re-enlists after beating brain cancer

By Matthew M. Burke
Stars and Stripes
Published: July 31, 2015

Jennifer Suarez had the world at her fingertips.

Continue reading "Young Marine re-enlists after beating brain cancer" »

July 30, 2015

Senate confirms Dunford as next Joint Chiefs Chairman

By Leo Shane III, Staff writer 11:08 a.m. EDT July 30, 2015

The Senate confirmed Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday, after a brief dispute between Pentagon leaders and the chamber's leading critic of military sexual assault policy.

Continue reading "Senate confirms Dunford as next Joint Chiefs Chairman" »

July 29, 2015

What I've Learned:

by LCpl Medina Ayala-Lo
Date Posted:07.29.2015 17:31

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Master Sgt. has been in the Marine Corps for 18 years and has been on seven deployments. He has a passion for cars and football and hopes to become the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

Continue reading "What I've Learned: " »

July 22, 2015

Mike Battery is here': After loss, Marines regroup, move forward

July 22nd, 2015
by Shelly Bradburyin Local Regional News Read

The Marines of Mike Battery rolled into Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park early Monday morning in T-shirts and polos, shorts and jeans, unsure of exactly why they'd been called to the park.

Continue reading "Mike Battery is here': After loss, Marines regroup, move forward" »

July 21, 2015

Marine Corps trainee sees man shot, pulls over and stops bleeding

July 21st, 2015
by Eve Baker - staff writer for the Quantico Sentry in Local Regional News

DUMFRIES, Va. — On the afternoon of June 21, 2nd Lt. Matthew George, a student with Charlie Company at The Basic School, which trains Marine officers, was driving on US Route 1 in Dumfries when he witnessed a confrontation along the side of the road. As he drove past a group of people, he heard multiple gunshots ring out, and in his rearview mirror, he saw someone fall to the ground.

Continue reading "Marine Corps trainee sees man shot, pulls over and stops bleeding" »

July 19, 2015

Marine meets women from inspirational recruiting poster

By Cathy Dyson / The Freelance Star
Posted July 19, 2015

One Marine was so inspired by a recruiting poster she saw 20 years ago—of three fresh-faced female Marines—that she joined that branch of the service.

Continue reading "Marine meets women from inspirational recruiting poster" »

July 16, 2015

These Marines Lost Legs in Afghanistan and Now Hunt Child Predators

Jul 16, 2015 | by Richard Sisk

The fist bump was their thing in Afghanistan, where both Marines lost legs in the same attack, and the fist bump is still their thing in the hunt for child predators under a special law enforcement program to train and hire medically retired veterans.

Continue reading "These Marines Lost Legs in Afghanistan and Now Hunt Child Predators" »

July 13, 2015

Marine Travels Across the Country Giving Out Free Hugs to Veterans

BY TIARE DUNLAP 07/13/2015 AT 07:35 PM EDT

Ian knows the anxiety and isolation faced by combat veterans returning from and even years after war – because he's faced it himself.

Continue reading "Marine Travels Across the Country Giving Out Free Hugs to Veterans" »

July 5, 2015

Arizona Corpsman deploys to Middle East

Story by LCpl Garrett White
Date Posted:07.03.2015 10:35

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION - Since June 17, 1889, sailors of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps have been providing lifesaving care to the men and women of the U.S. Marine Corps. Marines have no medical services organic to their branch, but Navy Corpsmen have fought in every clime and place, right along their sides.

Continue reading "Arizona Corpsman deploys to Middle East" »

June 16, 2015

97-year-old retired Marine receives honorary promotion

By Andrew Adams
June 16th, 2015 @ 10:41pm

SALT LAKE CITY — At the age of 97, a retired U.S. Marine finally received the promotion many of his colleagues said he deserved.

Continue reading "97-year-old retired Marine receives honorary promotion" »

June 11, 2015

‘I saw only one thing in their eyes: courage’

By Jennifer Hlad
Stars and Stripes
Published: June 11, 2015

When the bomb exploded, Navy Chief Petty Officer Justin Wilson didn’t run away.

Continue reading "‘I saw only one thing in their eyes: courage’" »

‘He would never leave a Marine behind’

By John Vandiver
Stars and Stripes
Published: June 11, 2015

The target was an expert bomb maker, suspected of killing numerous U.S. and NATO troops in western Afghanistan.

Continue reading "‘He would never leave a Marine behind’" »

May 27, 2015

Bible verse sends former Marine back to court

By Andrew Tilghman , Staff writer 1:36 p.m. EDT May 27, 2015

Is posting a Bible verse on a desktop computer in a military workplace an act protected under the Constitution as a free expression of religion?

Continue reading "Bible verse sends former Marine back to court" »

Thief Steals Gold Star Mom’s Commemorative Jacket, Bracelets

May 27, 2015 As seen on America's Newsroom

The mother of a fallen U.S. Marine is asking for help after someone stole a priceless jacket and bracelets that commemorated her son.

Continue reading "Thief Steals Gold Star Mom’s Commemorative Jacket, Bracelets" »

May 26, 2015

Marine court-martialed for refusing to remove Bible verse

By Todd Starnes Published May 26, 2015 FoxNews.com

A United States Marine was convicted at a court-martial for refusing to remove a Bible verse on her computer – a verse of Scripture the military determined “could easily be seen as contrary to good order and discipline.”

Continue reading "Marine court-martialed for refusing to remove Bible verse" »

May 22, 2015

Second Marine killed in Hawaii Osprey crash identified

By Gina Harkins, Staff writer 1:58 p.m. EDT May 22, 2015
UPDATE: Marine officials released a correction on Lance Cpl. Matthew Determan's hometown on May 22.

Corps officials have identified the second Marine to die as a result of Sunday's MV-22B Osprey crash as Lance Cpl. Matthew J. Determan of Ahwatukee, Arizona.

Continue reading "Second Marine killed in Hawaii Osprey crash identified" »

May 4, 2015

Deraps 5K earns funds for 7th year of college scholarships

By Camal Petro
Monday, May 4, 2015

JAMESTOWN — The Deraps family held their seventh annual L.Cpl. Leon B. Deraps Memorial Scholarship Fund 5K Walk/Run/Ride Saturday morning, raising money to help local high school students pay for college. So far, they’ve raised more than $30,000 for 25 to 30 students in the last seven years according to Dale Deraps, Leon Deraps’ father.

Continue reading "Deraps 5K earns funds for 7th year of college scholarships" »

April 25, 2015

Vietnam Veteran receives medals 47 years later

By Tiffany Liou
Published: April 25, 2015, 5:38 pm

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (KWQC) – After 47 years, a Vietnam veteran from Sterling, Illinois received his wartime medals for the first time. This comes decades later, as he took an early discharge to care for his ill father.

Continue reading "Vietnam Veteran receives medals 47 years later" »

April 10, 2015

Blue Angels' first female pilot takes flight

APRIL 10, 2015, 8:17 AM
CBS News

When military aviation buffs pack into the Marine Corps Beaufort Air Show in South Carolina, they'll be wowed by the Navy's Blue Angels. But a new kind of history will also take flight in the team: a woman in the cockpit. U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Katie Higgins is the first female pilot in the team's 69-year history. Michelle Miller took to the sky to see how Higgins got her wings.

Continue reading "Blue Angels' first female pilot takes flight" »

April 8, 2015

Gunnery sergeant to receive Navy Cross for Afghanistan valor

The Associated Press
Published: April 8, 2015

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The Marine Corps said Tuesday that a gunnery sergeant will receive the service's second-highest award for enduring heavy assault in Afghanistan while his team leader and another Marine were ushered to safety after being shot and seriously wounded.

Continue reading "Gunnery sergeant to receive Navy Cross for Afghanistan valor" »

March 27, 2015

A final salute for Michigan Marine killed in chopper crash

By Christina Hall
Detroit Free Press (Tribune News Service)
Published: March 27, 2015

When Marine Staff Sgt. Marcus Bawol came home to Detroit to visit family, he attended mass in his uniform — proud to be serving his country.

Continue reading "A final salute for Michigan Marine killed in chopper crash" »

March 20, 2015

MARSOC corpsman awarded Silver Star Medal

Story by Sgt Donovan Lee
Date Posted:03.20.2015 17:27

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin D. Baskin, a special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman with 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, was awarded the Silver Star Medal during a ceremony at Stone Bay aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 20, for his actions in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "MARSOC corpsman awarded Silver Star Medal" »

March 17, 2015

Video: Women's History Month 2015, milestones in female military aviation

by Cpl Michael Thorn
Date Posted:03.17.2015 6:03PM

MCAS Miramar and 3rd MAW commemorate Women's History Month through the accomplishments of female aviators in the military.

Continue reading "Video: Women's History Month 2015, milestones in female military aviation" »

March 15, 2015

A Few Good Women

2015 Mar 15
by Correspondant David Martin
The following is a script from "A Few Good Women" which aired on March 15, 2015. David Martin is the correspondent. Mary Walsh, producer.

Remember that old recruiting ad the Marines are "...looking for a few good men?" Well, now they're looking for a few good women as well. The Armed Services have been ordered to open all their ground combat units to women by the end of this year - or else give the secretary of defense a good reason why not.

Continue reading "A Few Good Women" »

March 12, 2015

Can’t keep a Darkhorse down: A story of overcoming adversity

Story by PFC Alvin Pujols
Date Taken:03.10.2015 | Date Posted:03.12.2015 11:01

After taking the reins in Sangin District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, began a hard-fought battle. By the time their tour ended in April 2011, the Marines of the battalion suffered the highest casualty rate of any U.S. Marine unit during the past 10 years of Operation Enduring Freedom, losing 25 Marines and incurring 184 casualties.

Continue reading "Can’t keep a Darkhorse down: A story of overcoming adversity" »

Video: MCAS Iwakuni Celebrates Women's History Month 2015

by LCpl Lupe Campos
Date Taken:03.11.2015 | Date Posted:03.12.2015 4:59AM

March is the annual observance of Women's History Month, dedicated to commemorating and celebrating women in the United States of America. Since the beginning of our nation's history, women have played a significant part our military. Continue to view highlights of a few women in the United States Marine Corps' history, past and present.

Continue reading "Video: MCAS Iwakuni Celebrates Women's History Month 2015" »

Okinawa prefectural police, Marine investigators express appreciation for keeping Okinawa safe

Story by LCpl Brittany A. James
Date Posted:03.12.2015 20:37

OKINAWA CITY, Japan - Marines and a Japanese civilian employee with the Criminal Investigation Division of the Camp Foster Provost Marshal’s Office received letters of appreciation Feb. 20 during a ceremony at the Okinawa City Police Station, Okinawa Prefectural Police Department.

Continue reading "Okinawa prefectural police, Marine investigators express appreciation for keeping Okinawa safe" »

March 5, 2015

British soldier awarded Victoria Cross for saving Marine

Oriana Pawlyk, Military Times 2:02 a.m. EST March 5, 2015

A British soldier received his country's highest military award for valor for heroic actions in Afghanistan that saved the life of a Marine infantry officer.

Continue reading "British soldier awarded Victoria Cross for saving Marine" »

March 4, 2015

24th MEU Marine in footsteps of father

Story by Sgt Devin Nichols
Date Posted:03.04.2015 06:41

USS FORT MCHENRY– Parents often share special bonds with their children, creating relationships that are close and certain. Fathers and sons, in particular, might enjoy playing catch, watching their favorite football team or restoring a car together. Sergeant Cody L. Olson, an M1A1 Abrams main battle tank technician with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, shares a special bond with his father, Richard—they both belong to the same “gun club.”

Continue reading "24th MEU Marine in footsteps of father" »

March 2, 2015

From Sudanese Refugee to US Marine

Story by Cpl Martin Egnash
Date Posted:03.02.2015 15:35

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Staff Sgt. Kon Biliu is originally from South Sudan. As a young man, he moved along with his family to Yemen where his father taught in high school. In the year 1999 his father lost his job as a teacher and they could not go back home to Sudan due to the ongoing civil war. They had no home country; nowhere to go. They were refugees. But that was all about to change.

Continue reading "From Sudanese Refugee to US Marine" »

February 28, 2015

Homeless Oklahoma Veteran’s Dying Wish to Be Granted

POSTED 11:52 AM, FEBRUARY 28, 2015, UPDATED AT 11:54AM, FEBRUARY 28, 2015
BY TRACY BLOOM

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only three weeks to live, a beloved Marine had one last wish: to be buried in uniform, along with a Marine Corps flag.

Continue reading "Homeless Oklahoma Veteran’s Dying Wish to Be Granted" »

February 21, 2015

Post of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps changes hands

Story by Cpl Cuong L
Date Posted:02.20.2015 15:09

FORT GEORGE G. Meade, Md. -- The 17th Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Micheal Barrett relinquished his post to the 18th Sgt. Maj. Ronald Green on Feb. 20, 2015, at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.

Continue reading "Post of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps changes hands" »

February 20, 2015

‘Zero room for error,’ 2nd MAW Harrier pilot earns Air Medal

Story by Cpl Grace L. Waladkewics
Date Taken:02.12.2015| Date Posted:02.20.2015 08:43

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Capt. William Mahoney took off from the flight deck of the USS Bataan one day in June 2014 expecting nothing more than a routine flight, though there is nothing strictly routine about launching from or landing aboard a moving 840 foot runway at sea.

Continue reading "‘Zero room for error,’ 2nd MAW Harrier pilot earns Air Medal" »

February 17, 2015

American –Thai U.S. Marine builds community in Thailand during CG 15

Story by Cpl Ricardo Hurtado
Date Posted:02.17.2015 10:51

LOP BURI, Thailand - Exercise Cobra Gold has taken place in Thailand for the past 33 years. During its 34th iteration, Cobra Gold 2015 focuses on humanitarian civic action, community engagement and medical activities to support the needs and humanitarian interests of civilian populations in the region. This year, the 24 participating nations are working together to advance regional security and practicing effective responses to crises in the area.

Continue reading "American –Thai U.S. Marine builds community in Thailand during CG 15" »

February 14, 2015

Marine veteran finds healing through throwing

By Nate Gotlieb
The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
Published: February 14, 2015

MANKATO, Minn. (Tribune News Service) — Physically, Joshua Jablon appeared unhurt. But mentally, he was deteriorating.

Continue reading "Marine veteran finds healing through throwing" »

February 12, 2015

Why a Capitol Police Officer gave her beloved dog to a U.S. Marine

POSTED 12:21 AM, FEBRUARY 12, 2015
BY WEB STAFF, UPDATED AT 08:09AM, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

RICHMOND, Va. – Spike is a member of the K-9 patrol with the Virginia Capitol Police. Sweet as he is though, Spike, is also a heartbreaker. He didn’t mean to be – he just got caught in a love triangle. At the State Capitol in Richmond on Wednesday Spike was reunited with U.S. Marine Jared Heine. They hadn’t seen each other in three years.

Continue reading "Why a Capitol Police Officer gave her beloved dog to a U.S. Marine" »

February 3, 2015

N.J. Marine killed in Vietnam will get posthumous Purple Heart

By Katie Lannan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on February 03, 2015 at 8:30 AM, updated February 05, 2015 at 12:16 PM

ELIZABETH — A Marine first lieutenant who landed his aircraft under heavy enemy fire to rescue four of his fellow Marines will be honored posthumously with a Purple Heart on Saturday.

Continue reading "N.J. Marine killed in Vietnam will get posthumous Purple Heart" »

January 31, 2015

Study examines impact of service dogs on veterans with PTSD

By Matthew M. Burke
Stars and Stripes
Published: January 31, 2015

Retired Marine and lifelong New Yorker Matthew Raible knows that service dogs save lives.

Continue reading "Study examines impact of service dogs on veterans with PTSD" »

January 27, 2015

This Marine Was The ‘American Sniper’ Of The Vietnam War

BLAKE STILWELL, WE ARE THE MIGHTY
JAN. 27, 2015, 10:35 AM
This article originally appeared at We Are The Mighty. Copyright 2015.

Long before Chris Kyle penned “American Sniper,” Carlos Hathcock was already a legend.

Continue reading "This Marine Was The ‘American Sniper’ Of The Vietnam War" »

January 25, 2015

Marines name pilots killed in helicopter crash

Posted 12:01 PM, January 25, 2015, Updated at 04:52PM, January 25, 2015
By FOX 5 Digital Team

SAN DIEGO – The identities of the two Camp Pendleton Marines killed in a helicopter crash in Twentynine Palms were released Sunday.

Continue reading "Marines name pilots killed in helicopter crash" »

January 21, 2015

Fern Creek Marine ROTC instructor awarded Purple Heart

Posted: Jan 14, 2015 5:32 PM CST
Updated: Jan 21, 2015 5:32 PM CST
By Charles GazawayCONNECT

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A instructor at a JCPS high school has received an overdue honor.

Continue reading "Fern Creek Marine ROTC instructor awarded Purple Heart" »

January 14, 2015

Warrior Wednesday: Marine from Post Falls, Idaho

by Sgt Emmanuel Ramos
Date Taken:01.13.2015 | Date Posted:01.14.2015 2:27AM

One Marine, from Post Falls, Idaho, inspired by his father, enlisted in the Marine Corps to make a difference and is a team leader with Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Continue reading "Warrior Wednesday: Marine from Post Falls, Idaho" »

January 8, 2015

VMM-262 passes the sword [Image 1 of 2]

by PFC Juan Esqueda
Date Posted:01.08.2015 04:12

A post and relief ceremony Jan. 8 on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. Sgt. Maj. Devon A. Lee passed his responsibilities as the squadron sergeant major to Sgt. Maj. Timonthy J. Rudd.

Continue reading "VMM-262 passes the sword [Image 1 of 2]" »

Marines jump in to help woman confronted by robbers

Posted: 7:00 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015
By David Ham
KIRO-TV - Seattle

Three U.S. Marine Corps recruiters said they heard repeated honking from inside their office on Tuesday around 5:00 p.m. -- when they ran out to see what was going on.

Continue reading "Marines jump in to help woman confronted by robbers" »

December 26, 2014

Afghan interpreter finds refuge at Marine's home

By Barbara Brotman
Chicago Tribune
Published: December 26, 2014

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Tribune News Service) -- Every morning, Dinar sits in a folding chair in a second floor bedroom of a house in this university town and Skypes with his family a world away.

Continue reading "Afghan interpreter finds refuge at Marine's home" »

December 9, 2014

Pittsburgh Marine earns honor graduate distinction at Officer Candidate Course

Story by Sgt Pedro Cardenas
Date Posted:12.09.2014 07:1

PITTSBURGH - Marine officers exemplify the phrase Ductus Exemplo, Latin for “Leadership by Example.” Some find the task of becoming an officer impossible and are dropped from the course. While others like Staff Sgt. James J.W. Geiger, embrace the challenge.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Marine earns honor graduate distinction at Officer Candidate Course" »

November 21, 2014

Paralyzed Marine with robotic exoskeleton receives Bronze Star with V

By Jennifer Hlad
Stars and Stripes
Published: November 21, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – When Capt. Derek Herrera was called to stand in the place of honor Friday at his retirement ceremony, he pressed buttons on what appeared to be a wristwatch as a fellow Marine came to his aid.

Continue reading "Paralyzed Marine with robotic exoskeleton receives Bronze Star with V" »

MARSOC Marine Retires, Receives Bronze Star Medal

Story by Cpl Ricardo Hurtado
Date Posted:11.21.2014 18:41

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines with 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, friends and family members gathered to witness Capt. Derek Herrera, a special operations officer, accept the Bronze Star with combat V for heroism and medically retire from the Marine Corps, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Nov. 21, 2014.

Continue reading "MARSOC Marine Retires, Receives Bronze Star Medal" »

Remembering Greeley: The Marine who carried his flag to Iwo Jima

Story by Sgt Reece Lodder
Date Posted: 11.20.2014 13:07

BELLEVUE, Wash. - Few events in Marine Corps history are storied as the iconic flag raising on Mt. Suribachi during World War II’s Battle of Iwo Jima. The quiet event, starkly contrasting the bloody battle that claimed lives of a third of the war’s fallen Marines, later marked a deafening Allied victory and powerfully symbolized the resolve of a nation at war.

Continue reading "Remembering Greeley: The Marine who carried his flag to Iwo Jima" »

November 20, 2014

MARSOC corpsman to get Navy Cross for braving bombs to save Marines

By Hope Hodge Seck, Staff writer 2:03 p.m. EST November 20, 2014

A Navy corpsman attached to the Marines' elite special operations unit will receive the services' second-highest award for valor for working heroically and selflessly to treat wounded Marines in Afghanistan after he himself was wounded by a makeshift bomb.

Continue reading "MARSOC corpsman to get Navy Cross for braving bombs to save Marines" »

November 18, 2014

Hagel Visits Female Marines Training for Combat Roles

Nov 18, 2014 | by Richard Sisk

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel traveled to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to meet the female Marines who are seeking roles in the infantry, armor and artillery that previously were restricted to men.

Continue reading "Hagel Visits Female Marines Training for Combat Roles" »

November 17, 2014

Don't call me 'POG': The push to end the Corps' most damaging divide

By Hope Hodge Seck, Staff writer4:40 p.m. EST November 17, 2014

Gunnery Sgt. Hector Vicente has 20 years of Marine Corps experiences under his belt, but what he heard one morning from his junior Marines made him wonder how well he knew the Corps.

Continue reading "Don't call me 'POG': The push to end the Corps' most damaging divide" »

November 11, 2014

Marine's missing ring found by Florida cyclist

Posted: Nov 11, 2014 5:57 AM CST
Updated: Nov 11, 2014 5:57 AM CS

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (AP) - A Marine's missing ring that was found on a bike ride in southwest Florida is on its way back to its owner.

Continue reading "Marine's missing ring found by Florida cyclist" »

November 8, 2014

Veterans know about honor off and on the field

Nick Popaditch 05:00p.m. Nov 8, 2014

Some might say that for San Diego, with its strong military presence, every day is Veterans Day. But Tuesday, the 11th day of the 11th month, marks the day that the entire nation celebrates U.S. veterans. Here, two local veterans write about the benefits and challenges of military service.

Continue reading "Veterans know about honor off and on the field" »

November 7, 2014

Marine receives heroism award

By Adelina Colbert - [email protected]
Published: Friday, November 7, 2014 at 04:41 PM

A local Marine was awarded with second highest non-combat award for heroism Friday for saving the life of another Marine last year.

Continue reading "Marine receives heroism award" »

November 6, 2014

Mother of fallen Marine creates full-length ballet tribute to his life

By Hope Hodge Seck, Staff writer 1:58 p.m. EST November 6, 2014

When theatergoers attend a performance of the ballet "Colin" at Virginia's Hylton Performing Arts Center this weekend, among the first performers they'll see are two real active-duty Marines, clad in their dress blue uniforms.

Continue reading "Mother of fallen Marine creates full-length ballet tribute to his life" »

November 3, 2014

Continuing the LeJeune Legacy

Story by Sgt Lucas Vega
Date Posted:11.03.2014 14:46

NORMAN, Okla. - Ayden J. Lejeune, whose great-great-great uncle is the former 13th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, Lt. Gen. John A. Lejeune, leaves to Marine Corps Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Nov. 3.

Continue reading "Continuing the LeJeune Legacy" »

October 31, 2014

Mexican Court Orders US Marine Reservist Released

October 31, 2014
By ABC NEWS

U.S. Marine reservist Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, jailed in Mexico on gun charges since March, was ordered released by a judge in Mexico on Friday, according to documents released by the court.

Continue reading "Mexican Court Orders US Marine Reservist Released" »

October 28, 2014

A marine gets the gift of a lifetime, and the keys to his future

POSTED 7:04 PM, OCTOBER 28, 2014
BY JIM ALTMAN, UPDATED AT 07:06PM, OCTOBER 28, 2014

BROOKLYN–He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and now the community is serving him. Marine Pfc. Robert Vardaro was injured in three separate IED attacks while on combat missions in Afghanistan, and, as he continues to heal from the brain injuries he sustained, he has been given the keys to a new life.

Continue reading "A marine gets the gift of a lifetime, and the keys to his future" »

October 26, 2014

24th MEU Marine runs MCM aboard warship at sea

Story 1st Lt. Joshua Larson
Date Posted:10.26.2014 21:17

USS NEW YORK, At Sea - He was perhaps the very first finisher of the 39th Marine Corps Marathon, but he didn’t finish anywhere near Arlington, Virginia. Instead, he finished at sea aboard the USS New York - on a treadmill.

Continue reading "24th MEU Marine runs MCM aboard warship at sea" »

October 23, 2014

Fallen Marine awarded Bronze Star for heroism in 'Operation Nightmare'

Oct. 23, 2014 - 11:36AM
By Hope Hodge Seck

The family of fallen Marine Sgt. Daniel Vasselian accepted his Bronze Star with combat “V” device last week for heroism in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Fallen Marine awarded Bronze Star for heroism in 'Operation Nightmare'" »

October 20, 2014

Nilsson retires following 30 years of service

Story by Cpl Grace L. Waladkewics
Date Taken:10.17.2014 | Date Posted:10.20.2014 17:14

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Sgt. Maj. Lisa K. Nilsson retired from her post as sergeant major of Marine Air Control Group 28 during a retirement ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Oct. 17.

Continue reading "Nilsson retires following 30 years of service" »

October 17, 2014

Family looks to return Marine Corps ring to it's owner

Published: Oct 17, 2014 4:18 PM EDT
Updated: Oct 17, 2014 6:33 PM EDT

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- It's a story you'll see only on WINK News. A mystery in Cape Coral. We all know that sinking feeling when something we value goes missing. Today, what was lost is now found, except for the object's owner.

Continue reading "Family looks to return Marine Corps ring to it's owner" »

October 14, 2014

Marine Corps Heroes: Col. Jay R. Vargas (Retired)

By Cpl. Shaltiel Dominguez | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | October 14, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. --
As Hispanic-American Heritage month draws to a close, we take the time to recognize retired Col. Jay R. Vargas in a fictional account between a veteran Marine and a reporter, using historical information to retell his story of leadership and courage in the face of fire

Continue reading "Marine Corps Heroes: Col. Jay R. Vargas (Retired)" »

The Amos legacy: How the first aviator commandant will be remembered

By Hope Hodge Seck
Oct. 14, 2014 - 06:00AM

As Gen. Jim Amos neared the start of his final year leading the Marine Corps, his staff at the Pentagon asked a select group of senior officers for suggestions on how he and the service could improve.

Continue reading "The Amos legacy: How the first aviator commandant will be remembered" »

Marine runs, rides her way through recovery

October 14th, 2012 // By Sgt. Priscilla Sneden

Gunnery Sgt. Barbra Brown joined the Marine Corps in 1994. She spent the next 16 years dedicating her life to her family and the Corps. What she didn’t know was those experiences were preparing her to face the biggest challenge of her life.

Continue reading "Marine runs, rides her way through recovery" »

October 7, 2014

Search suspended for Marine missing in Guam

Oct. 2, 2014 - 03:07PM
By Kyle Daly
(Hagatna, Guam) Pacific Daily News

Search efforts for a Marine who went missing last week while swimming off the coast of Tinian were suspended Wednesday morning.

Continue reading "Search suspended for Marine missing in Guam" »

October 6, 2014

Marine Lost at Sea Was Living Dream: Father

The Navy called off the search for Cpl. Jordan L. Spears, 21, on Thursday
By Vanessa Herrera
Monday, Oct 6, 2014 • Updated at 4:13 PM PDT

The father of a Marine corporal presumed dead at sea says it was his son’s childhood dream to serve.

Continue reading "Marine Lost at Sea Was Living Dream: Father" »

October 3, 2014

Three women pass grueling endurance test at Marine Infantry Officer Course

Oct. 3, 2014 - 06:00AM
Staff report

Three women have passed the grueling Combat Endurance Test on the first day of the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course, officials told Marine Corps Times Friday morning.

Continue reading "Three women pass grueling endurance test at Marine Infantry Officer Course" »

September 27, 2014

Families question loss as new Mideast crisis emerges

Sep. 27, 2014 - 10:04AM | By Gina Harkins | Staff writer

A Marine four-star general who lost a son in Afghanistan said the renewed crisis in Iraq has led some anguished Gold Star families to ask him a heart-wrenching question: Was their loss worth it?/

Continue reading "Families question loss as new Mideast crisis emerges" »

September 19, 2014

Silver Star for Doc who fought to save Marine

Navy hospital corpsman repelled machine gun fire in Sangin, Afghanistan
By Gretel C. Kovach10:10 A.M.SEPT. 19, 2014Updated6:58 P.M.

CAMP PENDLETON — When “Doc” Kong saw a Marine drop from a shot to the chest, he didn’t hesitate.

Continue reading "Silver Star for Doc who fought to save Marine" »

September 18, 2014

Marine sergeant and friends bag record-setting alligator

Story by Joshua Stewart
Sep. 18, 2014 - 02:30 PM

The next time Sgt. Jesse Phillips has to train in the swamp, he’ll be all too familiar with the type of beasts that might be slithering around his boots.

Continue reading "Marine sergeant and friends bag record-setting alligator" »

September 14, 2014

MARSOC vet relives elite Marines' fight for survival in Afghan wasteland

By Andrew deGrandpre - Staff writer
Sep. 14, 2014 - 06:00AM

PIKE NATIONAL FOREST, COLO. — It’s a rare individual who can, in one breath, wax poetic about his bar band’s adaptation of Pink Floyd’s early psychedelia and, in the very next, deconstruct his Marine special operations team’s quixotic foray in Afghanistan’s hopeless Bala Murghab valley. But Michael Golembesky is just that sort of dude.

Continue reading "MARSOC vet relives elite Marines' fight for survival in Afghan wasteland" »

September 3, 2014

Sketching the Marines During Live-Fire Training

By Richard Johnson
The Washington Post
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
(Published in print: Thursday, September 4, 2014)

Quantico, Va. — Recently I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to join Col. Craig Streeter, former Marine Cobra Pilot and latest poor soul to wear the hat of USMC Combat Artist, while he spent a couple of days warming up his skills before he heads for Afghanistan shortly to continue a proud tradition: documenting the experience of war through art. USMC Combat Artist Mike Fay, illustrator/war artist Victor Juhasz and myself were there to give a little support to his endeavor and as much advice as we could on operating as an artist in a hostile environment. I was brushing up, too. I’m heading to Afghanistan myself in a few days to spend some time with the U.S. International Security Assistance Force troops overseeing the end of combat.

Continue reading "Sketching the Marines During Live-Fire Training" »

August 29, 2014

Retired Marine Assigns Himself To A Post; Town Show It’s Respect

By Steve Straub August 29, 2014

I love it when citizens step up to the plate to help their communities. This retired Marine definitely has the right spirit!

Continue reading "Retired Marine Assigns Himself To A Post; Town Show It’s Respect" »

August 27, 2014

Edson Range brings in 2nd female PMI in history

By Cpl. Tyler Viglione | Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego | August 27, 2014

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., - Marines are all trained to be riflemen from the beginning of recruit training, and it takes talented instructors to teach rifle fundamentals. One Marine at Edson Range holds the honor of being the second female to hold this important position, in the historically male dominant role.

Continue reading "Edson Range brings in 2nd female PMI in history" »

Lejeune mess hall dedicated to Marines who died stopping bomb truck

By Hope Hodge Seck
Aug. 27, 2014 - 05:41PM

Two Marines who earned posthumous Navy Crosses for standing in the way of a truck filled with explosives in Iraq will be honored in the renaming of a mess hall on the base they called home.

Continue reading "Lejeune mess hall dedicated to Marines who died stopping bomb truck" »

August 12, 2014

Greeley, Colorado, native receives meritorious promotion while deployed to Afghanistan

Story by Sgt Jessica Ostroska
Date Posted:08.12.2014 02:12

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Former U.S. senator, Olympic gold medalist and professional NBA athlete Bill Bradley once said, “Ambition is the path to success, and persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”

Continue reading "Greeley, Colorado, native receives meritorious promotion while deployed to Afghanistan" »

August 10, 2014

To continue Audubon Park, Camden County officials welcome home U.S. Marine from Afghanistan

By Greg Adomaitis | South Jersey Times
on August 10, 2014 at 11:00 AM, updated August 10, 2014 at 2:50 PM

When was the last time you took time to appreciate that big tree in the front yard or the lush grass out back?

Continue reading "To continue Audubon Park, Camden County officials welcome home U.S. Marine from Afghanistan" »

July 31, 2014

Marine from Camp Pendleton posthumously awarded Silver Star

By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times
Published: July 31, 2014

A Marine from Camp Pendleton who was killed in Afghanistan has been posthumously awarded the Silver Star for bravery.

Continue reading "Marine from Camp Pendleton posthumously awarded Silver Star" »

July 23, 2014

8 awarded Purple Heart for action in Afghanistan

By Matthew Adkins - [email protected]
Published: Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 12:10 PM.

Eight military service members from the 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment received Purple Heart medals Wednesday at Camp Lejeune for their actions during their recent deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Continue reading "8 awarded Purple Heart for action in Afghanistan" »

July 22, 2014

Marine Completes 90-pound Weight Loss

Jul 22, 2014
American Forces Press Service | by Cpl. Tyler Viglione

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. – For many potential recruits, enlisting in the Marine Corps is as easy as talking to a recruiter. But for some, it takes some willpower.

Continue reading "Marine Completes 90-pound Weight Loss" »

July 19, 2014

After 2 years aboard PI, Marine finishes MCT as honor graduate

By Gina Harkins | Staff writer
Jul. 19, 2014 - 02:32PM

Lance Cpl. Tallia Goodale got the typical 10 days of leave all new Marines get after boot camp,but when it was over, she had to go back to the training depot.

Continue reading "After 2 years aboard PI, Marine finishes MCT as honor graduate" »

July 13, 2014

Joe Dunford to inherit Marine Corps in flux

By PHILIP EWING | 7/13/14 9:36 PM EDT

Many leathernecks might argue there’s no such thing as a bad day inside the United States Marine Corps — but even they might also admit there have been better times than this.

Continue reading "Joe Dunford to inherit Marine Corps in flux " »

July 4, 2014

Returning Marine greeted with a grand old surprise

by Dustin Racioppi, USA TODAY
Jul. 4, 2014

BRICK, N.J. -- The mystery unfurled here over eight months.

Continue reading "Returning Marine greeted with a grand old surprise" »

'Heart of a lion': Quadruple amputee Afghanistan vet prepares for arm transplant

By Jennifer Griffin
Published July 04, 2014
FoxNews.com

Marine Sgt. John Peck is one of very few quadruple amputees to survive the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now he is preparing for his next mission: an experimental double-arm transplant that will give him, in part, his freedom back.

Continue reading "'Heart of a lion': Quadruple amputee Afghanistan vet prepares for arm transplant" »

July 2, 2014

MARSOC Marine posthumously awarded Bronze Star for actions in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl Donovan Lee
Date Taken:06.30.2014 | Date Posted:07.02.2014 13:30

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – A critical skills operator with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command was remembered and awarded during a ceremony at Stone Bay aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 30.

Continue reading "MARSOC Marine posthumously awarded Bronze Star for actions in Afghanistan" »

June 22, 2014

Cleveland area Marine reunites with combat dog

Posted: Sunday, June 22, 2014 9:34 am | Updated: 9:38 am, Sun Jun 22, 2014.

By VANESA BRASHIER

He was afraid she wouldn’t recognize him. Standing in the arrivals gate at Houston Hobby Airport on Saturday, Marine Cpl. Joaquin Aranda shifted nervously back and forth from one foot to another.

Continue reading "Cleveland area Marine reunites with combat dog" »

June 20, 2014

New Marine spends two years on Parris Island

Story Cpl MaryAnn Hill
Date Posted:06.20.2014 15:19

PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. – A knee injury stopped her from leaving, and eight months of poor health followed by two major surgeries kept her on Parris Island for over two years.

Continue reading "New Marine spends two years on Parris Island" »

June 11, 2014

MARSOC Marine to receive Navy Cross

By MARSOC Public Affairs
Published: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 16:31 PM.

Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan W. Gifford, with 2d Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, will be posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions while deployed to Afghanistan in 2012.

Continue reading " MARSOC Marine to receive Navy Cross" »

June 7, 2014

Family adopts Marine dog that was with their son when he was killed

By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times
Published: June 7, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON - In a brief but poignant ceremony Saturday, a bomb-sniffing dog was declared retired and officially adopted by the family of his Marine handler who was killed in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Family adopts Marine dog that was with their son when he was killed" »

May 31, 2014

Marine's final battle: Years of fighting PTSD, brain injury end in postwar casualty

By Tom Charlier
Published: May 31, 2014

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — That very first kill haunted him most. There were many others, to be sure, but long after he’d returned to Memphis from three deployments with the Marines, Paul Oliver voiced the greatest pain while recounting his lethal encounter with an Iraqi insurgent who ignored a command to disarm and raised his rifle.

Continue reading "Marine's final battle: Years of fighting PTSD, brain injury end in postwar casualty" »

May 28, 2014

Marine to get Medal of Honor for blocking grenade; has Gainesville connections

By The Associated Press
Posted: Wednesday, May 28th 2014 at 7:30pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cpl. Kyle Carpenter remembers lying on his back on a rooftop in Marjah, Afghanistan, crammed up against sandbags alongside his friend and fellow Marine, Lance Cpl. Nicholas Eufrazio.

Continue reading "Marine to get Medal of Honor for blocking grenade; has Gainesville connections" »

May 26, 2014

Battle-scarred corpsman becomes Marine officer

He feels proud to return to the fight

By Meghann Myers
Staff writer
May. 26, 2014 - 03:37PM

It’s not often you see a midshipman hustling down Stribling Walk to get to class with a Combat Action Ribbon and a Purple Heart pinned to his dress uniform, but that was the last four years for Marine 2nd Lt. Jefferson Talicuran.

Continue reading "Battle-scarred corpsman becomes Marine officer" »

May 22, 2014

Marine general talks Afghanistan

Q & A with Brig. Gen. Daniel Yoo, southwest NATO commander

By Gretel C. Kovach
4 a.m.May 22, 2014

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Marine Brig. Gen. Daniel Yoo is slated to be the last coalition commander in southwestern Afghanistan, an impoverished Taliban stronghold checkered with illicit poppy plots. The former head of Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego took charge of Helmand and Nimruz provinces in February, at the helm of Marine Expeditionary Brigade – Afghanistan and NATO’s regional command.

Continue reading "Marine general talks Afghanistan" »

May 20, 2014

Marine Corps awards medal for heroism to local Reserve Marine

By Cpl. Kirstin Rodgers | U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve | May 20, 2014

NAVAL AIR STATION JOINT RESERVE BASE FORT WORTH, Texas --

A Marine was awarded the nation’s second highest award Sunday for a life-threatening act of heroism, in a ceremony here.

Continue reading "Marine Corps awards medal for heroism to local Reserve Marine" »

May 19, 2014

It's official: Medal of Honor for Marine Kyle Carpenter

By James K. Sanborn | Staff writer
May. 19, 2014 - 05:24PM

Retired Marine Cpl. Kyle Carpenter, 24, will receive the Medal of Honor for heroism in Afghanistan in 2010, the White House announced today. He will become only the second living Marine to receive the award for actions during the Global War on Terrorism.

Continue reading "It's official: Medal of Honor for Marine Kyle Carpenter" »

May 10, 2014

Meet Steel, the Marines’ morale dog in Afghanistan

May 10th, 2014 | Posted by Hope Hodge Seck

Not all working dogs in Afghanistan sniff explosives or walk patrols.

Continue reading "Meet Steel, the Marines’ morale dog in Afghanistan" »

May 8, 2014

MALS-14 Marine crowned Ordnance Marine of the Year

Story by LCpl Andrea Cleopatra
Date Posted:05.08.2014 09:16

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - It is initiative that proved vital in the success of Sgt. Jason Connolly, an aviation ordnance systems technician with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 14. He recently earned the Marine Corps Aviation Association’s Ordnance Marine of the Year Award.

Continue reading "MALS-14 Marine crowned Ordnance Marine of the Year" »

May 7, 2014

Clovis resident, U.S. Marine combat veteran saves life of crash victim on Highway 41

Story by Sgt Jacob Harrer
Date Posted:05.07.2014 20:00

CLOVIS, Calif. – Combat action in Iraq and Afghanistan prepared a Clovis resident and U.S. Marine to save a critically-injured crash victim after he witnessed a collision on Highway 41 May 6.

Continue reading "Clovis resident, U.S. Marine combat veteran saves life of crash victim on Highway 41" »

Harlingen Marine helps secure an area of Afghanistan

By TRAVIS M. WHITEHEAD Valley Morning Star
Posted: Wednesday, May 7, 2014 10:11 pm

When Staff Sgt. Troy Garza first arrived in Sangin Valley in Afghanistan, he and his fellow Marines faced daily firefights with insurgents.

Continue reading "Harlingen Marine helps secure an area of Afghanistan" »

May 1, 2014

Pendleton Snipers take first place in National Competition

By Sgt. Valerie C. Eppler | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | May 01, 2014

West Coast Marines earned first place overall during the 43rd Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship hosted by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center held at Fort Chaffee, Ark., April 19-26.

Continue reading "Pendleton Snipers take first place in National Competition" »

April 28, 2014

From spandex to Dress Blues

By Cpl. Henry Antenor | 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit | April 28, 2014

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan -- Strip 1st Lt. Scott T. Wilson of rank, uniform, and the title of Marine. See him as a lean, tall gentleman in his thirties. Now imagine him being lit on fire, jumping out of a window 42 feet above water, hitting it and surviving. Is that something a Marine officer does on his weekends?

Continue reading "From spandex to Dress Blues" »

April 23, 2014

Stranded Marine gets new wheels

Alan Stewart
April 23, 2014 | 11:26 AM

Rick Wimp said he didn't consider it a big deal.

Continue reading "Stranded Marine gets new wheels" »

April 22, 2014

Navy Cross bestowed on heroic Marine

Gunnery sergeant repeatedly braved Taliban fire to rescue, rally troops

By Mark Walker
5:34 p.m. April 22, 2014

TWENTYNINE PALMS — As Americans observed Memorial Day 2012, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Richard Jibson was fighting for his life, his fellow Marines and dozens of Afghan and Georgian forces nearly 8,000 miles away in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Navy Cross bestowed on heroic Marine" »

April 18, 2014

Sense of Duty Inspires Marine to Serve

By Marine Corps Cpl. Joseph Scanlan
Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SABIT QADAM, Afghanistan, April 18, 2014 – The prestige of the Marine Corps especially appealed to a rifleman and mine sweeper deployed here when he enlisted at the age of 17.

Continue reading "Sense of Duty Inspires Marine to Serve" »

April 15, 2014

Tank officer who led Marines in 5-day battle to receive Leftwich Trophy

Apr. 15, 2014 - 06:00AM
By Hope Hodge Seck
Staff Writer

A tank officer who led his company to victory in a five-day battle against insurgents in Afghanistan last year will be honored with the prestigious Leftwich Trophy later this year.

Continue reading "Tank officer who led Marines in 5-day battle to receive Leftwich Trophy" »

April 12, 2014

How one Iraqi boy dodged extremists and came to serve in the US military

By Matthew M. Burke
Stars and Stripes
Published: April 12, 2014

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — While his fellow Marine recruits cried and urinated in their trousers in the face of Parris Island’s tough-as-nails drill instructors, Pvt. Mansure had never been more thrilled.

Continue reading "How one Iraqi boy dodged extremists and came to serve in the US military" »

Marine wins woman of the year

Story by LCpl Caitlin Bevel
2014 Date Posted: 04.03.2014 12:47

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine with 1st Law Enforcement Battalion was recently named the Navy League 2014 Senior Enlisted Woman of the Year.

Continue reading "Marine wins woman of the year" »

April 11, 2014

Anja Niedringhaus felt the need to bear witness

By Anja Niedringhaus, Associated Press
Friday, April 11, 2014 6:03pm

Editor's note: Anja Niedringhaus, 48, an internationally acclaimed German photojournalist, was shot and killed by an Afghan police officer earlier this month while on assignment for the Associated Press. In 2005, she was part of the AP team that won the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of Iraq, and she was awarded the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation. One of her bosses said "she truly believed in the need to bear witness." In years of reporting from war zones, the story that most haunted her was one about a Marine who was grievously wounded by a IED in Afghanistan in June 2011. This is what she wrote about it two days before Christmas 2011 — six months after the attack.

Inside the medevac helicopter in Afghanistan, U.S. Marine Cpl. Burness Britt bleeds profusely from his neck. He and two other Marines have just been hit by shrapnel, with Britt's injuries the most serious. The medevac crew chief clutches one of Britt's blood-covered hands as he is given oxygen. I take hold of the other.

Continue reading " Anja Niedringhaus felt the need to bear witness" »

April 10, 2014

Commandant gives preview of the global Marine Corps in 2020

April 10th, 2014 | Africa Battle Rattle Commandant Crisis-response force Deployment map Deployments Pacific issues | Posted by Hope Hodge Seck

Water scarcity, regional conflict zones, and the “youth bulge:” these are all problems that may become the Marine Corps’ business in the near future.

Continue reading "Commandant gives preview of the global Marine Corps in 2020" »

April 7, 2014

Building Rededication

Photo by Cpl Kathryn Bynum
Date Taken:04.04.2014 | Date Posted:04.07.2014 11:13

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Chester Nez receives an American flag from Pfc. Tiffany Boyd, at Code Talker Hall, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., April 4, 2014. The flag was flown over the Marine Corps War Memorial, on the first day of spring in honor of Cpl. Nez's attendance at the Platoon 382 Hall rededication. Cpl. Nez is the last of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kathryn K. Bynum/Released)

Continue reading "Building Rededication" »

April 3, 2014

Ohio Marine Participates in Combat Readiness Evaluation with Dark Horse

By Lance Cpl. David Silvano | 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment | April 03, 2014

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- A Marine used to providing security for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps can find it difficult to make the transition to providing security in the field. This was not the case for Lance Cpl. Brandon Bender, a rifleman with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. He took part in a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation or MCCRE, here, March 17 to March 22, 2014.

Continue reading "Ohio Marine Participates in Combat Readiness Evaluation with Dark Horse" »

March 29, 2014

Can Afghan forces hold after Marines depart?

Q&A; with Col. Michael Langley, advisor to 215th Corps in Helmand

By Gretel C. Kovach
11:02 a.m.March 29, 2014

In 2010, U.S. Marines helped establish the 215th Afghan National Army Corps in the Helmand and Nimruz provinces — part of the southern heartland of the Taliban insurgency and the deadliest area of the country for the coalition.

Continue reading "Can Afghan forces hold after Marines depart?" »

March 28, 2014

Fourteen women have tried, and failed, the Marines’ Infantry Officer Course. Here’s why.

By Sage Santangelo, Published: March 28, 2014
Sage Santangelo is a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

I awoke to Eminem blasting hours before dawn at Quantico Marine Base. A fog of breath and sweat permeated the cold January air as I joined 104 other nervous lieutenants hauling gear to the classroom where we would receive our first instructions. With body armor, Kevlar, a rifle and a huge pack on my 5’3’’ frame, I must have looked like a child next to the buff guys assembling for Day 1 of the Marine Corps’ Infantry Officer Course.

Continue reading "Fourteen women have tried, and failed, the Marines’ Infantry Officer Course. Here’s why." »

March 19, 2014

Chaplain’s mission continues in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Cody Haas | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 03.19.2014

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM II, Afghanistan – When service members are deployed to a combat zone, many rely on a chaplain for spiritual guidance and well-being.

Continue reading "Chaplain’s mission continues in Afghanistan" »

March 14, 2014

Local Marine helps save man from burning car on I-85

By Tyler Estep
[email protected]
Friday, March 14, 2014

BUFORD — Sgt. Matthew Sullivan was enjoying his drive down Interstate 85 last Sunday afternoon, basking in the beautiful weather and the relief of a task complete. Multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan under his belt, the day’s trip to Atlanta to drop off a group of “poolees” — enlisted Marines waiting for their trip to boot camp — was a comparative breeze.

Continue reading "Local Marine helps save man from burning car on I-85" »

Marine lost leg, but not passion for serving

Written by
Dessislava Yankova
Gannett Tennessee
Mar. 14, 2014

PORTLAND — Two and a half years ago Lance Cpl. Jeremy Vanhoose lost his leg in an explosion in Afghanistan, but the Marine did not lose his purpose: to serve.

Continue reading "Marine lost leg, but not passion for serving" »

24th MEU Marines recognize the Sgt. Maj. Gallegos legacy

Story by 1LT Joshua Larson
Date Posted:03.14.2014 15:59

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit has a long and illustrious history dating back to the early 1980s, but few would argue that the unit’s 18th sergeant major, Sgt. Maj. Octaviano Gallegos Jr., hasn’t made an impact on that unit’s history. The Marines say the Gallegos legacy is simple—a “Marine’s Marine” with selfless devotion and a straightforward, never-give-up, “no-BS” attitude.

Continue reading "24th MEU Marines recognize the Sgt. Maj. Gallegos legacy" »

March 11, 2014

Corps names first woman to serve as MEU sergeant major

Mar. 11, 2014 - 11:31AM
Staff report | Sgt. Rachael Moore/Marine Corps

Sgt. Maj. Lanette Wright will make history this week when she is named the Corps’ first female sergeant major of a Marine expeditionary unit.

Continue reading "Corps names first woman to serve as MEU sergeant major" »

March 4, 2014

The last casualties: As a long war ends, risks still prove real

Written by Ernesto Londoño
Published: March 4

At BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — Shortly after midnight on this frigid night, Capt. Nicholas Ingham arrived at this massive air base, in the belly of an Air Force C-130. As the back door swung open, flooding the cabin with light, the heavily sedated Marine, strapped onto a stretcher, blinked away a tear. An American flag tattooed on his chest rose and fell gently as a ventilator pumped air into his collapsed lung.

Continue reading "The last casualties: As a long war ends, risks still prove real" »

Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, Asian-American Marines trailblazer dies at 88

By Madison Park, CNN
Updated 8:07 AM ET, Thu March 6, 2014

Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, the first Asian-American U.S. Marine Corps officer, rose through the ranks beginning his career from World War II to the Vietnam War.

Continue reading "Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, Asian-American Marines trailblazer dies at 88" »

February 18, 2014

Silver Stars for Marine assault

Twentynine Palms infantry honored for valor in Afghanistan

By Gretel C. Kovach
9:04 p.m. Feb. 18, 2014

A Marine from Fallbrook and three other infantrymen were honored with medals Tuesday for valor in combat during a six-day assault into a Taliban stronghold in southwestern Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Silver Stars for Marine assault" »

February 12, 2014

Twentynine Palms Marines to receive Silver and Bronze stars for six-day battle in 2012

By Andrew deGrandprè and James Sanborn
Staff writers
Feb. 12, 2014 - 06:00AM

Four California-based Marines will be recognized for their heroism during a 2012 operation in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Twentynine Palms Marines to receive Silver and Bronze stars for six-day battle in 2012" »

February 6, 2014

Last Marine takes command in Afghanistan

Camp Pendleton brigade replaces southwest force at war's end

By Gretel C. Kovach
4:52 p.m. Feb. 6, 2014

A Marine brigade from Camp Pendleton took command of coalition forces in southwestern Afghanistan as the 13-year campaign enters its critical final phase, the International Security Assistance Force announced Thursday

Continue reading "Last Marine takes command in Afghanistan" »

February 5, 2014

Groups rally to plan dinner for wounded Marine

By Andy Fillmore
Correspondent
Published: Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at 6:19 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at 6:19 p.m.

Lance Cpl. David Garrett Burgess, wounded in December while serving with the U. S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan, will be honored Saturday with an official “welcome home” fundraising dinner to benefit him and his wife Emily, and their son Joseph.

Continue reading "Groups rally to plan dinner for wounded Marine" »

February 4, 2014

CMC Awards MCRC Recruiters of the Year

Story by Lance Cpl. Francisco Martinez | Marine Corps Recruiting Command | Date: 02.03.2014
Date Posted: 02.04.2014 16:09

QUANTICO, Va. - Exceptional work ethic, dedication to service and commitment to excellence are just a few things in which Marines take pride. Marines who put all the energy, knowledge and skills they possess into their work are recognized as the best of the best and a step above their peers.

Continue reading "CMC Awards MCRC Recruiters of the Year" »

January 28, 2014

Female Marine enters pro MMA with 20 sec knockout

Story by LCpl Jonathan Boynes
Date Posted:01.28.2014 23:33

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The night air vibrated with energy as Sgt. Misha Nassiri and her opponent entered the ring. They stared each other down while the referee addressed the basic rules of the match. The ring’s entrance was locked, the ref shouted “fight,” and violent roars shot from the audience as the fighters closed in on each other with violent swiftness. The opponents tapped gloves and the mayhem commenced.

Continue reading "Female Marine enters pro MMA with 20 sec knockout" »

January 21, 2014

Marine recognized for providing honors to more than 1,000 fallen Marines

By Sgt. Michael Ito | U. S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve | January 21, 2014

BRIDGETON, Mo. --

As any Marine can tell you, earning and upholding the title is no small feat. No matter what a Marine does in life or how long they serve in their beloved Corps, they will always uphold the honor and respect for the Marines that went before them

Continue reading "Marine recognized for providing honors to more than 1,000 fallen Marines" »

January 15, 2014

Navy Cross for fallen Marine SpecOps leaders

Two from Camp Pendleton fought off inside attack from Afghan policeman

By Gretel C. Kovach
2:41 p.m.Jan. 15, 2014
Updated3:08 p.m.

Two Marines from a Camp Pendleton special operations unit will be posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, the nation’s second-highest medal for valor in combat.

Continue reading "Navy Cross for fallen Marine SpecOps leaders" »

January 14, 2014

Marine receives award for rescuing young girl

By Cpl. Devin Nichols | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | January 14, 2014

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- With the arrival of the weekend, Marines and their friends gathered together to head to North Topsail Beach, N.C.

Continue reading "Marine receives award for rescuing young girl" »

January 9, 2014

Retired master gunnery sergeant opens trail for base

Story by LCpl Justin Rodriguez
Date Posted:01.09.2014 10:30

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Jeff LeBlanc wanted to give back to the community with a passion he developed during his 26 years in the Marine Corps, so he began building several bike trails in the community.

Continue reading "Retired master gunnery sergeant opens trail for base" »

January 7, 2014

Marine gets Silver Star for saving buddy

He carried team leader the distance of 3 football fields

By Jeanette Steele
5:05 p.m.Jan. 7, 2014
Updated 7:06 p.m.

A star running back at his tiny Michigan high school, Staff Sgt. Timothy Williams hoisted the team leader over his shoulder and ran the length of three football fields, as gun muzzles flashed all around.

Continue reading "Marine gets Silver Star for saving buddy" »

West Palm Beach, Fla., native a Marine Corps drill instructor on Parris Island

Photo by Lance Cpl. MaryAnn Hill | Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island | Date: 01.06.2014
Date Posted:01.07.2014 15:59

Sgt. Brian Dear currently serves as a Marine Corps drill instructor with Bravo Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. Dear joined the Marine Corps in August 2005 and became a drill instructor in March 2013. "[I became a drill instructor because] just knowing the fact that we are training civilians into the next Marine Corps leaders is pretty humbling," said Dear, a native of West Palm Beach, Fla. About 600 Marine Corps drill instructors shape the approximately 20,000 recruits who come to Parris Island annually into basic United States Marines. Parris Island is home to entry-level enlisted training for 50 percent of males and 100 percent of females in the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "West Palm Beach, Fla., native a Marine Corps drill instructor on Parris Island" »

January 6, 2014

Lake Placid native receives Bronze Star

Story by Cpl Mel Johnson
Date Posted:01.06.2014 18:15

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Corporal Joshua M. McKee, a rifleman with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, received the Bronze Star medal with combat distinguishing device during an award ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Dec. 27.

Continue reading "Lake Placid native receives Bronze Star" »

December 25, 2013

Wounded Marine Behind Viral Email Gets New Helmet Hand-Delivered To Afghanistan By Corps' Top General

Paul Szoldra
December 25, 2013

The Marine behind an email that went viral on military networks was surprised by the Corps’ top general and senior enlisted leader Monday, when they both showed up in Afghanistan to present him with a brand new helmet.

Continue reading "Wounded Marine Behind Viral Email Gets New Helmet Hand-Delivered To Afghanistan By Corps' Top General" »

December 22, 2013

Road out of hell

Marine determined to move forward, set example

By Susan Ladd
News & Record, Greensboro, N.C.
Published: December 22, 2013

GREENSBORO — Cindy Gitter laughs and shakes her head when asked to describe Nathan Harris as a teenager.

Continue reading "Road out of hell" »

December 21, 2013

Q&A;: Year ahead for Miramar aviation

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing officer talks recent exercise, future

By Jeanette Steele
noon Dec. 21, 2013

As the U.S. military turns its attention to China and the Pacific, Marine Corps aviators are gearing up for their role.

Continue reading "Q&A;: Year ahead for Miramar aviation" »

December 19, 2013

Marine recruiter at mall helps collar shoplifter

By Kristen V. Brown
Published 8:15 pm, Thursday, December 19, 2013

COLONIE — A marine on recruit duty at Colonie Center helped apprehend a shoplifter Thursday.

Continue reading "Marine recruiter at mall helps collar shoplifter" »

December 9, 2013

Silver Star awarded for Bastion heroism

By Jeanette Steele
8:09 p.m.Dec. 9, 2013

When Maj. Robb McDonald arrived at the Camp Bastion attack, some of the Marines under fire allowed themselves to exhale.

Continue reading "Silver Star awarded for Bastion heroism" »

December 5, 2013

Marine officer to receive Silver Star for heroics in Camp Bastion attack

Dec. 5, 2013 - 06:00AM
By Andrew deGrandpre
Staff writer

A highly decorated Marine Corps officer will receive the nation’s third-highest combat valor award next week for his role repelling the deadly 2012 attack inside a coalition airfield in southwestern Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine officer to receive Silver Star for heroics in Camp Bastion attack" »

November 28, 2013

A Thanksgiving story: Life-changing injury doesn’t dim Marine’s gratitude

By Derek Herrera 12:17 P.M.NOV. 27, 2013

Thanksgiving is a tremendous opportunity to pause and reflect on the beauty of the human experience. This Thanksgiving, I have much to be thankful for. I consider myself lucky to do so, and like many others who have experienced life-altering events, I have had a cathartic shift in the way I view my role in the world.

Continue reading "A Thanksgiving story: Life-changing injury doesn’t dim Marine’s gratitude" »

November 21, 2013

First female Marines graduate infantry training

Story by PFC Eric Keenan
Date Posted:11.21.2013 10:03

CAMP GEIGER, N.C. - In a crisp autumn dawn among the North Carolina pines, 200 panting, sweaty infantry students forged ahead on their route. Daybreak signaled the end of a 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) march out of darkness as it had for countless men before. On that morning, however, four women stood sharing the accomplishment.

Continue reading "First female Marines graduate infantry training" »

Marine saves community member’s life

Story by LCpl Peter Sanders
Date Posted:11.21.2013 01:12

JUNGLE WARFARE TRAINING CENTER, Okinawa — Marines train to prepare for any event, including caring for the injured or wounded. Not only did one Marine remember his training when it counted, he also saved a life in the process.

Continue reading "Marine saves community member’s life" »

Single mom, NCO inspires others

Story LCpl Natalie Rostran
Date Posted:11.21.2013 00:53

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa - The Commandant of the Marine Corps General James F. Amos’ recent letter to sergeants and corporals, “The Reawakening,” describes the noncommissioned officers as the backbone of the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Single mom, NCO inspires others" »

Loss of parents leads Parris Island graduate to new family in the Corps

Story by Cpl. Caitlin Brink | Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island | Date: 11.21.2013

PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. – After the death of both his parents in the last five years, one young man sought to make them proud by joining a different kind of family.

Continue reading "Loss of parents leads Parris Island graduate to new family in the Corps" »

November 18, 2013

Iraqi Translator Flees Baghdad, Becomes Marine

Nov 18, 2013
DVIDS | by Lance Cpl. MaryAnn Hill

PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. - A journey that began in Baghdad involving an Iraqi native, who used her unique, dual-language skills to help the United States’ military, took a new turn after she earned the title of U.S. Marine recently.

Continue reading "Iraqi Translator Flees Baghdad, Becomes Marine" »

November 14, 2013

Marine sergeant major starts dance-off at Marine Corps ball

November 14th, 2013 | Battle Rattle | Posted by Gina Harkins

Anyone who has ever doubted a Marine’s skills on the dance floor hasn’t met Sgt. Maj. Michael Miller.

Continue reading "Marine sergeant major starts dance-off at Marine Corps ball" »

November 10, 2013

Vietnam veteran who helped build Marine Corps museum now subject of new biography

By Tom Jackman, Published: November 10, 2013

Brig. Gen. William “Wild Bill” Weise retired from active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1982, having seen some of the heaviest action of the Vietnam War, and he stopped working in 1992. Sort of.

Continue reading "Vietnam veteran who helped build Marine Corps museum now subject of new biography" »

November 7, 2013

Corpsman carries on ‘family tradition’

Story by LCpl Jose Mendez Jr.
Date Posted:11.07.2013 14:13

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Family traditions and heritage are like blood – passed down from one generation to the next.

Continue reading "Corpsman carries on ‘family tradition’" »

November 6, 2013

Heartwarming homecoming for 13 US Marines

The 13 Marines from Afghanistan were treated like heroes Monday night at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Their plane taxied beneath an arch of water from fire department hoses and were met by a small crowd of cheering USO volunteers, firefighters, police officers and airport workers.

By Don Babwin, Associated Press / November 6, 2013
Chicago

A group of Marines on their way home from Afghanistan got something they didn't expect after spending the better part of five days getting on and off planes as they tried to get from one side of the globe to another: cheers from a small crowd of police, a fire truck water salute and first-class plane tickets.

Continue reading "Heartwarming homecoming for 13 US Marines" »

November 5, 2013

Update: Motorcyclist Expected to Recover, Reunite With Dog After 3-Car Crash

Sheriff's appeared to be arresting a female driver at the scene.

Posted: Tuesday, November 5, 2013 4:30 pm | Updated: 6:44 pm, Thu Nov 7, 2013.
By Melissa Caskey / [email protected]

[Update, Thursday:] The motorcyclist who was seriously injured in the crash is expected to survive. The driver of one of the SUVs has been arrested for suspicion of DUI. She was identified as Anna Caldwell, 47.

Continue reading " Update: Motorcyclist Expected to Recover, Reunite With Dog After 3-Car Crash" »

October 29, 2013

Five things Marines, sailors should know about new law

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Amara Timberlake | Headquarters Marine Corps | October 29, 2013

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. --
1. All Americans are required by law to have minimum essential coverage.

Continue reading "Five things Marines, sailors should know about new law" »

October 25, 2013

1st MLG commanding general awards Purple Heart to son

Story by Cpl Timothy Childers
Date Posted:10.25.2013 17:49

SCHWENKSVILLE, Pa. – Standing on the porch were two Marines. On the right was an older Marine wearing a service uniform with a stack of ribbons below his left shoulder. To his left was a much younger Marine; a veteran standing at attention as the senior Marine pinned a Purple Heart to his chest. The senior Marine was his father.

Continue reading "1st MLG commanding general awards Purple Heart to son" »

Service Milestones: Combat engineer becomes first female “Gunny”

by Cpl Paul Peterson
Date Posted:10.25.2013 01:00

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Raised rough and tumble in the modest midwestern city of Mineral Point, Wis., Gunnery Sgt. Robin Baker came from an extended family dominated by males.

Continue reading "Service Milestones: Combat engineer becomes first female “Gunny”" »

October 10, 2013

Randolph twins progress in their military careers

By Sue Scheible
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Oct 10, 2013 @ 11:26 AM

RANDOLPH —
Sgt. Bill McNamara of the Randolph Police Department has good news about his twin sons, who headed off to serve their country last spring.

Continue reading "Randolph twins progress in their military careers" »

October 3, 2013

Capt. Will Swenson, next Medal of Honor recipient, sends touching invitation to Gold Star families

October 3rd, 2013 | Posted by Dan Lamothe

Former Army Capt. Will Swenson will receive the Medal of Honor on Oct. 15, more than four years after he and other U.S. forces tried desperately to find and save three Marines and a Navy corpsman who were trapped under heavy fire in the infamous Battle of Ganjgal in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Capt. Will Swenson, next Medal of Honor recipient, sends touching invitation to Gold Star families" »

October 1, 2013

Wounded Marine veteran makes house a home

Story by PFC Brandon Thomas
Date Taken: 09.28.2013. | Date Posted: 09.30.2013 09:43

ELLINGTON, Conn. - Sgt. Greg Caron, a Marine veteran, was presented with a house Sept. 28 by Building Homes for Heroes, a national non-profit organization that supports men and women who have been wounded or disabled in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Wounded Marine veteran makes house a home" »

September 30, 2013

Corporal becomes first female Marine assault climber

By Gina Harkins
Sep. 30, 2013 - 06:00AM

A North Carolina-based Marine became the first woman to complete the demanding three-week Assault Climbers Course,which culminates with a near-vertical, 200-foot climb in California’s Sierra Nevada.

Continue reading "Corporal becomes first female Marine assault climber" »

September 25, 2013

Peralta legacy lives on: USS Rafael Peralta to carry tradition of heroism

By Lance Cpl. Scott Reel | I Marine Expeditionary Force | September 25, 2013

SAN DIEGO -- One of the most heralded Marines from 2004’s Battle of Fallujah was honored during a ship-naming ceremony aboard Naval Base San Diego, Calif., Sept. 20.

Continue reading "Peralta legacy lives on: USS Rafael Peralta to carry tradition of heroism" »

Peralta legacy lives on: USS Rafael Peralta to carry tradition of heroism

By Lance Cpl. Scott Reel | I Marine Expeditionary Force | September 25, 2013

SAN DIEGO -- One of the most heralded Marines from 2004’s Battle of Fallujah was honored during a ship-naming ceremony aboard Naval Base San Diego, Calif., Sept. 20.

Continue reading "Peralta legacy lives on: USS Rafael Peralta to carry tradition of heroism" »

September 23, 2013

Marine named 2013 USO Volunteer of the Year

By Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Carmichael | Headquarters Marine Corps | September 23, 2013

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti -- CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti -- A Marine deployed to Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa , was recently selected as the United Service Organizations' 2013 Volunteer of the Year.

Continue reading "Marine named 2013 USO Volunteer of the Year" »

September 20, 2013

Vietnam vets get stars, 46 years later

Heroics overlooked because officers were killed in battle

By Gretel C. Kovach
11:39 a.m.Sept. 20, 2013
Updated 7:22 p.m

A company of Marines fought up a hill near Khe Sanh, Vietnam, on April 30, 1967. Within two days, three-quarters of them left the bomb-cratered slopes of 881 South bloodied or dead.

Continue reading "Vietnam vets get stars, 46 years later" »

September 16, 2013

Iowa Marine receives Silver Star

Ryan Steinkamp is lauded for leadership in Afghan combat

Written by
William Petroski
Sep. 16, 2013

Hurling hand grenades and with his weapon blazing, Sgt. Ryan Steinkamp led a squad of about a dozen Marines last year on a death-defying mission against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan’s treacherous Helmand province.

Continue reading "Iowa Marine receives Silver Star" »

September 5, 2013

Marine extremely humbled to receive Silver Star

September 5, 2013 12:00 am
Lance Cpl. Scott Whiting 2nd Marine Division

Earning a Silver Star is one of the most prestigious achievements for someone in the military, and service members have to distinguish themselves with gallantry in action to be awarded the military’s third-highest honor.

Continue reading "Marine extremely humbled to receive Silver Star" »

September 3, 2013

Local man conquers health issues to become Marine

By Kaitlyn Speer
Staff writer
[email protected]
Published Sep 3, 2013 at 11:03 am (Updated Sep 3, 2013 at 11:03 am)

Aaron Sitka always knew he wanted to join the military. It seemed as if his dreams were well on their way to coming true went he left home three days after his high school graduation for Marine Corps boot camp. But six weeks later, his hopes suddenly came crashing down around him.

Continue reading "Local man conquers health issues to become Marine" »

Local man conquers health issues to become Marine

By Kaitlyn Speer
Staff writer
[email protected]
Published Sep 3, 2013 at 11:03 am (Updated Sep 3, 2013 at 11:03 am)

Aaron Sitka always knew he wanted to join the military. It seemed as if his dreams were well on their way to coming true went he left home three days after his high school graduation for Marine Corps boot camp. But six weeks later, his hopes suddenly came crashing down around him.

Continue reading " Local man conquers health issues to become Marine" »

August 31, 2013

Battlefield Q&A;: Marine general over Afghan ops

Maj. Gen. Joseph Osterman on keeping NATO troops safe as most head home

By Gretel C. Kovach
noon Aug. 31, 2013

The last time Maj. Gen. Joseph Osterman served in Afghanistan, the United States was doubling its forces in the southwest during the 2010 surge. Now the former Camp Pendleton Marine and Task Force Leatherneck commander oversees a rapidly dwindling force, as the Kabul-based operations officer for the coalition.

Continue reading " Battlefield Q&A;: Marine general over Afghan ops" »

August 30, 2013

Afghan streets: NYPD officer serves in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Paul Peterson | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 08.30.2013

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Before the War on Terror, the toppling of the oppressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan, or the attacks of Sept. 11, a young boy from the Bronx knew one thing: he wanted to help.

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August 26, 2013

Marine describes service as platoon's only woman

By THOMAS BRENNAN Daily News Staff
Published: Monday, August 26, 2013 at 10:00 AM.

She's not the first or last. She's the only one.

Continue reading "Marine describes service as platoon's only woman " »

August 21, 2013

Marines Honored On Field During NFL Football Game

Story by Sgt James Shea
08.21.2013

LANDOVER, Md. - Two Marines were honored during a “Salute to Service Moment” at an NFL game Monday, Aug. 19 at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

Continue reading "Marines Honored On Field During NFL Football Game" »

August 15, 2013

Marine Band historian retires after 39-year career

Story by SSgt Brian Rust
08.15.2013

WASHINGTON⎯In a formal ceremony on Aug. 23 at the Marine Barracks Annex, Marine Band Historian Master Gunnery Sgt. Michael Ressler will retire from the U.S. Marine Corps after 39 years of active duty service. He has served as a euphonium player, librarian, chief librarian, support staff section commander, and, since 2008, the band’s first-ever historian.

Continue reading "Marine Band historian retires after 39-year career" »

August 13, 2013

Local Marine Awarded Medal For Bravery In Afghanistan

August 13, 2013 3:51 PM

(CBS) — It is a high military honor for bravery, once awarded to John F. Kennedy years before he was elected president.

Continue reading "Local Marine Awarded Medal For Bravery In Afghanistan" »

August 12, 2013

Female Marines Celebrate 95 Years in Corps

By LCpl Samuel Ellis
Aug. 12, 2013

QUANTICO, Va. - There it was, her name, Opha May Johnson, simply penned on the applicant line of a Marine Corps Reserve form. Although she typically signed her name Opha M., this was an official document and her middle name was necessary. Her decision to fill out that form entered her into an exclusively male world and would make her nothing less than a Marine Corps legend.

Continue reading "Female Marines Celebrate 95 Years in Corps" »

August 2, 2013

Reluctant Marine hero awarded Silver Star

Organized assault in all-day battle against a larger enemy force

By Jeanette Steele
6:39 p.m.Aug. 2, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON — A reluctant hero received the nation’s third-highest combat award at Camp Pendleton Friday.

Continue reading "Reluctant Marine hero awarded Silver Star" »

July 29, 2013

Area Marine honored for valor

Cpl. Ryan T. McSweeney is a native of Middletown.

By Hannah Poturalski
Staff Writer
Posted: 3:41 p.m. Monday, July 29, 2013

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan —

A Middletown native and U.S. Marine was recently honored for bravery during combat in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Area Marine honored for valor" »

July 26, 2013

Local Marine carries memories of war, for better or for worse

Posted: Friday, July 26, 2013 4:00 am

By STEPHANIE BUCKNER

Freedom does not come without a price, and that price for United States Marine and Cleveland resident Adam Brochin is constant anxiety and persistent memories of his active-duty experiences, which haunt his dreams like a roadside bomb waiting to explode.

Continue reading "Local Marine carries memories of war, for better or for worse" »

July 25, 2013

Marine rescues young swimmer at Atlantic Beach

By Pfc. Mike Granahan | Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point | July 25, 2013

130723 -- Sgt. Michael A. Pickett was enjoying a relaxing Saturday swimming at Atlantic Beach July 6, but all that changed when he saw someone on shore begin to shout and point toward the water.

Continue reading "Marine rescues young swimmer at Atlantic Beach" »

July 24, 2013

Marine Urges Others to ‘Pay It Forward’

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Krista James
2nd Marine Division

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., July 24, 2013 – It all started with a note and a piece of candy taped to a barracks room door. The note read, “Pay it forward,” and told the reader to contact the person who put it there if they ever needed anything. It was a small token of kindness with a huge meaning behind it: to do things for other people.

Continue reading "Marine Urges Others to ‘Pay It Forward’" »

July 23, 2013

Texas Marine recognized for valor in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Paul Peterson | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 07.23.2013

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Lance Cpl. Joel T. Murray, an engineer heavy equipment operator with Combat Logistics Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, Regional Command (Southwest), received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “V” device in recognition of his “heroic achievement” during the defense of Forward Operating Base Shir Ghazi in the Helmand province.

Continue reading "Texas Marine recognized for valor in Afghanistan" »

July 21, 2013

From deployment to drill instructor

By Cpl. Kyle N. Runnels | July 21, 2013

USS KEARSARGE, At Sea --
Many Marines strive for greatness. It is forged into their blood the first day they step on those yellow footprints at boot camp; the day the transformation begins.

Continue reading "From deployment to drill instructor" »

July 18, 2013

Amputee continues to lead Marines at School of Infantry

Story by Cpl. Joseph Scanlan
07.18.2013 00:15

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- As an instructor at the School of Infantry, a Marine is expected to be physically fit, mentally strong and have a vast amount of knowledge in their occupational field.

Continue reading "Amputee continues to lead Marines at School of Infantry" »

July 16, 2013

Gentry Community Mourns Loss Of Marine

Posted on: 2:58 pm, July 16, 2013, by Alicia Agent and Aubry Killion, updated on: 11:19pm, July 16, 2013

The U.S. Department of Defense is investigating the death in Germany over the weekend of a Marine from Gentry.

Continue reading "Gentry Community Mourns Loss Of Marine" »

July 15, 2013

Legendary warrior exemplifies what it means to be a Marine

By Dan Lamothe
Staff writer
Jul. 15, 2013 - 09:22AM

CHESAPEAKE, VA. — When Staff Sgt. Cliff Wooldridge arrived here in 2011 to serve as an instructor with Marine Corps Security Force Regiment, he was less than a year removed from beating a Taliban fighter to death in Afghanistan with his own machine gun.

Continue reading "Legendary warrior exemplifies what it means to be a Marine" »

July 12, 2013

Recruits learn Marine Corps history

By Sgt. Liz Gleason | Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego | July 12, 2013

San Diego --
Some recruits arrive at the Depot with a good understanding of the Marine Corps’ history and some arrive with no prior knowledge, however throughout their journey to becoming Marines, they are immersed in the illustrious past of the Corps.

Continue reading "Recruits learn Marine Corps history" »

‘I don’t go to work; I go to serve’- 3rd MAW sergeant major bids farewell

Story by Cpl. Melissa Wenger
07.12.2013 19:34

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. – “Every day that you’re allowed to serve is literally a gift; treasure that gift that you get every day.”

Continue reading "‘I don’t go to work; I go to serve’- 3rd MAW sergeant major bids farewell" »

July 10, 2013

A small world, smaller Corps: Texas Marines stay together for more than 60 years

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow
Story by Cpl. Thomas Bricker
07.10.2013 18:47

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. - California’s High Desert has become home for countless veterans over the years. But what are the chances of three friends from two Texas cities no more than 150 miles apart joining the Corps in 1947, coming to Barstow in the 1950s, and remaining there for more than 60 years?

Continue reading "A small world, smaller Corps: Texas Marines stay together for more than 60 years" »

July 4, 2013

Parsippany Marine returns home from Afghanistan

Mayor declares day for soldier
Written by Michael Izzo | Jul. 4, 2013

PARSIPPANY — When Parsippany native Sam Fendler returned home from Afghanistan, he might have expected his family to throw him a welcome home party, but he certainly didn’t anticipate the mayor naming a day in his honor.

Continue reading "Parsippany Marine returns home from Afghanistan" »

July 3, 2013

Marine to take a bit of the U.S. back to Afghanistan

Rene De La Cruz, Staff Writer
July 03, 2013 5:50 PM

VICTORVILLE • After returning from his deployment to Afghanistan in September, U.S. Marine Cpl. Frank Demara saw the comforts of home in a whole new light.

Continue reading "Marine to take a bit of the U.S. back to Afghanistan" »

June 29, 2013

Marines keep skills, equipment fresh while at sea

By Sgt. Jonathan Wright | 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit | June 29, 2013

USS GERMANTOWN, At Sea -- It’s not unusual for Marines and Sailors assigned to Marine Expeditionary Units to find themselves embarked on naval vessels for a significant amount of time during scheduled patrols. But their time on these ships is not a cruise to their destination - the Marines are on a floating, functional base of operations

Continue reading "Marines keep skills, equipment fresh while at sea" »

June 27, 2013

Marine Barracks Washington Makes History with First Female Post Sgt. Major

Video by Lance Cpl. Lisette Leyva
06.27.2013 4:34PM

Marine Barracks Washington makes history with their first female post. Sgt. Major. Lance Cpl. Lisette Leyva brings us the story. Available in high definition.

Continue reading "Marine Barracks Washington Makes History with First Female Post Sgt. Major" »

June 26, 2013

Words of a general who lost a son in combat resonate

Jim Michaels, @jimmichaels
USA TODAY
9:51 a.m. EDT June 26, 2013

At a time when the divide between the military and civilian world has never been greater, the words of Marine Gen. John Kelly have helped bridge the gap.

Continue reading "Words of a general who lost a son in combat resonate" »

June 24, 2013

Four-footed soldiers: Award to honor America's war dogs

Written by Sherry Barkas
The Desert Sun
Jun. 24, 2013

CATHEDRAL CITY — American war dogs, which have put their lives on the line since World War I, are being honored at next month’s Pegasus Riding Academy benefit luncheon where a “Saving American Lives” award is being presented for the first time to the K-9 unit at the Marine base in Twentynine Palms.

Continue reading "Four-footed soldiers: Award to honor America's war dogs" »

Charlottesville Marine awarded Bronze Star for service in Afghanistan

Posted: Monday, June 24, 2013 9:05 pm | Updated: 11:22 am, Tue Jun 25, 2013.
BY LIANA BAYNE

Capt. Daniel O’Brien and his wife, Morgan O’Brien, received a welcome to Charlottesville on Monday that was a little bigger than a backyard barbecue.

Continue reading "Charlottesville Marine awarded Bronze Star for service in Afghanistan" »

June 20, 2013

Combat Center Marines use training to save life

Story by Cpl. William Jackson | Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms | Date: 06.20.2013

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - They were all strangers. The three of them had never met before that evening. Their weekend had just begun like any other. Little did they know they would be thrown into a situation that would save Rebecca’s life after her motorcycle collided with a car on Highway 62.

Continue reading "Combat Center Marines use training to save life" »

June 10, 2013

Marine hero's name forever a part of Columbus Park School

by Walter Bird Jr.
Story Created: Jun 10, 2013 at 11:14 AM EDT

US Marine Sgt. William Soutra Jr. ships out later this month for his fourth tour of duty overseas. He heads back to Afghanistan, where on July 11, 2010 he unwittingly assumed the role of hero when his staff sergeant was mortally wounded, leading his platoon to safety out of the "kill zone." He returns a recipient of the Navy Cross for those actions, a distinction bestowed upon him in December. He also returns with his name forever etched into the history of the elementary school where he grew up.

Continue reading "Marine hero's name forever a part of Columbus Park School" »

June 8, 2013

Basilone Award winner honored to join 'reconnaissance legends'

By Dan Lamothe
Staff writer
Jun. 8, 2013 - 12:09PM

A recent Silver Star recipient has earned another major award, becoming the first Marine reservist to receive the Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone Award for Courage and Commitment.

Continue reading "Basilone Award winner honored to join 'reconnaissance legends'" »

June 7, 2013

MCRC Marine earns leadership award

By Cpl. David Flynn | Marine Corps Recruiting Command | June 07, 2013

Tawanda Hanible, diversity operations chief, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, received the Major Megan McClung Leadership Award during the Sea Service Leadership Association’s Joint Leadership Awards Luncheon at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center here, June 6.

Continue reading "MCRC Marine earns leadership award" »

One of 'the few' who served for many

By Cpl. Trevon S. Peracca | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | June 07, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. --
His journey began in the mid-'70s as an adolescent on the streets of Detroit, which he resolved to leave after one day on the "wrong side of 8-Mile Road."

Continue reading "One of 'the few' who served for many" »

June 3, 2013

Intel Marines complete new training for 22nd MEU deployment

By Sgt. Austin Hazard | 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit | June 03, 2013

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. --
Marines from 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, completed a new course designed to prepare them for a deployment with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit early next year, at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., May 22, 2013.

Continue reading "Intel Marines complete new training for 22nd MEU deployment" »

Everybody Should Read General John Kelly's Speech About Two Marines In The Path Of A Truck Bomb

GEOFFREY INGERSOLL
JUN. 3, 2013, 11:20 AM 452,450 73

Five years ago, two Marines from two different walks of life who had literally just met were told to stand guard in front of their outpost's entry control point.

Continue reading "Everybody Should Read General John Kelly's Speech About Two Marines In The Path Of A Truck Bomb" »

May 30, 2013

Paralyzed, Marine fights for active duty

Foundation raising money for exoskeleton for SpecOps Marine

By Gretel C. Kovach
6:45 p.m.May 30, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON — The first enemy bullet blew a hole in the neck of a Marine sergeant. The second lodged in the spine of Capt. Derek Herrera, a special operations team leader who was deployed last summer in southwestern Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Paralyzed, Marine fights for active duty" »

Paralyzed, Marine fights for active duty

Foundation raising money for exoskeleton for SpecOps Marine

By Gretel C. Kovach
6:45 p.m.May 30, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON — The first enemy bullet blew a hole in the neck of a Marine sergeant. The second lodged in the spine of Capt. Derek Herrera, a special operations team leader who was deployed last summer in southwestern Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Paralyzed, Marine fights for active duty" »

May 28, 2013

Marine, Afghan Police Officer Reunite

May 28, 2013
Marine Corps News| by Sgt. Ned Johnson

COMBAT OUTPOST NOW ZAD, Afghanistan -- A Marine climbs to the top of an Afghan National Police tower to provide security, more than three years since the last time he was in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine, Afghan Police Officer Reunite" »

May 25, 2013

Afghan vet, now an MSU student, honors fallen Marines in documentary

By Niraj Warikoo
Detroit Free Press Staff Writer
May 25, 2013

When Logan Stark first set foot in Afghanistan in the fall of 2010 as a U.S. Marine, he wasn’t too worried.

Continue reading "Afghan vet, now an MSU student, honors fallen Marines in documentary" »

May 24, 2013

Physical training: Keeping Marines in shape on ship

By Cpl. Michael S. Lockett
May 24, 2013

USS CARTER HALL, At sea -- Ship life is a triumph of design by efficiency. Each minute of the day is designed to help contribute to the smooth running of the vessel. That means the day to day routine aboard a naval vessel, especially for the Marines it conveys from one shore to the next, can be precisely that: routine. Many Marines need something else in their day-to-day with a bit of variety -- a bit of zest -- to keep things interesting.

Continue reading "Physical training: Keeping Marines in shape on ship" »

May 21, 2013

Married to the Marines

By MOLLY BLAKE
May 21, 2013, 3:37 pm

When I graduated from college, I planned on being the next Diane Sawyer. My hubris took me to a small television station down south where I was a general assignment reporter until one day when the military reporter, Mark Dent, up and quit. I volunteered to fill in. That was 1997, long before The Longest War began.

Continue reading "Married to the Marines" »

May 20, 2013

13th MEU tests new communication game changer for approaching deployment

By Sgt. Christopher O'Quin | 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit | May 20, 2013

NAVAL AIR FACILITY EL CENTRO, Calif. -- The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit will be first MEU to bring GATR’s with them on their Western Pacific Deployment in 2013. No, not the fearsome jagged toothed reptilians and apex predators, but a state-of-the-art communication tool able to rapidly transmit and receive data. Though actual gators would be an epic mascot for the MEU deployment

Continue reading "13th MEU tests new communication game changer for approaching deployment" »

May 19, 2013

Meet the woman in charge of all Parris Island marines & recruits

by Romney Smith
Posted: 05.19.2013 at 12:00 PM

Brigadier General Lori Reynolds is in charge of the United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island South Carolina. She says her job in a nutshell is to produce marines, and to do it right. “I think there's a lot of misperceptions out there about what happens at recruit training. Everything that we do has a purpose and at the end of the day we turn regular American citizens into basically trained marines through a transformative process that is going to carry them through their whole enlistment” says Reynolds.

Continue reading "Meet the woman in charge of all Parris Island marines & recruits " »

Marine helps develop Female Engagement Team in Afghanistan

By Allison M. Roberts
Danville Register & Bee, Va.
Published: May 19, 2013

Sara Bryant knew going into the military was something she wanted to do, but what she did not know was the impact she would have on the role of females in the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Marine helps develop Female Engagement Team in Afghanistan" »

May 13, 2013

Generation at War

Story by Sgt. Bobby Yarbrough | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 05.13.2013

EDITOR'S NOTE: The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq influenced most Marines before they could even comprehend it. Many of them are the progeny of conflict and survival, inflicted with the physical and psychological wounds of war. The realities of combat controlled and directed their growth, combining aptitude, instinct, and courage equally. As the war in Afghanistan comes to an end, Marine leaders reflect on their service over the last decade and how combat has shaped them as leaders and as men. This is part one of a three part series.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - The violence in Iraq was reaching its pinnacle in 2004 when Chris Taylor received his deployment orders to Al-Anbar province. Marines had just bloodied their way through the first Battle of Fallujah and insurgency within the country was beginning to expand as sectarian clashes divided the nation.

Continue reading "Generation at War" »

May 10, 2013

Marine father deploys to Afghanistan, closer to his son

Story by Sgt. Bryan Peterson | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 05.10.2013

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Chief Warrant Officer 5 Brice Thomas thought once the war in Iraq came to an end, combat deployments would be a thing of the past for him given his 25 years in the Marine Corps, three combat tours and the drawdown in Afghanistan. But fate had a different plan.

Continue reading "Marine father deploys to Afghanistan, closer to his son" »

April 11, 2013

Afghan bomb cost Marine his legs, but not his spirit

By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times
Published: April 11, 2013

SAN DIEGO — Marine Staff Sgt. Mark Zambon was in Afghanistan, on his fourth combat deployment as an explosive ordnance disposal technician, when he took a step and heard the ominous click.

Continue reading "Afghan bomb cost Marine his legs, but not his spirit" »

April 10, 2013

Marine awarded Bronze Star Medal for actions during OEF

Story by Cpl. Marcin Platek | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 04.10.2013

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - 1st Sgt. Anthony J. Velarde, the first sergeant with 1st Civil Affairs Group, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device during a ceremony here, March 11.

Continue reading "Marine awarded Bronze Star Medal for actions during OEF" »

April 9, 2013

Marine Liaisons Committed to Care of Fallen

Apr 09, 2013
Marine Corps News| by Air Force Master Sgt. Veronica Aceveda

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- When a Marine is killed and the fallen member is bound for Dover Air Force Base, Del., a specialized three-person team is standing by to provide the same care and assistance as a civilian funeral home.

Continue reading "Marine Liaisons Committed to Care of Fallen" »

April 3, 2013

Medford resident and U.S. Marine veteran receives Purple Heart

By Nicholas Iovino/[email protected]
Medford Transcript
Posted Apr 03, 2013 @ 12:00 PM
Last update Apr 03, 2013 @ 06:38 PM

Medford —

Medford resident and U.S. Marine Sgt. Daniel M. Vargas was knocked unconscious when two explosive devices detonated next to his convoy in the western cluster of Afghanistan on April 30, 2010.

Continue reading "Medford resident and U.S. Marine veteran receives Purple Heart" »

April 2, 2013

TWO MARINES HONORED FOR ROLE IN AFGHAN FIGHT

By Gretel C. Kovach12:01 a.m.April 2, 2013
Updated7:37 p.m.April 1, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON — Two Marines from a Camp Pendleton helicopter squadron who battled insurgents during the attack on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan last fall were honored with 2012 Marine Corps Aviation Awards.

Continue reading "TWO MARINES HONORED FOR ROLE IN AFGHAN FIGHT" »

March 12, 2013

Marine awarded Bronze Star for leadership in Afghanistan

By 2nd Lt. Matthey Finnerty | 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit | March 12, 2013

USS Green Bay --

USS GREEN BAY – The Marine Corps continues to solidify its place in history through exemplary achievement and sacrifice of the country’s bravest men and women. Marines distinguish themselves on a daily basis, however, some standout amongst their peers.

Continue reading "Marine awarded Bronze Star for leadership in Afghanistan" »

March 11, 2013

Marine awarded Navy and Marine Corps Medal for lifesaving efforts in Afghanistan

Story by Lance Cpl. James Gulliver | 1st Marine Division | Date: 03.08.2013
Date Posted:03.11.2013 23:00

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – As the sun rose over the Camp Las Flores parade deck here, March 8, Lance Cpl. Benjamin Nalls, a fire team leader serving with Delta Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, stood in front of his fellow infantrymen ready to receive the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his actions in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine awarded Navy and Marine Corps Medal for lifesaving efforts in Afghanistan" »

Marines save life in Pohang

Story by 1st Lt. Jean-Scott Dodd | III Marine Expeditionary Force / Marine Corps Installations Pacific | Date: 03.11.2013

POHANG, South Korea - Four Marines rescued a Korean from a burning building after a fire broke out March 8 in Pohang, Republic of Korea.

Continue reading "Marines save life in Pohang" »

March 1, 2013

Marine general set Corps on new course in training, education

Maj. Gen. Melvin Spiese honored with medal at retirement ceremony

By Gretel C. Kovach
9:48 p.m.March 1, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON — As he prepares to retire next month after more than 36 years as a Marine, Maj. Gen. Melvin Spiese said a disappointment of his career turned into an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the Corps.

Continue reading "Marine general set Corps on new course in training, education" »

February 28, 2013

Inspired by a WWII Hero

Story by Cpl. Nana Dannsaappiah | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 02.28.2013

NEW ORLEANS - What makes Sgt. Delshayne John stand out from his fellow Marines at Marine Corps Support Facility New Orleans isn’t the fact that he rose through the ranks to be meritoriously promoted to sergeant in less than three years.

Continue reading "Inspired by a WWII Hero" »

February 27, 2013

26th MEU captain receives Bronze Star

By Hope Hodge - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 27, 2013 11:36:52 EST

A captain with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit received a Bronze Star with combat “V” device while at sea aboard the amphibious assault ship Kearsarge on Feb. 16, the unit reported.

Continue reading "26th MEU captain receives Bronze Star" »

February 22, 2013

Translators help Marines, JGSDF understand each other for Exercise Iron Fist 2013

Story by Lance Cpl. Demetrius Morgan | 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit | Date: 02.22.2013

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - "Translate this for me," is what Marines and Sailors often said when working with members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force during Exercise Iron Fist 2013.

Continue reading "Translators help Marines, JGSDF understand each other for Exercise Iron Fist 2013" »

February 20, 2013

It’s a girl: Marine father meets baby girl

Story by Lance Cpl. Devin Nichols | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 02.20.2013

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - It’s time.

Continue reading "It’s a girl: Marine father meets baby girl" »

February 18, 2013

Parsippany Hills H.S. teammates reunite as Marines in Afghanistan

Written by
Michael Izzo
@MIzzoDR
Feb 18, 2013

PARSIPPANY — Most people have their high school reunions in their old cafeteria, or a hotel or restaurant.

Continue reading " Parsippany Hills H.S. teammates reunite as Marines in Afghanistan" »

Sergeants Course Marine named Combat Center’s Instructor of the Year

By Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson | | February 18, 2011

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Staff Sgt. Elmer Estes, a native of Harlan, Ky., was named the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center’s Instructor of the Year in February, for standing out among his peers as a Sergeants Course instructor at the Twentynine Palms Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy.

Continue reading "Sergeants Course Marine named Combat Center’s Instructor of the Year" »

February 17, 2013

Pendleton general reflects on deadly Afghan region

Year as commander in Helmand and Nimroz marked by insider attacks, withdrawal push

By Gretel C. Kovach
12:01 a.m.Feb. 17, 2013

The suicide attack last March by a supposed Afghan ally was a sign of what was in store for Maj. Gen. Charles “Mark” Gurganus during his year in charge of international troops in southwestern Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Pendleton general reflects on deadly Afghan region" »

February 15, 2013

Marine honored, posthumously awarded Bronze Star

Story by Lance Cpl. James Gulliver | 1st Marine Division | Date: 02.15.2013

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – “Always faithful” is a saying that has been a way of life for U.S. Marines since they adopted the motto in the late 1800s. The word continues to echo on the battlefield today.

Continue reading "Marine honored, posthumously awarded Bronze Star" »

February 14, 2013

Fallen Camp Pendleton Marine Who Wrote Goodbye Letter To Be Awarded Bronze Star On Friday

Thursday, February 14, 2013
By Beth Ford Roth

The military will posthumously award fallen Marine Sgt. William Stacey the Bronze Star at a Camp Pendleton ceremony Friday, according to 1st Marine Public Affairs.

Continue reading "Fallen Camp Pendleton Marine Who Wrote Goodbye Letter To Be Awarded Bronze Star On Friday" »

February 9, 2013

Marine’s journey puts smiles on faces of Thai children

By Lance Cpl. Jose Lujano
U.S. Marine Forces, Pacific
February 09, 2013

PHITSANULOK, Thailand --

Marines are men and women of diverse cultures and ethnicities who volunteer to serve in the armed forces for many different reasons. What varies even more are the life experiences each Marine brings with them to the Corps.

For Lance Cpl. Cuong V. Cao, a combat engineer with 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, the journey to the Ban Kuad Nam Man School in the Chat Trakarn district, Phitsanulok province, Kingdom of Thailand, is like a journey back in time, reminding him of his youth.

Continue reading "Marine’s journey puts smiles on faces of Thai children" »

February 5, 2013

Marine Takes Charge, Earns Silver Star

Story by Cpl. Marcin Platek | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 02.05.2013

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO-- A Silver Star Medal was presented to Sgt. Miguelange G. Madrigal of 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, at a ceremony aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Jan. 31st.

Continue reading "Marine Takes Charge, Earns Silver Star" »

January 28, 2013

Mine sweeper's heroics rightfully noted

By Nathan Max10:24 a.m.Jan. 28, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON — Lance Cpl. Juan Munoz has a harrowing job under normal circumstances.

Continue reading "Mine sweeper's heroics rightfully noted" »

January 27, 2013

1st Sgt. receives Bronze Star for actions in Sangin District, Afghanistan

By Cpl. Timothy Childers | 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit | January 27, 2013

01.26.2013 --

USS RUSHMORE, At Sea – Servicemembers stationed around the world make sacrifices every day for their country. Some expense time away from their families and a number risk their lives to protect their brothers in arms. It is always a special occasion when one is recognized for their actions.

January 23, 2013

Two members of 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion awarded Bronze Star

Story by Lance Cpl. Joseph Scanlan | 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.23.2013

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – A Marine and a sailor serving with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion received the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device during a ceremony here, Jan. 23.

Continue reading "Two members of 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion awarded Bronze Star" »

January 17, 2013

Marine Steps Up as Chaplain’s Assistant

By Sgt. Ned Johnson
Headquarters Marine Corps
January 17, 2013

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- As Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Adam Henderson begins his daily assignments here, he knows that most men his age are not making the same sacrifices he makes each day on a deployment.

Continue reading "Marine Steps Up as Chaplain’s Assistant" »

Marine becomes guardian angel

Story by Lance Cpl. Raquel Barraza | Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing | Date: 01.16.2013
Date posted: 01.17.2013

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. – On a winding narrow back road, a woman cries for help and through the rain she sees a glimpse of hope.

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January 16, 2013

California Marine takes leadership by example to heart

Story by Capt. Alfred Reynolds | Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs | Date: 01.16.2013

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan— Most Marines are familiar with the concept of leadership by example. One Marine lives it.

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January 14, 2013

Marine re-enlists at grave of fallen friend

By Melinda Morales - The Visalia (Calif.) Times-Delta
Posted : Monday Jan 14, 2013 13:41:38 EST

VISALIA, Calif. — When Sgt. Jonathan Diehm decided to sign up for another tour with the Marines, he chose to make it official where a fallen comrade and close friend is buried.

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January 9, 2013

Marine to Draw on Past Experiences as Combat Instructor

January 9th, 2013 // By Cpl. Timothy Lenzo

A mortarman turned squad leader plans to use his experiences gained while deployed to teach new Marines as a combat instructor.

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January 8, 2013

First female Marine Corps general dies

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Jan 8, 2013 19:57:06 EST

The Marine Corps lost one of its pioneering women last week with the passing of retired Brig. Gen. Margaret A. Brewer.

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January 4, 2013

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 Marines Awarded Air Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device for Valor

Story by 1st Lt. Roberto Martins | Marine Corps Air Station New River | Date: 01.04.2013

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. – Three Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 will be awarded the Air Medal with the combat distinguishing device for valor, during a ceremony at the VMM-266 hangar at 8 a.m. Monday, January 7, 2013.

Continue reading "Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 Marines Awarded Air Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device for Valor" »

January 3, 2013

Keeping hands busy with automotive work helps disabled Marine heal

By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times
Published: January 3, 2013

SAN DIEGO -- Marine Cpl. Timothy Read, who lost a leg in Afghanistan and has been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, is applying some Rustoleum to a new drive shaft for his prized 2003 Mustang Mach 1.

Continue reading "Keeping hands busy with automotive work helps disabled Marine heal" »

December 28, 2012

Marine at war robbed of everything

Thieves struck while away in Afghanistan; vets offer help

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
7:35 p.m., Dec. 28, 2012

It had been a tough year to begin with. Then Gunnery Sgt. Jamie Hammond discovered that just about everything she owned except the desert camouflage on her back was stolen while she was in Afghanistan.

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December 20, 2012

Quick, decisive action saves Marine’s life at Camp Lejeune

By 2nd Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs Office | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | December 20, 2012

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- A Marine with Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group saved the life of one of his own in the pre-dawn hours here, Dec. 11.

Continue reading "Quick, decisive action saves Marine’s life at Camp Lejeune" »

December 19, 2012

Marines to be lauded for Libya rescue

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 19, 2012 18:09:14 EST

Three Marines with an MV-22B Osprey squadron will be honored next month for their heroics during a rescue mission last year in Libya in which they recovered a downed Air Force pilot.

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December 15, 2012

Golf Helps Save a Marine

By JEFF WALLACH
Published: December 15, 2012

KINSALE, Ireland — A driving downpour at Old Head Golf Links soaked through Tim Lang’s rain suit, blew in his face as he lined up daunting shots along cliffs above the gray Atlantic, and made it difficult to hold his ground on a prosthetic leg in the wet grass. Nobody should have been playing in such conditions, but on this October day, they made Lang feel more alive.

Continue reading " Golf Helps Save a Marine" »

December 14, 2012

Operation Coming Home provides wounded Marine veteran with new home

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.14.2012

CAMERON, N.C. – The cheers of the gathered crowds overpowered the roaring of the motorcycles that escorted Lance Cpl. Richie Chavis as he arrived at his new home. Marines with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Chavis’ former unit, joined vendors, friends and family in applause as he arrived to receive the keys.

Continue reading "Operation Coming Home provides wounded Marine veteran with new home" »

December 12, 2012

First deployment to Afghanistan sniper’s dream finally fulfilled

By Cpl. Mark Garcia
December 12, 2012

MUSA QAL’AH DISTRICT CENTER, Afghanistan -- For Cpl. Aaron Clote, the challenge involved with becoming a Marine and the chance to experience the world was something he couldn’t miss out on.

Continue reading "First deployment to Afghanistan sniper’s dream finally fulfilled" »

December 11, 2012

Marine Sgt. David Gerardi gets Silver Star at ceremony

By Torsten Ove / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
December 11, 2012 12:09 am

A Marine who did what Marines are trained to do was presented with a medal for bravery Monday for his actions in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine Sgt. David Gerardi gets Silver Star at ceremony" »

December 8, 2012

Through the Scope: One sniper’s experiences, journey to the top

By Cpl. Jonathan G. Wright
31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
December 08, 2012

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan -- Snipers have been the focus of envy and the personification of legends in the Marine Corps since men like Carlos Hathcock and Chuck Mawhinney looked down their scopes in the jungles of Vietnam. The recent exploits of Chris Kyle, the retired Navy SEAL who now has the most confirmed sniper kills in U.S. military history, modernized the mystique of the military sniper, but few have had what it takes to join the ranks.

Continue reading "Through the Scope: One sniper’s experiences, journey to the top" »

December 7, 2012

“Our Institutional DNA”: The U.S. Marine Corps Surges to the Asia-Pacific

The Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, General James F. Amos, gives his thoughts in a wide ranging interview.

By: Sergei DeSilva-Ranasinghe
December 07, 2012

As the process of rebalancing its forces to the Asia-Pacific begins to gain further traction, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) sees itself returning to a familiar region of the world. In this context, the Commandant of the USMC, General James F. Amos, spoke to Sergei DeSilva-Ranasinghe about the Corps’ transformation and modernization, the impact of successive deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, the status of Marine Corps activities in Africa and South America, the strategic realignment to the Asia-Pacific, the likely future battlefield, and defense budget cuts.

Continue reading " “Our Institutional DNA”: The U.S. Marine Corps Surges to the Asia-Pacific" »

December 5, 2012

Base hosts ‘Welcome Home Heroes’ for Marines returning from overseas

By Cpl. T. Allen Bricker
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow
December 05, 2012

Returning from a deployment into the supportive, warm and open arms of a loved one can be the best feeling a Marine ever experiences. On the contrary, having no one welcome you back or showing you appreciation for a job well done could cause the opposite feeling, and no one deserves that.

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December 4, 2012

Habel becomes number 2 man of largest command in the Marine Corps

MARINE CORPS SUPPORT FACILITY NEW ORLEANS

By Cpl. Nana Dannsa-Appiah, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve
December 04, 2012

Col. Gregg T. Habel assumed his new position as executive director of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North, Dec. 3, during a ceremony at Marine Corps Support Facility New Orleans.

Continue reading "Habel becomes number 2 man of largest command in the Marine Corps" »

December 1, 2012

Marine pioneering effort to move women into combat

By JULIE WATSON
The Associated Press
Published: December 1, 2012

SAN DIEGO -- Marine 1st Lt. Brandy Soublet is about as far from the war front as possible at her desk in the California desert, but she's on the front lines of an experiment that could one day put women as close to combat as their male peers.

Continue reading "Marine pioneering effort to move women into combat" »

November 28, 2012

Marine special operations team draws top combat medals

Navy Secretary to award Navy Cross and Silver Stars at Camp Pendleton

Written by Gretel C. Kovach
4:46 p.m., Nov. 28, 2012
Updated 3:24 a.m. , Nov. 29, 2012

The secretary of the Navy is expected to present four members of a Marine special operations team from Camp Pendleton with top awards for valor in combat on Monday, for their actions in Afghanistan two years ago.

Continue reading "Marine special operations team draws top combat medals" »

November 27, 2012

Afghan combat yields 4 valor awards for MARSOC

By Andrew deGrandpré - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Nov 27, 2012 21:12:43 EST

Three Marines and a sailor assigned to an elite Marine unit at Camp Pendleton, Calif., will receive top valor awards for their combat heroics more than two years ago in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Afghan combat yields 4 valor awards for MARSOC" »

November 26, 2012

Despite spinal cord surgery, Marine continues to push forward on third combat deployment

Story by Cpl. Mark Garcia | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 11.26.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – The drive to become a Marine and gain acceptance into the tight-knit family is what drove Staff Sgt. Monica Paz to enlist during July 2000.

Continue reading "Despite spinal cord surgery, Marine continues to push forward on third combat deployment" »

November 16, 2012

Returning Marine gets surprise welcome

By CYNTHIA M. ELLIS
The Telegraph
Posted: Friday, November 16, 2012 7:00 am

WOOD RIVER — Marine Cpl. Luke Malone got the “Thanksgiving” welcome home Thursday he didn’t quite expect.

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U.S. Marine Surprises Sons at College Football Game

By Katie Kindelan
Nov 16, 2012 1:41pm

When 10-year-old Noah Ricafrente and his 8-year-old brother, Elijah, got tickets to the Eastern Carolina University football game with the rest of their Pop Warner football team, it was a big deal.

Continue reading "U.S. Marine Surprises Sons at College Football Game" »

November 10, 2012

My date with Mila Kunis: Marine’s untold story

Taking a celeb to the birthday ball has pros, cons

By Gina Harkins - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Nov 10, 2012 9:58:21 EST

Only a Marine would think to bring his date a bottle of vodka instead of a corsage.

Continue reading "My date with Mila Kunis: Marine’s untold story" »

November 2, 2012

Fighter jet flies for Medal of Honor recipients

Commandant dedicates training jet at Miramar honoring war heroes

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
6:16 p.m., Nov. 2, 2012

Four F/A-18 Hornet jets streaked high over Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Friday afternoon in a missing man formation. When Number 222 peeled away from the others and landed, it was obvious that the latest aircraft added to Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 101 was something special.

Continue reading "Fighter jet flies for Medal of Honor recipients" »

Enid machine gunner makes most of Afghan deployment

Story by Master Sgt. Brenda Varnadore | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 11.02.2012

NOW ZAD, Afghanistan – After three years at Oklahoma State University, it came time for the Enid, Okla., native, to make a decision on his major. Realizing it would affect the rest of his life, he wanted to be absolutely sure. He took a long, hard look in the mirror and made his decision. He wanted to be a Marine.

Continue reading "Enid machine gunner makes most of Afghan deployment" »

November 1, 2012

Marine rushes to teen’s aid after car accident

By Cpl. Tyler J. Bolken | Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point | November 01, 2012

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. (Nov. 1, 2012) -- A Marine and his wife were chatting as they prepared for bed around 10 p.m., Oct. 23, when they heard the sound of squealing tires not far from their home in rural Newport, N.C., just east of the air station.

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October 27, 2012

Gunny battles cancer, prepares for marathon

By Erin Massey - Medill News Service
Posted : Saturday Oct 27, 2012 10:04:07 EDT

Gunnery Sgt. Jerry Embry and his nurse, Agnes Sicat, know what it’s like to face hurdles. In 2011, Embry, a motor transport mechanic and 22-year Marine, was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Continue reading "Gunny battles cancer, prepares for marathon" »

October 26, 2012

Marine injured in Afghanistan throws first pitch at World Series

Tony Perry in San Diego
October 26, 2012 | 10:23 am

Marine Cpl. Nicholas Kimmel, who lost both legs and his left arm in Afghanistan, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Thursday's World Series game in San Francisco: a strike.

Continue reading "Marine injured in Afghanistan throws first pitch at World Series" »

October 11, 2012

Marines continue time-honored tradition in Sangin

10/11/2012 By Cpl. Timothy Lenzo , Regimental Combat Team 6
FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Afghanistan — It is a military tradition carried out on U.S. bases throughout the world. The raising and lowering of the American flag is not just another duty for Marines, especially while deployed.

Continue reading " Marines continue time-honored tradition in Sangin " »

October 6, 2012

Marines continue time-honored tradition in Sangin

Story by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 10.06.2012

FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Afghanistan – It is a military tradition carried out on U.S. bases throughout the world. The raising and lowering of the American flag is not just another duty for Marines, especially while deployed.

Continue reading "Marines continue time-honored tradition in Sangin" »

U.S. Marines get promoted while deployed at sea

Story by Capt. Robert Shuford | 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit | Date: 10.06.2012

U.S. NAVY’S 5th FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY – On the first of each month the U.S. Marine Corps authorizes a certain number of promotions for different ranks and job fields. For Marines deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit being deployed at sea doesn’t keep them from moving up to the next rank.

Continue reading "U.S. Marines get promoted while deployed at sea" »

October 5, 2012

Marines save motorist's life in Riverside County

Written by
Nathan Max
1:46 p.m., Oct. 5, 2012

Sgt. Ronny Pool and Staff Sgt. Javier Acosta have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan a combined six times.

Continue reading "Marines save motorist's life in Riverside County " »

October 1, 2012

$3 billion task: Getting gear home

By Bethany Crudele - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Oct 1, 2012 8:37:36 EDT

Marine Corps Logistics Command faces one of the most daunting challenges of the coming year or two: Bring home the tens of thousands of weapons, vehicles and gear, large and small, from Afghanistan; repair or replace them; and get the new or refurbished items back to the fleet as it prepares for the pivot to the Asia-Pacific region.

Continue reading "$3 billion task: Getting gear home" »

September 24, 2012

'It makes you appreciate America'

Marine reflects on recent tour of Afghanistan

By Angeljean Chiaramida STAFF WRITER
September 24, 2012

SEABROOK — Sitting in her grandmother’s living room, petite and pretty Sara Adams looks nothing like the typical “leatherneck.”

Continue reading "'It makes you appreciate America' " »

Running toward gunfire: Marines, British forces repel insurgents attacking Camp Bastion

9/24/2012 By Sgt. John Jackson , Marine Attack Squadron 211

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan —
Sgt. Rasheem Thomas never thought his first night working on Camp Bastion would turn into a gun battle with 15 insurgents.

Continue reading " Running toward gunfire: Marines, British forces repel insurgents attacking Camp Bastion " »

September 23, 2012

A Marine's Death Brings Together His Dad and His Battlefield Buddy

By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS
Updated September 23, 2012, 2:43 p.m. ET

HOOVER, Ala.—Two years ago, Matthew Proctor dropped to his knees in the Afghan dirt and watched his best friend bleed to death.

Continue reading "A Marine's Death Brings Together His Dad and His Battlefield Buddy " »

September 21, 2012

Camp Lejeune Marine earned Swain award by helping Afghans

By Rusty Dennen
The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va.
Published: September 21, 2012

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Marine Lance Cpl. Lauren Kohls can't talk much about her work in military intelligence, but others will be happy to do it tonight.

Continue reading "Camp Lejeune Marine earned Swain award by helping Afghans" »

September 13, 2012

9th Engineer Support Battalion Marines receive Bronze Star

9/13/2012 By Lance Cpl. Daniel Valle , III MEF
CAMP HANSEN, Japan — Captains Aaron F. Fisher and Christopher M. Kaprielian were awarded Bronze Star medals during a ceremony at the 9th Engineer Support Battalion physical training field at Camp Hansen Sept. 5.

Continue reading " 9th Engineer Support Battalion Marines receive Bronze Star " »

September 11, 2012

Marine surprises children in return from Afghanistan

By Stacy Moore, Hi-Desert Star
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 10:53 pm

YUCCA VALLEY — The children of a U.S. Marine deployed to Afghanistan got the surprise of a lifetime Friday, Sept. 7, when their dad walked into their classroom at Onaga Elementary School.

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Georgia native, corpsman serves country on first deployment

Story by Cpl. Mark Garcia | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 09.11.2012

COMBAT OUTPOST SHIR GHAZAY, Afghanistan – As a senior in high school, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Ricky Lattimore made the decision to serve his country. One month after his May 2008 graduation, he was on his way to basic training.

Continue reading "Georgia native, corpsman serves country on first deployment" »

September 8, 2012

From Virginia to Afghanistan, Marine develops his own legacy

Story by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 09.08.2012

PATROL BASE DETROIT, Afghanistan – The Marine Corps is filled with stories of young men and women looking for something different. They are brought together by a bond from the day they receive their Eagle, Globe and Anchor and officially earn the title of United States Marine.

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September 7, 2012

3rd CEB Marine earns Bronze Star

9/7/2012 By Lance Cpl. D. J. Wu , Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. — Capt. Anthony Bariletti, ground combat element academic officer, Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group, received a Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device during a ceremony at the MCTOG compound Aug. 31, 2012.

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West Virginia Marine awarded Bronze Star for heroic actions in combat

9/7/2012 By Lance Cpl. Phillip Clark , 2nd Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The first thing Staff Sgt. Matthew E. Faircloth did once he regained consciousness after being shot in the head in a firefight in Afghanistan in 2011 was look at his family picture in the back of his Kevlar helmet. Never mind the blood gushing from the back of his head, he just wanted to make sure the one thing that kept him strong through his deployment was protected – a picture of his wife and three children.

Continue reading " West Virginia Marine awarded Bronze Star for heroic actions in combat " »

September 6, 2012

Illinois native bridges language, cultural barriers through Trek Nawa

9/6/2012 By Cpl. Timothy Lenzo , Headquarters Marine Corps

PATROL BASE DETROIT, Afghanistan —
The Marines are down but not out. The late afternoon sun beats on them, and one Marine wipes sweat from his eyes. Across from them, their opponents smile, seemingly sensing the outcome. With the Olympics fresh in their minds, this is not simply a volleyball game, this is a matter of national pride.

Continue reading " Illinois native bridges language, cultural barriers through Trek Nawa " »

September 5, 2012

Marines receive Silver Stars for Afghan heroics

By Gina Harkins - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Sep 5, 2012 13:20:00 EDT

Two Marines have received the nation’s third-highest award for combat valor in recognition of their heroic actions during separate battles last year in Afghanistan.

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September 3, 2012

Proper equipment saves Wisconsin Marine’s life

Story by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 09.03.2012

PATROL BASE DETROIT, Afghanistan – Every day Marines put on their protective gear and put their lives in danger. They wear a heavy flak jacket, Kevlar helmet and fire retardant clothing. With temperatures reaching more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit, patrolling with all their gear can become tiresome, but there is one Marine who will not hear complaining about the extra weight.

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August 30, 2012

Married Couple Serves Deployment Together

By Marine Corps Cpl. Mark Garcia
Regional Command Southwest

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan, Aug. 30, 2012 – During a deployment, most Marines are separated from their families. But for one married Marine Corps couple, a deployment is providing the opportunity to connect in a way most would not be able to experience.

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August 29, 2012

One Marine feeds a company

8/29/2012 By Cpl. Ed Galo , Regimental Combat Team 6

COMBAT OUTPOST CASTLE, Afghanistan — Whether preparing the ingredients to be used for a meal, preheating ovens or making sure the food doesn’t over cook, feeding 300 people can be a difficult task. It can be even harder in a foreign environment and a single Marine is tasked with the workload.

Continue reading " One Marine feeds a company " »

August 28, 2012

Philadelphia native receives Silver Star for valor in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 08.23.2012
Date Posted:08.28.2012 16:20

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – When a patrol of Marines from 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division; Afghan National Army soldiers and Afghan National Civil Order Police patrolmen was ambushed by insurgents March 5, 2011, Cpl. Jason M. Hassinger quickly realized that many of his comrades were trapped, unable to maneuver or engage the attacking enemy. The Marines requested air support, but it was not immediately available, so Hassinger led his section through the gunfire to rescue his trapped brothers in arms.

Continue reading "Philadelphia native receives Silver Star for valor in Afghanistan" »

Marine awarded Silver Star for combat valor

8/28/2012 By Staff Sgt. Robert Storm , Marine Corps Systems Command

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — “I was exactly where I wanted to be, doing exactly what I wanted to do,” said Gunnery Sgt. Joseph F. Lurz, a native of Baltimore.

Continue reading " Marine awarded Silver Star for combat valor " »

August 25, 2012

Following the scent: An explosive detector dog and his handler protect Marines

Story by Staff Sgt. Brian Buckwalter | Regimental Combat Team 6 | Date: 08.25.2012

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Riding in an armored truck over Afghanistan’s rutted dirt roads is scarcely a smooth or comfortable experience.

Continue reading "Following the scent: An explosive detector dog and his handler protect Marines" »

August 21, 2012

Report details heroism in Osprey crash aftermath

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Aug 21, 2012 17:47:44 EDT

Newly released documents paint a picture of heroism in the immediate aftermath of an Osprey crash that left two Marines dead and two more seriously wounded.

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August 20, 2012

Dakota Meyer blasts Army brass in new book

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Aug 20, 2012 14:53:32 EDT

WEST MILFORD, N.J. — During one of the Afghan war’s ugliest battles, Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer was nearly taken prisoner at gunpoint but fended off his would-be captor by beating him to death with a baseball-sized rock, according to the Marine’s forthcoming book.

Continue reading "Dakota Meyer blasts Army brass in new book" »

August 8, 2012

Marine Declines Scholarship to Serve

By Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Brian Buckwalter
Regimental Combat Team 6

COMBAT OUTPOST JAKER, Afghanistan, Aug. 8, 2012 – For some people, history is just another subject in school. For Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joshua Taylor, being a part of history was a calling.

Continue reading "Marine Declines Scholarship to Serve" »

August 5, 2012

Father talks about homecoming of his son, a U.S. Marine

By Abigail Bartalini/WickedLocalBelmont.com
REP
Posted Aug 05, 2012 @ 07:33 PM

Belmont, Mass. —

Life-long resident Leo J. Saidnawey wears many hats. He is not only a IT Manager and Emergency Management Director, but also a husband, and father of a United States Marine.

Continue reading "Father talks about homecoming of his son, a U.S. Marine " »

August 3, 2012

Finding comfort in training service dogs for other wounded vets

By C.J. Lin
Stars and Stripes
Published: August 3, 2012

BROOKEVILLE, Md. — Marine Sgt. Jon Gordon hadn’t been able to sleep soundly after driving over three roadside bombs in a six-week period during a 2010 deployment to Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Finding comfort in training service dogs for other wounded vets" »

August 1, 2012

Arizona native helps keep rockets’ red glare alive, well in Afghanistan

Story by Sgt. James Mercure | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 08.01.2012

PATROL BASE EREDVI, Afghanistan - The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System delivers target destruction from miles away.

Continue reading "Arizona native helps keep rockets’ red glare alive, well in Afghanistan" »

July 30, 2012

Harrison Township Marine Patrick Murphy welcomed home from Afghanistan

Published: Monday, July 30, 2012, 4:00 AM
By Joe Green/Gloucester County Times

HARRISON TWP. — One might imagine Patrick Murphy could still feel the weight of a Kevlar helmet and body armor, even though they’re gone for now.

Continue reading "Harrison Township Marine Patrick Murphy welcomed home from Afghanistan" »

July 29, 2012

MARINE DEVELOPS A PLAN FOR LIFE OF SERVICE

Specialist in logistics on track to receive college degree and officer’s commission this year

Written by
Lisa Deaderick
12:01 a.m., July 29, 2012
Updated 6:37 p.m. , July 27, 2012

There’s a song that Gunnery Sgt. Gabriel Adibe’s mother used to sing a lot when he was younger: “Jesus first, others second, you put yourself at the end of the line, and then you’ll find true joy in your life. …”

Continue reading "MARINE DEVELOPS A PLAN FOR LIFE OF SERVICE" »

July 28, 2012

Pendleton staff sgt. talks about Silver Star

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jul 28, 2012 12:22:35 EDT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — There is little, if any, hint today of the combat wound Staff Sgt. Paul Worley sustained two years ago when he led his squad with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, in an intense battle with the Taliban.

Continue reading "Pendleton staff sgt. talks about Silver Star" »

July 26, 2012

Marine born in Afghanistan gives back to home nation

Story by Cpl. Mark Stroud | 1st Marine Logistics Group | Date: 07.26.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan —“I remember the day I heard that America was going into Afghanistan,” said Lance Cpl. Behzad Razzada, a member of the Embedded Partnering Team, Combat Logistics Battalion 4, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward). “My parents were happy because it was a chance for Afghanistan to unite and fight for freedom. They said it was the only way that injustice in Afghanistan would be finished.”

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July 17, 2012

Afghanistan War Diary: A Purple Heart

Marine honored for combat wounds, others warned not to add to casualties at home

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
12:32 p.m., July 17, 2012

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN — The Purple Heart ceremony was simple. It was the setting that made it unforgettable.

Continue reading "Afghanistan War Diary: A Purple Heart" »

Five Cherry Point Marines selflessly save couple on Memorial Day

Story by Lance Cpl. Stephen Stewart | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing & Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point | Date: 07.17.2012

ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C. – When a group of Marines took a trip to Fort Macon Park in Atlantic Beach, N.C., to enjoy the sun and relax over the Memorial Day holiday, they had no clue they would soon find themselves fighting to save the lives of two strangers.

Continue reading "Five Cherry Point Marines selflessly save couple on Memorial Day" »

Radio Operator vital to Personal Security Detachment

7/17/2012 By Cpl. Mark Stroud , 1st Marine Logistics Group (FWD)

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — “Communication is everything for what we do,” said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Morgan, personal security detachment chief, Personal Security Detachment, Combat Logistics Battalion 4, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward). “If you can’t communicate you don’t know what is happening, you can’t coordinate with other elements and you can’t reinforce yourself; your command and signal is gone.”

Continue reading "Radio Operator vital to Personal Security Detachment " »

July 16, 2012

Marine earns Silver Star for Afghanistan action

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jul 16, 2012 16:32:59 EDT

A Marine infantry squad leader from Camp Pendleton, Calif., will receive the Silver Star on Tuesday for guiding his men through a hellish five-hour firefight two years ago in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

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July 14, 2012

Silver Star recipient recalls Marjah attack

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jul 14, 2012 11:39:37 EDT

Pinned down in a canal under fire and without working radios, Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cole made a decision: He would face the Taliban with an M240B machine gun.

Continue reading "Silver Star recipient recalls Marjah attack" »

Marine brother, Sailor sister link up while deployed at sea

Courtesy Story | 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit | Date: 07.14.2012

USS SAMPSON, Red Sea - As siblings grow up and lead separate lives it’s sometimes difficult to stay in touch. Add the extra separation of being in the military and deploying around the world and some family members are lucky if they ever see each other.

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July 13, 2012

MARINE WHO LOOKS OUT FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS IS ENDING A GREAT CAREER

By Union-Tribune
12:01 a.m., July 13, 2012
Updated 7:17 p.m. , July 12, 2012

Today a true American hero retires from the Marine Corps after serving his country with distinction for 30 years.

Continue reading "MARINE WHO LOOKS OUT FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS IS ENDING A GREAT CAREER " »

July 11, 2012

Georgia Marine awarded Silver Star for heroic actions in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.11.2012

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – He watched as five Marines beside him dropped, struck by the sheer force of insurgent machine gun fire. Within seconds, Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cole joined his brothers as a three-round burst lifted his 200-pound frame and 80 pounds of gear completely off the ground, moved him five feet in the air, and slammed him into the dirt– all in less than half a second.

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July 9, 2012

Sgt. Enrique Trevino Supports Wounded Warrior Project By Attempting 1 Million Pushups

Posted: 07/09/2012 10:56 am Updated: 07/10/2012 12:54 pm

When doubters questioned if Sgt. Enrique Trevino could do 1 million pushups in a year, he responded in true Marine form: He simply added on another twist to the challenge.

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July 4, 2012

July Fourth at war: Marines say don't forget us

Closest most get to fireworks in Afghanistan is an artillery mission

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
2:24 p.m., July 4, 2012
Updated 9:14 p.m.

Forward Operating Base Shir Ghazay, Afghanistan — The Fourth of July isn’t much of a holiday in the war zone. It’s just another work day for many Marines and a reminder of family and friends who are gathering without them back home.

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Marine has the blues in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Ed Galo | Regimental Combat Team 6 | Date: 07.04.2012

FORWARD OPERATING BASE NOLAY, Afghanistan – One recent morning, while waiting in line for breakfast at the field mess hall at Forward Operating Base Nolay, Marines could hear the sound of blues music coming from a harmonica.

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June 30, 2012

Runners bring flag to war veteran

Posted: Saturday, June 30, 2012 5:30 am

TWENTYNINE PALMS — A relay team of U.S. Marines crossed the Hi-Desert Friday, bearing an American flag to present to a veteran whose legs were destroyed in Afghanistan.

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June 29, 2012

Lansing Marine receives hero's welcome

June 29, 2012 • By Carrie Steinweg Times

LANSING | There were splashes of red, white and blue all around Lansing on Thursday and it wasn’t just because Independence Day is approaching.

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Combat Camera Marine documents war, progress in Kajaki, Afghanistan

Story by Sgt. James Mercure | Regimental Combat Team 6 | Date: 06.29.2012

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KISHTIWAN – He carries a copy of the U.S. Constitution on every combat operation he’s documented and returns with history in his camera.

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June 25, 2012

Fighting Irish: deployed crew chief fulfills dream

Story by Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot | Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing | Date: 06.25.2012

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Flying over southwestern Afghanistan, a voice came over the radio, drawing the crew chiefs’ attention to a large truck and SUVs racing through the desert. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469, “Vengeance,” were performing aerial reconnaissance in the area, looking for any suspicious vehicles or potential insurgent activity.

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June 24, 2012

This Is My Life, Episode 3

Video by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 06.24.2012

This is my life is a video journal blog of Marines in Afghanistan, documenting their daily life. This episode follows an infantryman with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

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June 23, 2012

Challenge Accepted; Corpsmen Ready, Serves with Marines

Video by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 06.23.2012

Petty Officer 3rd Class Norberto Zamora, a corpsman with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, discusses the challenges he's faced during his deployment and why he enjoys working with Marines.

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June 22, 2012

Mexican immigrant serves in Marines, OEF; eyes US citizenship

Story by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 06.22.2012

KAJAKI, Afghanistan – He stands side-by-side his fellow Marines, pours his blood and sweat into his job and sacrifices time away from his family. He lives driven by a will to earn his way in life and appreciate what’s been given to him.

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June 21, 2012

1st Recon welcomes new commanding officer

Story by Lance Cpl. Tyler Reiriz | 1st Marine Division | Date: 06.21.2012

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Lieutenant Col. Brian L. Gilman relinquished command of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion to Maj. Brian J. Von Herbulis during a change of command ceremony at Camp Margarita, June 21.

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Cottage Grove Marine recognized for outstanding achievements in Afghanistan

6/21/2012
1st Marine Logistics Group (FWD)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan —
Typical mornings for officers and senior enlisted staff members with 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) headquarters begin with an operations and intelligence briefing given to the commanding general and his staff. The service members gather to brief the commanding general about daily activities and ongoing operations throughout Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

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June 20, 2012

Marines honor their brother with 160-mile run in the desert

By Sara Bruestle | Jun 20, 2012

A U.S. Marine from Mukilteo is running an American flag more than 50 miles in the desert to raise funds for a wounded fellow Marine.

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Reserve Marine instructs Caribbean veterans in Barbados

Story by Cpl. Nana Dannsaappiah | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 06.20.2012

CHRIST CHURCH, Barbados – Twenty seven-year-old Sgt. Andrew Mercer spoke loudly, gesturing with his hands as he fluctuated between two groups of students. The two platoons that flanked him, law enforcement and defense veterans from various Caribbean islands, directed their attention to the lead instructor, Mercer, and his five assistant instructors.

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June 14, 2012

Fallen Marine to receive Navy Cross

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jun 14, 2012 18:54:57 EDT

The ferocious fighting that the men of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, encountered during their 2010-11 deployment to Afghanistan with Regimental Combat Team 2 — and the valor with which they fought — has been hailed yet again with an award for “extraordinary heroism” in combat.

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Marines Reflect on Deployment

by Stacie N. Galang
Jun 14, 2012

Lt. Col. William Vivian realized late on the morning of February 9 that it was his 25th year in the U.S. Marine Corps.

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June 10, 2012

Legacy Marine: Wayne Steele has 41 years in

This colonel has served longer than most leathernecks have been alive

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jun 10, 2012 12:27:10 EDT

Col. Wayne R. Steele despises the term “lifer.” He’s a “professional Marine,” thank you very much. Yet after 41 years (and counting), Steele, 61, has spent the better part of his time on earth serving in the Marine Corps, obtaining an astounding 17 ranks along the way, pulling duty at darn-near every base or air station in the service, and deploying in support of multiple operations dating back to the 1970s.

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May 25, 2012

Indiana Marine builds bonds with Afghans

Story by Lance Cpl. Tyler Reiriz | 1st Marine Division | Date: 05.25.2012

WUSHTAN, Afghanistan - During a halt in a security patrol here May 18, Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Barth, a native on New Albany, Ind., sat down next to Muhammed Hasim, one of his counterparts with the Afghan National Army, and struck up a conversation.

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New York Detective puts skills to use in Afghanistan

Story by Lance Cpl. Tyler Reiriz | 1st Marine Division | Date: 05.25.2012

WUSHTAN, Afghanistan - Marc Davis took a few minutes to talk to an old Afghan man on the road, May 19. As a veteran of the New York City police force, it is a scenario he has been through hundreds of times. The only difference is that instead taking place on a busy city street surrounded by towering skyscrapers, it’s happening on a dirt road next to a mosque surrounded by small mud buildings in Washtun, Afghanistan.

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May 23, 2012

From the couch to combat

Story by Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot | Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing | Date: 05.23.2012

Sgt. Enrique Zamora, a crew chief with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 and Los Fresnos, Texas, native, keeps an unusual collection with him on flights: a selection of Chevrolet Hot Wheels cars.

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May 14, 2012

Afghanistan battles yield two Navy Crosses

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Monday May 14, 2012 20:29:36 EDT

Two California-based Marines are scheduled to receive Navy Cross awards on Friday for their actions during separate battles in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

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May 11, 2012

Motivated NCO improves self, Marines

Story by Lance Cpl. Manuel Estrada | Marine Corps Air Station New River | Date: 05.11.2012

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. - As a sergeant of Marines, one must set the example for others to emulate, be professional both on and off duty, be responsible for the accomplishments of assigned missions and for the safety, professional development and well-being of the Marines under his charge. A sergeant must embody the Marine Corps institutional core values of honor, courage and commitment while leading his Marines with firmness, fairness and dignity.

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May 6, 2012

V-mail and Gmail

Story by Isaac Lamberth | Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing | Date: 05.06.2012

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan - On April 28, 1941 – 71 years ago today as I write this – Leo Morgenstern, my great grandfather, wrote a letter from Nazi-occupied France to his son in America, asking for bribe money to facilitate his escape. The letter arrived in January, 1944, having been held up by a British censor due to concerns over its origins behind enemy lines. If only he could have sent an e-mail, he might not have perished at Auschwitz.

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May 5, 2012

Another year, another country for Clifton native

Story by Spc. Chelsea Russell | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 05.05.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - When Cpl. Erica Adams decided to join the Marine Corps Feb. 7, 2010, she knew she wanted to be a motor transportation mechanic. Although it’s a choice most people might question, especially for a female, Adams is passionate about her job.

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May 3, 2012

Wisconsin native leads Marines through firefights during deployment

Story by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 05.03.2012

TREK NAWA, Afghanistan – Leadership is a fundamental part of the Marine Corps. Leaders train new leaders: from a fire team of four, to Marines at the highest levels.

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May 2, 2012

Georgia native goes above and beyond for man’s best friend

Story by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 05.02.2012

TREK NAWA, Afghanistan – Many children beg their parents for a dog. The floppy ears and wagging tail seems to attract children to man’s best friend. But many parents know that caring for a dog means a lot of responsibility, training and effort.

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April 30, 2012

Marine pilot earns honor for heroic Libya rescue

By Andy Matarrese - Medill News Service
Posted : Monday Apr 30, 2012 7:52:01 EDT

Maj. J. Eric Grunke had just left a late-evening briefing to grab some chow when the rumors started to circulate aboard the Kearsarge: There was a friendly jet down in Libya.

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April 21, 2012

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Marine awarded Bronze Star with “V”

Story by Sgt. John Jackson | 1st Marine Logistics Group | Date: 04.21.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Two years ago, then Gunnery Sgt. Kelly Minkler arrived in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, as an explosive ordnance disposal section leader with 1st EOD Company, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward). During that deployment, Minkler was in direct support of Weapons Co., 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines.

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April 17, 2012

37 Marines, Sailors Awarded Purple Hearts

Award Recipients Part Of Battalion That Returned From Afghanistan In March

POSTED: 8:24 pm PDT April 17, 2012
UPDATED: 11:08 pm PDT April 17, 2012

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Thirty-seven Marines and sailors were awarded Purple Hearts during a ceremony at Camp Pendleton on Tuesday.

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From high school to Afghanistan, these Marines stick together

Story by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 04.17.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Marines describe their relationships with fellow Marines with words like brotherhood and sisterhood. Many view the Corps as a family, with brothers and sisters, mother and father figures. The way Marines take care of each other, look after each other and even bicker with each other is reminiscent of many families in America today.

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Marine electrician keeps power on in southern Helmand province

4/17/2012 By Sgt. Michael S. Cifuentes , Regimental Combat Team 5

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan – Sometimes little luxuries like air conditioning, heat and power go unnoticed… just not in Afghanistan.

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37 Marines, Sailors Awarded Purple Hearts

Award Recipients Part Of Battalion That Returned From Afghanistan In March

POSTED: 8:24 pm PDT April 17, 2012
UPDATED: 11:08 pm PDT April 17, 2012

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Thirty-seven Marines and sailors were awarded Purple Hearts during a ceremony at Camp Pendleton on Tuesday.

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April 16, 2012

Toledo Marine drives across hundreds of miles in Afghanistan

4/16/2012 By Sgt. Michele Watson , 1st Marine Logistics Group (FWD)

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — In America, all branches of the military are voluntary, and for those who choose to join, a certain level of respect is earned. There are some who believe that the highest honor comes from serving one’s country.

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April 14, 2012

U.S. Marine Sgt. Fitzpatrick awarded for saving life of hospital corpsman

By Ellie Oleson
CORRESPONDENT
Saturday, April 14, 2012

OXFORD — During a firefight in Afghanistan last fall, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Kory M. Fitzpatrick, 23, risked his own life to save severely wounded Hospital Corpsman Third Class Michael Wengloski.

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U.S. Marine Sgt. Fitzpatrick awarded for saving life of hospital corpsman

By Ellie Oleson
CORRESPONDENT
Saturday, April 14, 2012

OXFORD — During a firefight in Afghanistan last fall, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Kory M. Fitzpatrick, 23, risked his own life to save severely wounded Hospital Corpsman Third Class Michael Wengloski.

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April 13, 2012

The Unknown Soldiers: A Marine Named Fancy

By Tom Sileo
Published 04/13/12

Lance Cpl. Stuart Ferreri is just old enough to legally buy a beer in the United States. Yet the Marine, 21, is already on his second deployment to Afghanistan.

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April 12, 2012

Comstock Marine drives forward

Story by 2nd Lt. Scott Murdock | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 04.12.2012

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – When he is on his family farm, Dana Brakke can be found driving a John Deere through the green fields of Comstock, Minn. These days, he can be found driving an armored truck through the sand of southwest Afghanistan

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April 9, 2012

Pride paramount to River Ridge native

Story by Spc. Chelsea Russell | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 04.09.2012

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The sound of the National Anthem fills the air and young Cpl. Marc Orgeron holds a microphone in his hand. He stands rigidly at attention, the gleam of hard-earned medals glinting from his chest as he begins to sing. His voice booms across the bright green ball field and fills the hearts of those gathered to witness the San Diego Padres versus Colorado Rockies baseball game, Sept. 17, 2009, with pride.

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April 7, 2012

Forward deployed Marine sings national anthem for Cleveland Indians’ home opener

Story by Sgt. John Jackson | 1st Marine Logistics Group | Date: 04.07.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Joe DiMaggio once said, “You always get a special kick on opening day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday party when you’re a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen.”

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Marines at Leatherneck concussion center heal, return to combat

April 7th, 2012 | Posted by Dan Lamothe

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Lance Cpl. Scott Anderson had been in Afghanistan about a month when he was “blown up.”

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April 6, 2012

To Ramadi and back

Story by Cpl. Johnny Merkley | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 04.06.2012

TREK NAWA, Afghanistan — The men and women who have earned the title of Marine share a unique history and tradition only found in the Corps. In some cases, this history and tradition is shared by generations of Marines from the same family.

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March 29, 2012

Marine exhibits courage on battlefield, receives Bronze Star

Photo by Cpl. Ned Johnson | 1st Marine Division | Date: 03.29.2012

Hartford, Conn., native Sgt. Patrique Fearon, a combat engineer with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V, March 29, 2012, in San Mateo.

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March 28, 2012

Marine tells tales of Afghanistan, recovery

By CHRIS PETERSON Hungry Horse News
Posted: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 8:29 am

Can you still play video games? Are your fingers inside the flesh on your hand? How do you get out of the pool with no legs? What does your stump look like? How does that wheelchair work?

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March 26, 2012

1st Tanks Marine, double amputee named best Marine in 1st MarDiv

Story by Cpl. Sarah Dietz | Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms | Date: 03.21.2012
Date Posted:03.26.2012 19:14

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Cpl. Carlos Torres has a quiet spirit and is a man of few words. He is not arrogant, but he is proud of what he does.

Continue reading "1st Tanks Marine, double amputee named best Marine in 1st MarDiv" »

WWR names 2012 All-Marine Warrior Games team

3/26/2012 By Capt. Jill L. Wolf , Wounded Warrior Regiment

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — The United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment announced today the final roster of 50 Marines and Marine veterans who will serve on the 2012 All-Marine Warrior Games team.

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March 23, 2012

3/5 sergeant to be awarded Silver Star

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Mar 23, 2012 19:02:45 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The Marine Corps will award the Silver Star next week to an infantry squad leader with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, for leading his men through an unrelenting firefight in Afghanistan nearly two years ago, 1st Marine Division said Friday.

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March 21, 2012

Navy: Not so fast on reopening Peralta probe

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Mar 21, 2012 11:28:09 EDT

Navy officials acknowledged they are reviewing new evidence in the valor case of Sgt. Rafael Peralta, but stopped short of describing the review as a “reopening” of the investigation.

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Marine serves two crucial roles for 31st MEU

Story by Cpl. Garry Welch | 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit | Date: 03.21.2012

USS ESSEX, At Sea — Every Marine and sailor aboard the USS Essex serves a crucial role in the success of the mission, but Lance Cpl. Samantha A. Sabalboro serves two.

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March 20, 2012

Navy reopens Marine Corps Medal of Honor case

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Mar 20, 2012 15:29:06 EDT

The Navy Department will reopen the valor case of Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta based on new evidence that reportedly removes any doubt about the infantryman’s actions during his waning moments of life seven years ago in Iraq.

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March 19, 2012

‘Semper Fidelis’ display comes to Kent State, honors man’s journey to learn of his father

By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published: March 19, 2012 - 12:18 AM

CHAGRIN FALLS: It came to Tom Patrick Kindt Hubbard in 1998 while reading to his 2-year-old son, Calvin.

Continue reading "‘Semper Fidelis’ display comes to Kent State, honors man’s journey to learn of his father" »

March 18, 2012

Colorado Marine teaches discipline through martial arts in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Alfred V. Lopez | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 03.17.2012
Date Posted:03.18.2012 06:36

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan – Black, brown, green, gray and tan. Those are the colors of the belt levels of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program that a ‘user’ can earn.

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March 17, 2012

I am not a hero

Story by Cpl. Johnny Merkley | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 03.17.2012

PATROL BASE LAMBADAND, Afghanistan — Marines across the globe perform admirably in high stress, difficult situations on a daily basis.

Continue reading "I am not a hero" »

March 16, 2012

Female Marines aim to blend in, but be visible enough to set an example

By Jennifer Hlad
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 16, 2012

QUANTICO, Va. — Female Marines don’t like people to focus on their gender. They’re just Marines, they say.

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Arizona Marine takes responsibility to heart, saves lives

Story by Lance Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 03.16.2012

PATROL BASE ATOLL, Afghanistan — Sergeant Darin Dains Jr., a combat engineer with Bravo Company, 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion (Forward), relaxes on his cot, watching movies while joking with friends. Even when relaxed Dains took the time to ask Marines how they were doing, making sure everything was okay.

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March 14, 2012

Two Marines honored for valor in Afghanistan

Silver Star, Bronze Star for Camp Pendleton SpecOps personnel

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
8:31 p.m., March 14, 2012

Staff Sgt. Andrew K. Thompson led his Marine special operations team and a company of Afghan soldiers into Shewan village, in Farah province, where they were attacked by a barrage of firepower from machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and recoilless rifles.

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March 13, 2012

From tragedy comes Tomodachi, bonds built out of the Tohoku disaster

3/13/2012 By Cpl. Jonathan G. Wright , 31st MEU

USS ESSEX, At Sea — One year ago on March 11, an undersea earthquake rocked the eastern coast of Japan, its 9.0 magnitude making it one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world since 1900. Just 70 kilometers off the coast of Tohoku, the quake triggered a violent tsunami which damaged more than one hundred thousand buildings, killed or injured tens of thousands of people and caused meltdowns in reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Continue reading "From tragedy comes Tomodachi, bonds built out of the Tohoku disaster " »

March 12, 2012

Marine leader at Camp Pendleton to leave

Waldhauser heads for Pentagon; replacement for 1MEF not yet named

Written by
Jeanette Steele
3:54 p.m., March 12, 2012

The Marine Corps general in charge of the 57,000-Marine force based at Camp Pendleton has been nominated to serve as senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

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Wounded EOD Marine receives award from Georgian President

3/12/2012 By Sgt. John Jackson , 1st Marine Logistics Group (FWD)

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Staff Sgt. Marcus Burleson, an explosive ordnance disposal technician and team leader with 2nd EOD Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) was awarded the General Kvinitadze medal, which is given to foreign service members who significantly contribute in the development of Republic of Georgia-foreign nation military cooperation, Feb. 3.

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March 11, 2012

Prosthetics give injured Marine hope for future

By Chris Carroll
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 11, 2012

WASHINGTON — In late July last year, Marine Cpl. Kevin Dubois headed out to take the place of another Marine wounded while guarding a hastily setup landing zone near Sangin, a Taliban hotbed in southern Afghanistan.

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March 7, 2012

Marine's Facebook page tests military rules

By JULIE WATSON
Associated Press
Mar 7, 7:34 PM EST

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Marine Sgt. Gary Stein first started a Facebook page called Armed Forces Tea Party Patriots to encourage service members to exercise their free speech rights. Then he declared that he wouldn't follow orders from the commander in chief, President Barack Obama.

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Optimism, thinking outside of the box, Mundy’s standard plan in Afghanistan

Story by Chief Petty Officer Leslie Shively | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 03.07.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- Not long ago, Taliban ruled the roads of Musa Qala, a town in northern Helmand province. Bands of insurgents brandishing soviet-made AK-47s and lugging rocket launchers, crammed themselves into the backs of pickup trucks and paraded through the town, shouting oppressive slogans and terrorizing its residents.

Continue reading "Optimism, thinking outside of the box, Mundy’s standard plan in Afghanistan" »

March 5, 2012

Texas Marines a ‘jack-of-all-trades’

Story by Lance Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 03.05.2012

AFGHANISTAN - Despite it being the hottest day in months, the Marine patrols with a constant smile, making jokes with his friends and smiling with the locals, Feb. 27.

Continue reading "Texas Marines a ‘jack-of-all-trades’" »

March 2, 2012

San Diego native uses humor to connect with people of Afghanistan

Story by Lance Cpl. Timothy Lenzo | 1st Marine Division | Date: 03.02.2012

AFGHANISTAN - First one Afghan appears, then another and another. Within minutes, Afghan children surround the patrolling Marine, Feb. 22. The sight is familiar to Lance Cpl. Edgar Lima, an assaultman, for 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon, Lima Company.

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February 25, 2012

Grim task: Informing families in Marine copter crash

By Jaimee Rose and Michelle Ye Hee Lee, The Arizona Republic
February 25, 2012

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – They walk to fallen soldiers' front doors in pairs, crisp and dark in their military dress blues: one officer, one chaplain.

Continue reading "Grim task: Informing families in Marine copter crash" »

February 21, 2012

Cherry Point Marine pulls man from truck engulfed in flames

2/21/2012 By Lance Cpl. Stephen T. Stewart , Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. (Feb. 14, 2012) — Running late on his way to pick up a new fishing boat after work Feb. 14, Lance Cpl. David S. Shouse drove through the small town of Boiling Spring Lakes, N.C., when he saw a truck engulfed in flames.

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February 19, 2012

Walking point, avoiding IEDs in Sangin

Story by Sgt. Jacob Harrer | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 02.19.2012

PATROL BASE WISHTAN, Helmand Province, Afghanistan – The pointman of a patrol spotted something sticking out of the ground. He immediately identified it as an improvised explosive device, the number one killer of coalition forces in Afghanistan.

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Former MARSOC Marine seeks book deal

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Feb 19, 2012 10:12:30 EST

Michael Golembesky is poised to publish the first book detailing experiences of Marine special operators in Afghanistan. And unlike career writers who drop into an outpost for a quick embed, Golembesky was there, as a member of Marine Special Operations Team 8222 during one of its hardest deployments.

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February 18, 2012

2012 Marine Corps trials prove to be a milestone in 1/23 Marine’s road to recovery

Story by Cpl. Lucas Vega | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 02.18.2012

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - At the archery range for the 2012 Marine Corps Trials, Lance Cpl. Christopher Crump straddles the firing line on a leg that once shattered, finds his natural respiratory pause with lungs that were once collapsed, sights in on his bow with an eye that was once dangling from its socket, and speaks and writes words that he could not temporarily say and scribe, due the tragic event of Aug. 16, 2011.

Continue reading "2012 Marine Corps trials prove to be a milestone in 1/23 Marine’s road to recovery" »

February 16, 2012

For visiting Marines, an 'incredibly powerful, healing measure'

By Carlos Bongioanni
Stars and Stripes
Published: February 16, 2012

ARLINGTON, Va. — It wasn’t easy to talk about. Four Marines awarded Purple Hearts Thursday in front of the national Marine Corps Memorial found it difficult to open up about their recent deployment to Afghanistan.

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February 15, 2012

A Marine’s Journal – 1st Lt. David Morgenstern

Courtesy Story | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing | Date: 02.15.2012

In Bangor, Maine there is a group of people that greets each flight carrying deploying or returning U.S. troops. I first met a few of them in March 2010 when, as a new second lieutenant in the Marine Corps, I passed through on my way to Afghanistan.

Continue reading "A Marine’s Journal – 1st Lt. David Morgenstern" »

February 11, 2012

Former Pendleton Marine receives Silver Star

The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Feb 11, 2012 8:21:02 EST

SAN DIEGO — A Marine based out of Camp Pendleton received the Silver Star on Friday for courageous service during a bloody, six-hour firefight in the war in Afghanistan.

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February 10, 2012

Local Marine Awarded Silver Star

Sgt. Phillip McCulloch Honored For Valor In Battle

POSTED: 8:01 pm PST February 10, 2012
UPDATED: 8:32 pm PST February 10, 2012

SAN DIEGO -- A San Diego Marine received the military's third-highest award for valor in a ceremony on Friday.

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February 8, 2012

Silver Star for San Diego Marine Drill Instructor

February 8, 2012 | 10:05 AM | By Beth Ford Roth

The Marine Corps on Friday will award Sgt. Philip A. McCulloch Jr. the Silver Star Medal for his heroic actions in Afghanistan. The 22-year-old is currently a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

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Drill instructor to be awarded Silver Star

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 8, 2012 10:55:47 EST

The Marine Corps will award the Silver Star medal on Friday to a sergeant who led his infantry squad through a six-hour firefight in Afghanistan’s Sangin district last year.

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February 5, 2012

Ohio native’s initiative changes face of Afghan communications

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 02.05.2012

CAMP SHORABAK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Something spoke to 1st Lt. Joseph M. Russell’s heart as he watched the Twin Towers fall to rubble on that infamous day in September 2001. The Richmond Heights, Ohio, native heard a voice inside of him telling him to stand up against the wrongs done that day and fight for his country … so he did, not knowing his contributions would change how an entire Afghan National Army unit operates.

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February 4, 2012

For Wounded Vet, Love Pierces the Fog of War

By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS
FEBRUARY 4, 2012

DALLAS—The night Katie Brickman met Ian Welch at the bar, she knew right away the Iraq war veteran was the man she wanted to marry.

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February 3, 2012

Yuma Marine awarded Bronze Star for heroic acts in Afghanistan

February 03, 2012 5:28 PM
BY MARA KNAUB - SUN STAFF WRITER

On two occasions, when explosives went off, instead of heading away from the chaos and violence, Staff Sgt. Kasell “C.J.” Wiggins jumped straight into the destruction.

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Through the Eyes of Infantrymen

February 3rd, 2012 // By Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde

PATROL BASE 7171, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Infantry Marines deployed to Afghanistan endure trials that Americans unfamiliar with military life cannot begin to fathom. Inclement weather, insatiable hunger, perpetual fatigue and direct combat with enemy forces are challenges frequently confronting the infantryman because he regularly operates in austere, hostile conditions. The infantry Marine in Afghanistan, commonly 18 years old and fresh out of high school, is often significantly more mature than others his age because of his unique experiences.

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February 1, 2012

A happy homecoming in North Reading

By Brian R. Ballou
Globe Staff
February 01, 2012

NORTH READING - State Police and family members greeted 26-year-old Marine Lieutenant Ben Hodgkins when he landed at Logan International Airport yesterday after a year in Afghanistan that maimed several in his unit. As he and his parents arrived here in his hometown, their police escort whisked their van to the town center.

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January 27, 2012

WWR Marine receives Bronze Star

1/27/2012 By Capt. Jill Wolf , Wounded Warrior Regiment

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (Jan. 27, 2012) — Marines, sailors and family members gathered here to honor a Wounded Warrior Regiment staff member during an award ceremony at the regimental headquarters today.

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January 26, 2012

N.Y. hoodlum turned combat cameraman of the year

1/26/2012 By Staff Sgt. Danielle M. Bacon , 26th MEU

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Armed with a spray can, most walls were considered fair game. Graffiti was his medium and more often than not, it was not appreciated by the public. Kicked out of the New York school system, most would have considered the ‘skater boy’ from Queens a lost cause – a hoodlum, nothing more, and nothing less.

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January 25, 2012

Family bonding leads to discoveries from past

1/25/2012 By Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner , Marine Corps Bases Japan

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan — A vacation in Japan, visiting with his son and grandchildren, reminiscing about the past that is what Ron Maines, a Rogers, Ark. native, had planned when he came to Okinawa. What he found while taking a stroll down memory lane, however, was not what he expected.

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January 21, 2012

Washington Township Marine receives warm welcome home from latest deployment to Afghanistan

Published: Saturday, January 21, 2012, 4:00 AM

WASHINGTON TWP. — Standing in front of his family’s home in 30-degree weather, Corporal Andrew Levin was a far cry from his 135-degree days in Afghanistan.

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Marines earn Air Medals for resupply mission

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jan 21, 2012 12:57:09 EST

It was the hottest landing zone they’d seen. On June 12, when the MV-22 Osprey touched down in Sangin, Afghanistan, its four-man crew faced multiple enemy fighting positions less than 100 yards away. It was a hellish three minutes scrambling to unload food, water and ammunition to infantrymen who’d been pinned down all day, and marked the first time in Afghanistan or Iraq that a Marine Osprey crew engaged the enemy with the aircraft’s ramp-mounted machine gun.

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January 19, 2012

Poulsbo, Wash., native answers call as chaplain

1/19/2012 By Cpl. Meredith Brown , 2nd Marine Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan — It is Saturday night. The moon is visible through the sandy haze. The sounds of Guitar Hero are heard outside a small tent. A group of Marines are gathered inside rocking out to the various bands. Lt. Bryan Davenport, the chaplain for 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), watches the Marines give their best shot before piping up from the back row and asking to get the next turn.

Continue reading "Poulsbo, Wash., native answers call as chaplain" »

January 18, 2012

Atlanta Marine follows in father’s footsteps, powers Marines in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Alfred V. Lopez | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.18.2012

CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Each Marine has a unique reason for joining the Corps: some enlist out of pride, some want to see a foreign land, and some do it simply to serve their country.

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SMMC inspires his hometown friends

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Jan 18, 2012 5:42:43 EST

Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett, the man once known to his friends in upstate New York as a scrawny, soccer-playing hell-raiser, has become an inspirational leader of sorts for them, and he has even moved some to change their ways.

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January 17, 2012

Cpl. Karl Winar

Video by Cpl. Reece Lodder | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.17.2012

U.S Marine Cpl. Karl Winar, a 20-year-old motor transport operator with Trucks Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Flemington, N.J., sends a shout out to his family. Produced by Cpl. Reece Lodder. Also available in high definition.

Continue reading "Cpl. Karl Winar" »

January 13, 2012

Marine saves local woman’s life

1/13/2012 By Lance Cpl. Alyssa N. Hoffacker , Marine Corps Bases Japan

CHATAN, OKINAWA, Japan — Cpl. Eric J. Hansen put his training to work recently, saving an elderly woman’s life in Mihama.

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Norwich, Conn., native accepts new challenge with Female Engagement Team

1/13/2012 By Cpl. Meredith Brown , 2nd Marine Division

SANGIN, Afghanistan — When Kimberly Ryan stepped into the Navy recruiter’s office at age 18, she had no idea what she wanted to do. All she knew was she wanted to get out of Connecticut and broaden her horizon.

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January 12, 2012

Atlanta Marine sees truth through war

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.12.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Modern cinema often portrays human life in a manner that seems too surreal, with large explosions and quick timelines that turn hours into a matter of minutes. Sergeant Mamadee Toure recalled growing up in Monrovia, Liberia, seemed like an over-dramatized movie in slow motion, but it was a childhood that led him to what he is doing today.

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January 9, 2012

Warriors Watch Riders Welcome Home Barrington Marine

Lance Cpl. Lisa Zychowski was treated like a rock star with a motorcade and cheers for her service.

By Claudia Lenart
January 9, 2012

For Lance Cpl. Lisa Zychowski, the welcome home festivities staged by Warriors Watch Riders were a total surprise.

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Great grandfather earns the French Fourragere, great grandson wears it

Story by Cpl. Jonathan Merkley | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.08.2012
Date Posted:01.09.2012 13:10

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Afghanistan – A person would be hard pressed to find an organization with the history and traditions as rich as those of the United States Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Great grandfather earns the French Fourragere, great grandson wears it" »

January 7, 2012

Detroit native draws on experience to lead Marines

Story by Cpl. Meredith Brown | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 01.07.2012

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Nicholas Marchioni enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2000 as an infantryman and like many, he completed his four-year contract and headed back home to start a new chapter in his life.

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January 6, 2012

Local Marine brings home dog from Afghanistan

By Jessica Goodman
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Friday, January 6, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

During her tour of duty in Afghanistan from October 2010 to May 2011, Maj. Rose Griffith was the only female Marine in a 58-person post in an area of Helmand, Southern Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Local Marine brings home dog from Afghanistan" »

January 5, 2012

Puerto Rican Marine keeps steady beat in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.05.2012

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, Helmand province, Afghanistan - Puerto Rico, Spanish for “rich port,” is truly rich in its culture. Much of the island’s culture is centered on the influence of music, a blended, multicultural sound derived from many Latin genres, to include salsa, bachata and reggaeton.

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January 4, 2012

Former Marine awarded Bronze Star Medal

4:01 AM, Jan. 4, 2012
Written by
KIMBALL BENNION

If the people at the Cascade County Sheriff's Office know they work alongside a veteran decorated with one of the nation's highest military honors, it isn't because Deputy Jack Hinchman told them.

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January 2, 2012

Marines save Afghans in daring canal rescue

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 2, 2012 10:26:48 EST

A routine Afghan-Marine foot patrol was thrown into chaos Dec. 2 when a car traveling more than 40 mph struck the point man, plunging both car and soldier violently into a nearby canal.

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December 30, 2011

Shot Marine used fingers to plug bullet holes

By Curt Anderson - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Dec 30, 2011 13:09:06 EST

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. — A Marine Corps officer said Friday he reacted as he was trained to do by chasing two men who stole a gold necklace he thought they were buying, and then using his fingers to plug bullet holes in his body when one of them opened fire.

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Injured Marine ready to live his life

Posted: Friday, December 30, 2011 7:10 pm
By HILARY MATHESON/The Daily Inter Lake

One misstep on a path containing improvised explosive devices destroyed Lance Cpl. Thomas “Tomy” Parker’s legs and four fingers of his left hand.

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December 29, 2011

Coventry Marine earns Bronze Star Medal

12/29/2011 - South Side Leader
By Maria Lindsay

COVENTRY — Responding to enemy fire May 27 at the Afghan National Civil Order Police Station in Pan Kaleh, Afghanistan, was what Coventry resident and U.S. Marine Cpl. Kevin Dobson was trained to do.

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Mississippi native kicks, punches his way to Corps

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.29.2011

COMBAT OUTPOST CASTLE, Afghanistan - His childhood was spent moving all over the Unites States. Time and again the boy had to learn to start over in a new city with his mother. Fortunately the Meridian, Miss., native didn’t let the constant relocating deter him from his love of flying kicks and fast strikes.

Continue reading "Mississippi native kicks, punches his way to Corps" »

Alabama Marine uses gift of encouragement in Helmand

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.29.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Those who work with Mario T. Handley on a daily basis clearly see there is something different about him. Being a Marine is not about doing a job for this Birmingham, Ala., native, but rather an opportunity to fulfill his purpose in life.

Continue reading "Alabama Marine uses gift of encouragement in Helmand" »

December 28, 2011

Afghan War veteran Kyle Mogonye: don’t take little things for granted

Posted: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 4:02 pm
By Charles Wood

America is still at war. The U.S. has withdrawn its soldiers from Iraq, but in Afghanistan, the fight to secure territory once held by the Taliban continues. It’s a tough job, but American soldiers continue to put their lives at risk.

Continue reading "Afghan War veteran Kyle Mogonye: don’t take little things for granted" »

December 27, 2011

Catching up with: Billy McIntyre, U.S. Marine wounded in Afghanistan

By Staff reports
Lombard Spectator
Posted Dec 27, 2011

Lombard, IL —

On a warm summer night, throngs of people gathered at O’Hare Airport, at the Yorktown Shopping Center then outside a single-family home on Lewis Avenue. They were in a festive spirit to welcome home Marine Sgt. Billy McIntyre, a Lombard resident returning home after being wounded in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Catching up with: Billy McIntyre, U.S. Marine wounded in Afghanistan" »

Long live the King: Marine returns to Corps after 21 years, shares wisdom with juniors

Story by Cpl. James Clark | Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.27.2011

KAJAKI SOFLA, Afghanistan - He can be found in the early mornings, rousing exhausted twenty year-olds from the rack with a mug of steaming coffee in hand, or come evening, shrouded in a veil of cigar smoke, reclining in a leather armchair within a plank and plywood shack of his own construction.

Continue reading "Long live the King: Marine returns to Corps after 21 years, shares wisdom with juniors" »

December 24, 2011

Facing the future with hope

With his surgeries in the past, Marine sergeant sees a clear path forward

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
8 p.m., Dec. 24, 2011

Sgt. Collin Raaz has a few things to give the guys after they return from Afghanistan.

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December 23, 2011

A reunion of Marine brothers

Sgt. Collin Raaz wears tall prosthetic legs to the ball

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
8 p.m., Dec. 23, 2011

Sgt. Collin Raaz stops in the lobby of Caesars Palace hotel, leaning on two canes. The 25-year-old Marine is dressed casually in shorts that reveal his new prosthetic legs. He spray-painted them in red, white and blue stripes to match the motorcycle he used to ride before he was wounded.

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Wounded Marine inspires AP photographer's search

Associated Press
By ANJA NIEDRINGHAUS
AP – Fri, Dec 23, 2011

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Inside the medevac helicopter in Afghanistan, U.S. Marine Cpl. Burness Britt bleeds profusely from his neck. He and two other Marines have just been hit by shrapnel, with Britt's injuries the most serious. The medevac crew chief clutches one of Britt's blood-covered hands as he is given oxygen. I take hold of the other.

Continue reading "Wounded Marine inspires AP photographer's search" »

December 22, 2011

Walking tall on prosthetic legs

Marine is poised at nexus of man and machine

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
8 p.m., Dec. 22, 2011

In a sunlit room of the naval hospital, Sgt. Collin Raaz balances on two tall prosthetic legs, standing at the threshold of his bionic future.

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December 21, 2011

First steps for Marine after the blast

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
8 p.m., Dec. 21, 2011

The Marine lies on his side in the military hospital, his wheelchair parked nearby, waiting to be cast for his first pair of legs. The prosthetist dips strips of fabric coated in plaster into a bucket of warm water, then smooths them over thin pants covering Sgt. Collin Raaz’s battle-scarred thighs.

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December 20, 2011

Uncommon valor, uncommon award

12/20/2011 By Cpl. Abigail Brown , Marine Corps Air Station New River

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. — Four Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 were awarded the Individual Action Air Medals with the combat distinguishing device, Dec. 16, for heroic actions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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December 19, 2011

Healing hurts for Marine after return from war

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
9 p.m., Dec. 19, 2011

Sgt. Collin Raaz sits in a dimly lit physical therapy room on a September morning, gripping a six-pound weight in each hand. His thighs are scored with scars from the explosion, the many surgeries that followed and skin grafts.

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Marine surprised by motorcycle caravan outside church

BY DAN MORAN Sun-Times Media [email protected]
December 19, 2011 12:24AM

Marine Cpl. Bobby Permer noticed one thing out of the ordinary on Sunday morning while attending services at Village Church of Gurnee: His sister, Jessica, was carrying a camcorder.

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Douglas Marine earns Silver Star

Lance Cpl. Timothy Lenzo
U.S. Marine Corps
Monday, December 19th

A Topaz Ranch Estates Marine received the Silver Star for standing his post after being severely injured during combat in Afghanistan.

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After harrowing duty in Afghanistan, twin brother Marines home in Tampa Bay

By Dan Sullivan, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Monday, December 19, 2011

TAMPA

The crowd assembled slowly around the walkway where the Marines would arrive at any moment. These were not just any Marines.

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Why Am I Here? A Drill Instructor's Story

By GySgt Terence A. D'Alesandro
Dec 19 2011

It's 0327 — Why am I here?
Why am I not in bed like everyone else, dead to the world?
Why do I do this?

Continue reading "Why Am I Here? A Drill Instructor's Story" »

December 18, 2011

Military doctors on a mission for wounded Marine

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
9 p.m., Dec. 18, 2011
Updated 7:33 p.m.

The field where they wait for the medevac flight is strewn with dead stalks of opium poppy. Sgt. Collin Raaz, a 24-year-old Marine scout sniper, is critically injured from a bomb strike.

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December 17, 2011

‘Small but mighty’ Marine welcomed home

BY GINGER BRASHINGER Correspondent December 17, 2011 10:52PM

Marine Sgt. Nicole Chickerillo gave personal meaning Saturday to the familiar tune “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” for approximately 100 family members and friends awaiting her return from military duty.

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La Grange welcomes wounded warrior home

Marine left disabled by explosion in Afghanistan greeted with flags, ribbons, cheers

By Jack McCarthy, Special to the Tribune
7:17 p.m. CST, December 17, 2011

Josh Misiewicz couldn't stop grinning, even as he stood outside his family's La Grange home on prosthetic legs with an ear injury suffered in Afghanistan.

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A single step, then everything changed

Marine had seen his share of IED casualties in Afghanistan, then he became one

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
9:47 p.m., Dec. 17, 2011

Click. Boom.

Continue reading "A single step, then everything changed" »

December 16, 2011

San Diego Marines look back on Iraq War

War shaped their lives. No regrets but mixed feelings

Written by
Jeanette Steele
7:57 p.m., Dec. 16, 2011

Alexander Martin’s hands shake just a bit all the time, and he carries a Louisville Slugger to meetings — a leadership tool, he says. Both are signposts of Martin’s seven years in the Marine Corps, including three combat tours in Iraq between 2005 and 2009.

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Wounded Marine from Grover is welcomed home

By Kenneth Klein/Contributing Writer | Posted: Friday, December 16, 2011 12:15 am

Sitting in a wheelchair with a giant smile on his face, Marine Lance Cpl. Cody Elliott matched the excitement of those welcoming the wounded warrior back to the Central Coast.

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December 15, 2011

Iowa Marine sets security, keeps morale high on Afghan deployment

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.15.2011

FIRE BASE FIDDLER’S GREEN, Helmand province, Afghanistan — Having peace of mind means each service member with Headquarters Battery can concentrate on his specific job to accomplish the mission. Being able to laugh eases the tensions jobs bring while in a combat zone. These Marines and sailors have a brother-in-arms who provides them with both peace of mind and laughter, keeping morale high as they serve a seven-month tour in Afghanistan.

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Florida native creates ties with sea-service brothers on Afghan deployment

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.15.2011

FIRE BASE FIDDLER’S GREEN, Helmand province, Afghanistan — While closing in on high school graduation, Lance Cpl. Mitchell L. Young, a Tampa, Fla., native, made the decision to take life into his own hands and chose a path no one in his family had pursued before.

Continue reading "Florida native creates ties with sea-service brothers on Afghan deployment" »

New York Marine follows father’s footsteps, wears many hats on deployment

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.15.2011

FIRE BASE FIDDLER’S GREEN, Helmand province, Afghanistan – It is not uncommon for Marines to spend birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays away from family, and some children may not understand why their parents cannot be home for these significant days. One North Tonawanda, N.Y., native wondered the same thing for years, but it wasn’t until becoming a Marine he began to understand why his father couldn’t always be around.

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December 14, 2011

Three cousins serve together in Afghanistan

12/14/2011 By Cpl. Brian Adam Jones , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Lucas, Josey and Steven grew up together. They graduated high school together.

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December 2, 2011

Marine’s Christmas song offers tribute to family back home

12/2/2011 By Cpl. Brian Adam Jones , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan —

While deployed to Iraq, Robert Allen wrote a song for his wife, Carla. He sent it to her on Christmas Eve.

Continue reading "Marine’s Christmas song offers tribute to family back home" »

December 1, 2011

Nebraska ‘Kidd’ matures for family, love of Corps

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.01.2011

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Life in Beaver Lake, Neb., was a fun ride for the small-town boy. He spent most of his time riding four-wheelers, playing sports, and spending time with his girlfriend. Life was good. He never expected for it to be cut short at such a young age.

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Illinois Marine returns to Marjah district, reflects on progress

Story by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 12.01.2011

PATROL BASE BEATLEY, Helmand province, Afghanistan – In February 2010, Des Plaines, Ill., native Cpl. Jeffery Rice pushed into Marjah, Helmand province, with other Marines and sailors from 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, to rid the area of a thriving insurgency during Operation Moshtarak.

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November 30, 2011

Lindenhurst Marines link up in Afghan war zone

By Frank Abderholden [email protected] November 30, 2011 8:48PM

Two Lindenhurst Marines gave their families some cheer recently when the neighbors met up in a war zone in Afghanistan as one unit replaced another. They posted the pictures on Facebook.

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Depot Marines earn 2011 Musician of the Year title

Story by Lance Cpl. Katalynn M. Thomas | Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego | Date: 11.30.2011

SAN DIEGO -- Twenty-four Marines from across the Marine Corps competed to become the Corps’ top enlisted musicians. They were measured by their proficiency as Marines, musicians and leaders. Only two, one staff non-commissioned officer and a non-commissioned officer, would come out on top and earn the title of Musician of the Year.

Continue reading "Depot Marines earn 2011 Musician of the Year title" »

November 25, 2011

Camp Pendleton changed by 10 years of constant war

Tony Perry at Camp Pendleton
November 25, 2011

When Marine Major-Gen. Charles “Mark” Gurganus returned to Camp Pendleton recently after an absence of several years, he had an immediate impression of the sprawling base.

Continue reading "Camp Pendleton changed by 10 years of constant war" »

MARSOC deployment inspires energy drink

By Laura Phelps - Medill News Service
Posted : Friday Nov 25, 2011 8:45:29 EST

Developed by a Marine on the battlefields of Afghanistan, RuckPack is a caffeine-free energy drink designed to give troops an extra kick during long, isolated missions.

Continue reading "MARSOC deployment inspires energy drink" »

Marine from Exeter awarded Bronze Star, Purple Heart

Written by
DAVID CASTELLON
9:00 PM, Nov. 25, 2011

A Marine from Exeter has been awarded the Bronze Star — the military's fourth-highest award for bravery -†for disarming nine roadside bombs in five hours in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine from Exeter awarded Bronze Star, Purple Heart" »

November 24, 2011

Top Marine spends Thanksgiving in Afghanistan

By ROBERT BURNS
The Associated Press
Thursday, November 24, 2011

COMBAT OUTPOST HANSON, Afghanistan — A turkey trot it was not.

Continue reading "Top Marine spends Thanksgiving in Afghanistan" »

Marine, dog to reunite after hard journey for both

Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, November 24, 2011

Ward Van Alstine is a tough U.S. Marine who, after a somewhat troubled life growing up in Santa Rosa, developed a sense of purpose amid the gunfire, bone-rattling explosions and death in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine, dog to reunite after hard journey for both" »

Okarche Soldier Talks Family For Thanksgiving From Afghanistan

Posted: Nov 24, 2011 6:58 PM CST
Jamie Oberg, News 9

OKARCHE, Oklahoma -- "I love you all very much and I'm sorry I couldn't be there. I'm here with my Marines and you know that and the only other place I'd rather be is with y'all."

Continue reading "Okarche Soldier Talks Family For Thanksgiving From Afghanistan" »

November 23, 2011

Camp Lejeune Marine receives the Outstanding Veteran Award for exemplary service to the community.

11/23/2011 By Cpl. Andrew D. Johnston , 2nd Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The Town Hall was packed and the crowd was full of old time war vets who proudly served their country. One by one, honorees approached the city council where they were recognized for their outstanding work in the community—one of them stood out.

Continue reading "Camp Lejeune Marine receives the Outstanding Veteran Award for exemplary service to the community. " »

Friends, strangers turn out to support local Marine who lost leg in Afghanistan

By BRITTANY SHAMMAS
Posted November 23, 2011

About 40 people gathered Wednesday night to pray and show support for a local Marine and Gulf Coast High School graduate who lost his leg after stepping on an improvised explosive device last week in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Friends, strangers turn out to support local Marine who lost leg in Afghanistan" »

Nixa marine spending holidays in Afghanistan

Posted: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 12:00 am |
By: Amelia Wigton, associate editor [email protected]

Green bean casserole and croissants with brie cheese melted inside—those are the two foods that Lance Cpl. Nathan Miller is going to miss the most this Thanksgiving.

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Family grateful for Marine’s holiday return

By: Dave Olson, INFORUM
Published November 23, 2011

MOORHEAD – Mary and Don Kramvik of Moorhead have many reasons to be thankful.

Continue reading "Family grateful for Marine’s holiday return" »

Coming of age through war: Lance Cpl. Damien Mathis

Story by Cpl. James Clark | Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division | Date: 11.23.2011

KAJAKI SOFLA, Helmand Province, Afghanistan - The walls are thick with furtively scratched lines and the roads exist only as hollowed lanes. Distinctive villagers earn a place on the landscape with detailed memories. Each patrol is inspiration and recorded in vast detail.

Continue reading "Coming of age through war: Lance Cpl. Damien Mathis" »

November 22, 2011

Injured San Jose Marine returns home to family

Julia Prodis Sulek
[email protected]
Posted: 11/22/2011 03:58:46 PM PST

Marine Cpl. Daniel Franke will be coming home this Thanksgiving, wheeling across the concourse at the San Jose airport after a long and painful journey.

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Marine surprises family with return home

Reported by: Justin Lewis
Email: [email protected]
Last Update: 11/22 10:29 pm

TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- Amory native Josh Roye has been serving in Afghanistan since February as his fourth deployment with the U.S. Marines.

Continue reading "Marine surprises family with return home" »

November 21, 2011

Marine brothers meet in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Colby Brown | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 11.21.2011

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — When Cpl. Axel Benitez joined the Marine Corps more than three years ago, he never thought his younger brother would follow in his footsteps.

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November 20, 2011

War-torn marriage: Family shattered by TBI, PTSD picks up pieces

By Megan McCloskey
Stars and Stripes
Published: November 20, 2011

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The breaking point came when Sandra Rivera found their 9-year-old son backed against a wall with his arms over his face, shielding himself from her husband’s screaming.

Continue reading "War-torn marriage: Family shattered by TBI, PTSD picks up pieces" »

For Gaithersburg Marine, a surprise homecoming

By Robert Samuels, Published: November 20

Editor’s note: Were you in suspense after reading Saturday night’s article about Lance Cpl. Matthew Rodgers on PostLocal.com? Here’s the rest of the story.

The proclamation was in the mayor’s hands. The marching band, all warmed up. The firetruck and police cars stood on call. And Pinky and Pepe Rodgers were in their beer and wine store in the Kentlands shopping complex, wondering why their store was suddenly so crowded.

Continue reading "For Gaithersburg Marine, a surprise homecoming" »

November 19, 2011

Gaithersburg Marine’s big homecoming hits a logistical snag

By Robert Samuels, Published: November 19

Everybody knows that airline flights are sometimes delayed, but Saturday night’s delay seemed a little bit more difficult to bear.

Continue reading "Gaithersburg Marine’s big homecoming hits a logistical snag" »

November 13, 2011

Marine Surprises Family With Return

On a deployment to Afghanistan, Jerry Thorton has been planning his surprise homecoming for five months

By Mola Lenghi
| Sunday, Nov 13, 2011

For Master Gunnery Sargent Jerry Thorton of the U.S. Marine Corps, coming home has been a covert operation.

Continue reading "Marine Surprises Family With Return" »

‘Making a difference’ pushes one Arizona Marine to excel on fourth deployment

Story by Cpl. Katherine M. Solano | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 11.13.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Nine years in the Marine Corps, four deployments and less than four weeks until he steps foot on American soil once again, Staff Sgt. Davison Slivers has spent a collective two-and-a-half years defending his country in both Iraq and Afghanistan. A Marine with that sort of experience has a lot to offer to those he leads, evident by the profound respect his Marines express for him.

Continue reading "‘Making a difference’ pushes one Arizona Marine to excel on fourth deployment" »

November 11, 2011

Dozen Marine special operators earn medals

Two from Camp Pendleton battalion honored with Silver Star

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
6:25 p.m., Nov. 11, 2011

The reconnaissance patrol of special operations Marines and Afghan soldiers was moving through central Farah province when the enemy attacked. Sgt. Charles Cartwright, a 26-year-old assistant element leader, jumped out of his vehicle amid the barrage of enemy mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons fire.

Continue reading "Dozen Marine special operators earn medals" »

Poulsbo, Wash., native answers call as chaplain

Story by Cpl. Meredith Brown | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 11.11.2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan - It is Saturday night. The moon is visible through the sandy haze. The sounds of Guitar Hero are heard outside a small tent. A group of Marines are gathered inside rocking out to the various bands. Lt. Bryan Davenport, the chaplain for 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), watches the Marines give their best shot before piping up from the back row and asking to get the next turn.

Continue reading "Poulsbo, Wash., native answers call as chaplain" »

For the local family of a Marine, Veterans Day is more than a day off

Written by
Kym Klass
6:01 AM, Nov. 11, 2011

Veterans Day for Berry and Heidi Cantrell means more than just a long weekend.

Continue reading "For the local family of a Marine, Veterans Day is more than a day off" »

November 10, 2011

For a Marine from Woodbury, morale is everything

By Ruben Rosario
Updated: 11/10/2011

Joshua Hanson misses a lot of things. They include "friends, girls, family."

Continue reading "For a Marine from Woodbury, morale is everything" »

November 9, 2011

Calif. Marine Beaten to Death at Camp Pendleton

Associated Press
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. November 9, 2011 (AP)

Authorities in California have determined that a Marine who was found dead in his Camp Pendleton barracks was beaten to death by another Marine.

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November 8, 2011

A Marine and His Dog

November 8, 2011

August 9th dawned scalding and dry across the Marjeh district of Helmand province, Afghanistan. In the blocks, a fertile swath of land watered by a canal network stretching dozens of square kilometers, farmers roused their mules early in order to complete ploughing before their relatives came visiting for Ramadan. A convoy of marines, accompanied by Afghan Local Police, rattled down a dusty strip between fields known as Panther road.

Continue reading "A Marine and His Dog" »

November 6, 2011

Nebraska Marine discovers Afghan experience

Story by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 11.06.2011

PATROL BASE MEHRAJ, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The culture, landscape and austere conditions of Helmand province can be downright shocking to American troops deployed to the area for the first time. Life in Helmand is completely different than life in the United States, and one can only begin to understand this exotic land after experiencing it first-hand.

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1st black Marines may soon get Congressional Gold Medal

BY JOE SWICKARD
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
1:43 AM, Nov. 6, 2011

More than 16 million Americans answered the call to arms in World War II. Of those, 600,000 were the few, the proud, the Marines.

Continue reading "1st black Marines may soon get Congressional Gold Medal" »

November 5, 2011

Volunteers make Monroe home wheelchair accessible for Marine who lost legs in Afghanistan

Published: Saturday, November 05, 2011, 7:38 PM

MONROE (Middlesex County) — At first, Marcella Pascik didn’t notice the color scheme on the outside of her newly renovated home.

Continue reading "Volunteers make Monroe home wheelchair accessible for Marine who lost legs in Afghanistan" »

November 4, 2011

Marines remember the fallen in Afghanistan

Camp Pendleton battalion served in Sangin
By Gretel C. Kovach7:33 P.M.NOV. 4, 2011

Lance Cpl. Joshua B. McDaniels, a 21-year-old Marine combat engineer from Dublin, Ohio, had the most dangerous job in what has been the most dangerous area of Afghanistan for international troops: walking point on patrol, sweeping for bombs in the insurgent minefields of Sangin.

Continue reading "Marines remember the fallen in Afghanistan" »

October 29, 2011

Marine returns from Afghanistan while his brother prepares for deployment

Posted: Saturday, October 29, 2011 10:29 pm | Updated: 12:14 am, Sun Oct 30, 2011.
By STEFANIE THOMAS

Saturday was a bittersweet day for the Komm family of Atascocita. While one son arrived home safely from Afghanistan, another is scheduled to leave in the middle of November.

Continue reading "Marine returns from Afghanistan while his brother prepares for deployment" »

October 28, 2011

From Yale to Afghanistan

By McKenna Keyes
Staff Reporter
Friday, October 28, 2011

Upon graduating from Yale, Ricardo Anzaldua-Burke ’07 had to come to terms with the possibility that he would be in a life-threatening situation.

Continue reading "From Yale to Afghanistan" »

October 27, 2011

Home from Afghanistan, Marine surprises 4-year-old son

By Anna Mitchell
Posted October 27, 2011 at 6:53 p.m.

ANDERSON — Brayden Spillers wore a Captain America costume to his preschool class’s annual Halloween lunch outing on Thursday.

Continue reading "Home from Afghanistan, Marine surprises 4-year-old son" »

October 26, 2011

Auburn Marine comes home to where the heart is

By Gus Thomson, Journal Staff Writer
10/26/11

The war in Afghanistan has ended for now for U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Tim Bergenstock of Auburn.

Continue reading "Auburn Marine comes home to where the heart is" »

October 21, 2011

1,374 days: Marine returns home to Prescott after more than 3 years in Iraq, Afghanistan

Lisa Irish
The Daily Courier
10/21/2011 10:00:00 PM

When U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Trent Pendergast drove to his family's home in Prescott earlier this month after finishing his deployment in Afghanistan, he saw signs made by his mother welcoming him home in the front yard, surrounded by flags.

Continue reading "1,374 days: Marine returns home to Prescott after more than 3 years in Iraq, Afghanistan " »

Captain receives Purple Heart for injuries in Afghanistan

10/21/2011 By Cpl. Walter D. Marino II , 2nd Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — As a teenager working on farms and in construction in his hometown of Urbana, Ohio, Capt. Chase B. Wheeler never thought he would one day be a Marine combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient.

Continue reading "Captain receives Purple Heart for injuries in Afghanistan " »

October 19, 2011

Missionary kid to Marine – Continuing a life of adventure with the Corps

10/19/2011 By Capt. Caleb Eames , 31st MEU
USS ESSEX, At Sea — Many Marines join the Marine Corps for a chance to travel the world and experience adventure. But for one Marine assigned with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the Corps is just a continuation of a life of excitement and danger.

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October 15, 2011

OIA crowd greets Marines returning from war in Afghanistan

By Eloísa Ruano González, Orlando Sentinel
8:43 p.m. EDT, October 15, 2011

A hundred people gathered at the Orlando International Airport on Saturday to celebrate the safe return of seven U.S. Marine reservists returning from duty in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "OIA crowd greets Marines returning from war in Afghanistan" »

October 14, 2011

M'dale Marine running 236 miles to honor the fallen

October 14, 2011|PHILIP PETRUNAK | Daily American Staff Writer

U.S. Marines are known for being as tough as nails and for pushing themselves beyond the limits of their mental and physical capabilities. Often, that mentality culminates with a Marine making the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

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Badly wounded Marine finds a new way to serve his country

By Michael Doyle
McClatchy Newspapers
Published: October 14, 2011

WASHINGTON — Kurtis Foster knows the cost of wartime service.

Continue reading "Badly wounded Marine finds a new way to serve his country" »

October 12, 2011

Hurricane Katrina Survivor Takes on Afghanistan

October 12, 2011
Marine Corps News|by Cpl. Jeff Drew

FIRE BASE FIDDLERS GREEN, Helmand province, Afghanistan -- When Hurricane Katrina blew through New Orleans decimating homes and changing lives, it also set into motion the fate of one young man and ensured his destiny to become a United States Marine.

Continue reading "Hurricane Katrina Survivor Takes on Afghanistan" »

65 miles for 65 roses: Marcent Marine runs 65 consecutive miles to raise awareness for Cystic Fibrosis

10/12/2011 By Cpl. Lucas Vega , Marine Forces Central

MANAMA, Bahrain — Thirteen years ago, Maj. Jesse Sjoberg made a promise to spend the rest of his life with a woman named Jacquelyn “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,” as the famous wedding vow reads.

Continue reading "65 miles for 65 roses: Marcent Marine runs 65 consecutive miles to raise awareness for Cystic Fibrosis " »

October 9, 2011

Marine master sergeant proud of U.S. work in Iraq, Afghanistan

BY JOE SWICKARD
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
1:45 AM, Oct. 9, 2011

Marine Master Sgt. Paul McGowan said he wanted to help write history.

Continue reading "Marine master sergeant proud of U.S. work in Iraq, Afghanistan" »

October 7, 2011

Virginia native dies three times, returns to Marjah

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 10.07.2011

MARJAH DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — Some Marines involved in the battle for Marjah in 2010 say they stared death in the face. One Manassas, Va., native involved in the intense fighting not only stared death in the face, but shook its hand as well.

Continue reading "Virginia native dies three times, returns to Marjah" »

October 6, 2011

Heroic Marine downplays accomplishments

By MARK WALKER [email protected] | Posted: Thursday, October 6, 2011

A year ago this month, Master Sgt. David Jarvis and part of his platoon of Camp Pendleton Marines found themselves surrounded by dozens of insurgents in Afghanistan's deadly Sangin River Valley.

Continue reading "Heroic Marine downplays accomplishments" »

October 4, 2011

Marine brother serves with Air Force sister in Afghanistan

10/4/2011 By Cpl. Justin M. Boling , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Allen Rader’s service to the Air Force took his family from their home in Charleston, W.Va., to Alaska, Arizona, and Florida. Even overseas.

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October 3, 2011

Following the tradition: For this Marine, service is all in the family

Written by
Kris Wartelle
11:00 PM, Oct. 3, 2011

Cullen Crochet says he has known how to salute since he was 2 years old. His grandfather was a Marine, his father was a Marine and his brother is a Marine. He says there was never any question about him going into the military.

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Camp Pendleton Marine getting Silver and Bronze Star

By MARK WALKER [email protected] | Posted: Monday, October 3, 2011

A Silver Star and a Bronze Star are being pinned on a Camp Pendleton Marine on Wednesday for heroic action in Afghanistan.

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September 30, 2011

Marine surprises sons with help of school

Friday, September 30, 2011
BY MICHELLE L. KLAMPE
STAFF WRITER
[email protected]

Marine Sgt. Joey Jones of Murrieta missed seven months with his two young sons while he was deployed to the Middle East, so he wanted to make sure his homecoming Friday was memorable.

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Virginia Marine preps for Marine Corps Marathon in Helmand

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.30.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – It began in recruit training nearly 29 years ago, but Arlington, Va., native Maj. Brian Mullery said his love for physical fitness and running has become an integral part of his life ever since.

Continue reading "Virginia Marine preps for Marine Corps Marathon in Helmand" »

September 29, 2011

Lodi Marine Cpl. Joseph Millunzi talks about life in the combat zone

Posted: Thursday, September 29, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 7:14 am, Thu Sep 29, 2011.
By Pam Bauserman/News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Marine Cpl. Joseph J. Millunzi, of Lodi, has been in Afghanistan for the last four to five months, where he works as an aviation ordinance tech for the U.S. Marine Corps. His responsibilities include loading bombs on aircraft as well as loading all the rounds for the gun system. His duties also include making sure the weaponry systems are working.

Continue reading "Lodi Marine Cpl. Joseph Millunzi talks about life in the combat zone" »

Mississippi native revives drowned Afghan child

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.29.2011

MARJAH DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — A Petal, Miss., native used his medical training to revive a drowned Afghan toddler while conducting counterinsurgency operations Sept. 11.

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Medal of Honor recipient visits comrades

9/29/2011 By Cpl. Ned Johnson , 1st Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Before 9 o’clock in the morning, Marines gathered around two things that have been cornerstones in the U.S. Marine Corps: a bar and a hero.

Continue reading "Medal of Honor recipient visits comrades" »

September 28, 2011

MOH Recipient Issues Scholarship Challenge

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2011 – Medal of Honor recipient Marine Corps Sgt. Dakota Meyer plans to raise $1 million in scholarship money for the children of wounded Marines and Navy corpsmen, and challenges the American public to match it.

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September 26, 2011

Marine returns home, honored

By CATHRYN GRAN [email protected] September 26, 2011 5:22PM

Alex Brown is home.

Continue reading "Marine returns home, honored" »

Marines find meaning, order in combat-zone life

By Christopher Torchia - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Sep 26, 2011 12:59:20 EDT

FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Afghanistan — An American in uniform stands near a landing zone at about 2 a.m., moonlight framing his features, and talks about dead and maimed men he knows. His flight out isn’t until next month, and he is counting the days.

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Corpus Christi, Texas, native mentors Afghan police

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Gino Flores | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 09.26.2011

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan – In preparation for the eventual drawdown of coalition security forces, coalition mentor teams are busy imparting their skills to the Afghan National Security Forces responsible for keeping law and order.

Continue reading "Corpus Christi, Texas, native mentors Afghan police" »

September 24, 2011

Marine to receive Silver Star

September 24, 2011 6:38 PM
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Camp Lejeune will present the prestigious Silver Star medal to a base Marine next week.

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US Marine dog handler and his dog, injured in Afghan suicide bombing, begin long recovery

By Associated Press, Updated: Saturday, September 24, 2:10 AM

FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Afghanistan — After the suicide bombing, the U.S. Marine dog handler lay on a stretcher, his bloodied legs laced with shrapnel. They brought in his wounded dog, too. Blood dripped from the haunches of the Belgian Malinois.

Continue reading "US Marine dog handler and his dog, injured in Afghan suicide bombing, begin long recovery" »

September 23, 2011

Wounded Marion Marine on road to recovery

by Dave Franzman :: UPDATED: 23 September 2011

MARION – A Marine who was wounded in a blast in Afghanistan in late May still has a long way to go to meet his goal of returning to duty.

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September 21, 2011

UAV operator guides peers toward better operation

9/21/2011 By Cpl. Justin M. Boling , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan —

Sgt. Chad John spends 12 hours a day with an aerial view of Afghanistan, but he rarely leaves the ground.

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U.S. Marine welcomed home

Written by
Jason Carmel Davis
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
Sep 21, 2011

U.S. Marine and former Howell resident Matthew Johnson was "in shock" when he saw about 50 members of his family and friends at his father's Marion Township home at the start of a welcome-home party for the servicemember.

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September 20, 2011

Marine awarded for combat invention

September 20, 2011 5:25 AM
HOPE HODGE

Like many inventions, it began with an unsolved problem.

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September 18, 2011

The battle within: Trying to find the man inside the Marine

Photos and story by Sarah Weiser, The Herald
Published: Sunday, September 18, 2011

LAKE STEVENS -- The crowd's shouts were lighthearted.

Continue reading "The battle within: Trying to find the man inside the Marine" »

September 17, 2011

Towers and tours: Avionics Marine reflects on post-9/11 career

Story by Pfc. Sean Dennison | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 09.17.2011

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - When Douglas Acero was turning his M-16A2 rifle to the armory at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif., the world changed.

Continue reading "Towers and tours: Avionics Marine reflects on post-9/11 career" »

September 16, 2011

For Meyer, MoH a silver lining after grief

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 16, 2011 11:46:19 EDT

Glistening with sweat, decked out in his dress blues, Dakota Meyer looked uncomfortable early in the ceremony at which he received the Medal of Honor.

Continue reading "For Meyer, MoH a silver lining after grief" »

September 15, 2011

Marine is awarded rare Medal of Honor at White House

Cpl. Dakota L. Meyer of Kentucky defied orders and braved enemy fire in Afghanistan to save his comrades.

By David S. Cloud and Alexa Vaughn, Washington Bureau

September 15, 2011, 6:26 p.m.
Reporting from Washington—
The desperate call crackled over the radio in predawn darkness: A small team of American and Afghan troops was pinned down in a remote village under withering fire from three sides. A young lieutenant was begging for artillery or air support. Without it, he yelled, "we are going to die out here."

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Marine Becomes ‘One Man Army’

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Erica DiSalvo
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif., Sept. 15, 2011 – Marine Corps Sgt. Colin M. Bell, an aviation supply specialist with Aviation Logistics Squadron 16 here, beat the competition during an episode of Discovery Channel’s “One Man Army” television show that aired Sept. 2.

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Obama awards Medal of Honor to young US Marine

By JULIE PACE
Associated Press
Sep 15, 3:39 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama on Thursday bestowed the nation's highest military honor on Dakota Meyer, a young and humble Marine who defied orders and barreled straight into a ferocious "killing zone" in Afghanistan to save 36 lives at extraordinary risk to himself.

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September 14, 2011

Dwindling living legacy of valor adds one

Young Marine to receive Medal of Honor for action in Afghanistan

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
6:34 p.m., Sept. 14, 2011

When Dakota Meyer, a 23-year-old Marine who fought to save his comrades from an enemy ambush in Afghanistan, is awarded the Medal of Honor Thursday, he will join a small and rapidly dwindling group of veterans.

Continue reading "Dwindling living legacy of valor adds one" »

September 13, 2011

Marine with a mic

Military duties by day, rap battles by night

By Patrick Hruby
The Washington Times
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Squeezed inside the empty closet of an upstairs bedroom of a Herndon townhouse, Derek Meitzer leans into an upright microphone, ready to flow. You have to start somewhere.

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September 12, 2011

Bronze Star Marine takes leadership to heart

9/12/2011 By Lance Cpl. Timothy J. Lenzo , 1st Marine Division
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Role models are typically sports stars, teachers or family members, but for Marines of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, the qualities of a role model can be found in one of their own.

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September 11, 2011

Generation goes from Sept. 11 classrooms to war

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA - Associated Press
September 11, 2011

PATROL BASE FULOD, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.S. Marine swings his metal detector, scanning debris, rocks and swirls of soil for any hints of concealed bombs as he leads the single-file patrol. Alert, pausing often, the troops act like ambassadors too, lobbing smiles and candy at Afghan children in adobe-lined alleyways.

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Demands of war take toll on troops, families

By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times
Published: September 11, 2011

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Lucas Wallek was toiling at the family farm in Alice, Texas, when he decided to enlist in the Marine Corps, partly out of patriotism, partly from a desire to leave the familiar terrain of sagebrush and oil fields.

Continue reading "Demands of war take toll on troops, families" »

Towers falling a call to arms for Rusk woman

Story by Sgt. Elyssa Quesada | 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit | Date: 09.11.2011

AT SEA - When Hallie Crawford awoke Sept. 11, 2001, her first thought was that her college roommates were playing a joke. However, as she came to after a late night studying, she soon realized the truth.

Continue reading "Towers falling a call to arms for Rusk woman" »

September 10, 2011

Ten years after initial invasion, Marine pilot returns to Afghanistan in command

Story by Cpl. Brian Adam Jones | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 09.10.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - It’s Sept. 12, 2001. The wreckage from the attacks the day before still smolders. An aircraft carrier with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit lies off the eastern shore of the United States.

Continue reading "Ten years after initial invasion, Marine pilot returns to Afghanistan in command" »

September 9, 2011

NY native Navy corpsman reflects on 9/11

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.09.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – “Being there that day and seeing the things I saw left an indelible mark on my psyche, my soul; I couldn’t get beyond it. The more I thought about it I realized I wanted to give back in some way; I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure something like that could never happen again.”

Continue reading "NY native Navy corpsman reflects on 9/11" »

September 8, 2011

DI recounts Sept. 11 attacks

Story by Sgt. Whitney N. Frasier | Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego | Date: 09.08.2011

SAN DIEGO - “I was sitting in math class. We were about to switch to our next period when we heard it. The sound of the engine was so loud it made the windows rattle, not more than a few seconds later I heard a huge explosion. I knew right away we were under attack.”

Continue reading "DI recounts Sept. 11 attacks" »

Tennessee native finds adventure where the rubber meets the road

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.08.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The rolling hills and farmlands of Gallatin, Tenn., offered endless opportunities for horseback riding, hiking and outdoor sports for a young Corey Collier as he grew up in the small town. The Cumberland River and its many connecting waterways served as a perfect fishing retreat during his youth.

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Back to work: hand amputee deploys to set example for wounded warriors

Story by Cpl. Benjamin Crilly | Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.08.2011

PATROL BASE FIRES, Helmand province, Afghanistan - “The word came out that noncommissioned officers were needed as combat replacements,” said combat replacement for 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Sgt. Ricardo Ramirez. “Guys with experience who wanted to help out our brothers in Sangin.”

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Newhall native trades Hollywood for Helmand

Story by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.08.2011

FIRE BASE FIDDLERS GREEN, Helmand province, Afghanistan – In 2008, a Newhall, Calif., native had a dream job in Hollywood’s entertainment industry. He worked as a color assistant, editing video footage for “Desperate Housewives” and was even able to meet the cast. He loved his job and saw it as something he could do long-term. Unfortunately, things change.

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NY Marine remembers 9/11, tips hat to other service members

Story by Lance Cpl. Joshua Young | I Marine Expeditionary Force | Date: 09.08.2011

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – “It was one of the most terrifying feelings that I’ve ever felt or will probably ever feel,” he said. “I’ve been in combat, but nothing has scared me the way I was scared that day. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Continue reading "NY Marine remembers 9/11, tips hat to other service members" »

September 7, 2011

Severely Injured Litchfield Marine Reflects on Importance of Mission 10 Years After 9/11

Published: Wednesday, September 07, 2011
By Daniela Forte

“If it wasn’t for people in the military, and people in the CIA and FBI, still out there doing their jobs, Osama Bin Laden would still be out there.”

Continue reading "Severely Injured Litchfield Marine Reflects on Importance of Mission 10 Years After 9/11" »

Black Sea Marines shows what it takes to be a Marine NCO

Story by Cpl. Tatum Vayavananda | Black Sea Rotational Force | Date: 09.07.2011

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania — Many believe the modern Marine non-commissioned officer to be the embodiment of Marine Corps history and traditions. Marine NCOs of past and present have weaved a timeless legacy of honor, courage and commitment into the tapestry of historic battles and amazing feats.

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Medal of Honor recipient saved 36 lives during battle

By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY
September 7, 2011

GREENSBURG, Ky. – When Marine Cpl. Dakota Meyer plunged into Afghanistan's Ganjgal Valley, he was sure he wouldn't come out alive.

Continue reading "Medal of Honor recipient saved 36 lives during battle" »

September 6, 2011

Meyer prepares to receive Medal of Honor

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Sep 6, 2011 15:47:20 EDT

GREENSBURG, Ky. — Two years later, it still hurts. The guilt. The frustration. The sadness. They’re all still there, although perhaps they have become more manageable.

Continue reading "Meyer prepares to receive Medal of Honor" »

Wounded in Iraq: A Marine's Story

Five years after a gunshot changed his life, the author reflects on what a decade of war has cost Americans

By Justin Constantine
Sep 6 2011

I cry whenever I think of a memorial service I attended in Iraq. From the back of the hot, packed room next to the chaplain's office, I looked down the center aisle and saw six sets of boots, rifles, helmets, and dog tags. Six Americans had lost their lives defending their country. I had seen these Marines hug each other before heading out on patrol -- real hugs, as if they guessed they might not see each other again. They had been in Iraq for a while and knew how dangerous every mission was.

Continue reading "Wounded in Iraq: A Marine's Story" »

South Carolina corpsman supports ‘Bad Company’

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.06.2011

PATROL BASE PASERLAY, Helmand province, Afghanistan — The Marine Corps is quite frequently referred to as a brotherhood. Marines spend months on end training for and executing deployments. They form unforgettable memories during this time and forge relationships which can last a lifetime. The sailors attached to Marine units may not carry the eagle, globe and anchor, but one corpsman with Bravo Company said he feels just as much a part of his unit as the Marines he serves beside.

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Texas native survives head shot, continues mission

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.06.2011

NAWA DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — The Marines with 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, are all too familiar with the reality of war, but they can honestly say they have been fortunate in not taking any casualties during their deployment in Afghanistan. One Texas native with the platoon can attest to that good fortune first-hand.

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September 5, 2011

Woodland Marine takes the long way home from Afghanistan

By MATTHEW KIMEL
Created: 09/05/2011 12:31:23 AM PDT

It wasn't by design. He didn't have a choice. Lance Cpl. Mike Abele had to take the long way home.

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September 4, 2011

Marine creates better seat for Huey helos

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Sep 4, 2011 9:10:04 EDT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – One enlisted Marine’s ingenuity is paying off. Sgt. Zachary Lucas, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, took lessons learned from the war zone and devised a seat upgrade for the Corps’ UH-1Y Huey.

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Houston Marine reflects on 9/11, his reason for serving

9/4/2011 By Cpl. Katherine Keleher , II MEF (FWD)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Many Americans remember where they were when they heard the news on September 11, 2001. They remember watching the planes crash into the World Trade Center towers and listening to the news about the plane crash at the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 crashing into a field in Shanksville, Pa. Some felt sorrow, anger or fear. Others felt a call to serve. First Lt. John McJunkin was one of the latter.

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September 3, 2011

Seattle Marine trades desert uniform for scrubs

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 09.03.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The brown-eyed, caramel-skinned Marine works seemingly endless hours to ensure the Marines she supports have what they need to accomplish their mission. Her days spent in the Afghan heat, which can reach more than 110 degrees, consist of maintaining accountability for gear and equipment stored on the supply lot, issuing items to sections, mastering mechanical equipment, interacting with many different personalities, and hours of clerical work. The hard work and unstoppable drive she demonstrates daily are her investment toward a lifelong dream.

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September 2, 2011

Truck Company sergeant leads by example

9/2/2011 By Cpl. Walter D. Marino II , 2nd Marine Division
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJUENE N.C. — It has been said that the sergeant is the back bone of the Marine Corps. Holding true to that, Sgt. Derrick E. Keene, squad leader and assistant platoon sergeant keeps his Marines upright and on the road to success. Keene is responsible for 17 Marines and not only trains his Marines to be the best but also sets an example of what a squared away Marine should act like.

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Jackson Marine returns home safely from Afghanistan

An eastern Kentucky Marine is happy to be back in the mountains after spending months in Afghanistan. He arrived home in August, which was the deadliest month yet for United States forces in the nearly 10-year-old war.

Posted: 11:31 PM Sep 2, 2011
Reporter: Paige Quiggins

An eastern Kentucky Marine is happy to be back in the mountains after spending months in Afghanistan

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August 30, 2011

Female Marines assist in delivery of local baby

Courtesy Story | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs | Date: 08.30.2011

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan —Sgt. LaJuanna Baker and Cpl. Andrea Moreira-Rios were in the right place at the right time on July 30.

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August 29, 2011

Michigan native discovers opportunity through hardship

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 08.29.2011

COMBAT OUTPOST AZADI, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Combat boots kick clouds of powdered dust threatening to stifle the Marines and sailors as they patrol down the dusty, Afghan roads. Seventy pounds of personal protective equipment, water, and ammunition weigh the men down, and the unrelenting sun slowly siphons their strength. Sweat pours, lips smack, and blistering, tasteless water is barely enough to quell their unyielding thirst.

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Detroit native keeps smilin’ through deployment

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 08.29.2011

COMBAT OUTPOST AZADI, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The title of United States Marine is earned, never given, but along with the title comes sacrifice. Marines give up time with friends and family to deploy to foreign lands in unselfish service to the nation.

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August 27, 2011

Marine's uncommon valor in Afghanistan garners Medal of Honor

Cpl. Dakota Meyer fought to save his friends on "worst day" of his life

Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
1 p.m., Aug. 27, 2011

Cpl. Dakota Meyer was the youngest on the team assigned to mentor Afghan security forces. Until that day, the 21-year-old Marine’s worst firefight had been in the video game Call of Duty.

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August 26, 2011

Elkridge Marine Among First Tanks in Afghanistan

Tank gunner Sgt. Todd Cross said: "We just focus on the mission, taking care of each other and coming back home."

By Elizabeth Janney
Aug. 26, 2011

When Sgt. Todd Cross of Elkridge, rolled into Afghanistan on a tank, he made history.

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August 25, 2011

Bridge Dedication in Honor of Marine Corporal Jason Dunham

6:12 AM, Aug 25, 2011
Written by
Heather Ly

AMITY, NY - The Scio native who gave his life in order to save two of his fellow Marines will receive another posthumous honor later today.

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August 24, 2011

Part 2: First casualty of war? 'Everything'

10 Years of War: Family life for the battle-tested Debiaks often means kisses blown to the ocean and birthdays on video. The littlest Debiak takes note.

Published: Aug. 24, 2011 Updated: Aug. 28, 2011 10:29 a.m.
By DOUG IRVING / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Editor's note: We are approaching two 10-year anniversaries. Sept. 11 we all remember. But Oct. 7 we seem to have forgotten. It marks 10 years of war: first in Afghanistan, then in Iraq – longer than any time in U.S. history. More than 6,200 dead. More than 45,000 wounded. Over four Sundays, the Orange County Register will tell the story of the more than 2 million troops who've fought in these wars. As we commemorate the anniversaries of Sept. 11 and Oct. 7, let us, as a nation, seek to understand the sacrifices made as a result of them.

They were so young the first time they said goodbye, a couple of newlyweds who had never been through war. He forgot his gas mask, and she had to rush home to get it as if all he had left in the bedroom closet was a briefcase.

Continue reading "Part 2: First casualty of war? 'Everything'" »

August 21, 2011

Washington Native prepares Marines for future

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 08.21.2011

FIREBASE SAENZ, Helmand province, Afghanistan—He’s mean, but kind at the same time; small in stature, but a bigger man then what meets the eyes. He is a softy for his daughters when they bat their angelic eyes pleading “please daddy” and a teacher for his Marines. This description, as simple it may be, depicts one of Alpha Battery’s more than capable Howitzer section chiefs: Sgt. Tyler J. Ledbetter.

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August 13, 2011

Marine to receive Medal of Honor next month

By the CNN Wire Staff
August 13, 2011

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama next month will present the Medal of Honor to the first living Marine to receive the recognition for actions in Afghanistan or Iraq, the White House announced Friday.

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August 9, 2011

Hudson grad fighting terrorism in Afghanistan

Posted: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 10:57 pm
By GARY BASS/Contributing writer

Fighting against the odds and emerging a winner is something that Sgt. David Sowell of the U.S. Marine Corps has been doing since junior high.

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Coming of age through war: Cpl. Timothy Stark

Story by Cpl. James Clark | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 08.09.2011

MARJAH DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Cpl. Timothy Stark wrings his hands, unconsciously tapping the wedding band on his ring finger as he speaks about his wife and unborn daughter.

Continue reading "Coming of age through war: Cpl. Timothy Stark" »

August 8, 2011

Quincy native enjoys role commanding female Marines in Afghanistan

By RODNEY HART
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
Published: 8/8/2011 | Updated: 8/9/2011

A woman's perspective can only help.

Continue reading "Quincy native enjoys role commanding female Marines in Afghanistan" »

Super Breed Marines receive Bronze Stars

Story by Lance Cpl. Tyler Reiriz | 1st Marine Division | Date: 08.08.2011

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Three Marines from 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, “the Super Breed,” received the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device during a ceremony, Aug. 8.

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August 7, 2011

Marine mechanic realizes role in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Brian Adam Jones | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 08.07.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - To Cpl. Leonard R. Knudsen Jr., his job can feel the same whether he is at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., or Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.

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August 6, 2011

Queens Marine with Afghanistan dream gets enlisted for third time at Brooklyn Bridge ceremony

BY Frank Lombardi
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, August 6th 2011, 4:00 AM

Marine Sgt. Jon McDonald had more in mind Friday than simply seeing the spectacular view from the Brooklyn Bridge.

Continue reading "Queens Marine with Afghanistan dream gets enlisted for third time at Brooklyn Bridge ceremony" »

Coram, N.Y. native leads Marines in Afghan fight

Story by Lance Cpl. Clayton Vonderahe | Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division | Date: 08.06.2011

COMBAT OUTPOST SHIR GHAZAY, Helmand province, Afghanistan - First impressions are usually lasting ones and one Coram, N.Y. Marine will always remember the first sights and sounds of his initial introduction to the real war in Afghanistan.

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August 5, 2011

Fundraiser will help Marine who lost lower legs in Afghanistan

By NICK VLAHOS
of the Journal Star
Posted Aug 05, 2011

EL PASO —

Rodney Holzhauer has a severe heart problem. "I'm a bomb waiting to explode," the El Paso resident said with a chuckle.

Continue reading "Fundraiser will help Marine who lost lower legs in Afghanistan" »

Marine from Clinton receives his second Purple Heart

11:07 PM, Aug. 5, 2011
Written by
PERRY BEEMAN
[email protected]

Sgt. Miguel Forsyth, a U.S. Marine serving on recruiting duty in Clinton, on Friday received his second Purple Heart medal — this one for combat injuries he suffered in Afghanistan last year.

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August 3, 2011

In the ‘DIRT’: Reserve Marine’s ‘extreme humanitarianism’ takes him around the world

Story by Sgt. Tyler Hlavac | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 08.03.2011

NEW ORLEANS – When a humanitarian crisis occurs overseas, many Americans contribute to disaster relief by writing a check. Cpl. Adam Marlatt contributes by strapping a pack on his back, gathering his team and plunging headfirst into the disaster zone.

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Marine's dream of an Afghan national water polo team advances

After hearing about Jeremy Piasecki's goal, commercial airline employees have offered to provide transportation for 10 athletes to the United States, including members of the Afghan army.

By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times

August 3, 2011
Reporting from San Diego -- For three years, Marine Warrant Officer Jeremy Piasecki has been trying to organize a national water polo team for Afghanistan.

His theory is simple: the people of such a war-torn land need sports heroes too.

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August 2, 2011

Big homecoming for U.S. Marine from Jupiter Farms

Happy reunion at airport

Posted: 08/02/2011
By: Giovanna Drpic

Corporal Heather Carroll had been traveling since Friday. She was anxious to get back home from Afghanistan to Jupiter Farms. The proud U.S. Marine took six planes to get back home. Her family, including her two-and-a-half year old daughter named Breahna, were waiting for her at Palm Beach International Airport.

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August 1, 2011

Family, friends welcome 'hero' home from Afghanistan

Glenn Dayton Jr. said Afghanistan helped put life in perspective.

By Andy Fillmore
Correspondent
Published: Monday, August 1, 2011

Family members and friends of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Glenn Dayton Jr. welcomed their hero home last weekend from a tour of combat duty in Afghanistan, and some expressed hope that the public and politicians alike would better appreciate soldiers' sacrifices.

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Dustin Ivers awarded medal for heroism in Afghanistan

Aug 1 2011
karenbrainard

A 23-year-old Marine and lifelong Ramona resident has been awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a Combat V for Valor.

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Medical Monday: A Grateful Marine’s Journey Through Navy Medicine

August 1, 2011
by JTOZER

Captain Matthew Kutilek, U.S. Marine Corps

My interaction with Navy Medicine during my first eight years of service in the Marine Corps proved to be limited, uneventful and quite normal. An appointment here, sickness there, the birth of two healthy daughters over a span of two years and follow-on requisite visits proved to be the norm.

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Honolulu native helps build strong foundation for Afghan future

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 08.01.2011

SANGIN, Helmand province, Afghanistan - Men and women around the world love to pick up power tools and build. The project may be as small as a birdhouse or as large as a sky-scraper, but when completed, it will always award the craftsman with the feeling of accomplishment. Those who build can see a tangible difference from start to finish and have something to show for their time and effort.

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July 31, 2011

Bonds of brotherhood help 3/4 Marines focus during deployment

Story by Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith | Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.31.2011

OBSERVATION POST 22, Helmand province, Afghanistan - Thoughts of those left home during a deployment can weigh on a young man’s mind when he enters a combat zone for the first time.

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Coming of age through war: Lance Cpl. Ernest Prempeh

Story by Cpl. James Clark | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 07.31.2011

CAMP HANSON, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Life, for the most part, is gray. The passing moments are not unpleasant, nor are they particularly remarkable -- just a colorless blur of regularity and routine.

Continue reading "Coming of age through war: Lance Cpl. Ernest Prempeh" »

July 29, 2011

Monroe woman breaks Afghanistan's cultural gender stereotype

By Chris Sullivan
97.3 KIRO FM Reporter
Updated Jul 29, 2011

Most of us know or have heard about how badly women are treated in Afghanistan. Schools and jobs are not open to them, especially in culturally-conservative rural areas.

Continue reading "Monroe woman breaks Afghanistan's cultural gender stereotype" »

July 28, 2011

Marine sergeant major, son serve together in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Rashaun X. James | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 07.28.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Upon hearing the news that his son would be deploying to Afghanistan, Sgt. Maj. Robert Allen of Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 began making the arrangements to join the fight.

Continue reading "Marine sergeant major, son serve together in Afghanistan" »

July 27, 2011

An American hero: Georgia native loses leg, returns to combat zone

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.27.2011

CAMP HANSON, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The pouring rain drenched the streets of Ramadi, Iraq, mixing with the rancid stench of backed-up sewage canals. The knee-deep concoction made the night patrol difficult for the Marines, but they had a mission to accomplish.

Continue reading "An American hero: Georgia native loses leg, returns to combat zone" »

Pittsburgh native survives blast, returns to duty

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.27.2011

CAMP HANSON, Helmand province, Afghanistan – “My bell was rung,” said Pittsburgh native Zachary Beamer as he recounted his story of survival from an Improvised Explosive Device detonation.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh native survives blast, returns to duty" »

July 26, 2011

Jo’burg born Marine returns to South Africa for exercise

Story by Cpl. Jad Sleiman | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 07.26.2011

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa - There’s the English spoken in South Africa, and then there’s the English spoken in Southern California.

Continue reading "Jo’burg born Marine returns to South Africa for exercise" »

July 21, 2011

Through the Ranks: Sergeant

Story by Cpl. Colby Brown | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 07.21.2011

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — A soft pink-hued glow highlights Sgt. Garrett Farris’ eyebrows, nose, cheeks and chin as he lies in his cot with a laptop resting on his stomach. On the screen, an animated horned beast falls in love with an innocent beauty.

Continue reading "Through the Ranks: Sergeant" »

July 20, 2011

IED strike brings father, son closer

Story by Sgt. Jesse Stence | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 07.20.2011

CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan -- “By the time I had the radio to my mouth, the whole truck exploded.”

Continue reading "IED strike brings father, son closer" »

Marine to be awarded Medal of Honor

Dakota Meyer ran to fallen comrades in Afghanistan

By Gretel C. Kovach, Reporter - Military
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 6:44 p.m.

A Marine who ignored his shrapnel wounds and a barrage of enemy gunfire to retrieve four fallen comrades in Afghanistan will be awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest for valor in combat.

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July 19, 2011

Obama OKs Medal of Honor for living Marine

Dakota Meyer, a former corporal, will be honored for his heroics in Ganjgal, Afghanistan, in September 2009

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jul 19, 2011 18:36:54 EDT

A Marine who repeatedly braved enemy fire in eastern Afghanistan attempting to find and save fellow members of his embedded training team will receive the Medal of Honor, Marine Corps Times has confirmed.

Continue reading "Obama OKs Medal of Honor for living Marine" »

LA Marine learns more than local language

Story by Cpl. Colby Brown | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 07.19.2011

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — It looks like Sgt. Jose Hernandez is teaching an elementary level anatomy class, but he’s actually learning the local language. He points to a local boy’s arms, legs, ears and eyes -- naming each body part in Pashto.

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July 18, 2011

6 Marines, 3 couples, 1 squadron: Married Marines deploy together to Afghanistan

7/18/2011 By Cpl. Samantha H. Arrington , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan —

Michael and Jessica Stedman recently celebrated their first anniversary. They also recently deployed to Afghanistan together.

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July 17, 2011

Valor awards mount up for little-known battle

By Gina Cavallaro and Gidget Fuentes - Staff writers
Posted : Sunday Jul 17, 2011 9:51:52 EDT

GARMSER DISTRICT, Afghanistan — Just a few weeks into a short-notice deployment to southwestern Afghanistan, Capt. Byron Owen and the Marines in his force reconnaissance platoon got an urgent mission: Go to Shewan.

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July 16, 2011

Baltimore Marine leads Kajaki in positive direction

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.16.2011

ORWARD OPERATING BASE FOB ZEEBRUGGE, Helmand province, Afghanistan — The image of most wars portrayed in the history books is that of battles in which sweaty, dirt-covered men storm beachheads and battlefields, while all that is left to read about are captivating dialogs of victory. Rarely do these books reflect on the human experience of what happens in the depths of counterinsurgency operations, in which these same men fight with their minds, guts and glory. One Baltimore native, however, has experienced this first hand and must now use all three to accomplish his mission once again.

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Missouri Marine follows in parents’ footsteps

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.16.2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZEEBRUGGE, Helmand province, Afghanistan — The arrival of a new baby in any family inevitably causes parents and family members to huddle around the child, saying things like “Oh, he has your nose,” or “Those eyes are just like his mother’s,” or “I wonder what he’ll be when he grows up.” One Grandview, Mo., native never thought he’d grow up to be like his parents, but as fate would have it, he fell into formation right behind them

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West Virginia Marine, family man fosters pride, humility

Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.16.2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FOB ZEEBRUGGE, Helmand province, Afghanistan — Separation from family members is arguably the hardest part of deployments for service members and their loved ones. A Moundsville, W.Va., native and his family know the strain of being apart all too well, yet they have found a way to balance their challenging lifestyle through resilience and understanding

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Ohio rifleman reflects on loss of fallen Marine

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.16.2011

PATROL BASE TALIBJAN, Helmand province, Afghanistan - Marines in Afghanistan strive daily to defeat insurgents and support development efforts. Some end up paying the ultimate price, giving their lives for their fellow Marines.

Continue reading "Ohio rifleman reflects on loss of fallen Marine" »

July 15, 2011

Point man leads way for J Company, 42 Commando in Helmand province

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Snodgrass | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 07.15.2011

NAD’ALI DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — Imagine how much courage it takes to be a point man in Helmand province, Afghanistan, where insurgent attacks and improvised explosive devices are a common occurrence. Now imagine your specific mission is to detect and locate IEDs as the point man for a patrol.

Continue reading "Point man leads way for J Company, 42 Commando in Helmand province" »

July 14, 2011

Pennsylvania native makes connections in Helmand

Courtesy Story | 2nd Marine Division (FWD) Combat Camera | Date: 07.14.2011

MUSA QAL’EH, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Showers and cold drinks in the 120-degree heat of the Afghan summer exist only in a Marine’s memory at some of the smaller patrol bases in the area, but one Grove City, Pa., Marine is determined to keep the unforgiving temperatures and desert sand storms from degrading a vital asset Marines and sailors use daily.

Continue reading "Pennsylvania native makes connections in Helmand" »

Bakersfield, Calif., twins serve together in Afghanistan

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Snodgrass | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 07.14.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Serving in Afghanistan usually means being away from family for several months. For identical twin sisters Lance Cpls. Ashley Sallee and Kimberly Gastelum, however, being deployed to Helmand province has brought them closer together.

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July 11, 2011

Mila Kunis Says She'll Accompany U.S. Marine to Corps Ball

By Hollie McKay
Published July 11, 2011
| FoxNews.com

Most men will spend their lives dreaming about going on a date with Mila Kunis – but for one U.S. Marine, that fantasy may very well turn into a reality.

Continue reading "Mila Kunis Says She'll Accompany U.S. Marine to Corps Ball" »

Indiana native graduates from football field to battlefield

Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 07.11.2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, Afghanistan – Williamsport, Ind., native Thomas Marshall never thought the Seeger Memorial High School football team would go so far. The small, country town began to take notice of the team’s success, however, in 2004 when the team won game after game in the regular season.

Continue reading "Indiana native graduates from football field to battlefield" »

July 10, 2011

Havertown Marine gets warm sendoff

Published: Sunday, July 10, 2011
By JEFF WOLFE
[email protected]

Marine Lance Cpl. Tom Boran IV got a big send off Thursday night as he prepares to deploy to Afghanistan next week.

Continue reading "Havertown Marine gets warm sendoff" »

July 9, 2011

Former Anoka Tornado serves in Afghanistan

News | Saturday, July 9, 2011 7:04 am by Sue Austreng |
by Sue Austreng
Staff Writer

Back at Anoka High School, Justin Powers was a cross-country skier, a soccer player, a guy who attended the STEP program and was really good at working on mechanics.

Continue reading "Former Anoka Tornado serves in Afghanistan" »

July 8, 2011

Fort Mill Marine is killed in Afghanistan

Posted: Jul 08, 2011 2:23 PM CDT
WBTV News

FORT MILL - A Fort Mill Marine is being honored by his community after he was killed during combat in Afghanistan on Thursday.

Continue reading "Fort Mill Marine is killed in Afghanistan" »

3d CAG Marines awarded Bronze Star

Story by Sgt. Marcy Sanchez | I Marine Expeditionary Force | Date: 07.08.2011

Two Marines with 3d Civil Affairs Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, received Bronze Stars during an awards ceremony, July 1.

Continue reading "3d CAG Marines awarded Bronze Star" »

Marine puts Hollywood music career on hold to serve in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Katherine Keleher | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 07.08.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Whether Sgt. Sean Castaneda is recording an album in Hollywood, Calif., or providing imagery intelligence to troops on the ground in the desert of southern Afghanistan, serving his country while pursuing his music dreams are just another day.

Continue reading "Marine puts Hollywood music career on hold to serve in Afghanistan" »

July 7, 2011

9th ESB Marines awarded, receive earned promotion

Story by Lance Cpl. Garry Welch | III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs | Date: 07.07.2011

AICHI, Japan - A 9th Engineer Support Battalion Marine was combat meritoriously promoted at Camp Hansen June 29 for actions performed during a recent deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom

Continue reading "9th ESB Marines awarded, receive earned promotion" »

July 6, 2011

Fallen Marine remembered in Mullins

by Lisa Edge
Posted: 07.06.2011 at 3:41 PM
Updated: 07.06.2011 at 8:20 PM

MULLINS -- GySgt E.J. Pate, 29, died in action on June 26, 2011 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. His body was brought back to the U.S. on the 4th of July. His funeral was held at Mullins High School Thursday afternoon.

Continue reading "Fallen Marine remembered in Mullins" »

Body Of New Braunfels Marine Returned Home

Hundreds Gather At Airport For Arrival Of Body

Katrina Webber, KSAT 12 News Reporter
POSTED: Wednesday, July 6, 2011

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas -- Hundreds of people gathered at the New Braunfels Municipal Airport Wednesday morning for the arrival of the body of a U.S. Marine who was killed in Afghanistan last week.

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Lafayette welcomes home Marine Cpl. Bowman

10:40 PM, Jul. 6, 2011
Written by
MARYJANE SLABY

Children ran up and down the hill outside Christ United Methodist Church at the corner of 18th Street and Veterans Memorial Parkway. Families sat on blankets and in camping chairs wearing red, white and blue.

Continue reading "Lafayette welcomes home Marine Cpl. Bowman" »

Marine returns from Afghanistan

Buoyant, enthusiastic crowd welcomes Josh Lappin home

By SHERIDAN KOWTA,
ARGUS-COURIER INTERN
Published: Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 3:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 10:23 p.m.

As the sun began to beat down on the streets of Petaluma on Friday, supporters gathered on the corner of St. Francis Drive and Lindberg Lane under the shade of their American flags, awaiting the arrival of a young Marine.

Continue reading "Marine returns from Afghanistan" »

Corpsman, MARSOC sergeant receive Silver Stars

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jul 6, 2011 9:41:22 EDT

With just a week left in their combat tour in Afghanistan, the joint special operations team left base on a critical mission to recover two fallen soldiers who drowned several days earlier.

Continue reading "Corpsman, MARSOC sergeant receive Silver Stars" »

Pendleton helo crash kills 1, injures 5

Staff and wire reports
Posted : Wednesday Jul 6, 2011 18:43:13 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — One Marine was killed and five others were hospitalized Wednesday after a UH-1Y helicopter carrying six personnel crashed on Wednesday at Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps officials said.

Continue reading "Pendleton helo crash kills 1, injures 5" »

A Teacher Leaves The Classroom For Afghanistan

by Tom Bowman
July 6, 2011

A very small number of Americans are now serving in the military — less than 1 percent. Some are looking for direction; others are inspired by a sense of patriotism or by a family member who served in an earlier war. In the series Who Serves, NPR looks at those who have made a decision few others today have — to fight in America's wars.

In Afghanistan's Helmand province, a Marine platoon had taken over an abandoned compound. It was little more than a vacant lot, choked with weeds and surrounded by high mud walls.

Continue reading "A Teacher Leaves The Classroom For Afghanistan" »

July 5, 2011

Marine: 'We're Starting To Fall To The Wayside'

by Tom Bowman
July 5, 2011

A very small number of Americans are now serving in the military — less than 1 percent. Some are looking for direction; others are inspired by a sense of patriotism or by a family member who served in an earlier war. In the series Who Serves, NPR looks at those who have made a decision few others have — to fight in America's wars.

Just after dawn one day last month, Sgt. Jon Moulder led his patrol of Marines out of Combat Outpost Reilly — basically a collection of tents and sandbags and razor wire — and headed down a dusty road in Afghanistan's Helmand province.

Continue reading "Marine: 'We're Starting To Fall To The Wayside'" »

July 4, 2011

Bedford Marine getting job done quietly in Afghanistan

By GREG KWASNIK
Union Leader Correspondent
Published Jul 4, 2011 at 3:00 am

BEDFORD — Half a world away, in the deserts of Afghanistan, one New Hampshire Marine is proving that she doesn’t have to be on the front lines to help win a war.

Continue reading "Bedford Marine getting job done quietly in Afghanistan" »

Marine sergeant receives Silver Star for bravery in Afghanistan firefight

-- Tony Perry in San Diego
July 4, 2011

When the Pentagon decided in 2008 it was time to send the Marines back to Afghanistan, one of the first battalions to deploy was the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, from Twentynine Palms.

Continue reading "Marine sergeant receives Silver Star for bravery in Afghanistan firefight" »

July 3, 2011

Marine Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill, 20, Poway; killed in Afghan firefight

He knew early on that he wanted to be a Marine. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather also were Marines. And his older brother is a Marine sniper who was about a dozen miles away when he died.

By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times

July 3, 2011
Jason Hill was from a Marine Corps family.

His father, grandfather and great-grandfather served in the Marines. Early on, Hill knew he wanted to be a Marine but some youthful misbehavior and a casual attitude toward high school gave the Marines pause about allowing him to enlist.

Continue reading "Marine Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill, 20, Poway; killed in Afghan firefight" »

Kyle Schneider dies in Afghanistan, pursuing his military dream

Published: Sunday, July 03, 2011, 11:41 AM
By Dave Tobin / The Post-Standard

Nothing was going to stop Kyle Schneider from becoming a Marine and going to war.

Continue reading "Kyle Schneider dies in Afghanistan, pursuing his military dream" »

U.S. Marine from Mobile who lost legs in Afghanistan determined to walk

Published: Sunday, July 03, 2011, 6:11 AM Updated: Sunday, July 03, 2011, 7:37 AM
By Roy Hoffman, Press-Register

At Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Christopher Montgomery, a U.S. Marine corporal from Mobile, is learning to walk on artificial limbs.

Continue reading "U.S. Marine from Mobile who lost legs in Afghanistan determined to walk" »

Marines from Arkansas use background to succeed in Afghan training mission

Story by Lance Cpl. Daniel Wulz | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 07.03.2011

MOBILE OPERATING BASE LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan - Over the years, Arkansas has produced Marines who have had a lasting effect on the Corps.

Continue reading "Marines from Arkansas use background to succeed in Afghan training mission" »

July 2, 2011

Marine Runs for Unit in Afghanistan

By LAURA SUMMERS World Correspondent
Published: 7/2/2011 4:49 PM
Last Modified: 7/3/2011 2:02 PM

BARTLESVILLE — Marine Lance Corp. William Ely pounded the pavement Saturday on a 20-mile run down U.S. 75 to raise awareness and support for the Marine 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment serving in Afghanistan.

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Oregon Marine pursues photography passion in Afghanistan

7/2/2011 By Cpl. Rashaun X. James , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Capturing moments in time is a passion Sgt. Tristeza Castellanoz finds great pleasure in. What began as a casual interest in photography has grown into a long-term hobby, a method of expression and a potential career for the Nyssa, Ore., native.

Continue reading "Oregon Marine pursues photography passion in Afghanistan" »

Akron, Ohio native gives guiding hand to future of Afghan security

7/2/2011 By Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Snodgrass , II MEF (FWD)
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan — First Lt. Patrick Abell has one of the toughest and most important jobs a Marine can have: teaching future Afghan Border Policemen how to do their job after coalition forces leave Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Akron, Ohio native gives guiding hand to future of Afghan security" »

July 1, 2011

Humor, heroism define fallen Marine

Story by Sgt. Jesse Stence | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 07.01.2011

CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Silence settled over Patrol Base Lambert after Cpl. Matthew T. Richard’s memorial service. A steady current of hot desert air coursed its way through the Helmand combat position where Richard’s squad huddled together, finding comfort in each other’s presence.

Continue reading "Humor, heroism define fallen Marine" »

June 30, 2011

Marine's last words to family from Afghanistan: 'I'll see you soon'

By Chelsea J. Carter, CNN
June 30, 2011 3:10 p.m. EDT

(CNN) -- The home video from Marine Lance Cpl. John F. Farias held little back from his parents about the dangers of fighting in Afghanistan, about how the experience was changing him and about how much he missed his family.

Continue reading "Marine's last words to family from Afghanistan: 'I'll see you soon'" »

Hundreds honor fallen Visalia Marine

Crowd lines streets to pay homage during procession

Written by
ERIC WOOMER
Jun. 30, 2011

As Americans prepare to celebrate the independence of their country, residents from across Tulare County and the state celebrated the life of a fallen Visalia Marine.

Continue reading "Hundreds honor fallen Visalia Marine" »

Local Marine severely injured in Afghanistan explosion

Grover Beach man loses leg in IED explosion

By April Charlton/Senior Staff Writer [email protected] | Posted: Thursday, June 30, 2011

Life forever changed for one U.S. Marine from Grover Beach during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Local Marine severely injured in Afghanistan explosion" »

Help �stuff the trailer� for local Marine

AMANDA CROWE
Fairborn Editor
June 30, 2011

FAIRBORN � While Homes For Our Troops is completing a new home for Corporal Larry Draughn another organization wants to help him take care of it.

Continue reading "Help �stuff the trailer� for local Marine" »

Local Marine killed in action in Afghanistan

Posted: Jun 27, 2011 11:14 AM CDT Updated: Jun 30, 2011 6:57 AM CDT
WMBF News

MARION, SC (WMBF) – A family in Marion is mourning the loss of a 29-year-old Marine after he was killed during combat in Afghanistan Sunday.

Continue reading "Local Marine killed in action in Afghanistan" »

Decades later, servicemen’s remains returning to Spokane

Kevin Graman The Spokesman-Review
June 30, 2011 in City

A Marine private lost at the Battle of Tarawa in 1943 and an Army captain who died as a prisoner of the North Koreans in 1951 are finally coming home to Spokane.

Continue reading "Decades later, servicemen’s remains returning to Spokane" »

June 29, 2011

Friends remember area Marine killed in Afghanistan

Posted: 5:24 AM Jun 29, 2011
Reporter: WEAU 13 News Staff

"He changed anyone and everyone's life around him in Spring Valley. He did so much and just probably wasn't even aware of it," Sarah Friberg remembered.

Continue reading "Friends remember area Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

Billings Marine greeted by supporters after Afghanistan deploymen

Story By CHELSEA KROTZER Photos By CASEY PAGE Of The Gazette Staff‌ | Posted: Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Family, friends and community members gathered at Billings Logan International Airport on Tuesday night awaiting the arrival of one of Billings’ servicemen.

Continue reading "Billings Marine greeted by supporters after Afghanistan deploymen" »

June 28, 2011

Horse riding program named after Marine Corps legend

6/28/2011 By Cpl. Damien Gutierrez , Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The legacy and tradition of one Camp Pendleton Marine who changed the lives of hundreds of wounded veterans was given new life at the place where it all began.

Continue reading "Horse riding program named after Marine Corps legend" »

June 27, 2011

Family, city prepare to honor fallen Visalia Marine

Written by
ERIC WOOMER
11:00 PM, Jun. 27, 2011

Eighteen-month-old Jacob Verbeek doesn't know why hundreds of American flags line his Visalia neighborhood, but when his small hand grasped the wooden stick holding an American flag Monday, it's clear he'll have many memories of his father.

Continue reading "Family, city prepare to honor fallen Visalia Marine" »

World War II to Afghanistan: Rocket scientist, third generation Marine serves in Helmand province

6/27/2011 By 1st Lt. Megan Greathouse , II MEF (FWD)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Every Marine has a story. For one Reservist currently serving in Helmand province the story is of a rocket scientist who answered the call to serve his country as a third generation Marine.

Continue reading "World War II to Afghanistan: Rocket scientist, third generation Marine serves in Helmand province" »

June 25, 2011

Newport News Marine to get posthumous award for valor

By Corinne Reilly
The Virginian-Pilot
© June 25, 2011

A Newport News Marine who was killed in Afghanistan in February will posthumously receive the National Intelligence Medal for Valor on Wednesday.

Continue reading "Newport News Marine to get posthumous award for valor" »

Fallen Marine's family reaches out to Hendersonville Marine

By Mark Schulman
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, June 24, 2011 at 12:32 p.m.

The family of a fallen Marine from Stanley has stepped up to help a Marine from Hendersonville who was severely injured in an IED attack in Afghanistan earlier this month.

Continue reading "Fallen Marine's family reaches out to Hendersonville Marine" »

June 22, 2011

Marine Duo Powers Up Area of Operations

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 06.22.2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – The typical American may wake up, drink their coffee along with a small nutritious breakfast, and then head out the door to their nine to five job, with expectations of being home by six p.m. every evening. Life is much different for two Marines attached to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment.

Continue reading "Marine Duo Powers Up Area of Operations" »

June 20, 2011

2/4 Corner: Meet Lt. Col. Bill Vivian

Jun 20, 2011

The 2/4 Corner is a weekly series for the SC Times on the Marines and Navy Corpsmen who make up the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. The profiles are compiled by 2/4's Family Readiness Officer Dan Liesik.The 2/4 is one of San Clemente's two adopted squadrons.

Name: Bill Vivian

Rank: Lieutenant colonel

Length of Service: 24 years

Number of Deployments: Seven

Continue reading "2/4 Corner: Meet Lt. Col. Bill Vivian" »

June 17, 2011

St. Charles County Marine awarded Distinguished Flying Cross

By Russell Korando > [email protected] STLtoday.com | Posted: Friday, June 17, 2011 4:16 pm

As a crew chief and door gunner on a UH-1Y (Huey), Bart Davis' life has literally flown by in the last eight years.

Continue reading "St. Charles County Marine awarded Distinguished Flying Cross" »

Fallen hero laid to rest in Armstrong County

By Mitch Fryer, LEADER TIMES
Friday, June 17, 2011
Last updated: 8:16 am

DISTANT — Hundreds of people, many who didn't know Sgt. Joseph Michael "Joey" Garrison, lined the street leading to the Oakland Church of God on Thursday to show their gratitude and grief for the fallen Marine.

Continue reading "Fallen hero laid to rest in Armstrong County" »

Chicago Native and Truck Company Keeps 1/5 Rolling in Sangin

Story by Cpl. Benjamin Crilly | Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division | Date: 06.17.2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Cpl. Rene Sotelo, the loadmaster for 2nd Platoon, Truck Company B, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, spends anywhere from six to eight hours preparing the trucks before each convoy. Eight stops later the Chicago native and his fellow motor transportation operators return to Forward Operating Base Nolay after driving through the night resupplying 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, in Sangin, Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Chicago Native and Truck Company Keeps 1/5 Rolling in Sangin" »

Lucky charms and bullet holes in Afghan helicopter

By ANJA NIEDRINGHAUS
Associated Press
Jun 17, 6:19 AM EDT

ABOARD A BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN (AP) - The Army medics had just dropped off a Marine wounded in a bombing when one reached over and handed me a scribbled note inside the noisy U.S. helicopter.

Continue reading "Lucky charms and bullet holes in Afghan helicopter" »

Historic Marine base gets 1st-ever female general

By SUSANNE M. SCHAFER, Associated Press – June 17, 2011

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — For the first time in its 96-year history, a female general is taking charge at the famed Marine Corps training depot at South Carolina's Parris Island.

Continue reading "Historic Marine base gets 1st-ever female general" »

June 15, 2011

Simi Marine teams with Afghan counterparts

Partnership cited in success of operation

* By Cpl. Benjamin Crilly, Special to The Star
* Ventura County Star
* Posted June 15, 2011 at 4:33 p.m.

SANGIN DISTRICT, Afghanistan — Afghan National Army soldiers conducted Operation Zapoonki Guzaroona in partnership with the Marines of Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, in Sangin, Afghanistan, last month.

Continue reading "Simi Marine teams with Afghan counterparts" »

Video: Cpl. Aine Feaser and Cpl. Aisling Feaser (WFLA-TV), Part 2

Courtesy Video | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 06.15.2011

Two Marines talk to a WFLA-TV reporter about their family, joining the Marines, their responsibilities and what they deployment has been like in Afghanistan. Part 2 of 2

Continue reading "Video: Cpl. Aine Feaser and Cpl. Aisling Feaser (WFLA-TV), Part 2" »

June 14, 2011

'Hell Of A Leader': Marines Remember Sgt. Garrison

by Tom Bowman
June 14, 2011

On Friday, Marines will gather to remember Sgt. Joseph Garrison at a small combat outpost in Afghanistan's Helmand province.

Continue reading "'Hell Of A Leader': Marines Remember Sgt. Garrison" »

'The Day Remembered': Wounded Marines reflect on life after Afghanistan

Commemorative DVD raises funds for Camp Pendleton troops

By Gretel C. Kovach
4:45 p.m., June 14, 2011

Amber McLoud was shopping in Walmart when she got the call. A gunnery sergeant wanted to inform her of some “really bad news” about her husband, an infantry Marine deployed to Afghanistan.

Continue reading "'The Day Remembered': Wounded Marines reflect on life after Afghanistan" »

Wyoming Marine dies in Afghanistan

By WILLIAM BROWNING Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 8:00 am |

A young Sean O’Connor had been talking about joining the armed forces. When he decided on the U.S. Marine Corps, he told his father.

Continue reading "Wyoming Marine dies in Afghanistan" »

Fallen Marine a 'Born Hero'

Reporter: A.J. Ross
Web Producer: Sean RoweFallen Marine a 'Born Hero'
Posted: Tuesday, June 14 2011, 03:16 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Defense on Monday confirmed the death of a U.S. Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Continue reading "Fallen Marine a 'Born Hero'" »

June 13, 2011

Poway Marine killed in action in Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill died with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment

By Gretel C. Kovach and Hailey Persinger
Originally published 2:40 p.m., June 13, 2011, updated 7:06 p.m., June 13, 2011

A Marine from Poway was killed in action in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Monday. Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill, 20, died Saturday in combat with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment.

Continue reading "Poway Marine killed in action in Afghanistan" »

June 12, 2011

Brother, home from Afghanistan, tearfully reunites with sister at graduation ceremony

By Linda Goldston
[email protected]
Posted: 06/11/2011 08:49:56 PM PDT
Updated: 06/12/2011 01:14:55 PM PDT

There was only one thing missing when Jessica Freedman walked to the stage at her graduation ceremony at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo on Saturday afternoon -- her brother, Eric.

Continue reading "Brother, home from Afghanistan, tearfully reunites with sister at graduation ceremony" »

Waterford Marine experiences improvements during second tour to Nad ‘Ali South

Story by Cpl. Adam Leyendecker | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 06.12.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Before every deployment, Marines are trained up on the area of operation they will perform their duties to prepare them for mission success.

Continue reading "Waterford Marine experiences improvements during second tour to Nad ‘Ali South" »

June 11, 2011

Lance Cpl. Matthew Shank of Waynesboro receives the Purple Heart

By Denise Bonura
The Record Herald
Posted Jun 11, 2011 @ 11:01 AM

Lance Cpl. Matthew Shank of Waynesboro was among five Marines to receive the Purple Heart by Marine commandant Gen. James Amos Thursday.

Continue reading "Lance Cpl. Matthew Shank of Waynesboro receives the Purple Heart" »

June 10, 2011

Groton recalls Marine killed overseas

Joining Corps was Woitowicz’s dream

By Ben Wolford
Globe Correspondent / June 10, 2011

GROTON — William Woitowicz was a tall, lanky high schooler — “all arms and legs,’’ one teacher said.

Continue reading "Groton recalls Marine killed overseas" »

Family, friends mourn the loss of Miamisburg Marine killed in Afghanistan

By Tom Beyerlein and Kelli Wynn, Staff Writers Updated 9:42 AM Friday, June 10, 2011

MIAMISBURG — Friends and neighbors of a decorated Marine killed in action during combat operations in Afghanistan poured out memories and grief on social websites devoted to the 2006 Miamisburg High School graduate.

Continue reading "Family, friends mourn the loss of Miamisburg Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

June 9, 2011

Marines earn Navy Cross for Ganjgal heroism

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jun 9, 2011 16:16:24 EDT

Two Marines who survived a bloody ambush in eastern Afghanistan in September 2009 will receive the Navy Cross on Friday for heroism, Marine officials said.

Continue reading "Marines earn Navy Cross for Ganjgal heroism" »

June 8, 2011

Groton Marine William Woitowicz Killed in Afganistan

June 8, 2011
By Editor

Flags throughout Groton were lowered to half-staff this afternoon and evening in honor of Marine Corporal William Woitowicz, killed in a “combat operation” on June 7 in Badghis, a province in Afghanistan. The 2007 graduate of Groton-Dunstable Regional High School entered the Marines when he graduated, and was assigned to the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Continue reading "Groton Marine William Woitowicz Killed in Afganistan" »

Navy Cross recipient credits Kent in recovery

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 8, 2011 12:42:25 EDT

When Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent hits the road to visit Marines, he likes to share the story of one man’s fight with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Continue reading "Navy Cross recipient credits Kent in recovery" »

Fontana Marine Develops Troops in Combat Through Unique Leadership

Story by Lance Cpl. Bryan Nygaard | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 06.08.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Capt. Ramon Pattugalan, of Fontana, Calif., had two objectives before this deployment to Afghanistan began: bring all his Marines back home alive and make them better than they were before they left. It is safe to say he completed that mission

Continue reading "Fontana Marine Develops Troops in Combat Through Unique Leadership" »

June 7, 2011

Twentynine Palms Marine killed in Afghanistan

Cpl. Paul W. Zanowick II served with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment

By Kevin Acee
9:31 a.m., June 7, 2011

A Twentynine Palms Marine was killed in action in Afghanistan, the Corps announced. Cpl. Paul W. Zanowick II, 23, of Miamisburg, Ohio, died June 3 in Helmand province, a stronghold of the Taliban insurgency.

Continue reading "Twentynine Palms Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

Marine aircraft wing chaplain provides ‘ministry on the fly’

Story by Cpl. Rashaun X. James | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 06.07.2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM, Afghansitan - It’s 2:53 p.m. at Forward Operating Base Delaram, Afghanistan, and religious programs specialist Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Gallagher is looking quite nervous. Pacing in the blazing Afghanistan sun, Gallagher knows that he and the Navy chaplain he is sworn to protect have a convoy to catch in seven minutes, one that very well may leave them stranded if they are late.

Continue reading "Marine aircraft wing chaplain provides ‘ministry on the fly’" »

June 6, 2011

Corinth Marine Survives Two IEDs, Stays in Fight

6/6/2011 By Lance Cpl. Bryan Nygaard , II MEF (FWD)

COMBAT OUTPOST SHUKVANI, Afghanistan — Lance Cpl. Andrew J. Armstrong’s fellow Marines call him, “Rock.” The name fits him well. The Corinth, N.Y., native has survived not one, but two improvised explosive devices. He is still in the fight and shows no signs of stopping. However, the memory of the first IED will always be engraved in his mind.

Continue reading "Corinth Marine Survives Two IEDs, Stays in Fight" »

June 5, 2011

VA trauma center treats most grievously wounded troops

The Palo Alto facility is among four nationwide in which physicians and therapists take a team approach to care for those who have suffered amputations and other catastrophic injuries, many from bomb blasts.

By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times
June 5, 2011

Reporting from Palo Alto—
Marine Lance Cpl. Jorge Ortiz is in pain.

A combat photographer, Ortiz was taking pictures of a captured weapons cache in Sangin, Afghanistan, on Jan. 15 when he stepped on a buried explosive device.

Continue reading "VA trauma center treats most grievously wounded troops" »

Camp Pendleton Marine to claim motorycycle, ride in fallen friend's honor

Lance Cpl. Clancy Cheek got the keys during Afghanistan tour

By Gretel C. Kovach
6 a.m., June 5, 2011

Cpl. Clancy Cheek is finally getting his new motorcycle, the one he plans to ride in honor of his best friend killed in action in Afghanistan. The Camp Pendleton Marine was serving a brutal tour with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in Sangin, Afghanistan when the commandant of the Marine Corps handed him the keys on Christmas Day.

Continue reading "Camp Pendleton Marine to claim motorycycle, ride in fallen friend's honor" »

June 4, 2011

Hundreds salute Marine Peter Clore at Courthouse

By Lee Morrison
TimesReporter.com staff writer
Posted Jun 04, 2011 @ 11:22 PM

NEW PHILADELPHIA —

More than 400 area residents climbed the Tuscarawas County Courthouse stairs Saturday to pay their respects to Marine Lance Cpl. Peter Clore, who was remembered as a laughing, friendly person, always helping others.

Continue reading "Hundreds salute Marine Peter Clore at Courthouse" »

June 3, 2011

New Philadelphia soldier arrives home for burial

By Jon Baker
Times-Reporter.com staff writer
Posted Jun 03, 2011 @ 10:44 PM

NEW PHILADELPHIA —

Marine Lance Cpl. Peter Clore completed the last leg of his long journey home from Afghanistan as a mile-long procession escorted his remains to Tuscarawas County from the Akron-Canton Airport on Friday.

Continue reading "New Philadelphia soldier arrives home for burial" »

Marine from York injured by shrapnel in Afghanistan

Wounded Propst won't come home without unit

Andrew Dys - Columnist
Published: Friday, Jun. 03, 2011

YORK --

When you are the son of a guy who runs a sawmill in rural western York County - and your grandfather and great-grandfather that ran that mill - you grow up tough and hard-nosed.

Continue reading "Marine from York injured by shrapnel in Afghanistan" »

Brother, sister in arms: Colorado Springs siblings reunite in Afghanistan

Story by Pfc. Sean Dennison | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 06.03.2011

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - When Sgt. Judy Hunziker, a maintenance administration clerk with Marine Attack Squadron 513, last saw her brother, she was on pre-deployment leave in the comfort of her hometown of Colorado Springs, Colo.

Continue reading "Brother, sister in arms: Colorado Springs siblings reunite in Afghanistan" »

Marine from San Clemente selected for posthumous Navy Cross for heroism in Afghanistan

June 3, 2011 | 11:35 am

A Marine lance corporal from San Clemente who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 while saving fellow Marines from a buried roadside bomb has been selected for the Navy Cross.

Continue reading "Marine from San Clemente selected for posthumous Navy Cross for heroism in Afghanistan" »

June 2, 2011

Marine's cross-country fundraising trip ends in Bethany Beach

7:35 AM, Jun. 2, 2011
Written by
Alyson Cunningham

BETHANY BEACH — On his bicycle journey across the country, Marine Maj. Bill Conner’s friends were never far from his thoughts.

Continue reading "Marine's cross-country fundraising trip ends in Bethany Beach" »

Marines drive 1,000 miles to Cashion to aide tornado cleanup

Cashion resident Pfc. Dustin Buckner and two Marines left Camp Pendleton, Calif., on Friday for Cashion to help with tornado cleanup.

BY BRYAN DEAN [email protected] Oklahoman Comment on this article 0
Published: June 2, 2011

U.S. Marine Pfc. Dustin Buckner watched in disbelief as national news broadcasts showed the devastation from a tornado that hit his hometown of Cashion last week.

Continue reading "Marines drive 1,000 miles to Cashion to aide tornado cleanup" »

June 1, 2011

Louisiana Marine Survives IED Blast, Continues to Fight

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 06.01.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – “I thought it was just another day on the 45-minute drive to get to the location. My teammate and I were coming up with a plan of attack,” said Winnfield, La., native Staff Sgt. Tony Palomo. “I never thought I’d be the one to set off the (improvised explosive device).”

Continue reading "Louisiana Marine Survives IED Blast, Continues to Fight" »

Injured marine gets warm welcome home

He's home from war early, not unscathed. It's the first time Marine Lance Cpl. Johnathan Bedwell has been back since he was injured in an IED Explosion in Afghanistan.

Posted: 5:46 PM Jun 1, 2011
Reporter: Sara Shookman
Email Address: [email protected]

MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A wounded warrior is home with family in East Tennessee Wednesday.

Continue reading "Injured marine gets warm welcome home" »

Marine, Canine Make a Good Team

By Marine Corp Cpl. Jenn Calaway
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Public Affairs

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., June 1, 2011 – Two Marine Corps members, one somewhat hairy for a Marine, work together to make this military base safe for its workers and residents.

Continue reading "Marine, Canine Make a Good Team" »

Abbot Marine serving in Afghanistan misses what Mainers take for granted: grass

By Diana Bowley, BDN Staff
Posted June 01, 2011, at 11:16 a.m.

ABBOT, Maine — An Abbot man serving his first tour of duty in Afghanistan says he longs for his family but he also misses something most Mainers take for granted during the summer months: grass.

Continue reading "Abbot Marine serving in Afghanistan misses what Mainers take for granted: grass" »

Medford Marine dedicates flag to school, first grade class

By Nell Escobar Coakley/[email protected]
Posted Jun 01, 2011 @ 12:00 PM

Medford —

It was supposed to be a small ceremony: a Marine, first graders and a flagpole. Instead, the McGlynn school community came out in force last week to meet one Medford solider who brought a special gift with him all the way from the Middle East.

Continue reading "Medford Marine dedicates flag to school, first grade class" »

Ordnance technicians ensure warheads hit foreheads

Story by Lance Cpl. Charles Clark | Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni | Date: 06.01.2011

IWAKUNI, Japan - A Marine walks out from under the F/A-18 Hornet wing and looks up at the sky. He sees a mix of light and dark gray.

Continue reading "Ordnance technicians ensure warheads hit foreheads" »

May 28, 2011

Missoula-born Marine killed in NYC crash

By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian missoulian.com | Posted: Saturday, May 28, 2011 7:33 am

Like every parent of a military member sent into harm's way, Chuck Jorgenson of Missoula lived with the worry that the Marines might come knocking on his door with the worst of news.

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May 27, 2011

Americans Don’t Wait for Memorial Day to Unite in Helmand

Story by Gunnery Sgt. Pauline Franklin | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 05.27.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – At 6:50 p.m., May 25, a Marion, Iowa, Marine struck an improvised explosive device while patrolling in southern Garmser district. The infantry point man with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, was wounded and needed care, but just as the communication lines began to light up to coordinate transportation for him, a sandstorm brought it all to a halt, putting the Marine in grave danger of bleeding to death before he reached medical assistance.

Continue reading "Americans Don’t Wait for Memorial Day to Unite in Helmand" »

May 26, 2011

Memorial Day; A Tribute to Peralta and the 31st MEU

5/26/2011 By Lance Cpl. Garry J. Welch , 31st MEU

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan — As Memorial Day nears, it is important to look back, and think about why Memorial Day is celebrated, and who it is celebrated for.

Continue reading "Memorial Day; A Tribute to Peralta and the 31st MEU" »

May 24, 2011

Marine who lost limbs to war looks ahead to concert, new home

BY BILL LAMBRECHT • [email protected] and MARLON A. WALKER • [email protected]
STLtoday.com | Posted: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 7:00 am |

At a benefit concert Friday on his behalf, Marine Cpl. Todd Nicely's thoughts may travel from the explosion in Afghanistan that nearly killed him to the peaceful environs of Lake of the Ozarks.

Continue reading "Marine who lost limbs to war looks ahead to concert, new home" »

Ferocity in the face of the enemy: 1st Sgt. Rice

Story by Lance Cpl. Kenneth Jasik | 1st Marine Logistics Group | Date: 05.24.2011

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine with Food Service Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device here, May 24, for his heroic actions in Afghanistan nearly two years ago.

Continue reading "Ferocity in the face of the enemy: 1st Sgt. Rice" »

Stories of our brave Marines teach us what it means to be truly selfless

By Gen. James F. Amos - 05/24/11 06:45 PM ET

On a typically beautiful Southern California day in March of this year, First Lieutenant Cameron West of 3rd Platoon, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment rolled his wheelchair up to the podium in front of a crowd gathered for his battalion’s family readiness meeting. With a determined look, he deliberately halted the wheelchair several feet from the podium, stood on his one leg and hopped confidently to the microphone. West gave the crowd a wry grin and, in his characteristic good humor, introduced himself, “You Marines on the left side of the room can call me Lieutenant West and all you beautiful ladies and people on the right can call me Cam. I live in Oceanside and I’m open for visits,” he said.

Continue reading "Stories of our brave Marines teach us what it means to be truly selfless" »

Angels honor local Marine's sacrifice in Afghanistan

11:00 PM, May. 24, 2011

As Marine sergeant Micah Crooks walked with a slight limp to to the pitcher's mound at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, the Alexandria native was introduced to some 43,000 fans settling in to watch the Los Angeles Angels host the Atlanta Braves Saturday night.

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May 23, 2011

Back in Afghanistan

North soldier takes latest deployment in stride

Monday, May 23, 2011 2:12 AM EDT

Osama bin Laden may be history, but keeping the pressure on the Taliban is an ongoing job for 1st Sgt. Marc R. Chabot and his fellow Marines serving with U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Back in Afghanistan" »

Back in Afghanistan

North soldier takes latest deployment in stride

Monday, May 23, 2011 2:12 AM EDT

Osama bin Laden may be history, but keeping the pressure on the Taliban is an ongoing job for 1st Sgt. Marc R. Chabot and his fellow Marines serving with U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Back in Afghanistan" »

Buffalo Marine Leads Recon Through Danger Zone

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 05.23.2011

PATROL BASE ALCATRAZ, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Down by the “Mini Helmand River,” as local residents call it, Marines maneuver through the night to conduct surveillance. They are led by a Reconnaissance Marine who fearlessly clears a path for his fellow brothers in arms.

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May 22, 2011

Arizona’s Own Joins Corps’ Tradition

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 05.22.2011

PATROL BASE ALCATRAZ, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Families all over America have certain traditions they honor. Some go on annual camping trips, and others have special items they’ve passed down from generation to generation. One Mesa, Ariz., native made joining the Marine Corps a family tradition.

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May 21, 2011

Marines dedicate Afghanistan compound to fallen lieutenant colonel

Story by Cpl. Rashaun X. James | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 05.21.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Deployed Marines and sailors honored the life and service of former 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion commanding officer, Lt. Col. Benjamin J. Palmer, by dedicating to him the Marine Air Control Group 28 compound on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, May 21.

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May 19, 2011

Fallen 8th Comm. Marine Honored at Leatherneck

Story by Lance Cpl. Bryan Nygaard | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 05.19.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Marines and sailors with 8th Communication Battalion, Task Force Belleau Wood, gathered together to honor Sgt. Kevin B. Balduf aboard Camp Leatherneck, May 19. Balduf, a native of Nashville, Tenn., was killed while working with a mentoring team that provides support to the Afghan National Civil Order Police, May 12. He was 27-years-old.

Continue reading "Fallen 8th Comm. Marine Honored at Leatherneck" »

Santa Barbara Marine Returns Home to Open Arms After Tour in Afghanistan

LCpl. Eddie Mesa enjoys a laid-back round of golf and a party with friends and family after seven months of duty overseas

By Lara Cooper, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @laraanncooper | Published on 05.19.2011

The first thing Eddie Mesa wanted to do was play a round of golf.

Continue reading "Santa Barbara Marine Returns Home to Open Arms After Tour in Afghanistan" »

Entire Marine shooting team advances to Warrior Games final round

Story by Aquita Brown | Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment | Date: 05.19.2011

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The All-Marine shooting team consists of 18 athletes who competed in the 2011 Warrior Games preliminary rounds. The Marines went head to head with athletes from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Special Operations Command. Victorious in their pursuit, the Marines advanced all 18 of their athletes to the final round that will be held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 19.

Continue reading "Entire Marine shooting team advances to Warrior Games final round" »

From Hueys to Harvest Hawk: Ordnance Marine arms aircraft in Afghanistan

5/19/2011 By Cpl. Samantha H. Arrington , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — “I remember him starting to tear up and saying that when the aircraft were flying over head, the insurgents seemed to disappear,” said Gunnery Sgt. Brian D. Cook. “That moment made me realize how much my job means.”

Continue reading "From Hueys to Harvest Hawk: Ordnance Marine arms aircraft in Afghanistan" »

May 18, 2011

Marine reflects on the sacrifices that brought down bin Laden

By Col. Brian Salas
Posted: 05/18/2011 12:05:27 PM PDT
Updated: 05/18/2011 06:24:35 PM PDT

On the day Osama bin Laden was dispatched, my Marine colleagues and I took a moment to walk down from our offices in the Pentagon to visit the 9/11 memorial outside.

Continue reading "Marine reflects on the sacrifices that brought down bin Laden" »

Amos, Kent surprise Wounded Warrior Regiment at Warrior Games

Story by Lance Cpl. Kayla Hermann | Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment | Date: 05.18.2011

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, his wife Bonnie, and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlton W. Kent, surprised Marines during an intense sitting volleyball match between the Marines and Air Force, at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 18.

Continue reading "Amos, Kent surprise Wounded Warrior Regiment at Warrior Games" »

Marine air crews battled insurgents, terrain in Afghanistan

By Gretel C. Kovach
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 5:37 p.m.

Massive dust storms rolled in from the desert, swallowing the entire province and grounding flights. Gummed-up engines had to be washed after each sortie, and replaced often. Pilots and crew broiled in triple-digit summer heat and froze during winter snows.

Continue reading "Marine air crews battled insurgents, terrain in Afghanistan" »

Family mourns Marine killed in action

By Keith Edwards [email protected]
Staff Writer
Posted: May 18, 2011

RICHMOND — A Marine sergeant whose wife and in-laws live in Richmond was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan last week.

Continue reading "Family mourns Marine killed in action" »

Sgt. Kevin Balduf remembered as 'a Marine's Marine, gung ho'

The Nashville, Tenn. native, married to Amy Balduf of Richmond, was killed in Afghanistan last week.

By KEITH EDWARDS Kennebec Journal
May 18 , 2011

RICHMOND — The father-in-law of a Marine sergeant killed in combat last week in Afghanistan said his son-in-law was "a nice guy who tended to put other people before himself."

Continue reading "Sgt. Kevin Balduf remembered as 'a Marine's Marine, gung ho'" »

Marine team dominates track and field competition at 2011 Warrior Games

Story by Sgt. Heidi Agostini | Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment | Date: 05.18.2011

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - By the end of the track and field meet, fans were not surprised to hear the Marines’ Hymn play during medal presentations at the 2011 Warrior Games, May 17, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Continue reading "Marine team dominates track and field competition at 2011 Warrior Games" »

New details in Afghan police center killings

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday May 18, 2011 16:59:46 EDT

It was chow time May 12 when the Marine advisory team sat down to dinner. Its members didn’t know a gun-wielding Afghan policeman was around the corner and about to open fire.

Continue reading "New details in Afghan police center killings" »

Sgt. Maj. Kent spends final days of farewell tour with Marines in Afghanistan

Story by Lance Cpl. Katherine M. Solano | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 05.18.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - There is a certain presence around the Marine who has led hundreds of thousands of men and women throughout the past 35 years. His voice commands attention, his demeanor demands respect and his words instill unconditional pride. His smile, though fleeting, bolsters confidence, while his devil dog glare can freeze hell.

Continue reading "Sgt. Maj. Kent spends final days of farewell tour with Marines in Afghanistan" »

May 17, 2011

New Details: Families Grieve As 2 Marines From The East Killed By Afghan Police Officer

By Chris Brown , Smitha Rao
Published: May 16, 2011
Updated: May 17, 2011 - 5:53 PM

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN - An Afghan police officer opened fire on a training base in Helmand Province and killed two Marines from the east.

Continue reading "New Details: Families Grieve As 2 Marines From The East Killed By Afghan Police Officer" »

May 16, 2011

War zone puppy reunited with Marine

Updated: Tuesday, 17 May 2011, 12:40 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 16 May 2011, 11:57 PM EDT
* By: Karen Hensel

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A dog that survived the war zone in Afghanistan is safe in Indiana thanks to the U.S. Marines and the love of hundreds of local school children.

Continue reading "War zone puppy reunited with Marine" »

Former POW to depart Afghanistan for senior post in US European command

5/16/2011 By Cpl. Samantha H. Arrington , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan —

A senior leader of Marines in southwestern Afghanistan has been selected for promotion to brigadier general, and will soon depart Camp Leatherneck for duties at the U.S. European Command.

Continue reading "Former POW to depart Afghanistan for senior post in US European command" »

From Marblehead to Afghanistan - And Back

Marblehead resident Anthony DiGiammarino sits down for a conversation about life as a marine in Afghanistan, and what it means to him to come home.

By Michelle Phillips | 5:46am
May 16, 2011

Last weekend, I had the privileged opportunity to sit down with Lance Corporal Anthony DiGiammarino of the 3rd Battalion 5th Regiment of the United States Marine Corps for a conversation about his time in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "From Marblehead to Afghanistan - And Back" »

Richmond, Spring Grove come out to welcome home three Marines

By BRETT ROWLAND - [email protected]
Created: Monday, May 16, 2011 5:30 a.m. CDT

SPRING GROVE – Three Marines returning from Afghanistan received a hero’s welcome Sunday.

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May 14, 2011

Blind Marine competes in Warrior Games with the help of his family

Story by Aquita Brown | Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment | Date: 05.14.2011

The Warrior Games is an annual athletic competition that allows the Wounded Warrior Regiment’s wounded, ill and injured Marines to strengthen their mind, body and spirit. Athletes from all branches of service have an opportunity to compete, fine tune their skills and build camaraderie. However, for Marine veteran Chuck Sketch it means much more than that. Chuck has the opportunity to share this experience with his fellow Marines and his father, Roger Sketch.

Continue reading "Blind Marine competes in Warrior Games with the help of his family" »

May 13, 2011

Gaylord Marine SSgt. David Day remembered, honored at funeral

by Andrew Keller
Posted: 05.13.2011 at 6:52 PM

GAYLORD, MI -- Hundreds of people gathered in Gaylord to say their final goodbyes to a local American Hero, a Marine, who was killed in combat while serving in Afghanistan. Friday, his funeral was held.

Continue reading "Gaylord Marine SSgt. David Day remembered, honored at funeral" »

May 12, 2011

MALS-31 conducts squadron run, barbecue for departing commanding officer

Story by Lance Cpl. Kelvin Clark | Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort | Date: 05.12.2011

In the Marine Corps, when a Marine leaves a command, his unit wants him to leave with a lasting memory. For the Marines and sailors of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31, they wanted to leave one Marine with a memory he would never forget.

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The Warrior’s Song: Community welcomes, remembers Native American Marine

Story by Cpl. Jad Sleiman | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 05.12.2011

YAKIMA, Wash. – Past sprawling orchards, rusting automobiles and tangles of graffiti is the Yakama Nation Native American community of White Swan. It was here that Lance Cpl. Joe Jackson, surrounded by drugs, gangs and poverty, beat the odds.

Continue reading "The Warrior’s Song: Community welcomes, remembers Native American Marine" »

Top Shot: What it takes to be among the best shooters in the Reserves

5/12/2011 By Lance Cpl. Nana Dannsaappiah , Marine Forces Reserve

PARK CITY, Ky. — For some Reserve Marines’ travel opportunities can be limited as they have to spend one weekend a month drilling at their local base. Additionally, their opportunities to practice marksmanship can be even more limited having to pack all their annual training into one weekend a month and two weeks a year.

Continue reading "Top Shot: What it takes to be among the best shooters in the Reserves" »

May 10, 2011

Humboldt Park Marine strives to make better life for family

Story by Cpl. Katherine Keleher | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 05.10.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Every Marine joins the Corps for their own reasons, and Sgt. Ivan Vega-Pacheco is no different.

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May 6, 2011

“Possessed of Selflessness and Loyalty”:Lejeune battalion remembers fallen hero

Story by Sgt. Jesse Stence | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 05.06.2011

CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan -- One final time, duty came between Lance Cpl. Dominic Ciaramitaro and his loved ones.

Continue reading "“Possessed of Selflessness and Loyalty”:Lejeune battalion remembers fallen hero" »

May 5, 2011

Cincinnati Marine stays motivated during second combat deployment

Story by Cpl. Katherine Keleher | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 05.05.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - By the age of six, Cpl. Derrik M. Nixon, a fire team leader with 1st Platoon, Engineer Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), was telling anybody willing to listen that he was a future Marine.

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May 4, 2011

Through the Ranks: Private First Class

5/4/2011 By Cpl. Colby Brown , Regimental Combat Team 1

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — Quiet, muffled conversation leaks from a guard tower, but only one Marine can be seen inside. His mouth moves in sync with both sides of the discussion. He has stood in almost the same place for an hour, but his eyes have been on the move, intensely scanning. He shifts his weight to a different leg, bringing the conversation to a resolution, and pinches smokeless tobacco into his bottom lip. He’s been standing post for two hours. Pfc. Clark Kirkley has four more before he gets to “hit the rack.”

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May 3, 2011

Father salutes slain Marine son when news breaks

May 3, 2011
By Ben Wolford | Staff Writer

Word reached Robert Gilbert Sr. that Osama bin Laden died around the same time it reached everyone else, late Sunday night.

Continue reading "Father salutes slain Marine son when news breaks" »

Oklahoma Marine Serves as Role Model for Squad

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 05.03.2011

PATROL BASE SHARK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – He who leads Marines into battle must be able to inspire them to work toward a common goal or mission through the best and worst of times.

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May 2, 2011

Virginia Marine killed in Afghanistan buried at Arlington National Cemetery

By Christy Goodman, Published: May 2

A team of white horses carried Sgt. Sean T. Callahan’s flag-draped coffin on a caisson Monday as about 300 friends, family members and U.S. Marines followed to Section 60 in Arlington National Cemetery.

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May 1, 2011

Mass. marine awarded for heroism overseas

By Erin Smith
Lowell Sun / May 1, 2011

DRACUT, Mass.—Cpl. Brian Cozy's squad was positioned atop a hillside in Afghanistan when gunfire erupted around them.

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'Honor and duty became the driving force' of fallen South Lyon Marine

12:28 AM, May. 1, 2011

Before there were words, there were tears.

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FET: The ladies’ side of the conversation

Story by Cpl. Colby Brown | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 05.01.2011

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - She has long brown hair, but it’s coiled into a tight bun. Her glare burns through tactical sunglasses but somehow doesn’t betray the femininity in her mahogany colored eyes. Her M-4 rifle is slung loosely over her shoulder, and a M-9 pistol hangs from her hip.

Continue reading "FET: The ladies’ side of the conversation" »

April 29, 2011

NASCAR champ driven to honor pair of warriors

NASCAR star drops by Quantico to visit wounded Marines, sign autographs for fans

Date published: 4/29/2011
By RUSTY DENNEN

On any given weekend in NASCAR's racing season, driver Tony Stewart is greeted by thousands of cheering fans.

Continue reading "NASCAR champ driven to honor pair of warriors" »

3/3 Marine translates experience into action, earns prestigious award for intelligence work in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Reece E. Lodder | Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay | Date: 04.29.2011

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - On his deployment to Afghanistan last year, Cpl. Raymond P. Weeks found little sleep but plenty of purpose.

Continue reading "3/3 Marine translates experience into action, earns prestigious award for intelligence work in Afghanistan" »

Exclusive combat award for Marjah Marine

By Andrew Theen - Special to Marine Corps Times
Posted : Friday Apr 29, 2011 10:11:21 EDT

A company commander involved in last year’s assault on the Taliban stronghold of Marjah has been named the Marine Corps’ next Leftwich Trophy recipient for his courage and outstanding leadership in combat.

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April 28, 2011

Third generation Marine sets example

4/28/2011 By Pfc. Franklin E. Mercado , 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The Marine Corps has seen its fair share of noncommissioned officers come and go, and in that time, those NCO’s have left the mold of what everyone has come to expect from their leaders.

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April 27, 2011

Brenstville graduate Sean Callahan killed in Afghanistan

By Aileen Streng
Published: April 27, 2011

BRENTSVILLE, Va. --

Marine Sgt. Sean T. Callahan had a lust for life. He loved to have fun, play the guitar and he had lots of friends.

Continue reading "Brenstville graduate Sean Callahan killed in Afghanistan" »

COC staff, the eyes and ears of the MLG

Story by Lance Cpl. Bruno J. Bego | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 04.27.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Regional Command Southwest in Afghanistan is comprised of Helmand and Nimruz provinces, which covers 39,000 square miles.

Continue reading "COC staff, the eyes and ears of the MLG" »

Two IED blasts can't stop BLT 3/8 Marine

4/27/2011 By Gunnery Sgt. Bryce Piper , 26th MEU

HELMAND PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — "I think psychologically it started to get to me. It was like, all right I just stepped on an IED again; I've got to be hurt. There's no way I'm not hurt. ... How many guys do you hear that step on two IEDs in one deployment?"

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April 26, 2011

Family Remembers Fallen Marine from White Swan

By David Mance. Published Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

The family of a Marine from White Swan who was killed in Afghanistan over the weekend says he died doing what he wanted to do. And that was protecting his country. Now, more about Lance Corporal Joe Jackson and how much he will be missed.

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Roadside bombs kill 2 Marines from Michigan

Written by
JOE ROSSITER
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
April 26, 2011

Two Marines from Michigan and another from Virginia were killed in fighting in Afghanistan during the weekend.

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Ariz. Native Has Big Job in Afghanistan

Story by Lance Cpl. Phillip Clark | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 04.26.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – A four-year-old boy rode in a parade with his father, who was in his unmistakably identifiable uniform: the Marine Corps dress blues. From that day forward, the Kearny, Ariz., child wanted to be a United States Marine, exactly like his father.

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April 22, 2011

1st MarDiv welcomes new sergeant major, bids farewell to next SMMC

Story by Lance Cpl. Glen Santy | 1st Marine Division | Date: 04.22.2011

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – First Marine Division bid farewell to the next sergeant major of the Marine Corps, and welcomed its new senior enlisted leader during a post and relief ceremony here April 22.

Continue reading "1st MarDiv welcomes new sergeant major, bids farewell to next SMMC" »

April 21, 2011

Catch me if you can: All-Marine runner switches uniforms, changes from humble Marine to hungry athlete

Story by Cpl. Reece E. Lodder | Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay | Date: 04.21.2011

On a straight stretch of asphalt surrounded by still ponds, a lone runner quietly carves out his battleground. Though he has shed his camouflage utilities for a running uniform, the lighter set of armor morphs the quiet Marine into an aggressive athlete.

Continue reading "Catch me if you can: All-Marine runner switches uniforms, changes from humble Marine to hungry athlete" »

3/8 Marines continues battalion legacy at COP Ouellette

Story by Cpl. Katherine Keleher | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 04.21.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – “I will never forget who I am or what I represent. I will challenge myself to the limit and be ever attentive to duty.”

Continue reading "3/8 Marines continues battalion legacy at COP Ouellette" »

April 20, 2011

Wounded platoon leader greets men who saved his life after Afghanistan blast

By MARK WALKER - [email protected] North County Times - The Californian | Posted: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:55 pm

Wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan just two weeks into his first combat assignment, Lt. Cameron West has waited for months to see the men who helped save his life after the explosion tore off his right leg.

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Fire and Forget: Lance corporal’s leadership stems from hard work, discipline

Story by Cpl. Adam Leyendecker | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 04.20.2011

PATROL BASE WOLFPACK, Afghanistan – ‘Fire and forget’ in military jargon refers to a weapon that doesn’t require further guidance to reach the intended target after launch.

Continue reading "Fire and Forget: Lance corporal’s leadership stems from hard work, discipline" »

Face of Defense: Marine Coaches Youth Wrestlers

By Marine Corps Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso
Marine Forces Pacific

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii, April 20, 2011 – When people look at Master Sgt. Timothy D. Greenleaf, they see a 6-foot, bulky, tattooed Marine. What isn’t so obvious is he’s enjoyed working with children for more than 18 years.

Continue reading "Face of Defense: Marine Coaches Youth Wrestlers" »

April 19, 2011

Texas Marine Earns Marine of the Quarter

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 04.19.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – He hails from the southern tip of Texas, where warm weather radiates and sun-kissed residents roam the subtropical City of Palms. All he wanted was to broaden his horizons and fulfill his father’s dream of becoming a service member; he never expected to earn the prestigious title of Marine of the Quarter.

Continue reading "Texas Marine Earns Marine of the Quarter" »

April 18, 2011

Jason Rogers' mother talks about the community support

Posted: Apr 18, 2011 6:10 PM CDT Updated: Apr 19, 2011 2:08 PM CDT

Marine Staff Sergeant Jason Rogers was laid to rest last Saturday in the new Brandon cemetery. The combat engineer was killed over a week ago in Afghanistan while getting two badly wounded marines to safety.

Continue reading "Jason Rogers' mother talks about the community support" »

Face of Defense: Marine Becomes Top Cook

By Marine Corps Cpl. Jad Sleiman
Marine Forces Reserve

NEW ORLEANS, April 18, 2011 – Marine Corps Sgt. Daniel Evans didn’t see himself working in a kitchen when he first became interested in the Marines, but food service specialist was the only job available.

Continue reading "Face of Defense: Marine Becomes Top Cook" »

April 17, 2011

Marines walk the same path

By Joseph Morton
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Published Sunday April 17, 2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — A discarded blue plastic bottle cap on the ground.

Continue reading "Marines walk the same path" »

New York Marine Helps Steer Unit Success

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 04.17.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Life as a motor transport operator in Afghanistan doesn’t just consist of driving around all day, transporting personnel and equipment.

Continue reading "New York Marine Helps Steer Unit Success" »

April 15, 2011

Florida Marine Makes History with Combat Promotion

Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 04.15.2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MARJAH, Helmand province, Afghanistan - "Marines to be promoted, Center! March!" commanded Sgt. Maj. Octaviano Gallegos with 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment.

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April 11, 2011

Military: Two U.S. troops believed killed by drone in Afghanistan

From Barbara Starr, CNN
April 11, 2011 10:54 p.m. EDT

Washington (CNN) -- The deaths of two U.S. service members in southern Afghanistan last week is being investigated as a possible friendly-fire incident, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force told CNN.

Continue reading "Military: Two U.S. troops believed killed by drone in Afghanistan" »

April 8, 2011

Passing on the NCO sword: MCB Hawaii Sgt. Maj. says goodbye after final tour, 30 years of service

Story by Cpl. Reece E. Lodder | Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay | Date: 04.08.2011

Marking the culmination of 30 years of service and the conclusion of his time at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Sgt. Maj. James W. Sutton, outgoing base sergeant major, passed this NCO sword to Sgt. Maj. Robert E. Eriksson in a post and relief and retirement ceremony at Dewey Square on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, April 8, 2011.

Continue reading "Passing on the NCO sword: MCB Hawaii Sgt. Maj. says goodbye after final tour, 30 years of service" »

4th MAW Marines and VMGR-452 recognized for outstanding achievement

4/8/2011 By Lance Cpl. Zach Altemus , Marine Forces Reserve

NEW ORLEANS — Two Marines and one squadron from 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve are scheduled to receive awards from the Marine Corps Aviation Association May 19-21 for outstanding achievements conducted during 2010.

Continue reading "4th MAW Marines and VMGR-452 recognized for outstanding achievement" »

Marine ‘proud’ to help during Operation Tomodachi

4/8/2011 By Lance Cpl. Mark W. Stroud , Marine Corps Bases Japan

SENDAI, Miyagi, Japan — Cpl. Tori K. Tadehara was a passenger in the back of a 7-ton cargo truck headed back to temporary billeting where he would be able to catch a few hours of sleep before hitting the road again.

Continue reading "Marine ‘proud’ to help during Operation Tomodachi" »

April 7, 2011

Sky no limit for 2nd MAW (Fwd) crew chief

Story by Cpl. Rashaun X. James | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs | Date: 04.07.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Cpl. Erin C. Pesti is afraid of heights, but she said that doesn’t keep her down.

Continue reading "Sky no limit for 2nd MAW (Fwd) crew chief" »

April 6, 2011

Female US marines play role in Afghanistan

By afpenglish
April 6, 2011

They may be banned from fighting on the front line in Afghanistan, but teams of female troops are battling for the hearts and minds of Afghans.

Continue reading "Female US marines play role in Afghanistan" »

April 5, 2011

Marine comes home from Afghanistan, meets son for first time

5:38 AM, Apr. 5, 2011
Written by
L.B. Whyde
Advocate Reporter

NEWARK -- A Newark Marine has many reasons to be thankful for his homecoming after a first tour of duty in Afghanistan, but his return also meant getting to hold his son for the first time.

Continue reading "Marine comes home from Afghanistan, meets son for first time" »

Sgt. survives sniper round to the head

By Brian Shane - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 5, 2011 5:08:53 EDT

Manning the top of a compound south of Sangin, Afghanistan, Sgt. Paul Boothroyd III took a sniper round to the head. He landed face down onto the muddy roof with a thud.

Continue reading "Sgt. survives sniper round to the head" »

April 2, 2011

PMO: keeping the ‘mean streets’ of Camp Leatherneck safe

Story by Lance Cpl. Katherine M. Solano | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 04.02.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – “Someone’s got to protect the mean streets of Leatherneck.”

Continue reading "PMO: keeping the ‘mean streets’ of Camp Leatherneck safe" »

April 1, 2011

Motivator leads by example

Story by Lance Cpl. Courtney White | Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort | Date: 04.01.2011

A Marine shows up to work early, stays several hours late, takes time to help any Marine who needs help, makes time for the gym and takes pride in serving the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Motivator leads by example" »

March 31, 2011

Marine killed in chopper crash remembered by family and friends

Reported by: Andrew Pereira
Published: 3/31 6:37 pm

KANEOHE - The U.S. Marine killed Tuesday night when a CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter performed an emergency landing and crashed in the middle of Kaneohe Bay is being remembered as a playful teen that grew into a man in the military.

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13 Marines receive recognition for actions in Afghanistan

3/31/2011 By Pfc. Franklin E. Mercado , 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marines with 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, were recognized during an award ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 24, 2011.

Continue reading "13 Marines receive recognition for actions in Afghanistan" »

March 30, 2011

1 dead, 3 injured in Marine helicopter in Oahu bay

Mar. 30, 2011 5:21 PM ET

HONOLULU (AP) — A Marine Corps helicopter crashed during an emergency landing in the shallow water of Hawaii's Kaneohe Bay, killing one Marine on board and injuring three others after they had set out on an evening training exercise, the military said Wednesday.

Continue reading "1 dead, 3 injured in Marine helicopter in Oahu bay" »

March 29, 2011

1 Marine dies, 3 injured in Kaneohe Bay crash

By Rob Shikina and Gregg Kakesako
Star-Advertiser Staff
POSTED: 07:49 p.m. HST, Mar 29, 2011

Crews are working this afternoon to drain a fuel tank that detached from a Marine Corps helicopter that crashed in shallow water last night in Kaneohe Bay, killing one Marine and inijuring three others.

Continue reading "1 Marine dies, 3 injured in Kaneohe Bay crash" »

March 28, 2011

Malachowski recalled as a hero, friend and son of Carroll County

Funeral of Marine killed in Afghanistan draws hundreds to Manchester

By Kevin Dayhoff
[email protected]
Posted 3/28/11

“It's hard to find God amidst the horror and chaos of war. … And what we have here are the results.”

With those words, Army Chaplain Shawn Hunze invited a packed St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Manchester on Monday to remember, honor and celebrate the life of Staff Sgt. James “Jimmy” Malachowski, a Carroll County native and U.S. Marine who died performing a duty that family members say he held dear.

Continue reading "Malachowski recalled as a hero, friend and son of Carroll County" »

War widow blogs the next chapter of her life

By Megan McCloskey
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 28, 2011

Late that night, after the notification officer had picked her up from her knees and carried her into the house, the young newlywed wrote on her blog what she couldn’t yet convince herself was true.

Continue reading "War widow blogs the next chapter of her life" »

March 26, 2011

Troop surge brings progress to war-torn Afghan province

Camp Pendleton Marine general ends year in command

By Gretel C. Kovach • U-T
Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 7:26 p.m.

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — The first time that Maj. Gen. Richard Mills visited Marjah, the rural patchwork of canals and poppy fields was a shooting gallery.

Continue reading "Troop surge brings progress to war-torn Afghan province" »

March 25, 2011

Marine General Recalls His Whitman Roots

About to return from Afghanistan, Mills speaks with optimism about younger generation.

By Pam Robinson
March 25, 2011

The 1968 graduate of Walt Whitman High School couldn't make it back to his hometown last fall for his induction into the South Huntington Hall of Fame.

Continue reading "Marine General Recalls His Whitman Roots" »

Marine a loving friend to the end

Tom Sileo
March 25, 2011 8:53am EDT

As Lance Cpl. Thomas Rivers Jr. patrolled Afghanistan’s volatile Helmand Province, he knew God had his back. The Marine often carried a Bible, but even on days he didn’t have room for anything but essential combat gear, Rivers felt protected by Psalm 91:1, which was tattooed on his back.

Continue reading "Marine a loving friend to the end" »

March 24, 2011

HMH-461 Marines receive award for extraordinary lift

Story by Lance Cpl. Samantha H. Arrington | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs | Date: 03.24.2011

When Cpl. Michael K. Nelson woke early on the morning of March 20 to his gunnery sergeant yelling, he wasn’t sure what to expect.

Continue reading "HMH-461 Marines receive award for extraordinary lift" »

Face of Defense: Marine Finds Way to Help Tsunami Victims

By Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Cindy Fisher
Marine Corps Bases Japan

CAMP COURTNEY, Japan, March 24, 2011 – Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Yamile Brito is proving the truth of former President John F. Kennedy’s statement that “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”

Continue reading "Face of Defense: Marine Finds Way to Help Tsunami Victims" »

March 23, 2011

Injured girl helps Marines show compassionate side

By Gretel C. Kovach
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 5:27 p.m.

SANGIN, Afghanistan — The Afghan girl and her family met with the Marines in an empty concrete building strewn with trash, where the Americans could set their guns against the wall and remove their helmets.

Continue reading "Injured girl helps Marines show compassionate side" »

March 22, 2011

Missing Marine found dead

March 22, 2011 8:30 AM
BY JAMES GILBERT - SUN STAFF WRITER

The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the body of Cpl. Joshua Barron, who was reported missing last week, has been recovered from a canal.

Continue reading "Missing Marine found dead" »

March 21, 2011

Silver Star no surprise to widow

By Cindy Gonzalez
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Published Monday March 21, 2011

From the day they met as teenagers at a football game, Tiffany Bock knew her future husband, Michael, was a standout.

Continue reading "Silver Star no surprise to widow" »

March 20, 2011

Kansas soldier awarded Silver Star for bravery

Associated Press
Posted on Sun, Mar. 20, 2011 07:44 AM

SYRACUSE, Kan. | A 24-year-old Kansas soldier has been awarded the Silver Star for his bravery as a medic in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Kansas soldier awarded Silver Star for bravery" »

March 19, 2011

Pendleton Marine pays tribute to brother-in-arms

Best friend is killed in combat two weeks into tour in Afghanistan

By Gretel C. Kovach
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 3 p.m.

SANGIN, Afghanistan — Lance Cpl. Clancy Cheek was really nervous about meeting the commandant.

Continue reading "Pendleton Marine pays tribute to brother-in-arms" »

Afghanistan war diary: the ace of spades

By Gretel C. Kovach
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 1:30 p.m.

SANGIN, Afghanistan — Cpl. Zackery Wallis returned to base after a security patrol earlier in his tour and dropped his heavy body armor on the ground. Later when he picked up the gear he found a playing card underneath, an ace of spades. The 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines have been fighting since October in Sangin, a Taliban stronghold said to be the deadliest area of Afghanistan for NATO coalition troops. Wallis and the rest of the 1st squad from India Company’s 1st platoon were engaged in a firefight on that patrol, but no Marines were injured or killed. The ace of spades became their good luck charm. “I’ve had it ever since,” Wallis said.

Continue reading "Afghanistan war diary: the ace of spades" »

March 17, 2011

Marines recovering from training accident on howitzer in use in Afghanistan

By Dan Blottenberger
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 17, 2011

BAMBERG, Germany — Five of the 10 servicemembers injured in an apparent explosion at Fort Bragg, N.C., during an artillery training exercise Monday have been released from the hospital, according to a 2nd Marine Division press release.

Continue reading "Marines recovering from training accident on howitzer in use in Afghanistan" »

March 16, 2011

War fighter by day, Ground fighter by night:Reserve Marine is Professional MMA fighter.

3/16/2011 By Lance Cpl. Fenton Reese, Marine Forces Reserve

CAMP BLANDING, Fla. — A common reference among Marines is they are “lean, mean war fighting machines.” So, it is appropriate that one Marine would take that a step further.

Continue reading "War fighter by day, Ground fighter by night:Reserve Marine is Professional MMA fighter." »

March 15, 2011

From The Frontline: Mementos from home

By Chris Brown
Published: March 14, 2011
Updated: March 15, 2011 - 12:09 AM

MARJAH, AFGHANISTAN - Just because they’re 7,000 miles away doesn't mean our Marines in Afghanistan aren’t thinking of their family and friends.

Continue reading "From The Frontline: Mementos from home" »

March 14, 2011

Wounded Warrior shows true grit to stay in the fight

3/14/2011 By Maj. Paul Greenberg , Wounded Warrior Battalion-East

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (March 14, 2011) — In September 2001, Than Naing was cooking hamburgers in a fast-food restaurant in New York City and taking prerequisite classes part-time at the City College of New York in hopes of pursuing an engineering degree.

Continue reading "Wounded Warrior shows true grit to stay in the fight" »

Eight second ride: Marine ropes, rides in New Bern rodeo

3/14/2011 By Cpl. Melissa A. Latty , 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — He lowers himself onto the fierce, muscular animal. He takes a few seconds to prepare himself, wrapping the rope tight around his hand. He gives a nod, signaling he’s ready to go.

Continue reading "Eight second ride: Marine ropes, rides in New Bern rodeo" »

Vermont Marine killed in combat in Afghanistan

2:38 PM, Mar. 14, 2011

DANVILLE — Cpl. Ian M. Muller was made to be a Marine.

Continue reading "Vermont Marine killed in combat in Afghanistan" »

Marines attend Dr. Seuss Day celebration at elementary school

Story by Pfc. Joseph Altemus | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 03.14.2011

Six Marines from Marine Forces Reserve Headquarters participated in the Dr. Seuss Day celebration at Sarah T. Reed Elementary School, March 2.

Continue reading "Marines attend Dr. Seuss Day celebration at elementary school" »

March 13, 2011

Family with Warsaw ties reunites after military deployment

Written by
VALERIE BOATENG
Mar 13, 2011

For the past seven months, Pam and Jamie Rice welcomed their grandson, Seth, into their empty nest while his parents were deployed in the military.

Continue reading "Family with Warsaw ties reunites after military deployment" »

March 12, 2011

Marine saves three lives in Beaufort

Story by Pfc. Justin Boling | Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort | Date: 03.12.2011

Marines are taught in recruit training to overcome whatever fear could stop them from accomplishing the mission or saving a life.

Continue reading "Marine saves three lives in Beaufort" »

Where Minds Meet: FET bridges gap between Western, Afghan culture

3/12/2011 By Sgt. Jesse Stence , Regimental Combat Team 1

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — Sgt. Meredith Burns has fielded numerous questions about females in combat since she deployed to Afghanistan as 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment’s Female Engagement team leader nearly six months ago.

Continue reading "Where Minds Meet: FET bridges gap between Western, Afghan culture" »

March 11, 2011

Marine dedicated to mission still misses his loved ones home in Taunton

By MARC LAROCQUE
Staff Writer
Posted Mar 11, 2011 @ 11:38 PM

Taunton —

A Marine serving in Afghanistan said he is dedicated to his mission, but misses the loved ones he left back in the Silver City.

Continue reading " Marine dedicated to mission still misses his loved ones home in Taunton" »

FET Marines, 9th Comm. Bn. leader share Afghan experience with defense professionals

Story by Sgt. Heidi Agostini | I Marine Expeditionary Force | Date: 03.11.2011

Three Marines from 9th Communication Battalion represented women who serve during the 3rd Annual San Diego Chapter, Women in Defense Symposium on March 10, in La Jolla, Calif.

Continue reading "FET Marines, 9th Comm. Bn. leader share Afghan experience with defense professionals" »

March 10, 2011

Marine decorated for valor

Posted: Thursday, March 10, 2011 12:00 am |
Pfc. Franklin E. Mercado, 2nd Marine Logistics Group The Globe |

A Marine with Ordnance Maintenance Company, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, was decorated for valor during a ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Feb. 24.

Continue reading "Marine decorated for valor" »

March 9, 2011

Marine pursued 'a more certain path'

By KRISTY CHU
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: March 8, 2011
Updated: March 9, 2011 9:26 a.m.

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – Since his deployment to Afghanistan in November, Cpl. Jordan R. Stanton was only able to speak to his father twice, most recently a week ago.

Continue reading "Marine pursued 'a more certain path'" »

March 8, 2011

Golden on the green side: 1/3 corpsman named MARFORPAC Sailor of the Year

Story by Cpl. Reece E. Lodder | Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay | Date: 03.08.2011

Cramped in a decrepit room within the stark, gray halls of the aged 3rd Marines’ Regimental Aid Station, a quiet hospital corpsman diligently attends to his duties. Though the uncomfortable mid-day mugginess plagues his office, Petty Officer 1st Class Andrew Jenkins works comfortably, his brow remaining untouched by sweat.

Continue reading "Golden on the green side: 1/3 corpsman named MARFORPAC Sailor of the Year" »

Growing up while mom and dad are off fighting a war

By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN Pentagon Producer
March 8, 2011 -- Updated 0342 GMT (1142 HKT)

Warsaw, Ohio (CNN) -- Seth Rice is a 2-year-old boy full of energy, curiosity and emotions. Watching him play with his toys, you don't notice any of the emotional toll that having a parent deploy can take on a little boy.

Continue reading "Growing up while mom and dad are off fighting a war" »

March 6, 2011

Marine unit stung by death of colleague

By Nancy Montgomery
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 6, 2011

PATROL BASE TORBERT, Afghanistan — When Red Platoon needed an engineer for an overnight mission to secretly observe the goings-on in several small villages, Cpl. Eric Torbert said OK, he’d do it.

Continue reading "Marine unit stung by death of colleague" »

3rd LAR Marine receives Purple Heart in Afghanistan

Story by Sgt. Jeremy Ross | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 03.05.2011
Date Posted: 03.06.2011 02:16

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, Afghanistan – A scout with 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion received the Purple Heart medal during a ceremony at Patrol Base South Station, Helmand province, March 5.

Continue reading "3rd LAR Marine receives Purple Heart in Afghanistan" »

March 5, 2011

Military honors two for valor with Silver Stars

Medals awarded to Marine corporal posthumously and Navy corpsman

By J. Harry Jones
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 12:10 p.m.

CAMP PENDLETON — A Marine corporal and a Navy corpsman were awarded the military’s third-highest honor for valor, the Silver Star, during an emotional ceremony Friday on the parade grounds at Camp Horno on Camp Pendleton.

Continue reading "Military honors two for valor with Silver Stars" »

March 1, 2011

A job deer to his heart

Nearly 70 years after voicing Bambi, retired Marine sees life lessons

By LANA BERKOWITZ Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
March 1, 2011, 5:02PM

Donnie Dunagan was 6 when he was hired to be a facial model and voice actor for young Bambi in the 1942 Disney classic. Today, the 77-year-old retired Marine battalion commander says the fact that he sees a parallel between his life and the deer's coming-of-age story is a testament to the magic of the story.

Continue reading "A job deer to his heart" »

February 28, 2011

Selfless Service: Marine proves he is a leader among leaders

2/28/2011 By Cpl. Paul D. Zellner, Combat Logistics Battalion-3

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — A tactical data network specialist with Communications Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 3, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) is using his Marine Corps Martial Arts Program skills and family values to lead fellow Marines to the next level.

Continue reading "Selfless Service: Marine proves he is a leader among leaders" »

February 25, 2011

2nd generation Marine leaves small town roots

2/25/2011 By Pfc. Franklin E. Mercado , 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — From the quiet streets of Indiana, to the hectic pace of Marine Corps life, Lance Cpl. Jonathon Rockey managed to make it a smooth transition in joining his family business of serving his country.

Continue reading "2nd generation Marine leaves small town roots" »

Getting ground troops needed air support

Story by Cpl. Aaron Hostutler | III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs | Date: 02.25.2011

OKINAWA, Japan - "Mission 1001 is airborne. They’re going to be at your location in five [minutes]. It’s a flight of two AV-8B Harriers, how copy?”

Continue reading "Getting ground troops needed air support" »

February 24, 2011

22nd MEU Marine to receive Bronze Star

Courtesy Story | 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit Public Affairs | Date: 02.24.2011

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – A Marine with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is scheduled to receive high honors during a ceremony tomorrow, Feb. 25, for actions while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Continue reading "22nd MEU Marine to receive Bronze Star" »

Silent Drill Platoon welcomes 'New Dog'

2/24/2011 By Lance Cpl. Laura Cardoso , Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. — Discipline, precision and dedication to Corps and country are attributes found in all members of the Silent Drill Platoon.

Continue reading "Silent Drill Platoon welcomes 'New Dog'" »

Urgent! Camp Pendleton Marine Sgt. Jacob Chadwick needs a kidney

* February 24th, 2011 1:50 pm ET
Susy Raybon

After returning home from war safe and healthy, Sgt. Jacob Chadwick needs help; asking does not come easy for a battle hardened Marine so his family is asking on his behalf. Jake needs a kidney.

Continue reading "Urgent! Camp Pendleton Marine Sgt. Jacob Chadwick needs a kidney" »

February 23, 2011

'My son is coming home'

Family members of Marine killed in Afghanistan express love, sorrow

February 23, 2011
By Paris Achen
Mail Tribune

Oregon Marine Sgt. Matthew J. DeYoung of Talent rarely had time during his deployment in Afghanistan to talk with his family at leisure.

Continue reading "'My son is coming home'" »

Marine delivers daughter in restaurant parking lot

2/23/2011 By Lance Cpl. Tyler J. Bolken , Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. (Feb. 15, 2011) — With his pregnant wife on the verge of giving birth beside him, Staff Sgt. Johnathon M. Waytas frantically drove himself and his wife in their four-door SUV down U.S. Highway 70 toward the Morehead City, N.C., hospital Feb. 7.

Continue reading "Marine delivers daughter in restaurant parking lot" »

February 22, 2011

Cheverus graduate earns Bronze Star

Sgt. John Spring Jr., a Windham native, receives the combat award for his actions in Afghanistan in 2009.

By David Hench [email protected]
Staff Writer
Posted: February 22

Sgt. John Spring Jr. tried to prepare his squad of 20 Marines for the coming battle. A veteran of two tours in Iraq, the Windham native and 2005 Cheverus graduate was one of the few in the company with combat experience.

Continue reading "Cheverus graduate earns Bronze Star" »

From Quinter, with love

2/22/2011
By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN Hays Daily News

QUINTER -- A large bulletin board in Marcia Leon's third-grade classroom at Quinter Elementary School features a real American hero -- a U.S. Marine serving his country in Afghanistan -- with whom the students are corresponding this year.

Continue reading "From Quinter, with love" »

San Jose Bronze Star recipient to honor friend with medal

By Lisa M. Krieger
[email protected]
Posted: 02/21/2011 08:36:00 PM PST
Updated: 02/22/2011 02:45:36 AM PST

Bellarmine College Prep graduate Al Flores Jr. has been awarded the prestigious Bronze Star Medal with Valor as a commanding officer in the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "San Jose Bronze Star recipient to honor friend with medal" »

Marine Cpl. Andrew Lozier

Video by Cpl. John McCall | 1st Marine Division | Date: 02.10.2011
Date Posted: 02.22.2011

Marine Cpl. Andrew Lozier, a combat engineer from Monmouth, Ill., talks to a military reporter about the operation in which he and his fellow engineers with 1st CEB, 1st Marine Division (Forward), participated in Operation Big Valley in support of 3rd LAR.

Continue reading "Marine Cpl. Andrew Lozier" »

February 21, 2011

Thousands raised for wounded Ronan Marine

Posted: Feb 21, 2011 6:30 AM by Allyson Weller (KPAX News)
Updated: Feb 21, 2011 6:31 AM

RONAN - Folks from all over Montana came together over the weekend to raise over $72,000 for the Ronan Marine who lost both his legs and most of his left hand in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Thousands raised for wounded Ronan Marine" »

Marine earns award for combat valor in Afghanistan

Photos by Cpl. Shannon McMillan | 1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs | Date: 02.20.2011
Date Posted: 02.21.2011 06:48

Photos of Sgt. Darren J. Mumm, team leader, Commanding General’s Personal Security Detachment, Combat Logistics Regiment 15 (Forward), 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), being awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with combat distinguishing device during an award ceremony at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Feb. 17.

Continue reading "Marine earns award for combat valor in Afghanistan" »

February 19, 2011

She lost her Marine; another eases the pain

They met by chance. Or maybe not. Adrienne Johnson was still hurting after a visit to her son's grave the day a stranger stopped by her Bayport home, having spotted the Marine Corps flag in the yard. He just wanted to greet a fellow Marine.

By Mary Divine
Pioneer Press
Updated: 02/19/2011 11:32:01 PM CST

When Adrienne Johnson answered the doorbell at her Bayport home, she found a stranger standing outside.

Continue reading "She lost her Marine; another eases the pain" »

Ronan friends, strangers come out in force for Tomy Parker

By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian missoulian.com | Posted: Saturday, February 19, 2011 11:00 pm

RONAN - They rolled in by the hundreds Saturday, close friends, distant relatives and complete strangers alike, never-ending waves of people who packed the Ronan Community Center to welcome Lance Cpl. Thomas Parker home, and thank him for his sacrifice.

Continue reading "Ronan friends, strangers come out in force for Tomy Parker" »

Marine 'compassionate beyond belief'

3:40 PM, Feb. 19, 2011
Written by
Steve Kemme
[email protected]

LIBERTY TWP. - Cathy Clore witnessed Lucas T. Pyeatt's persistence and emotional and spiritual growth at each stage of his life - Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Eagle Scout, missionary and Marine.

Continue reading "Marine 'compassionate beyond belief'" »

February 18, 2011

Memories of a fallen brother remembered

Story by Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith | Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division | Date: 02.18.2011

The words stumble from his mouth like a child who misses a step. Memories are flashing through his mind as he remembers details of a friend who had fallen in the line of duty.

Continue reading "Memories of a fallen brother remembered" »

February 17, 2011

Detroit Marine in new TV commercial

By JULIE HINDS
Detroit Free Press Staff Writer
9:07 PM, Feb. 17, 2011

Commercials are among the projects filmed in Detroit, as the explosively popular Eminem Super Bowl ad for Chrysler reminded everyone.

Continue reading "Detroit Marine in new TV commercial" »

Wounded Warrior Serves as Inspiring Example to Marines Injured in Action

February 17, 2011 6:30 AM
by Patty Kleban

After spending two weeks at Marine base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C, I considered the many things I could write about for this week’s column. The dedication of those who have volunteered to serve in the Marine Corps. The enthusiasm of the Marine Corps Community Service personnel who serve those who serve. Adjusting to life, even temporarily, in a community where “security” means more than locking the front door. Acronyms. Artillery practice and helicopter training missions overhead at night. Being the only person in civilian clothes in the long lines of young men and women in uniform at the food court at the MC Exchange.

Continue reading "Wounded Warrior Serves as Inspiring Example to Marines Injured in Action" »

February 16, 2011

Purple Heart recipient looks forward to returning to duty

2/16/2011 By Pfc. Franklin E. Mercado , 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marjah, Afghanistan, was the site of countless casualties and deaths, while Marines and coalition forces seized the city early last year in an attempt to rid it of Taliban forces. Fallen service members were given the proper respect and wounded Marines were decorated with the honors they deserved, but even one year after the initial assault, the urban center remains a dangerous region of Helmand province.

Continue reading "Purple Heart recipient looks forward to returning to duty" »

Injured Ronan Marine returns home for first time

By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian Wednesday, February 16, 2011

As Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas Parker of Ronan returned home Wednesday night for the first time since losing both legs and four fingers in Afghanistan, it was hard to tell what got to him more.

Continue reading "Injured Ronan Marine returns home for first time" »

February 15, 2011

CLB-3’s ‘Metal Man’: Marine uses welding skills to improve Helmand province

2/15/2011 By Cpl. Daniel H. Woodall , Combat Logistics Battalion-3

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — A generator’s hum followed by an intense flash of light means only one thing to the Marines of Combat Logistics Battalion 3’s Engineer Company: Lance Cpl. Jesse G. Mudd is working.

Continue reading "CLB-3’s ‘Metal Man’: Marine uses welding skills to improve Helmand province" »

Second Radio Battalion honors fallen Marine

Story by Sgt. Jeremy Ross | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 02.15.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan– Marines and sailors with 2nd Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), paused to honor Cpl. Lucas T. Pyeatt, a team leader and linguist with C Company, 2nd Radio Bn., during a memorial service at the LSA 7 chapel here, Feb. 15.

Continue reading "Second Radio Battalion honors fallen Marine" »

Remembering a hero

February 15, 2011 - By DAVE EMKE Special to the OBSERVER

JAMESTOWN - Aaron Swanson had a smile that could light up any room, brighten any day and bring joy to everyone he knew.

Continue reading "Remembering a hero" »

Funeral arrangements set for West Chester Marine

02.15.11

WEST CHESTER, OH (FOX19) - Funeral arrangements have been finalized for a local Marine killed in Afghanistan

Continue reading "Funeral arrangements set for West Chester Marine" »

February 13, 2011

Marine comes home to hugs

Celebration surprises Canton man who was injured in Afghanistan

Feb 13, 2011
Written by
Peter Harriman

Near the statue of South Dakota's great World War II hero, Joe Foss, in the lobby of the Sioux Falls Regional Airport on Saturday, Lance Cpl. Jeff Grosky stood awkwardly. He was surrounded by U.S. flags with applause washing over him.

Continue reading "Marine comes home to hugs" »

February 11, 2011

Face of Defense: Mother, Son Serve Together

Courtesy Story | Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs | Date: 02.11.2011

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - It was 4 a.m. when she settled in to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Green Bay Packers. Technically, it was Super Bowl Monday for her.

Continue reading "Face of Defense: Mother, Son Serve Together" »

February 10, 2011

Marine, Family Receive Patriotic Homecoming

Lt. Colonel Returns after Afghanistan Tour

by Stacie N. Galang San Clemente Times
Feb 10, 2011

The Harbor Ridge neighborhood joined together to welcome home one of their own, U.S. Marine Lt. Colonel Terry Johnson, who returned Monday from a six-month tour in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine, Family Receive Patriotic Homecoming" »

February 8, 2011

Marine corporal from Newport News killed in Afghanistan

By Corinne Reilly
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 8, 2011

A Marine corporal who grew up in Newport News was killed in combat in Afghanistan this weekend.

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February 7, 2011

All-Marine female athletes bring much needed presence to Houston high schools

2/7/2011 By Staff Sgt. Lisa Rosborough , Recruiting Station Houston

HOUSTON — Three Marines from the women’s All-Marine Volleyball Team visited nine high schools within Recruiting Station Houston’s area of responsibility during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2011, bringing much needed visibility to the Marine Corps.

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Local grad takes on Marine mission in Middle East

Published February 07 2011

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Sorina Langer returned late last year from Afghanistan where the mission included building relationships as well as dodging bullets.

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Local Marine killed in Afghanistan

By Carrie Whitaker • [email protected] • February 7, 2011

WEST CHESTER -- Marine Cpl. Lucas T. Pyeatt, the 24-year-old son of a West Chester Township couple, has died in combat in southern Afghanistan.

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February 6, 2011

Leap of faith: 9th Comm. Marine’s athletic obsession fuels chase of world record jump

Story by Sgt. Jeremy Ross | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 02.06.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- Staff Sgt. George Bryant is sore. On a recent afternoon here the 27-year-old data chief for Alpha Company, 9th Communications Battalion, walks into the makeshift fitness area at the battalion’s compound wearing compression tights. For the soreness, he says. Most Marines pride themselves on fitness, but not to the point of wearing ultra-tight clothing to alleviate the pain of the previous day’s workout. Then again, most Marines don’t work out like Bryant does.

Continue reading "Leap of faith: 9th Comm. Marine’s athletic obsession fuels chase of world record jump" »

Marine, students inspire each other

After corresponding with St. Patrick students while in Afghanistan, Chris Nagel tells them how much their support meant to him and others.

By Michael J. Solender
Special Correspondent
Posted: Sunday, Feb. 06, 2011

Though he was several continents away, serving with the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan last year, 1st Lt. Chris Nagel's adopted hometown of Charlotte and his elementary school, St. Patrick Catholic, were never far from his thoughts.


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February 4, 2011

Two Bridgeport Marines awarded Bronze Star

2/4/2011 By Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson , Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif. — Established in 1944, the Bronze Star Medal is awarded to United States military members who set themselves apart by heroic acts in combat or meritorious achievements, not involving aerial flight.

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2 NC-based Marines to be honored with bronze stars

The Associated Press
Posted: Friday, Feb. 04, 2011

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. Two North Carolina-based Marines are being honored for their actions in Afghanistan.

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February 2, 2011

Family of fallen Marine Colton Rusk to receive his bomb dog

* By Mark Collette
updated February 2, 2011 at 4:38 a.m.

ORANGE GROVE — A faithful companion of a fallen Marine from Orange Grove is headed home this week.

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February 1, 2011

Medal of Honor recipient bonds with 3/5

Story by Cpl. Paul Basciano | 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.27.2011
Posted: 02.01.2011

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The Marines and sailors of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment’s brushed shoulders with a living legend, when Medal of Honor recipient and retired Col. Jay Vargas came to the San Mateo area of Camp Pendleton to talk with 3/5 Marines, Jan. 27.

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Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Moses

February 1, 2011

MOSES, Sgt. Major Jeffrey D., 49, of Oceanside, Ca. (formerly of Wheeling W.Va.) died Friday, January 28, 2011.

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January 30, 2011

Wrecker named RC-SW Marine of the Year

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jan 30, 2011 8:52:12 EST

Rain, snow or shine, if a vehicle in southern Afghanistan gets stuck, blown up or breaks down, it’s Lance Cpl. Stephan C. Wall’s job to get it moving again — even if that means braving bomb blast and enemy fire.

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January 26, 2011

2nd MAW commanding general hosts heroes dinner

1/26/2011 By Lance Cpl. Tyler J. Bolken , Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. (Jan. 18, 2011) — Heroism is often the result of instinct, instilled in Marines from their creation by the intellectual branding of the heroic stories from the likes of Chesty Puller, Dan Daly and Jason Dunham. All of whom are etched in Marine Corps lore because of their unrivaled acts of courage and initiative.

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Sailor serves alongside Marine husband in Afghanistan

Story by Cpl. Shannon McMillan | 1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs | Date: 01.26.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Most spouses of active duty military members have to endure the hardship of separation while their loved one is deployed, but one dual active-duty married couple here has the unique opportunity of serving together in the same unit.

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January 25, 2011

War wounded family: Father, son help each other after suffering brain injuries from blasts

JULIE WATSON
Associated Press
January 25, 2011, 11:50 a.m.

MOORPARK, Calif. (AP) — The crisply ironed uniforms of the father and son hang side by side in what they have dubbed the "Marine Corps closet," a dark space filled with vestiges of their tours of duty.

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Family, friends honor fallen Marine

Updated: Tuesday, 25 Jan 2011, 8:39 AM CST
Published : Monday, 24 Jan 2011, 9:44 PM CST
* Paige Malone

MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) - Since Cpl. Joe Whitehead's body arrived in Mobile on Monday, members of the U.S. Marines have not left his side.

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January 24, 2011

Lehigh Marine's body headed for home

By MEL TOADVINE,
[email protected]
POSTED: January 24, 2011

The arrival of the body of a Lehigh Acres Marine, who was killed in action in Afghanistan, is expected to take place some time this week.

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January 22, 2011

Marines pay a price trying to secure an Afghan hot spot

What happened to them in Sangin district of Helmand province shows the sacrifices in a campaign aimed at crippling the Taliban in a stronghold and helping extricate the U.S. from a decadelong war.

By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times
January 22, 2011, 8:33 p.m.

Reporting from Camp Pendleton —
Marines tell of snipers who fire from "murder holes" cut into mud-walled compounds. Fighters who lie in wait in trenches dug around rough farmhouses clustered together for protection. Farmers who seem to tip the Taliban to the outsiders' every movement , often with signals that sound like birdcalls.

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Photos: Afghanistan Marines

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) and (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Individual 3/5 Marines

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January 21, 2011

Battle-hardened Marine Teaches Others

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Bryan Nygaard
2nd Marine Expeditionary Force

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., Jan. 21, 2011 – Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. William Abernathy, the company first sergeant for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group’s Military Police Support Company, has no trouble getting the attention of his Marines.

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January 20, 2011

Amtrackers mourn fallen Marine

Camp Pendleton schoolhouse hit hard by instructor death

By Gretel C. Kovach
Originally published January 20, 2011

The protected waters of the Del Mar boat basin at Camp Pendleton were glassy and calm that morning. The weather notwithstanding, the routine never changes.

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January 19, 2011

Battle hardened Marine uses experience, wisdom to teach others

1/19/2011 By Lance Cpl. Bryan Nygaard , II MEF (FWD)

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — "Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up, then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is."

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January 18, 2011

Ronan banding together to help injured Marine

Posted: Jan 18, 2011 7:27 PM by Allyson Weller (KPAX News)
Updated: Jan 18, 2011 8:42 PM

MISSOULA - The Ronan community is working to raise money for a local Marine who lost both his legs and most of his left hand in Afghanistan.

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U.S. Marine's life connects Afghanistan war, UND women's hockey

By: Randy Hanson, Hudson (Wis.) Star-Observer
Published January 18 2011

HUDSON, Wis.

Lance Cpl. Taylor Kolls had an eventful 2010.

Continue reading "U.S. Marine's life connects Afghanistan war, UND women's hockey" »

Santa, Clark American Legion Visit Recovering Marine Sgt. Michael Brattole

Before he headed back to base, Santa and the American Legion paid Michael Brattole a visit.

By Lauren Mazzarella and Jessica Remo
01.18.11

Marine Sergeant Michael Brattole was on the nice list this year.

Continue reading "Santa, Clark American Legion Visit Recovering Marine Sgt. Michael Brattole" »

January 17, 2011

Marine's legacy one of helping others

Fox Tech grad died after saving his comrades during a training accident in California

By Eva Ruth Moravec
[email protected]
Published: 12:00 a.m., Monday, January 17, 2011

Sgt. Wesley Rice lived to serve his fellow man, God and country, his mother said, so it seemed tragically fitting to her that he died saving fellow Marines when their amphibious assault vehicle sank during training in California last week.

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BHS teacher honors Marine with donation

January 17, 2011, 8:59 am

Michael Saarie, a music teacher at Binghamton’s West Middle School, made a donation to the school that struck a special chord in the hearts of many.

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January 15, 2011

Modern warfare's lifesaving techniques give Ronan's Tomy Parker a fighting chance

By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian missoulian.com | Posted: Saturday, January 15, 2011 10:49 pm

BETHESDA, Md. - Both of his legs are gone. The flesh was torn to shreds half a planet from here, and what little remained - mostly bone - was amputated in a field hospital in Afghanistan last month.

Continue reading "Modern warfare's lifesaving techniques give Ronan's Tomy Parker a fighting chance" »

‘Rest easy, my hero': Marine’s life remembered at funeral

By Heather Darenberg, Staff Writer
Posted: 7:53 PM Jan 15, 2011

LAWRENCEVILLE — Ryan Giese took his first step home in the baptismal of First Christian Church of Atlanta, where his grandfather served as pastor for many years.

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January 14, 2011

Marine officer from Hartsville awarded Legion of Merit for service in Afghanistan

By CONTRIBUTED/SENIOR AIRMAN ANNA-MARIE WYANT
Published: January 14, 2011

Approximately 40 service members and civilians gathered at the Special Operations Forces Memorial on Dec. 3, 2010 to watch Lt. Col. David L. Odom of the U.S. Marine Corps receive the Legion of Merit medal during a ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base.

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A New Husband Reflects On Returning To Afghanistan

by Catherine Welch
January 14, 2011 from WRNI

On a recent night, Josh Apsey is waiting to sit down for dinner with his parents for one of the last times before the U.S. Marine heads back to Afghanistan.

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Wounded warrior honored in front of Marine family

1/14/2011 By Cpl. Andrew S. Avitt , Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif., — Although Cpl. Jonathan Dowdell was confined to a wheelchair, it was his bravery and relentless optimism that made him stand out among the Marines and sailors of his former unit, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, as he accepted his Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device Jan. 7, 2011.

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3rd CEB mourns lost brothers

1/14/2011 By Cpl. M. C. Nerl , Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif., — Third Combat Engineer Battalion gathered with family and friends to mourn four Marines lost during their last deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Jan. 12, 2011, at the Combat Center’s Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field.

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Marine killed, five saved after assault vehicle sinks at Camp Pendleton

TERI FIGUEROA and MARK WALKER
Staff Writers North County Times - The Californian
Posted: Friday, January 14, 2011

One Marine died and five others were rescued Friday after the amphibious assault vehicle they were in sank in the Camp Pendleton Del Mar Boat Basin just north of Oceanside, base officials said.

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22nd MEU Marine to receive Bronze Star

Courtesy Story | 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit Public Affairs | Date: 01.14.2011

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – A Marine from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is scheduled to receive high honors during a ceremony Friday, Jan. 14, for his actions while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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January 13, 2011

Bones of 'Extreme Makeover' house emerge

Published Thursday, January 13, 2011

Thursday, Jan. 13: In an instant, the house's shape emerged Thursday, a day after the old house was demolished.

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Wyoming marine gives meaning to the word sacrifice

Posted: Jan 13, 2011 6:01 PM by Amanda Venegas
Updated: Jan 13, 2011 6:03 PM

BILLINGS - United States Marine Corps Sergeant Dustin Stroble is finding himself in a whole new world, after being seriously wounded in service. Now, instead of patrolling the streets of Marja, Afghanistan, he is rebuilding his strength and body one day at a time.

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January 12, 2011

Beaufort family soon to shout 'Move That Bus!'

Posted: Jan 11, 2011 3:14 PM EST Updated: Jan 12, 2011 5:37 PM EST

BEAUFORT, S.C. – Ty Pennington and his "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" crew ambushed The Dickinson Family this morning and finally announced the location of this week's Beaufort County build: 45 Mystic Circle in Beaufort.

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Marine, family get extreme home makeover

By Kyle Peterson - The Beaufort Gazette via AP
Posted : Wednesday Jan 12, 2011 11:47:10 EST

BEAUFORT, S.C. — A tan, one-story ranch house stands on a quiet street in Beaufort. The only outward signs of the sacrifice its owners have endured are a piece of plywood tacked conspicuously to the facade and a faded American flag hanging next to the front door.

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Winder Marine is killed in Afghanistan

By Merritt Melancon - [email protected]
Published Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Despite his family's misgivings about him serving in a war zone, 24-year-old Ryan Giese of Winder always knew he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and serve in the U.S. Marine Corps.

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January 11, 2011

Back from Battle: Marine from Alameda

Contra Costa Times
Posted: 01/10/2011 12:48:22 PM PST
Updated: 01/11/2011 09:08:05 AM PST

Over nearly a decade of American-led combat between the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, thousands of military personnel from the Bay Area have deployed, often several times, into combat zones. Most have returned home to friends, family and civilian lives forever changed.

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Marine cheered by home front support

By Anastasia Scarborough
Published: January 11, 2011

The daily grind for Josh Pittman and his comrades in the U.S. Marines 5th ANGLICO (Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company) can be lonely.

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Fallen Marine Memorialized At Lake Worth High School

Name Of 19-Year-Old Killed In Afghanistan Etched In Graduate Memorial Wall

POSTED: 1:55 pm EST January 11, 2011

LAKE WORTH, Fla. -- A somber tribute was held Tuesday morning at Lake Worth High School for a U.S. Marine and former student who was killed in Afghanistan.

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January 10, 2011

Local Marine will hunt explosives with specially trained K-9 partner

Published: Monday, January 10, 2011 at 7:45 a.m.

WINTER HAVEN - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Michael Yanchura, with the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalian at Camp Lejuene, N.C., recently completed the Improvised Explosive Device Detection Dog Handler Course.

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Belt native named Marine of the Year

By LANCE CPL. KENNETH JASIK • Department of Defense • January 10, 2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — A Belt native who is a wrecker operator in Afghanistan was selected as the Regional Command (Southwest) Marine of the Year on Jan. 2.

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The Toppling

How the media inflated a minor moment in a long war.

by Peter Maass
January 10, 2011

On April 9, 2003, Lieutenant Colonel Bryan McCoy, commander of the 3rd Battalion 4th Marines, awoke at a military base captured from the Iraqis a few miles from the center of Baghdad, which was still held by the enemy. It had been twenty days since the invasion of Iraq began, and McCoy had some personal chores to take care of—washing his socks, for one. Afterward, he walked over to a group of marines under his command who were defacing a mural of Saddam Hussein. As I watched, he picked up a sledgehammer and struck a few blows himself. The men cheered. Then he began preparing for the serious business of the day: leading the battalion into the heart of the city. He expected a house-to-house brawl that would last several days.

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January 8, 2011

Fallen Marine loved his country

By ANDREW SCHOTZ
[email protected]
9:35 p.m. EST, January 8, 2011

FREDERICK, Md. —
Lance Cpl. Maung P. "Samuel" Htaik's parents weren't sure why their son wanted to join the U.S. Marine Corps. They tried to dissuade him, but he enlisted and was sent to Afghanistan several months ago to fight.

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January 6, 2011

Pendleton Marines to hike from San Francisco to O.C. for the wounded

BY VIK JOLLY
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Jan. 6, 2011

CAMP PENDLETON – About a dozen Pendleton Marines will hike from San Francisco to San Clemente over 22 days starting next month to raise money for wounded warriors and their families.

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January 5, 2011

Marine with local ties killed in Afghanistan

Written by Julia M. Dendinger/News-Bulletin
Wednesday, 05 January 2011 06:00

A Marine with Belen ties was killed Dec. 27 while leading a patrol in Helmand province in Afghanistan.

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Family says goodbye to fallen Marine, a Tech graduate

By Larry Bivins • Times Washington correspondent • January 5, 2011

WASHINGTON — Through the words of U.S. Navy Lt. Jonathan Bush, the nation said a final thank you Tuesday to Marine Cpl. Sean Osterman, who was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Marine’s lifelong passion supports deployed operations

Story by Cpl. Megan Sindelar | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 01.05.2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – An energetic and upbeat Marine from the countryside of Dutton, Va., spends his time here doing a job he has always loved to do.

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Christmas Wish Complete: Marine Finally Receives New Teeth

1/5/2011 By PO1 Phil Beaufort , 26th MEU

USS KEARSARGE, At Sea —
All Lance Cpl. Bryan Greene wanted for Christmas were his three front teeth. After un-dergoing multiple root canal procedures and appointment after appointment at Camp Lejeune to prepare his mouth for prosthetic teeth during the busy pre-deployment work-up schedule, Greene appeared to see September as the month he would finally be done with his dental adventures. Then came the order to deploy ear¬ly. Getting his dental work completed before leaving seemed like an afterthought for Greene.

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January 4, 2011

Smithsburg graduate remembered as quiet and nice

By DON AINES
[email protected]
7:57 p.m. EST, January 4, 2011

Maung P. Htaik came to the United States in 2002, and he died fighting for the country in Afghanistan on the first day of 2011.


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Anthony Henderson Triggered A Marine Triumph In Afghanistan

By VICTOR REKLAITIS, INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY Posted 01/04/2011 05:24 PM ET

One key for leaders is to find a balance between getting out front and sitting back to see the big picture, says Lt. Col. Anthony Henderson.

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Crowd turns out as Marine's body comes home

January 04, 2011 5:57 AM
By SANFORD J. SCHMIDT
The Telegraph

BETHALTO — Residents, military veterans, firefighters, police officers and people from across the area came together as a family Monday to welcome Kenny Corzine back to his hometown.

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Services set for Ill. Marine killed in Afghanistan

Associated Press - January 4, 2011 8:34 AM ET

BETHALTO, Ill. (AP) - Services are scheduled Thursday for a southwestern Illinois Marine killed last month during combat operations in Afghanistan.

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January 3, 2011

Marines remembered for dedication, sacrifice

By Cpl. Shannon E. McMillan, 1st Marine Logistics Group (FWD)
Monday, January 03, 2011

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — More than 150 service members bowed their heads in silence and paid their final respects here, Dec. 26, to two Marines who dedicated their lives to eliminating the largest threat on today’s battlefield, improvised explosive devices.

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Marine Kenny Corzine comes home 1/3/2011

Date: 1/3/2011
Album ID: 1145533

Photos by John Badman


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'Men who look death in the face and continue to move forward'

1/3/2011 By Cpl. Daniel Blatter , Regimental Combat Team 2

SANGIN, Afghanistan — Marines and sailors from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, in Sangin, paused to honor Cpl. Derek A. Wyatt, a team leader for 1st Platoon, Lima Company, Lance Cpl. Kenneth A. Corzine, a rifleman in 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, Lima Company and Lance Cpl. Colton Rusk, a machine gunner with Weapons Company.

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January 1, 2011

Marines Marry At Times Square New Year's Eve

Updated: Saturday, 01 Jan 2011, 8:24 AM CST
Published : Saturday, 01 Jan 2011, 8:24 AM CST

(NewsCore) - Two US Marines exchanged wedding vows during Friday night's New Year's celebrations in the heart of New York's Times Square, as thousands of screaming revelers looked on.

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December 30, 2010

Home for Christmas, in a most creative way

Published: Thursday, December 30, 2010, 9:25 AM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - NEW BRIGHTON - A U.S. Marine serving in Afghanistan had a truly touching idea, and an ice-sculpture company on Long Island was able to execute it. The result? A most unusual birthday gift is sitting in a New Brighton back yard.

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December 29, 2010

2/6 reflects as they give final farewell to fallen brother

Story by 1st Lt. Alex Lim | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 12.28.2010
Date Posted: 12.29.2010 12:27

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan -- When it was all said and done, the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment had a significant role in the progress made in Marjah the past seven months. From school and shop openings, to a concrete relationship with the local nationals; from a defining partnership with the local security forces to the neighborhood watch program, 2/6 was the backbone in making all this possible.

Continue reading "2/6 reflects as they give final farewell to fallen brother" »

December 28, 2010

The Marines of "Crusher One"

December 28, 2010 4:31 PM

The nine-man Marine squad "Crusher One" has seen some of the heaviest fighting in the war in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "The Marines of "Crusher One"" »

Fallen Mid-South marine's mother says her son lived out calling

Posted: Dec 28, 2010 10:48 PM EST
By Lori Brown

ARLINGTON, TN (WMC-TV) - The mother of a fallen Mid-South marine says her son felt called to become a marine.

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December 27, 2010

He’s ‘seen enough’ of war

John K. Ryan
SouthtownStar
Dec 27, 2010 12:12AM

When he finished his first stint a year ago, Marine Cpl. Jonathan Eckert couldn’t wait to get back to Afghanistan. He immediately signed back up for a second deployment.

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Bethalto Marine Dies From Injuries

Marine Lance Corporal Kenny Corzine, 23, From Bethalto Has Died

FOX2now.com
December 27, 2010

ROXANNA, IL (KTVI-FOX2now.com) — A Metro East family is feeling the painful impact of the war in Afghanistan first hand. Marine Lance Corporal Kenny Corzine, 23, from Bethalto has died. Corzine had been hospitalized after losing both of his legs in an IED attack on December 5.

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December 25, 2010

US Marine in Afghanistan sends ice sculpture to family in his place

* By Yoav Gonen of the New York Post
* From: NewsCore
* December 25, 2010 6:07PM

A WARM-hearted US Marine stationed Afghanistan couldn't come home for Christmas or his sister's birthday - so he stunned his family by sending them a towering ice block carved in his likeness instead.

Continue reading "US Marine in Afghanistan sends ice sculpture to family in his place" »

December 24, 2010

In Clinton Marine's final moments, he asked medics to save his dog

Former Red Devils football player killed in Afghanistan

By Ron Barnett • Staff writer • Published: December 24. 2010 2:00AM

Billy Crouse lived life on the edge, and that’s how he died, in the service of his country.

Continue reading "In Clinton Marine's final moments, he asked medics to save his dog" »

December 23, 2010

Marine Assigned To Dangerous Duty Killed In Afghanistan

By Maureen Mespell
By Jeff Neumeyer
December 23, 2010

FORT WAYNE, IN (Indiana's NewsCenter) --- Making the ultimate sacrifice for country and for your fellow servicemen. 22-year old Lance Corporal Billy Crouse, a Marine who attended Northrop High School for part of his teen years, died Tuesday in Afghanistan, along with his bomb-sniffing dog, doing a job that is considered one of the war effort's most dangerous.

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December 22, 2010

Marine's services set

Family sets up music scholarship fund

By TOM KNAPP, Staff Writer
Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era
Updated Dec 22, 2010 22:51
Lancaster

Cpl. Eric Torbert Jr. will be laid to rest Tuesday in a Lancaster cemetery.

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Raised in Dover, dog dies a hero in Afghanistan

Cole detected explosives, saved Marines' lives

By J.L. MILLER • The News Journal • December 22, 2010

Cole was born to be a champion. He died a hero.

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2/1 honors fallen brother

Story by Cpl. Skyler Tooker | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 12.22.2010

PATROL BASE HERNANDEZ, Afghanistan – Cpl. Chad S. Wade was remembered by his fellow Marines during a memorial service at Patrol Base Hernandez, Dec. 13.

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Marine honored for heroism, courage

12/22/2010 By Lance Cpl. Garry J. Welch , Marine Corps Bases Japan

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan — Running into a hail of bullets to save lives is not something just anyone would do, but Marines who have earned our country’s highest awards for heroism have done just that.

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December 21, 2010

I MEF receives ‘tons’ of mail during holiday season

Story by Sgt. Shawn Coolman | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 12.21.2010

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Spending the holidays away from family is a routine occurrence for many service members, but during the holiday season, receiving a package from a loved one is a welcomed distraction.

Continue reading "I MEF receives ‘tons’ of mail during holiday season" »

December 20, 2010

1/5 Marine uses combat experience to train Marines

Story by Lance Cpl. Benjamin Crilly | 1st Marine Division | Date: 12.20.2010

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The Marines huddled around a terrain model of the small town adjacent to their combat outpost. They listened carefully and took notes as Sgt. Michael P. Hodge, a squad leader with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, gave a pre-mission brief. Then they lined up at the gate and stepped out, knowing once they departed friendly lines their lives were in Hodge’s hands.

Continue reading "1/5 Marine uses combat experience to train Marines" »

Princeton Marine dies of Afghanistan injuries

Cpl. Sean Osterman, on his second tour of duty, had planned to attend college.

By MARK BRUNSWICK, Star Tribune
December 20, 2010 - 9:09 PM

After graduating from high school in 2007, Sean Osterman knew he was headed to the military, but took his time researching which branch might be best for him.

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Marine returns from Afghanistan in Santa's sack

Mark Gould, Multimedia Journalist
12/20/10

OHIO (NBC) -- Three young Ohio brothers got an early Christmas present last week when Santa brought them a very special surprise from Afghanistan.

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Three Pendleton Marines reflect on a year at war

Two return home from deployment, a third will spend Christmas in Helmand province

By Gretel C. Kovach
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 6 a.m.

Three Marines left Camp Pendleton for Afghanistan in the spring — a truck driver fresh from boot camp, an infantry officer ready to test himself in combat, and a sergeant major nearing retirement. • They were a few Marines among thousands sent to the war zone at a critical juncture in the nine-year war. Two have since returned home, while the third pushes to the end of a yearlong deployment with headquarters staff. • In this, the fourth and final installment of a series of profiles on their deployments, the Marines reflect on their service, how it changed them, and how it changed Afghanistan.

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Jamaica Plain hub soon to bear name of a Marine hero

By Matt Rocheleau
Globe Correspondent / December 20, 2010

Alexander Scott Arredondo had always had a strong connection with Jamaica Plain.

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The heart of a soldier

By Colin DeVries
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Published: Monday, December 20, 2010 2:12 AM EST

GREENVILLE — Luke McDermott weeps openly for his fallen comrades, knowing they’ve made the ultimate sacrifice for God and country.

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Marine returns to hero’s welcome

By JOSEPH BUSTOS - [email protected]
Created: Monday, December 20, 2010 5:30 a.m. CST

LAKE IN THE HILLS – For 30 days at a time, U.S. Marine Sgt. Roland LeBlanc and his Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based unit would go on reconnaissance patrols in the northern part of Afghanistan.

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December 19, 2010

A hero’s highway: Fallen marine honored with sign on 136

by John Willis, Calhoun Times
12.19.10

On a blustery Dec. 16, Robin Patterson stood atop a ladder to cut the plastic covering from a new highway sign in Resaca.

Continue reading "A hero’s highway: Fallen marine honored with sign on 136" »

Marine from Twentynine Palms receives Silver Star for bravery in Afghanistan

December 19, 2010 | 12:45 pm

William Rollins, 27, of Houston, has been awarded the Silver Star for bravery during combat in Afghanistan while serving as a sergeant in the Marine Corps.

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A Marine gets a loud, joyous welcome home in Bridgewater

By STEPHEN REED • STAFF WRITER • December 19, 2010

BRIDGEWATER — With sirens wailing and lights flashing, a convoy of fire engines, police and rescue vehicles and motorcyclists escorted Cpl. Ryan Radwanski home on Sunday, marking his return from military service in Afghanistan.

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‘A humbling experience’

Posted: Sunday, December 19, 2010 1:31 am

POCATELLO — Lance Cpl. Ryan Swallow called his six months serving with the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan “a humbling experience.”

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Joey Jones makes first visit home since Afghanistan blast

By: Todd South
Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010

DALTON, Ga. — Joyce Jones barely could wait for the car door to open to hug her son, a Marine sergeant who arrived home Saturday for the first time since an August bomb blast in Afghanistan took his legs.

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Faithful to Two Worlds: The Marines and the Artistic Life

By MICHAEL R. GORDON
Published: December 19, 2010

WASHINGTON — He’s an artist on his way to his second war, and he wants to make one thing perfectly clear: He is not a Marine who paints, but a painter who fights.

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In Afghanistan, Tate keeps link to Spartans

After successful mission, former player to be honorary captain at bowl game

Joe Rexrode • [email protected] • December 19, 2010

In Afghanistan, 2nd Lt. Joe Tate encountered hostile Taliban, endured 130-degree temperatures, guided 39 Marines safely through a seven-month tour, helped build foot bridges and a soccer field, and marveled at the dedication of Muslims fasting each day during the monthlong observance of Ramadan.

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December 18, 2010

U.S. Marine visits Loveland school to thank second-graders for writing messages to troops

By Sarah Bultema
Loveland Reporter-Herald
Publish Date: 12/18/2010

With most children dressed in festive red and green, some even donning reindeer ears, Debra Lucero’s second-grade students at B.F. Kitchen Elementary were bustling Friday morning in preparation for their holiday performance

Continue reading "U.S. Marine visits Loveland school to thank second-graders for writing messages to troops" »

Wounded Marine arrives home to hero's reception

December 18, 2010 12:32 AM
Craig Smith / CBS 6 Staff

COLONIE -- It was a special holiday homecoming for a local Marine -- his first time back to Westerlo since he lost his lower legs to an explosion in Afghanistan in June.

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Derry Marine had 'Heart of a Lion'

By APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
December 18, 2010

DERRY -- To the hundreds of mourners lining Crystal Avenue yesterday morning, U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Geary’s death was much more than a sad story. He was one of them.
Geary, 20, was killed in combat Dec. 8 while serving with Fox Company 2/9 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

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December 17, 2010

CLR-2 sergeant is honored with Purple Heart

12/17/2010 By Pfc. Franklin E. Mercado, 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — A motor transportation operator with Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, received the Purple Heart medal during a ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, Dec. 15.

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December 16, 2010

Salisbury U.S. Marine sergeant will have merry Christmas at home

After 3 tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan, Salisbury man ready for some family time

By Earl Holland • Staff Writer • December 16, 2010

SALISBURY -- It was what Chris Manuel had awaited for a while -- the time he would be able to come home and spend the holidays with his family.

Continue reading "Salisbury U.S. Marine sergeant will have merry Christmas at home" »

Marine raised in Stanton Heights killed in Afghanistan

By Chris Togneri
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, December 16, 2010

A Marine who grew up in Stanton Heights died in Afghanistan, his family confirmed Wednesday.

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Pinkerton gathers to pay its final respects

By CAROL ROBIDOUX
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
12.16.10

DERRY – Pinkerton Academy's school community mounted a touching farewell Wednesday for one of its own -- Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Geary, a 2009 graduate of the school who died in combat last week in Afghanistan.

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A quarter-million Americans respond to Marine’s call to keep children warm in Marjah

Story by Lance Cpl. Andrew Johnston
Date 12.08.2010
Date Posted: 12.16.2010 00:36

MARJAH, Afghanistan— It all started with a click of a button. One strike of the keyboard and the email was sent. Like a wild fire, the message quickly spread.

Continue reading "A quarter-million Americans respond to Marine’s call to keep children warm in Marjah" »

Marine bomb technician dies in Afghanistan

Thursday, December 16, 2010
By Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A veteran Marine bomb technician originally from Stanton Heights was killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb on Tuesday.

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December 15, 2010

Are Marines Giving Up too Much in Afghanistan?

Four Marines Who Lost Limbs in Afghanistan Talk About the Afghan People, Their Time in Afghanistan and the Price They Paid

Dec. 15, 2010
By David Martin

(CBS) If ever Marines earned the right to speak their minds about the war, it is a group of four men who were all gravely wounded by roadside bombs in Afghanistan, reports CBS News National Security correspondent David Martin

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True hero: Lake Worth Marine steps on land mine, protects unit

December 15, 2010 11:50 PM
By JUAN CARLOS FANJUL / CBS12.com

Lake Worth, Fla.-- The family of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Jose Hernandez was understandably grief stricken Wednesday night.

Continue reading "True hero: Lake Worth Marine steps on land mine, protects unit" »

Highly educated Marine values role on front line

By Jon Rabiroff
Stars and Stripes
Published: December 15, 2010

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Afghanistan — Marine Capt. Nicholas Schmitz uses a plastic bag for a toilet, showers in foul-smelling well water and often leads his platoon on patrol on the front line in the war against the Taliban.

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Marine remembered for his determination

N.H. resident slain in combat in Afghanistan

By Thomas Byrne
Globe Correspondent / December 15, 2010

MALDEN — Lance Corporal Michael E. Geary was a determined, level-headed teenager who decided at an early age he wanted to be a US Marine, his family says.

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Marine helps less fortunate in U.S., Afghanistan

Story by Sgt. Shawn Coolman | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 12.15.2010

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Staff Sgt. Cary Anderson is a Marine who shows devotion to both the community and the Marine Corps, by his actions home and abroad.

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December 14, 2010

Orange Grove Marine's funeral will be Saturday

Visitation will be Friday in Annaville

* By Jaime Powell
* Corpus Christi Caller Times
* Posted December 14, 2010 at 12:46 p.m.

ORANGE GROVE — The waiting is the hard part now.

Continue reading "Orange Grove Marine's funeral will be Saturday" »

Love for a 'shelter dog' eases family's, fiancée's pain over dead Marine Sgt. Nicholas Aleman

Michael Daly
Tuesday, December 14th 2010, 4:00 AM

War is when 24-year-old Brooklyn Marine Sgt. Nicholas Aleman is killed in Afghanistan the same day his fiancée gets the flowers he sent for her 23rd birthday.

Continue reading "Love for a 'shelter dog' eases family's, fiancée's pain over dead Marine Sgt. Nicholas Aleman" »

December 11, 2010

Job gives marine more family time, less deployment risk

by Megan Eckstein @ The Frederick News-Post
December 11, 2010 - 8:10am

For Maj. Lawrence Lowman, taking command of the Marine company in Frederick was not only a good opportunity to advance his career but also a much-appreciated break from deployments to take care of his young family.

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Obama honors Pendleton corpsman

President presents Keegan Purcell with Purple Heart in Afghanistan

Posted: Saturday, December 11, 2010 12:15 am | Updated: 9:27 am, Sat Dec 11, 2010.
By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian

One moment Pendleton native Keegan Purcell was lying on an Afghanistan battlefield fighting for his life.

Continue reading "Obama honors Pendleton corpsman" »

December 9, 2010

NH Marine killed in Afghanistan, lauded as hero

By Norma Love
Associated Press / December 9, 2010

CONCORD, N.H.—Michael Geary was so proud to be a Marine he wore his dress uniform to show his Pinkerton Academy English teacher after he completed training.

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Thousands gather to pay tribute to fallen Marine

By KAREN STEIN, Staff Writer Ledger Independent | Posted: Thursday, December 9, 2010 9:25 pm

PEEBLES, Ohio -- Close to a thousand mourners lined the streets of Peebles Thursday afternoon to watch a police motorcade escort the body of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Lucas C. Scott home.

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St. Helena Marine itching to return to Afghanistan

John Lindblom Napa Valley Register | Posted: Thursday, December 9, 2010 12:00 am

Corporal Michael DeLeon, a graduate of St. Helena High School — class of 2004 — will not soon dismiss from memory his U.S. Marine Corps tour of duty in the pervasive, all-encompassing dust in an area of Afghanistan called Deleram in the Sangin River area.

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Charles couple's son dies in Afghanistan

By Gretchen Phillips
Maryland Independent
Thursday, December 9, 2010

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. William J. Donnelly IV, the son of a Pomfret couple, died Nov. 25 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense said.

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December 8, 2010

Family mourns death of Sgt. Nicholas Aleman, 24, a Brooklyn Marine killed in Afghanistan

BY Jake Pearson and Larry Mcshane
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Wednesday, December 8th 2010, 4:00 AM

A Brooklyn-born Marine sergeant was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan, leaving his devastated family to face Christmas without their beloved hero.

Continue reading "Family mourns death of Sgt. Nicholas Aleman, 24, a Brooklyn Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

Marine from B'klyn killed

By KATE SHEEHY
December 8, 2010

A young Marine who grew up in a military family in Brooklyn was killed by a suicide bomber — ambushed while sleeping in an encampment in Afghanistan, said US officials and the man’s stunned family yesterday.

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2nd MLG sergeant says goodbye to unit after years of service

12/8/2010 By Cpl. Bobbie A. Curtis , 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Sergeant Deryl B. Stockton is ready for a non-deployable billet.

Continue reading "2nd MLG sergeant says goodbye to unit after years of service" »

Akron Marine is killed in Action

East High graduate Cpl. Derek A Wyatt dies in Afghanistan

By Jim Carney - Akron Beacon Journal | Posted: Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Friends of Marine Cpl. Derek A. Wyatt gathered at the home of his longtime friend Andy Falcone in Akron on Monday night, played Wyatt's favorite music and told stories about him.

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Vancouver Marine dies two weeks after blast in Afghanistan combat

Published: Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Michael Russell, The Oregonian

A U.S. Marine from Vancouver died Tuesday, two weeks after he was wounded in combat operations in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

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Akron native killed in action in Afghanistan

Cpl. Derek Wyatt, 25, leaves behind a wife and son

By M.L. Schultze - WKSU | Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Akron’s East High School is planning a special memorial Sunday for native son Derek Wyatt, who was killed Monday in fighting in Afghanistan.

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December 7, 2010

Orange Grove Marine Colton Rusk killed in Afghanistan

He was a senior class favorite, star football player and all-around good guy, friends said

* By Jaime Powell
* Corpus Christi Caller Times
* Posted December 6, 2010 at 5:33 p.m., updated December 7, 2010 at 6:09 a.m.

ORANGE GROVE — Colton Rusk lived his motto.

“Don’t be afraid to go after your hopes and dreams, but don’t be afraid to be willing to pay the price,” Rusk wrote under his senior photo in Orange Grove High School’s yearbook.

Continue reading "Orange Grove Marine Colton Rusk killed in Afghanistan" »

Marine Portrays Deployment Via Video Blog

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2010 – When Marine Corps Cpl. Bryan Lett deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year, he decided to create a video blog of his life on the ground there so his family could share in his experiences.

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December 6, 2010

Funeral Saturday for Marine, ex-Buchanan student

Posted at 07:28 PM on Monday, Dec. 06, 2010
The Fresno Bee

Funeral arrangements for Marine Sgt. Matthew Abbate, a former Buchanan High student, have been set for Saturday, family spokeswoman Lisa Boyles said.

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Giving Thanks for Our Warriors

From the Scrapbook
Dec 6, 2010, Vol. 16, No. 12

What follows are excerpts from remarks by Marine Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly to the Semper Fi Society of St. Louis on November 13. Kelly’s son, Marine 1st Lt. Robert Michael Kelly, 29, had been killed in action four days earlier in Sangin, in southern Afghanistan, while leading his platoon on a combat patrol:

"Those with less of a sense of service to the nation never understand it when men and women of character step forward to look danger and adversity straight in the eye, refusing to blink, or give ground, even to their own deaths.  .  .  . No, they are not victims but are warriors, your warriors, and warriors are never victims regardless of how and where they fall. Death, or fear of death, has no power over them. Their paths are paved by sacrifice, sacrifices they gladly make .  .  . for you. .  .  .

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Ohio Marine killed in Afghanistan

By KAREN STEIN, Staff Writer Ledger Independent
Posted: Monday, December 6, 2010 9:15 pm

PEEBLES, Ohio -- The body of a 20-year-old Ohio Marine who was killed in Afghanistan is scheduled to be flown home this week.

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Camp Pendleton artillery battalion remembers four Marines killed in action

The 1st Battalion, 11th Marines served in Afghanistan

By Gretel C. Kovach, UNION-TRIBUNE
Monday, December 6, 2010 at 2:47 p.m.

Camp Pendleton’s 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment will gather Wednesday on base for a memorial service honoring the four Marines killed in action with the unit in Afghanistan.

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Father, Son Reunite in Afghanistan

By Army 1st Lt. Andrew B. Adcock
Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Dec. 6, 2010 – It’s not often that a father and son meet in a combat zone, but that’s what happened when Missouri Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Robert W. Pharris reunited with his son, Marine Corps Cpl. Benjamin J. Pharris here Nov. 17.

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December 5, 2010

‘Another planet’

Afghanistan through the eyes of a Marine from Pueblo West

Posted: Sunday, December 5, 2010 12:00 am
By PETER ROPER | [email protected] |

There was a Christmas tree already standing in the corner of Gary Maroney's dining room in Pueblo West last week, but the most important present was sitting at the table — Marine Lance Cpl. Chris Maroney, home after seven months patrolling the mountains and villages of Afghanistan.

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Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler A. Roads, 20, Burney; killed while on patrol in Afghanistan

By Kurt Streeter, Los Angeles Times
December 5, 2010

The death of Tyler Roads, a Marine killed in Afghanistan this summer, seemed to touch nearly everyone in Burney, the tiny Northern California town where he grew up.

Continue reading "Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler A. Roads, 20, Burney; killed while on patrol in Afghanistan" »

‘The longer I’m in Afghanistan, the better'

Four months after leaving Helmand, Marine returns to Afghanistan

Stars and Stripes
Published: December 5, 2010

Things didn’t feel right for John White when he got home from Afghanistan’s Helmand province this year.

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December 4, 2010

Marine sergeant, a former Piedmont High student, killed in Afghanistan

By: Cecily Burt
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 12/03/2010 04:57:39 PM PST
Updated: 12/04/2010 09:50:13 AM PST

Even as a little boy, Matt Abbate always wanted to be a Marine.

Continue reading "Marine sergeant, a former Piedmont High student, killed in Afghanistan" »

Sister of Clovis Marine Shares His Life's Stories

Reported by: Tony Botti, CBS47.tv
Print Story Published: 12/04 11:16 am

The sister of a Valley Marine killed in combat shares stories about her brother. Twenty six year old Sergeant Matthew Abbate died Thursday from a wound while serving a tour in Afghanistan.

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December 3, 2010

Camp Pendleton honors 14 troops killed in Afghanistan

An emotional goodbye to brothers in arms

By Gretel C. Kovach
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 7:01 p.m.

The battalion commander stood on the landing zone Friday, the green hills of Camp Pendleton framing his Marines arrayed in parade formation. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment recently returned from a seven-month deployment to Afghanistan. Fourteen of their brothers in arms did not make it home alive.

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December 2, 2010

In keeping with the highest traditions

Story by Lance Cpl. Tyler Main | Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay | Date: 12.02.2010

For displaying gallantry in more than 20 firefights and 90 combat patrols, Staff Sgt. Cody M. Maynard was awarded the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device Tuesday at the Combat Assault Company headquarters building on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.

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Family proud of son who gave everything for his fellow Marines

Posted: Dec 02, 2010 7:12 PM CST
Updated: Dec 02, 2010 9:54 PM CST
By Jeff Lawson

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - On Thanksgiving Day, the Donnelly family received the news that every military family fears. They learned their son, Will, had been killed in action in Afghanistan.

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December 1, 2010

First Lady Welcomes Marine Families to White House

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2010 – First Lady Michelle Obama today welcomed Marine Corps families to the White House for an event that highlighted the Toys for Tots charity and allowed military children to make holiday crafts with the first lady.

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Family gets back personal effects of Ind. Marine

By TOM COYNE
Associated Press
Dec 1, 8:18 PM EST

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- An Indiana businessman who bought the dog tags, medals and funeral flag belonging to the first U.S. servicewoman to die in the war in Afghanistan handed over her personal effects to her brother on Wednesday after initially refusing to give them back.

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Angels by another name -- U.S. Marines -- save Lincoln man

By CINDY LANGE-KUBICK / Lincoln Journal Star JournalStar.com | Posted: Wednesday, December 1, 2010 8:00 am

James Lamb and his brother climbed into the minivan.

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November 30, 2010

Breathless: Marine medically discharged after lung collapses in boot camp returns to earn the title

11/30/2010 By Lance Cpl. Jad Sleiman , Marine Forces Reserve

NEW ORLEANS — Lance Cpl. Matt McGuiness’ lowest point wasn’t the day his left lung sprung a leak and deflated inside his chest as he waited outside a chow hall during recruit training. It wasn’t the day he watched his platoon graduate without him as he waited on an evaluation board that would eventually medically discharge him. It wasn’t the day he woke up screaming in agony and alone in a Virginia intensive care unit after his pain killers failed post-surgery.

Continue reading "Breathless: Marine medically discharged after lung collapses in boot camp returns to earn the title" »

Man offers to return Marine's personal items

November 30, 2010|By Joel Hood and David Elsner, TRIBUNE REPORTERS

Not since his days as a Marine in combat in Iraq has Matthew Winters Jr. felt a call of duty like the one he embarked on Tuesday, trying to recover the identification tags, medals and folded burial flag of his younger sister, who was the first U.S. servicewoman killed in the Afghanistan campaign.

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November 29, 2010

Marine doing 'something great' with her life

The Plumstead woman is part of a special unit serving in Afghanistan.

By: CHRISTINA KRISTOFIC
Bucks County Courier Times
November 29, 2010 02:07 AM

Most nights this year, Angela Pacheco has slept in her clothes and combat boots on a cot in a small plywood cabin or other makeshift shelter.

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Marine lauded for heroic act

Injured Friday while collecting for charity at Augusta Best Buy

By Susan McCord
Staff Writer
Monday, Nov. 29, 2010

A Marine stabbed while collecting Toys for Tots said he thought of all the people inside Best Buy on crowded Black Friday when he tried to intercept a fleeing shoplifter.

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November 24, 2010

Family and friends gather to pay final respects

Story by Lance Cpl. Jerrick J. Griffin | 1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs | Date: 11.24.2010

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Family members, friends and fellow Marines gathered to pay their final respects to a fallen explosive ordnance disposal technician, Nov. 23.

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November 22, 2010

CLR-35 Marine uses past experiences for future advantage

11/22/2010 By Lance Cpl. Abigail M. Wharton , Marine Corps Bases Japan

CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, Japan — "He's outgoing, understanding and patient with a good work ethic," says Cpl. John C. Waters, describing his friend Lance Cpl. Leland Sajdak. "He had a lot of experience before the Corps, and he's putting it to use here." Sajdak, native of Detroit and a telephone systems and personal computer intermediate repairman with legacy/multi-plexor section, Intermediate Maintenance Activity Platoon, Electronic Maintenance Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, enlisted in the Marines after graduating from a camp aimed to help troubled kids.

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November 21, 2010

Marine Lance Cpl. James D. Boelk, 24, Oceanside; killed by bomb weeks into his first deployment

Growing up in a military family, he had traveled the world. He joined the Marines last year and had promised to finish college after his five-year enlistment.

By Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times
November 21, 2010

Lance Cpl. James D. Boelk grew up in a well-traveled military family. But his path to the Marine Corps was not a straight one.

Continue reading "Marine Lance Cpl. James D. Boelk, 24, Oceanside; killed by bomb weeks into his first deployment" »

Proud of their Marine

LARRY HENDRICKS Assistant City Editor azdailysun.com | Posted: Sunday, November 21, 2010 5:20 am |

WILLIAMS — Family and friends remembered him as dedicated, bold, brave, unashamed and perpetually wearing a big smile.

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November 20, 2010

Saluting American Valor: Selfless courage at the moment of truth

By Andrew Lubin © Stephens Media LLC 2009 www.americanvalor.net
Saturday, November 20, 2010 10:33 PM CST

Capt. Jason Smith was frustrated. He could see where his stranded Marines were located by the smoke of their burning vehicle, yet the rescue convoy of Abrams tanks and Humvees wasn’t moving nearly fast enough.

Continue reading "Saluting American Valor: Selfless courage at the moment of truth" »

November 19, 2010

Marines honor ancestors, ties to Navajo Code Talkers

11/19/2010 By By Sgt. Dean Davis , Regimental Combat Team 2

FOB DELARAM II, Afghanistan — Many triumphs and sacrifices distinguish the military service of the Navajo people. Perhaps most famous, is the story of the Navajo Code Talkers. During WWII these men ciphered thousands of battlefield messages in the Pacific theatre, saving countless lives and helping end the war. Few of these men are still here today to tell their account, but as Lance Cpl. Devin Bidtah, a Navajo Code Talker descendant explains, their legacy still thrives, and their story that inspired so many, will be honored.

Continue reading "Marines honor ancestors, ties to Navajo Code Talkers" »

November 18, 2010

Hundreds pay respects as fallen Marine returns home

Article updated: 11/18/2010 09:24 PM
By Deborah Donovan and Lee Filas

Lance Cpl. James Bray Stack came home Thursday to Arlington Heights, and the community honored the fallen Marine with American flags and tears.

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Arlington Heights motorcade today for fallen Marine

By Lee Filas
Article updated: 11/18/2010 08:44 AM

A motorcade of police, honor guards and patriotic motorcycle groups will escort the remains of fallen Marine James Bray Stack through Arlington Heights this morning.

Continue reading "Arlington Heights motorcade today for fallen Marine" »

November 16, 2010

Marines honor fallen platoon commander

11/16/2010 By Sgt. Jesse Stence , Regimental Combat Team 1

PATROL BASE SHANFIELD, Afghanistan — The dust of Patrol Base Shanfield turned to gold as the sun started a long plunge toward the Marjah countryside. As the Marines came forward to pay their final respects, it peeked over hesco walls and snuck under the camouflage netting that covered the place where they knelt in honor of 1st Lt. James R. Zimmerman.

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Fallen Marine remembered as father and husband

By Deborah Donovan
Article updated: 11/16/2010 08:22 PM

After losing “an amazing father and amazing husband more than I could ever ask for," Katie Stack says her year-old daughter, Mikayla, is her whole life.

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November 14, 2010

Marine pursues dream of flying

11/14/2010 By Lance Cpl. Tyler C. Vernaza , 31st MEU

USS DENVER (LPD9), AT SEA — A Marine with Company A, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion 7th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is on the verge of making his dreams of becoming a pilot a reality.

Continue reading "Marine pursues dream of flying" »

EOD Marine remembered for heart, selflessness and courage

Story by Cpl. Shannon McMillan | 1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs | Date: 11.13.2010
Date Posted:11.14.2010 09:50

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan –Coalition forces and friends gathered for a memorial service to honor Staff Sgt. Jordan B. Emrick here, Nov. 13.

Continue reading "EOD Marine remembered for heart, selflessness and courage" »

US Marine honors his brother by deploying to Afghanistan

Story by Lance Cpl. Andrew Johnston | Regimental Combat Team 1 | Date: 11.14.2010

MARJAH, Afghanistan - It started off like any other day for the Aurora, Ohio, native, Cpl. Amos T. Benjamin, an infantry-man with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment.

Continue reading "US Marine honors his brother by deploying to Afghanistan" »

November 13, 2010

Semper Fi Society of St. Louis Speech

John F. Kelly
Lieutenant General, U. S. Marine Corps
Commander, Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North

Nov 13, 2010

Nine years ago two of the four commercial aircraft took off from Boston, Newark, and Washington. Took off fully loaded with men, women and children—all innocent, and all soon to die. These aircraft were targeted at the World Trade Towers in New York, the Pentagon, and likely the Capitol in Washington, D.C.. Three found their mark. No American alive old enough to remember will ever forget exactly where they were, exactly what they were doing, and exactly who they were with at the moment they watched the aircraft dive into the World Trade Towers on what was, until then, a beautiful morning in New York City. Within the hour 3,000 blameless human beings would be vaporized, incinerated, or crushed in the most agonizing ways imaginable. The most wretched among them—over 200—driven mad by heat, hopelessness, and utter desperation leapt to their deaths from 1,000 feet above Lower Manhattan. We soon learned hundreds more were murdered at the Pentagon, and in a Pennsylvania farmer’s field.

Continue reading "Semper Fi Society of St. Louis Speech" »

Ship named for fallen Marine ready to set sail

BY LAURA FIGUEROA
[email protected]
Posted on Saturday, 11.13.10

Deb Dunham lost a son, but along the way she gained a second family -- 300 men and women who carry on her son's legacy.

Continue reading "Ship named for fallen Marine ready to set sail" »

November 12, 2010

‘The Cutting Edge’ honors fallen brothers

Published: Friday, November 12, 2010 9:16 PM CST
Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson
Combat Correspondent

Four brothers from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regi- ment, who were killed in action, were represented with military crosses on Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field during the units memorial service Nov. 5.

Continue reading "‘The Cutting Edge’ honors fallen brothers" »

Commissioning Slated for USS Jason Dunham

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2010 – Final preparations are under way in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for the commissioning tomorrow of the Navy’s newest guided-missile destroyer, to be named honoring Marine Corps Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for heroism in Iraq.

Continue reading "Commissioning Slated for USS Jason Dunham" »

Marine Brandon Pearson's promise: 'I've got your back'

written by: Jeffrey Wolf
written by: Kim Christiansen
November 12, 2010

ARVADA - If you knew Brandon Pearson you knew he was known for saying: "I've got your back bro." He made that promise to his good friends and the men in his battalion as a Marine.

Continue reading "Marine Brandon Pearson's promise: 'I've got your back'" »

November 11, 2010

PHOTOS: USS Dunham named after WNYer

Updated: Thursday, 11 Nov 2010, 3:55 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 11 Nov 2010, 3:55 PM EST

Port Everglades, FL (WIVB) - The Navy's newest missile destroyer pulled into Port Everglades, Florida last week and is named for Allegany County native Corporal Jason Dunham who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq in 2004 at the age of 22.

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Arlington Heights Marine dies in Afghanistan

Stacey Baca

November 11, 2010 (WLS) -- A Marine from the northwest suburbs has become the latest casualty in Afghanistan.

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Area Marine killed in Afghanistan

By John Andrew Prime • [email protected] • November 11, 2010

A Greenwood man who joined the U.S. Marine Corps a year ago has been killed in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Area Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

Son of Marine General Killed in Afghanistan

2nd Lt. Robert Kelly, the Son of Lt. Gen. John Kelly, was Killed Tuesday in a Roadside Bombing

By LUIS MARTINEZ
Nov. 11, 2010

The most recent fatality in the Marine battalion that has seen the heaviest casualties in Afghanistan right now was the son of a Marine three star general.

Continue reading "Son of Marine General Killed in Afghanistan" »

November 10, 2010

Mother of fallen Marine is presented with her son’s Navy Cross

11/10/2010 By Sgt. Michael S. Cifuentes , Headquarters Marine Corps

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Donna Ouellette said she lived the most bittersweet moment of her life when she accepted her son’s Navy Cross on his behalf.

Continue reading "Mother of fallen Marine is presented with her son’s Navy Cross" »

November 7, 2010

Afghan Solider Suspected in Attack on Marines

Two Camp Pendleton Marines were killed in the attack

By ALICIA DEAN
Sun, Nov 7, 2010

Lance Cpl. Matthew J. Broehm of Flagstaff, Ariz and Lance Cpl. Brandon W. Pearson of Arvada, Colo. were providing security at an outpost in Southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan when someone started shooting at them.

Continue reading "Afghan Solider Suspected in Attack on Marines" »

November 6, 2010

Arvada Marine Brandon Pearson, 21, killed in Afghanistan

By Yesenia Robles
The Denver Post
Posted: 11/06/2010

Knowing the dangers he would face in Afghanistan, Brandon Pearson took full advantage of life in the days before his deployment five weeks ago.

Continue reading "Arvada Marine Brandon Pearson, 21, killed in Afghanistan" »

November 5, 2010

Past Drill Instructor Promotes Former Recruit

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kenneth Jasik
1st Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan, Nov. 5, 2010 – A gunnery sergeant with 1st Marine Logistics Group’s Combat Logistics Regiment 15 promoted a Marine to the rank of staff sergeant here Nov. 1, but the first time they met was under completely different circumstances eight years ago at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

Continue reading "Past Drill Instructor Promotes Former Recruit" »

Marine awarded Bronze Star for Afghan explosion

By Charles Ames on November 5, 2010

In July 2009, Alpha Co., 1st Bn, 5th Marines, nearly 200 men strong, conducted an infiltration of Nawa in southern Afghanistan. The first day they came under several firefights but were able to establish Combat Outpost Porghar.

Continue reading "Marine awarded Bronze Star for Afghan explosion" »

Martin County detachment renamed for slain Marine from Palm City

By Jim Mayfield
Posted November 5, 2010

STUART — On the eve of the U.S. Marine Corps’ 235th birthday, the Martin County Detachment 1045, Marine Corps League celebrated Friday by changing its name in honor of Marine Lance Cpl. Justin J. Wilson, the first serviceman from Martin County to lose his life in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Martin County detachment renamed for slain Marine from Palm City" »

November 4, 2010

Slain Marine remembered at memorial service

11/4/2010 By Lance Cpl. Lucas Vega , Marine Forces Reserve

MARINE FORCES RESERVE, New Orleans — Family, service members and fellow Marines gathered at the Belle Chasse chapel to pay respect to the late Sgt. Ryan Lekosky Nov. 3.

Continue reading "Slain Marine remembered at memorial service" »

Maine Marine recalled as ‘a fine young man’

11/4/10 07:51 pm Updated: 11/4/10 08:02 pm
By Jen Lynds
BDN Staff

HOULTON, Maine — For Mark Jago, the former headmaster of Greater Houlton Christian Academy, memories of 1st Lt. James Zimmerman are both plentiful and powerful. Jago watched the 25-year-old GHCA graduate and U.S. Marine, who was killed in Afghanistan on Tuesday, grow up inside the classroom and out on the playground with his five daughters. He helped guide him through some tough academic years and smiled broadly when he turned Zimmerman’s tassel on graduation day in 2003.

Continue reading "Maine Marine recalled as ‘a fine young man’" »

New generation of troops inherit Afghan war

By TODD PITMAN - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Nov 4, 2010 15:21:53 EDT

MARJAH, Afghanistan — Lance Cpl. Jacob Adams was in 5th grade math class when hijacked jetliners slammed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. His parents took him out of school early that day.

Continue reading "New generation of troops inherit Afghan war" »

November 3, 2010

Marine renders aid to devastating accident

Story by Pfc. Ryan Carpenter | Marine Corps Air Station Miramar | Date: 11.03.2010

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Sifting through wreckage caused by a truck ripping through an occupied home almost a year and a half ago, Staff Sgt. James DeLeo reverted to his training as an Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Marine to control the chaotic situation.

Continue reading "Marine renders aid to devastating accident" »

Mother and son reunited in Afghanistan

1st Marine Division
Story by Cpl. Daniel Blatter
Date Posted: 11.03.2010

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan - After more than two years of separation due to military deployments and lifestyle, mother and son were reunited thousands of miles from home.

Continue reading "Mother and son reunited in Afghanistan" »

November 2, 2010

Laguna Hills' adopted battalion loses 10 Marines

By CLAIRE WEBB and ERIKA I. RITCHIE
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Nov. 2, 2010

LAGUNA HILLS – Ten Marines from the city's adopted 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines of the 1st Marine Division out of Camp Pendleton were killed while on patrol just 18 days into their deployment to Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Laguna Hills' adopted battalion loses 10 Marines" »

3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment memorializes fallen Marines

Story by Cpl. Daniel Blatter
Date10.30.2010
Date Posted:11.02.2010 00:26

SANGIN, Afghanistan – Marines and sailors from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, paused to honor their fallen brothers.

Continue reading "3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment memorializes fallen Marines" »

Marine Sgt. stabbed to death after Marine Corps Ball, in NOLA

* November 2nd, 2010 9:23 am ET

Deployed for a year to Al Asad, Iraq, with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron-29, Sgt. Ryan Lekosky was murdered in the French Quarter of New Orleans early Sunday morning.

Continue reading "Marine Sgt. stabbed to death after Marine Corps Ball, in NOLA" »

Marine honored as defense intel instructor of the year

Hails from Fleet Intelligence Training Center in San Diego

By Gretel C. Kovach
Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at 6:24 p.m.

A San Diego Marine was honored by the Defense Intelligence Agency as instructor of the year, the Naval Education and Training Command announced Tuesday.

Continue reading "Marine honored as defense intel instructor of the year" »

November 1, 2010

Texas Marine dies defending his wife in French Quarter

He was fatally stabbed after a formal Marine Corps ball

By DANE SCHILLER
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Nov. 1, 2010, 8:01PM

A Marine from Texas survived combat in Iraq only to be murdered in the French Quarter — stabbed to death even as he wore his dress-blue uniform complete with battle commendations pinned to his chest.

Continue reading "Texas Marine dies defending his wife in French Quarter" »

2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, honor fallen brother

Regimental Combat Team 1 - Lance Cpl. Andrew Johnston - 11.01.2010

MARJAH, Afghanistan - Throughout history, Marines have been called upon to fight enemies who oppress people and endanger our country’s freedom. Thousands of Marines have unselfishly stepped into harm’s way and answered that call with their lives. The legacy of past battles, fallen comrades, and sacrifices for country and Corps has permanently imprinted their names into history for generations to come.

Continue reading "2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, honor fallen brother" »

October 29, 2010

Coalition Forces Honor Fallen EOD Marine, Friend

Courtesy Photo
(Photo by Sgt. Brian Lautenslager)

Date Taken: 10.27.2010
Date Posted: 10.29.2010 12:16
Photo ID:334810
Location:CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF

Staff Sgt. Joshua ‘JJ’ Cullins (pictured), an explosive ordnance disposal technician with 1st EOD Company, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), was killed, Oct. 19, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Friends and fellow service members gathered for a memorial at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Oct. 27, to honor the life and ultimate sacrifice of Cullins, 28, of Simi Valley, Calif.

Continue reading "Coalition Forces Honor Fallen EOD Marine, Friend" »

Injured Marine returns to the fight

1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs
Story by Lance Cpl. Kenneth Jasik
Date: 10.24.2010
Date Posted: 10.29.2010 11:53

DEMAZONG, Afghanistan – Slightly more than a month ago, a Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) suffered a grade-three concussion in a blast from an improvised explosive device. Today, he is back on top of his game as a combat engineer who just completed a mission helping build Patrol Base Demazong.

Continue reading "Injured Marine returns to the fight" »

Audio recording of the memorial service, October 21, 2010, Musa Qala, Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Posted on October 29, 2010 by Tivadar Domaniczky

1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Musa Qala, Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Memorial service in memory of HN Edwin P. Gonzalez, USN (February 6, 1989-October 8, 2010) and LCpl. Raymon L. Johnson, USMC (August 29, 1988-October 13, 2010) at Musa Qala district center, Helmand province, Afghanistan, October 21, 2010.

Continue reading "Audio recording of the memorial service, October 21, 2010, Musa Qala, Helmand province, Afghanistan." »

October 27, 2010

Parents of LAPD officer killed by bomb had feared for his safety

As a Marine reservist disarming roadside bombs in Afghanistan, Joshua Cullins knew he had one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth. He died just two days before he was to be reassigned.

By Bob Pool, Los Angeles Times
October 27, 2010

He was only two days away from being reassigned to a base camp administrative job after spending six months in Afghanistan disarming roadside bombs.

Continue reading "Parents of LAPD officer killed by bomb had feared for his safety" »

October 24, 2010

8 enemy deaths, 46 shootings: War by the numbers

By TODD PITMAN
The Associated Press
Sunday, October 24, 2010; 12:44 PM

MARJAH, Afghanistan -- In the first two months of a seven-month tour, U.S. Marine Cpl. Chuck Martin has been in 16 firefights.

Continue reading "8 enemy deaths, 46 shootings: War by the numbers" »

October 23, 2010

'One of the finest young men I ever coached'

By Kelly Koopmans
Story Published: Oct 23, 2010 at 8:57 PM PDT

EUGENE, Ore. -- The thundering roar of 100 engines echoed throughout Eugene as a caravan rolled into the parking lot of Garden Way Christian Church.

Continue reading "'One of the finest young men I ever coached'" »

October 22, 2010

U.S. Marine killed in Afghanistan was expected to return home to N.J. in a month

Published: Thursday, October 21, 2010, 9:45 PM
Updated: Friday, October 22, 2010, 5:27 AM
Rohan Mascarenhas/The Star-Ledger

ELIZABETH — Marine Lance Cpl. Francisco R. Jackson called his family in Elizabeth on Monday to deliver a hopeful message from Afghanistan.

Continue reading "U.S. Marine killed in Afghanistan was expected to return home to N.J. in a month" »

Marine from St. Charles County laid to rest

BY SHANE ANTHONY • [email protected] > 636-255-7209 www.STLtoday.com
Posted: Friday, October 22, 2010 12:20 am

St. Peters • A Marine who died in Afghanistan was remembered Thursday as an upbeat young man who took honor and duty seriously.

Continue reading "Marine from St. Charles County laid to rest" »

October 21, 2010

Life and Basketball: LeBarre the Marine, mother, hooper

10/21/2010 By Lance Cpl. R.J. Driver , Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. — When backed into a corner and all odds are against you, what do you do?

Continue reading "Life and Basketball: LeBarre the Marine, mother, hooper" »

October 20, 2010

New Jersey Marine Dies in Afghanistan

Published : Wednesday, 20 Oct 2010, 4:42 PM EDT
MYFOX NEW YORK STAFF REPORT

A Marine from New Jersey was killed in Afghanistan this week, the Department of Defense reported. Lance Cpl. Francisco R. Jackson, 24, of Elizabeth, died Oct. 19 during combat operations in Helmand province, the military said Wednesday.

Continue reading "New Jersey Marine Dies in Afghanistan" »

Names of Four Fallen Marines Released

Contributor: San Diego 6 News Team
Email: [email protected]
Last Update: 10/14 6:37 pm

SAN DIEGO - The Pentagon released the names today of four Camp Pendleton-based Marines who died in combat this week in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Names of Four Fallen Marines Released" »

Simi Valley Marine killed in Afghanistan

By Tony Castro, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/20/2010 07:10:07 PM PDT

Friends who knew Staff Sgt. Joshua J. Cullins when he worked at his father's Northridge delicatessen said Wednesday they will always remember the slain Marine as a caring young man who wanted nothing more than to make his family proud.

Continue reading "Simi Valley Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

Fallen Combat Camera Marine honored by 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment

1st Marine Division
Story by Gunnery Sgt. William Price
Date 10.18.2010
Date Posted: 10.20.2010 00:12

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Marines and sailors from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, paused to honor Lance Cpl. Ralph J. Fabbri during a memorial ceremony held at Camp Leatherneck, Oct. 18. Fabbri, 20, was killed in action, Sept. 28, while on patrol in the Sangin District.

Continue reading "Fallen Combat Camera Marine honored by 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment" »

October 19, 2010

Slain Marine, A Clarksville Graduate, Remembered

Posted: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 8:56 am
By Hicham Raache
TIMES RECORD • [email protected]

A Clarksville Marine killed in battle on Thursday is remembered by family and fellow Marines as a decent and loving man who exemplified the strong character of a Marine.

Continue reading "Slain Marine, A Clarksville Graduate, Remembered" »

Leaving from Lambeau Soldier honored at Packers game before deployment

10/19/2010 5:16:00 PM
by Jamie Falkovitz

Marine Lance Corporal Andrew Koenig-Shutts enjoyed his 50-yard-line seats at Lambeau Field, presented through Operation Fan Mail, for his last Green Bay Packers game before heading overseas.

Continue reading "Leaving from Lambeau Soldier honored at Packers game before deployment" »

October 18, 2010

Two more Camp Pendleton Marines killed in Afghanistan

Eleven base troops have died in fighting since Oct. 8

By MARK WALKER
North County Times - Californian
Posted: Monday, October 18, 2010 2:14 pm

Two more Camp Pendleton Marines have been killed by roadside bombs in Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Monday, making the last five days the deadliest period for locally based troops since the war began in 2001.

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Dallas Marine, killed in Afghanistan, had strong sense of self

Published: Monday, October 18, 2010, 8:25 PM
Alyssa Karas, The Oregonian

U.S. Marine Sgt. Ian M. Tawney always maintained close ties to his Dallas roots, but even from an early age, he loved to explore.

Continue reading "Dallas Marine, killed in Afghanistan, had strong sense of self" »

'Dad, I've been hit'

By Mike LaBella
The Eagle Tribune
Mon Oct 18, 2010, 02:30 AM EDT

HAVERHILL — Ron Powell, a three-time Purple Heart decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, has had many sleepless nights since his three sons followed in his footsteps.

Continue reading "'Dad, I've been hit'" »

Chesapeake mom's gifts keep memory of Marine son alive

By Hattie Brown Garrow
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 18, 2010

CHESAPEAKE

Signs of Cody are everywhere. American and Marine Corps flags wave in the front yard. Smaller flags line the sidewalk. // Inside, Wendy Childers opens a triangular wooden box at the foot of the fireplace. Tucked inside is the flag that draped her son's coffin.

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Mother of a Marine killed in Afghanistan takes action to help other Marines serving overseas

WTKR-TV3
8:52 PM EDT, October 18, 2010

CHESAPEAKE - The mother of a local Marine killed in Afghanistan is taking action, helping other Marines serving overseas know they are loved and getting a taste of home.

Continue reading "Mother of a Marine killed in Afghanistan takes action to help other Marines serving overseas" »

October 17, 2010

3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment memorializes fallen Marine

1st Marine Division
Story by Cpl. Daniel Blatter
Date 10.16.2010
Date Posted:10.17.2010 11:32

SANGIN, Afghanistan – Marines and sailors from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, in Sangin, paused to honor Lance Cpl. John T. Sparks. Sparks, 23, a machine gunner with Weapons Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines was killed in action, Oct. 8.

Continue reading "3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment memorializes fallen Marine" »

Marine sergeant improves information security

Regional Command Southwest
Story by Cpl. Megan Sindelar
Date 10.17.2010

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Sgt. Jeremy Furtney heads home with a Navy Achievement Medal after spending five months in Afghanistan successfully implementing the Host Base Security System to all sites in the Regional Command Southwest area of responsibility.

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October 16, 2010

Manitowoc Marine Cpl. Justin J. Cain recalled as 'great guy'

Cain killed serving in Afghanistan

By Charlie Mathews • Gannett Wisconsin Media • October 16, 2010

MANITOWOC — The devastating news spread Friday among friends and former Lincoln High School classmates that U.S. Marine Cpl. Justin J. Cain had been killed in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Manitowoc Marine Cpl. Justin J. Cain recalled as 'great guy'" »

9 Marines From Same Regiment Killed in Afghanistan

The latest casualty, Lance Cpl. James D. Boelk, from Oceanside, died Friday

By MICHELLE WAYLAND and ALICIA DEAN
Updated 1:56 PM PDT, Sat, Oct 16, 2010

Nine Camp Pendleton-based Marines have been killed in Afghanistan in one week. All were members of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

Continue reading "9 Marines From Same Regiment Killed in Afghanistan" »

October 15, 2010

Two memorials planned for Albany Marine

By Cathy Ingalls, Albany Democrat-Herald democratherald.com
Posted: Friday, October 15, 2010 7:30 am

The body of Albany Lance Cpl. Marine Joe Rodewald, who was killed Wednesday in Afghanistan, is expected to arrive Friday at Dover Air Force Base in Maryland.

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Byron Marine, 19, killed in Afghanistan

By Chris Green
RRSTAR.COM
Posted Oct 15, 2010 @ 10:52 PM

BYRON — The war in Afghanistan has struck close to home.

Continue reading "Byron Marine, 19, killed in Afghanistan" »

Marines return from six-month deployment

October 15, 2010 4:21 PM
BY JAMES GILBERT - SUN STAFF WRITER

Among the many family members who turned out to welcome home their loved ones from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan was Alison Swarts, who had a big surprise in store for her Marine husband.

Continue reading "Marines return from six-month deployment" »

Seven Camp Pendleton-based Marines killed this week in Afghanistan

North County Times staff North County Times
Posted: Friday, October 15, 2010 11:01 pm

Seven Camp Pendleton-based Marines died in Afghanistan this week, including four who were killed in a single roadside bomb blast, making it perhaps the deadliest week for locally based troops since recent increases in military operations in the 9-year-old war.

Continue reading "Seven Camp Pendleton-based Marines killed this week in Afghanistan" »

October 14, 2010

Drill instructor, former recruit serve together as ‘Red Devils’

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) Public Affairs
Story by Sgt. Deanne Hurla
Date 10.14.2010

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Many new Marines are thankful for their drill instructor’s guidance upon graduation from recruit training, but hope to never see them again. However, for some this just isn’t in their cards.

Continue reading "Drill instructor, former recruit serve together as ‘Red Devils’" »

Granite Bay Marine dies in Afghanistan

Private First Class Victor A. Dew was one of four U.S. Marines killed Wednesday

Roseville Press Tribune
October 14, 2010

A Granite Bay man was killed Wednesday during combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Granite Bay Marine dies in Afghanistan" »

Area Marine dies supporting Operation Enduring Freedom

Posted: Oct 14, 2010 10:50 AM PDT

MIDLAND, GA (WTVM) – News Leader 9 has learned a local Marine has died supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Continue reading "Area Marine dies supporting Operation Enduring Freedom" »

Marine Raymon Johnson, former Shaw High student, dies in Afghanistan

BY LARRY GIERER - ledger-enquirer.com
Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010

Lance Cpl. Raymon Johnson, a 22-year-old Marine from Columbus, has been killed while serving in Afghanistan. He was killed Wednesday. The family got the news the same day.

Continue reading "Marine Raymon Johnson, former Shaw High student, dies in Afghanistan" »

October 13, 2010

2nd Battalion, 6th Marines honors Marines, hardens resolve

Regimental Combat Team 1
Story by Sgt. Jesse Stence
Date 10.13.2010

MARJAH, Afghanistan - If only Lance Cpl. Scott A. Lynch and Sgt. Matthew D. Matteoni could have heard what their brothers said. Or maybe Lynch, the clever rifleman, and Matteoni, the gregarious machine gunner, were gazing down on their memorial ceremony -- possibly saying a prayer for their brothers in 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.

Continue reading "2nd Battalion, 6th Marines honors Marines, hardens resolve" »

October 12, 2010

Reno Marine Dies In Afghanistan While On Patrol

Twenty-three-year old Marine Sergeant Frank Zaehringer III, born and raised in Reno, was killed in action early Monday while on patrol in Afghanistan.

Posted: 3:00 PM Oct 12, 2010
Reporter: Scott Howard

RENO - Twenty-three-year old Marine Sergeant Frank Zaehringer III, born and raised in Reno, was killed in action early Monday while on patrol in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Reno Marine Dies In Afghanistan While On Patrol" »

Marine demonstrates how uncommon valor is a common Corps virtue

10/12/2010 By Lance Cpl. Jeff Drew , 2nd Marine Division

FORT A.P.HILL, Va. — “My name is 1st Sgt. LaFountain and I am absolutely humbled to be in your presence. I know of all the great things that you have done in the past, the legacy of the (Marine rifleman). I know that they are the backbone of the Marine Corps; they inspire me. I am so proud to serve with them,” said 1st Sgt. Philip Joseph LaFountain, company first sergeant, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.

Continue reading "Marine demonstrates how uncommon valor is a common Corps virtue" »

Gov. Granholm orders flags lowered for Marine

Associated Press • October 12, 2010

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff statewide for a Marine from southwestern Michigan who died while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Gov. Granholm orders flags lowered for Marine" »

Chicago Marine killed in Afghanistan

Awarded Purple Heart and other honors

By Duaa Eldeib, Tribune reporter
7:37 p.m. CDT, October 12, 2010

A Chicago Marine on his first combat deployment was killed in Afghanistan on Friday.

Continue reading "Chicago Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

October 11, 2010

Search for Marine lieutenant's killer meets Afghan obstacles

By: Sara A. Carter
National Security Correspondent
October 11, 2010

HELMAND, AFGHANISTAN -- Jason Armas, a U.S. Marine Corps captain, scrolled through the photographs of four bearded Afghan men believed to be responsible for the assassination of Marine 1st Lt. Scott J. Fleming.

Continue reading "Search for Marine lieutenant's killer meets Afghan obstacles" »

October 9, 2010

Marines, UK forces partner ATC in Afghanistan

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) Public Affairs
Story by Cpl. Derek Carlson
Date10.05.2010
Date Posted:10.09.2010 07:21

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan – Two U.S. Marines were recognized by a senior U.K. official Oct. 5 for accomplishments they achieved while working at the Air Traffic Control tower here.

Continue reading "Marines, UK forces partner ATC in Afghanistan" »

Marine Cpl. from Ga. Killed in Afghanistan

WSB News
By Jay Black
October 9, 2010 3:19 AM

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.
(AP) Military officials say a Marine based at Camp Lejeune has been killed in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine Cpl. from Ga. Killed in Afghanistan" »

October 7, 2010

Marine awarded for actions during OEF

10/7/2010 By Cpl. Kentavist P. Brackin , Marine Corps Bases Japan

CAMP FUJI, Japan — Staff Sgt. Rodrigo B. AriasHernandez recently received the Bronze Star Award with Combat V for his actions during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan Aug. 19-20, 2009.

Continue reading "Marine awarded for actions during OEF" »

Lejeune-based Marine dies in Afghanistan

October 07, 2010 6:02 PM
DAILY NEWS STAFF

A Camp Lejeune-based Marine died this week in Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department.

Continue reading "Lejeune-based Marine dies in Afghanistan" »

October 6, 2010

Shell-Shocked Dog of War Finds a Home With the Family of a Fallen Hero

Jason's Death in Iraq Left Room for a Marine at the Dunhams' House; Gunner Fit the Bill

By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS
OCTOBER 6, 2010

SCIO, N.Y.—Gunner, a bomb-sniffing dog mustered out of the Marines for canine post-traumatic stress disorder, has found a new home with Deb and Dan Dunham, whose Marine son died in Iraq protecting the men beside him.

Continue reading "Shell-Shocked Dog of War Finds a Home With the Family of a Fallen Hero" »

CLR-2 1st Sgt receives Bronze Star medal

By Cpl. M. Foster, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
10/6/2010

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — For Combat Logistics Regiment 2 Marines, receiving the Bronze Star medal is a rare accomplishment. One Marine in particular- 1st Sgt. Christopher Combs, the Headquarters Company first sergeant, CLR-2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, distinguished himself during the regiment’s recent deployment to Afghanistan and was awarded the medal on Oct, 4, 2010 aboard Camp Lejeune.

Continue reading "CLR-2 1st Sgt receives Bronze Star medal" »

A Life of Service

10/6/2010 Pfc. David Flynn, MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.

“Serving your country is a great endeavor,” said Lt. Col. Rex Sappenfield, the assistant chief of staff G-1, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. “It’s an endeavor that if undertaken ought to be done in the best service, which is the Marine Corps.“

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October 4, 2010

Marine killed in Afghanistan returns home

October 04, 2010 8:53 AM
UNION CITY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3)

A West Michigan Marine killed in Afghanistan returns home Monday.

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Brothers in Arms, Side-by-Side at Arlington

Good Friends at the Naval Academy and Both Killed in Combat, Travis Manion and Brendan Looney Now Lie in Rest Together

By David Martin
Oct. 4, 2010

(CBS) Travis Manion and Brendan Looney were roommates at the Naval Academy, close as brothers. One became a Marine and went to Iraq, the other a Navy Seal in Afghanistan. On Monday they were reunited, side-by-side in Arlington National cemetery, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin.

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October 2, 2010

Two U.S. war casualties three years apart share a final resting place

By Logan Burruss, CNN
October 2, 2010 8:18 a.m. EDT

(CNN) -- In a quiet ceremony Friday at Arlington National Cemetery, a Marine killed three years ago in Iraq was reburied to be next to his close friend, a Navy SEAL who was recently killed in Afghanistan and who will be laid to rest alongside the Marine on Monday.

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Marine, Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

POSTED: 4:37 pm EDT October 2, 2010

CORBIN, Ky. -- The Department of Defense said a Marine from southeastern Kentucky has died during combat operations in Afghanistan.

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"These Colors Don't Run"

Date Taken: 09.29.2010
Date Posted: 10.02.2010 12:03

Cpl. Jorge Villarreal, a motor transportation mechanic with India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, leans over the edge of a compound in Kajaki to remind his fellow Marines why they are here, and what it is they are fighting for.

Continue reading ""These Colors Don't Run"" »

October 1, 2010

Ky. Marine killed during combat in Afghanistan

The Associated Press
Friday, Oct. 01, 2010

CORBIN, Ky. -- The Department of Defense says a Marine from southeastern Kentucky has died during combat operations in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Ky. Marine killed during combat in Afghanistan" »

1/11 names firebase, honors fallen Marine

1st Marine Division
Story by Cpl. Ned Johnson
Date 10.01.2010

FIREBASE SEINZ, Afghanistan – For years, military members have been naming bases and buildings after fallen warriors.

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September 29, 2010

Pa. Marine combat photographer dies in Afghanistan

Pa. Marine combat photographer dies in Afghanistan

September 29, 2010

GALLITZIN, Pa. (AP) — A Marine from central Pennsylvania has been killed in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Pa. Marine combat photographer dies in Afghanistan" »

A figurehead in small unit leadership

9/29/2010
By Lance Cpl. Jeff Drew, 2nd Marine Division

FORT A.P. HILL, Va. — “All you can do is take life by the wheel and steer toward the enemy,” Lance Cpl. Ryan A. McCauley said confidently as he took a knee. With one deployment under his belt, the 23-year old is gearing up for his second trip to Afghanistan, ready to take on all obstacles in his way.

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September 27, 2010

Marines are changed by Afghan mission

By: Sara A. Carter
National Security Correspondent
September 27, 2010

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Matt Garst earned the nickname "The Unbreakable Marine" during the campaign to pacify the area around the town of Marja.

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September 26, 2010

RCT-7 surgeon plays harmonica to pass time in Afghanistan

Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs
Story by Cpl. Skyler Tooker
Date 09.26.2010

MARJAH, Afghanistan - Whenever Cmdr. Rodney Pray, the Regimental Combat Team 7 surgeon, has a little down time, and isn’t working with the Marines and focusing on the mission, he reaches into his pocket and pulls his harmonica out, plays a few of his favorite songs from the “Rolling Stones,” and relaxes.

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September 25, 2010

Recon Marine Who Survived Sniper Attack earns Purple Heart

1st Marine Division
Story by Gunnery Sgt. William Price
Date 09.25.2010
Location:CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF

Sgt. David Fresenius was lying on a rooftop in Helmand province’s Trek Nawa on the morning of June 21. His machine gunner and radio operator, Cpl. Greg Harris, was by his side, providing over-watch security for their unit, 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion.

Continue reading "Recon Marine Who Survived Sniper Attack earns Purple Heart" »

Judge honored for his 27 years in the Marines

Judge David Johnson took off his black robe Friday and for the last time in an official capacity donned one of the garments he has loved even more for the past 27 years — in this instance it was the green-and-khaki service uniform of a United States Marine.

By: Mark Stodghill , Duluth News Tribune
Published September 25 2010

Judge David Johnson took off his black robe Friday and for the last time in an official capacity donned one of the garments he has loved even more for the past 27 years — in this instance it was the green-and-khaki service uniform of a United States Marine.

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Family pride: Brothers-in-law serve together in Marine Corps

By Melanie Tucker
Originally published: September 25. 2010

On Aug. 26 and then again on Sept. 3, an exit was made from Blount County that left two families with aching hearts but also huge pride.

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September 24, 2010

U.S. Marine from Vt. killed in Afghanistan

Swanton, Vermont - September 24, 2010

Vermont has suffered another loss in the War in Afghanistan. A young Marine from Swanton has been killed in the war zone.

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September 22, 2010

PFC Josh Ose Remembered By Family

Reported by: Joy Lambert
Last Update: 9/22 10:24 pm

HERNANDO, MS - A Hernando Marine, killed in Afghanistan, arrived back in the states Wednesday. Private First Class Josh Ose was killed in Afghanistan on Monday, September 20.

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September 21, 2010

Camp Lejeune Marine Dies In Afghanistan

Posted: 7:33 PM Sep 21, 2010

The Department of Defense says a Camp Lejeune Marine from Mississippi was killed Monday in Afghanistan.

The Marine Corps says 19-year-old Pfc. Joshua S. Ose of Hernando was part of a foot patrol and died after being struck by small arms fire in the southern Helmand Province.

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U.S. Marine major flies with British Army Air Corps

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) Public Affairs
Story by Sgt. Deanne Hurla
Date 09.21.2010
Location:AF

The integration of U.S. and U.K. forces has proven to be a powerful new asset for the coalition forces in Afghanistan. One U.S. Marine Corps pilot who is serving here as a U.K. pilot, knew this was going to be a strong partnership long ago.

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Military compound named after local Marine killed in Afghanistan

John Davis • Poughkeepsie Journal • September 21, 2010

A new U.S. military intelligence compound in the desert of Afghanistan bears the name of a Marine captain from Pleasant Valley who died in battle there.

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Bomb technician re-enlists in war-torn Sangin

1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs
Story by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer
Date 09.18.2010
Date Posted: 09.21.2010 05:57

SANGIN, Afghanistan – In the morning on a quiet rooftop aboard Forward Operating Base Jackson in the volatile Sangin District, Sgt. Joshua A. Shoda, 26, from Columbia City, Ind., raised his right hand to re-enlist for another four years in the Marine Corps, Sept. 18.

Continue reading "Bomb technician re-enlists in war-torn Sangin" »

September 20, 2010

Local Marine glad to be home with wife, new twins

Published: Monday, September 20, 2010

COLLEGEVILLE — Sgt. Jonathan Minkler of the United States Marines was the guest of honor at his welcome home party following his second overseas deployment Sunday afternoon.

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A Marine's a Marine

1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs
Story by Lance Cpl. Kenneth Jasik
Date 09.16.2010
Date Posted: 09.20.2010 04:39

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZEEBRUGEE, Afghanistan – Female Marines represent just six percent of the entire Marine Corps, and for one combat engineer from 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) that small ratio is a large reality.

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September 18, 2010

Marine from Marietta killed in Afghanistan

By Rhonda Cook
10:09 p.m. Saturday, September 18, 2010
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The words from a Marine captain were according to script, but they tore a hole in a father’s heart.

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September 17, 2010

A wounded warrior goes back to work

By Cali Bagby for KVAL.com
Story Published: Sep 17, 2010 at 4:17 PM PDT

COMBAT OUTPOST SEMINOLE, Afghanistan - The Marines prepare for today’s mission slated for 1300, the most miserable part of the day.

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September 16, 2010

Marine First Sergeant Wades in Blue

U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs
Courtesy Story
Date09.16.2010

SHINDAND, Afghanistan – Amidst the sea of green and blue at this austere deployed location you’ll notice a solitary Marine.

Continue reading "Marine First Sergeant Wades in Blue" »

September 10, 2010

2 Hoosiers killed in Iraq, Afghanistan

Marine from Columbus was serving his third tour of duty

Star report
Posted: September 10, 2010

Two Indiana servicemen died this week in fighting in the Middle East, one of them among the first U.S. service members killed in Iraq since President Barack Obama declared an end to combat operations in the country last week.

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September 9, 2010

SE Indiana Marine Killed In Afghanistan

Man Was On Third Tour Of Duty

POSTED: 11:57 am EDT September 9, 2010

VERSAILLES, Ind. -- A local Marine who was killed in Afghanistan was on his third tour of duty overseas, but the first one in that country.

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September 8, 2010

NH Marine killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press
Posted: Wednesday, Sep. 08, 2010

CONCORD, N.H. New Hampshire Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter says a Marine from Goffstown has been killed in Afghanistan.

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2/6 Marines honored during memorial

Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs
Story by Lance Cpl. Benjamin
Date 09.05.2010
Date Posted:09.08.2010 07:40

PATROL BASE BEIRUT, Afghanistan — Marines of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, paid tribute to the lives and service of two fallen brothers during a joint memorial service at Patrol Base Beirut, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sept. 5.

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September 7, 2010

Hilltop Marine killed by bomb in Afghanistan

Tuesday, September 7, 2010 02:53 AM
By Suzanne Hoholik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Sgt. Jesse Balthaser, 23, died instantly when he stepped on a roadside bomb after his unit was involved in a firefight, his girlfriend said.

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Marines gather to remember fallen EOD technican

1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs

Story by Lance Cpl. Kenneth Jasik
Date 09.07.2010
Date Posted: 09.07.2010 08:43
Location:CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Marines from 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) gathered to pay final respects to their fallen comrade, Master Sgt. Daniel L. Fedder, who died, Aug. 27, while conducting counterinsurgency operations in Helmand province. He was 34 years old.

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Marines honor fallen brother, machine gunner

Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs
Story by Lance Cpl. Benjamin Crilly
Date09.07.2010

COMBAT OUTPOST KHERSE, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — Marines of 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, paid tribute to the life and service of a fallen brother during a memorial service at Combat Outpost Kherse, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sept. 5.

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September 6, 2010

Marine from Wilmington dies in Afghanistan

Laney graduate was killed while on patrol

By Amy Hotz
[email protected]
Published: Monday, September 6, 2010 at 3:44 p.m.

On Sept. 3, Laney High School graduate and Marine Lance Cpl. Ross Carver, 21, was killed while on patrol in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine from Wilmington dies in Afghanistan" »

September 5, 2010

2nd Bn., 4th Marines honor fallen warrior

9/5/2010 By 1st Lt. Barry Morris , Regimental Combat Team 2

CAMP Delaram II, Afghanistan —
Marines from 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, held a memorial service, Sept. 3, to commemorate the life of Cpl. Christopher J. Boyd, who was killed in action, Aug. 19. He was 22 years old.

Continue reading " 2nd Bn., 4th Marines honor fallen warrior" »

September 3, 2010

Post Office renamed after fallen Marine

Updated: Friday, 03 Sep 2010, 7:50 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 02 Sep 2010, 11:20 PM EDT
* Aaron Mason
* Posted by: Eli George

HORNELL, N.Y. (WIVB) - It is a tremendous honor for the family of a fallen Marine from the southern tier.

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Marine from Penns Manor killed in Afghanistan

By RANDY WELLS
Published: Friday, September 3, 2010 11:15 AM EDT

KENWOOD - Penns Manor High School teachers remembered one of their former students who died Thursday in Afghanistan as a jovial young man with many friends who enjoyed having a good time and lighting up a classroom with his personality.

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September 2, 2010

MILITARY: Destination Afghanistan

Thousands of local Marines and sailors to leave for war front soon as other units due home

By MARK WALKER - [email protected] North County Times - Californian | Posted: Thursday, September 2, 2010 6:49 pm

A couple of days from now, Lt. Alex Lim will board a plane with hundreds of other Camp Pendleton Marines and sailors for the long flight to Afghanistan and his first combat assignment.

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Griffin Marine killed in Afghanistan

by Matthew W. Quinn
The Griffin Daily News
September 2, 2010

A Marine from Griffin was killed in Afghanistan Wednesday morning.

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Hero helps 'broken' troops

Thursday, September 2, 2010 02:59 AM
By Jeb Phillips
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

One of the most highly decorated Marines during the war in Iraq had to drink to fall asleep. He once tried to kill himself.

Continue reading "Hero helps 'broken' troops" »

September 1, 2010

Boise marine killed in Afghanistan

Story Published: Sep 1, 2010 at 10:50 PM MDT

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Department of Defense confirms a Boise marine has been killed in Afghanistan.

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Kenner Marine Dies In Afghanistan

POSTED: 9:50 pm CDT September 1, 2010

NEW ORLEANS -- A local family is remembering a Marine from Kenner who was killed in fighting in Afghanistan.

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August 30, 2010

Marine from central Minn. killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press
Posted: 08/30/2010 06:07:11 PM PDT

PINE CITY, Minn.—A highly decorated Marine bomb disposal technician from Pine City in central Minnesota was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand province of Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Monday.

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Florida Marine killed in Afghanistan

Jim Peppard August 30, 2010

Washington, D.C. -- A Marine from Florida was killed in Afghanistan Sunday, the U.S. Defense Department said today.

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Lejeune Marine heroes remembered in comic panel

August 30, 2010 5:47 AM
HOPE HODGE

Two Camp Lejeune Marines who gave everything for their country in 2008, are remembered two years later in an unusual way: a comic strip.

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August 29, 2010

Honoring a hero: Naval ship commissioning at Port Everglades

Sunday, August 29th, 2010 | Posted by Andrea Freygang

Hero is a word often used. On rare occasion, it describes an ordinary person who does something extraordinary. Marine Corporal Jason Dunham was a real hero, one who gave his life on the battlefield to save two of his fellow Marines.

Continue reading "Honoring a hero: Naval ship commissioning at Port Everglades" »

Loved ones salute fallen Wheaton soldier

By Matt Arado | Daily Herald StaffContact writer
Published: 8/29/2010

Stephen Oratowski said his son Kevin went by many nicknames during his life, including a few that "I probably shouldn't repeat inside church."

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August 28, 2010

Marine follows heritage, strives for best

8/28/2010
By Cpl. Ned Johnson, Regimental Combat Team 2
SANGIN, Afghanistan

After serving in the Marine Corps Security Forces, one infantryman came to the line companies with something to teach the young Marines of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and their reception of his unique training methods are evident.

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Family, friends mourn Marine killed in Afghanistan

Wheaton 23-year-old called 'courageous,' 'determined,' 'shy'

August 28, 2010|By Jack McCarthy, Special to the Tribune

Before he was killed last week in Afghanistan, Kevin Oratowski was a shy, sometimes stubborn kid who ultimately found pride and purpose in the Marine Corps, his family and friends said Saturday.

Continue reading "Family, friends mourn Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

Family, friends mourn Marine killed in Afghanistan

Wheaton 23-year-old called 'courageous,' 'determined,' 'shy'

By Jack McCarthy, Special to the Tribune
7:27 p.m. CDT, August 28, 2010

Before he was killed last week in Afghanistan, Kevin Oratowski was a shy, sometimes stubborn kid who ultimately found pride and purpose in the Marine Corps, his family and friends said Saturday.

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August 27, 2010

Scholarship to honor fallen O.C. Marine

By FRED SWEGLES
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Aug. 27, 2010
Updated: 9:37 a.m.

A Marine lance corporal from San Clemente who was killed in action in Afghanistan a year ago will be remembered with a scholarship.

Continue reading "Scholarship to honor fallen O.C. Marine" »

Mother of fallen Marine shares her grief with public

By Justin George and Emily Nipps, Times Staff Writers
In Print: Friday, August 27, 2010

TAMPA — Liza Natkin wants people to know about the boy in the pictures: her son at the Keys, in his senior portrait, holding a rifle, flexing his muscles in the mirror, playing electric guitar.

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August 26, 2010

Moment of silence, memorial service planned to remember fallen Marine

By Ashok Selvam | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/26/2010

A moment of silence is planned Friday to remember fallen Marine C.J. Boyd during Palatine High School's away football game versus Lake Forest High School.

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August 25, 2010

Marine from Falls Church killed by bomb in Afghanistan

By Martin Weil
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Marine Corps Sgt. Ronald A. Rodriguez, 26, who grew up in Northern Virginia, was overseas for the third time when he was killed Monday in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marine from Falls Church killed by bomb in Afghanistan" »

Big Bear Valley Marine awarded Purple Heart

By JUDI BOWERS
Reporter
Published: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 7:10 AM PDT

Cynthia Douglass-Moreno couldn’t stop the tears. She tried to talk around them, but they kept flowing. She’s a proud mother.

Continue reading "Big Bear Valley Marine awarded Purple Heart" »

August 24, 2010

Creve Coeur Marine died Monday in Afghanistan

By LESLIE WILLIAMS ([email protected])
Journal Star
Posted Aug 24, 2010 @ 06:51 PM

CREVE COEUR — The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

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Virginia Marine killed in Afghanistan

WTKR-TV3
6:09 PM EDT, August 24, 2010

A Virginia Marine has been killed in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Virginia Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

Local Marine dies Sunday in Afghanistan

BY BILL O'BRIEN, ALEX PIAZZA, and LINDSAY VANHULLE
Traverse City Record Eagle
August 24, 2010

TRAVERSE CITY — Jason Dean Calo was a bona fide leader who quarterbacked his football team to victory against area rivals.

Continue reading "Local Marine dies Sunday in Afghanistan" »

Military announces Marine death in Afghanistan

Military announces Marine death in Afghanistan

Posted: August 24, 2010
Associated Press

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Military officials say a North Carolina-based Marine has been killed in combat in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Military announces Marine death in Afghanistan" »

August 23, 2010

Marines marry at baseball game

by Jeff Mason
KMOV.com
Posted on August 22, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Updated Monday, Aug 23 at 1:13 PM

(KMOV) -- A St. Charles marine almost had his wedding plans ruined when his deployment date was moved up.

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Four Marines awarded Purple Heart for their sacrifice

8/23/2010
By Lance Cpl. Michelle S. Mattei,
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. —
Four Marines were added to the Purple Heart’s list of heroes injured during battles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Military announces Marine death in Afghanistan

Posted on Monday, 08.23.10
The Associated Press

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Military officials say a North Carolina-based Marine has been killed in combat in Afghanistan.

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August 21, 2010

Marine from Chesapeake killed in Afghanistan

By Hattie Brown Garrow
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 21, 2010

Lance Cpl. Cody S. Childers, 19, died Friday while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, the Department of Defense announced today.

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Lejeune Marine killed in Afghanistan

August 21, 2010
WRAL.com

Camp Lejeune, N.C. — A Camp Lejeune-based Marine died Friday in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.

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August 20, 2010

Marine from Palatine killed in Afghanistan

By Ashok Selvam and Eric Peterson | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/20/2010

A kind, considerate and hardworking Marine from Palatine who dreamed of a career in the military has been killed in action in Afghanistan.

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2 Chicago-area Marines killed in Afghanistan

Eric Horng

August 20, 2010 (WLS)The war in Afghanistan has claimed the lives of two Marines from the Chicago area.

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Marine killed in Afghanistan had strong ties to Glenbard South

By Robert Sanchez | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/20/2010

Lance Cpl. Kevin E. Oratowski's ties to Glenbard South High School remained strong in the five years since he graduated.

Continue reading "Marine killed in Afghanistan had strong ties to Glenbard South" »

August 19, 2010

Marine from Wheaton dies in Afghanistan

By Bob Susnjara
Daily Herald Staff Contact writer
Published: 8/19/2010 10:18 PM

A Marine from Wheaton was killed by a roadside bomb Wednesday while in combat in Afghanistan.

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'A great guy' from Wheaton killed in Afghanistan

August 19, 2010
--William Lee

A Marine from Wheaton who was serving in his first combat deployment was killed by a blast in southwest Afghanistan, military officials said today.

Continue reading "'A great guy' from Wheaton killed in Afghanistan" »

A real Marine brotherhood: Bentley High School graduate promoted in Afghanistan with brother's help

Published: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 10:30 AM
Beata Mostafavi | Flint Journal

BURTON, Michigan — They grew up competing in everything, but this was one time Marine Sgt. Justin Shemanski didn’t mind his youngest brother almost catching up to him.

Continue reading "A real Marine brotherhood: Bentley High School graduate promoted in Afghanistan with brother's help" »

August 18, 2010

From Car Dealership to Afghanistan: Marine Mechanic Innovates Repair of 7-ton Truck

8/18/2010 By Lance Cpl. Khoa Pelczar , 1st Marine Logistics Group (FWD)

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DWYER, Afghanistan — A Marine reservist who worked as a car dealership mechanic before deploying to Afghanistan has come up with an innovative way to repair the engine of a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement – getting the trucks back on the road in half the time.

Continue reading " From Car Dealership to Afghanistan: Marine Mechanic Innovates Repair of 7-ton Truck" »

August 16, 2010

Marine sniper earns award for valor

8/16/2010 By Sgt. Juan D. Alfonso, Marine Forces Pacific

CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii — The hide is a sniper’s safe haven. It’s a hole they dig, cover with camouflage and live in for days or weeks at a time. But what happens when a sniper and his team find a bomb in their hide? For Sgt. Michael G. Dowling, it was a no-brainer.

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British kickboxer sought in slaying of US tourist

JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press Writer
Published: 09:16 a.m., Monday, August 16, 2010

BANGKOK (AP) — A manhunt was underway Monday in Thailand for a British kickboxer police say is believed to have killed a former U.S. Marine after provoking a barroom brawl on a tropical island.

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August 15, 2010

Remembering the bravery of Selfridge's 22 Marines

BY NAOMI R. PATTON
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Posted: Aug. 15, 2010

Twenty-two U.S. Marines from the 1st Battalion 24th Marine Reserve, based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, who died during their seven-month tour in Iraq were honored Saturday with a granite memorial bearing their names dedicated in Canton's Heritage Park.


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Rags to Riches: How a Bronx youth transformed into a U.S. Marine

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) Public Affairs
Courtesy Story
08.15.2010
Location:AF

Cpl. Randy Rivera’s story reads like a movie script. It is a tale of poverty, sacrifice, drugs, violence and danger. From the crime-infested streets of Bronx, N.Y., to the archaic Puerto Rican countryside, Rivera has seen and lived what most couldn’t imagine.

Continue reading "Rags to Riches: How a Bronx youth transformed into a U.S. Marine" »

August 14, 2010

Mom receives fallen son’s Bronze Star

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Aug 14, 2010 14:28:22 EDT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.— Nearly two years after approving the award, the Marine Corps on Aug. 12 presented the Bronze Star medal with V device to the mother of a squad leader killed in a 2007 IED blast in Iraq.

Continue reading "Mom receives fallen son’s Bronze Star" »

Knoxville-based Marine killed in Afghanistan

A Knoxville-based Marine has died after being wounded in Afghanistan.

Reporter: Nick Bona
Email Address: [email protected]
Aug 14, 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – A Knoxville-based Marine has died after being wounded in Afghanistan.

Continue reading " Knoxville-based Marine killed in Afghanistan" »

August 13, 2010

LCpl. Kevin M. Cornelius

By BILL WEST -
August 13, 2010
Star Beacon

ASHTABULA — Lance Corporal Kevin Michael Cornelius, age 20, died Saturday, August 7, 2010, in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, while serving in the United States Marine Corps in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Continue reading "LCpl. Kevin M. Cornelius" »

August 12, 2010

Fallen Marine remembered as jokester, athlete, friend

Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs
Date Posted:08.12.2010
Story by Staff Sgt. Luis Agostini

MARJAH, Afghanistan – A memorial service for Lance Cpl. Abram L. Howard was held at the Marjah District government center in Marjah, Afghanistan, Aug. 12.

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Vincent E. Gammone III

Posted: Thursday, August 12, 2010 10:22 am

Pfc Vincent E. Gammone III, 19, of Christiana passed away Saturday, August 7, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afganistan.

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2 Texans in military killed in Afghanistan

© 2010 The Associated Press
Aug. 12, 2010, 8:58AM

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department says two more Texans in the military have died in Afghanistan.

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Marine presented Purple Heart

August 12, 2010

A Camp Lejeune corpsman was presented a Purple Heart this month for wounds sustained while caring for injured troops on a recent deployment.

Continue reading "Marine presented Purple Heart" »

August 10, 2010

'He was my soulmate, protector'

Wife eulogizes Spring resident who was killed in Afghanistan

By LINDSAY WISE HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Aug. 10, 2010

Lauren Martin had promised herself two things growing up: No. 1, never work in a restaurant, and No. 2, never marry a man in the military.

Continue reading "'He was my soulmate, protector'" »

26th MEU Marine saves teen

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — A Marine with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit saved the life of a teenager who drifted more than 100 yards off the pier at North Topsail Beach Saturday Aug. 7, 2010, according to the North Topsail Beach Police Department.

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Sergeant Major's Bark, and Bite

Posted by Terry McCarthy
August 10, 2010 8:58 PM

One recent evening we were sitting around the 3/1 battalion commander's armored truck when Sergeant Major Scott Samuels, (left) the top enlisted man in the battalion, dropped a gem.

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August 9, 2010

Pentagon identifies fallen Lejeune Marines

Two Marines were killed during an attempted prisoner escape this weekend in southern Afghanistan.

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Camp Pendleton Marine Killed In Afghanistan ID'd

Cpl. Max W. Donahue Killed In Combat Last Week

SAN DIEGO -- The Pentagon released the name Monday of a 23-year-old Camp Pendleton-based Marine killed in combat last week in Afghanistan.

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August 8, 2010

Antioch event raises funds for badly wounded Marine

Some of Cpl. John Peck's best friends are people he has never met.

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Memories linger as Marine recuperates

CASPER — At 5:30 a.m. on July 1, Lance Cpl. Jake Henry and roughly 17 other Marines left for a normal patrol in southern Afghanistan. They crossed over a canal and into an old poppy field, died out from the season before.

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August 6, 2010

Afghanistan through the lens

HESPERIA • As a combat correspondent in the Marine Corps, Sgt. Mark Fayloga has instant access to military moments around the world that most civilian photojournalists never have the chance to capture.

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August 4, 2010

Injured Navy corpsman receives Purple Heart

PORTSMOUTH

Angelo Anderson likes taking care of patients - mothers and babies at Camp Lejeune, clients at the infectious disease clinic at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, and more than anything, Marine infantry troops on duty in Afghanistan.

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Silver Star hero Jeremy Torrisi came to defense of wounded in Afghanistan after taking bullet in leg

CAMP MOREHEAD, Afghanistan - Jeremy Torrisi's scuffed-up canvas medic's bag still has bloodstains from the day he saved four Marines' lives in a fearsome firefight.

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August 3, 2010

Williamstown Marine home safe from Afghanistan tour

MONROE TWP. - Richard Janofsky was outside his brother's new home in Williamstown Monday morning, helping install posts in the ground for a fence. His brother Max, a township police officer, was at work. Janofsky was simply there to help him out.

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Williamstown Marine home safe from Afghanistan tour

MONROE TWP. - Richard Janofsky was outside his brother's new home in Williamstown Monday morning, helping install posts in the ground for a fence. His brother Max, a township police officer, was at work. Janofsky was simply there to help him out.

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An honorable distinction for North Attleboro Marine

Marine recognized for valor in combat

NORTH ATTLEBORO - A Marine from North Attleboro has been recognized for valor in combat in Afghanistan, where in separate engagements his accurate shooting destroyed threats to his unit and the evacuation of a wounded comrade.

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Minto Marine injured in Afghanistan

Clayton Jarolimek’s injuries are serious, but not ‘life-threatening,’ mother says
A U.S. Marine from Minto, N.D., was injured Monday by an improvised explosive device, or IED, while on a foot patrol in Afghanistan.

A U.S. Marine from Minto, N.D., was injured Monday by an improvised explosive device, or IED, while on a foot patrol in Afghanistan.

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August 2, 2010

Marines Remember Fallen Cobra Pilots in Afghanistan

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan – An estimated 1,000 military personnel gathered in a hangar here Aug. 2 to remember two 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) helicopter pilots who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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August 1, 2010

Family in Far Places

Although he was half a world away from home, DeAvila was quickly surrounded by family and friends, due to a strong military family and community.

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'Wounded Warrior’ Facility Helps Injured Marines Get Back to the Fight

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Lance Cpl. Frank Martin had only been in Afghanistan a few days when a 60-pound improvised explosive device detonated while he and his squad were on their first foot patrol in northern Marjah, hurling him into the air.

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RCT-7 Marine Re-enlists to Re-enlist Marines

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — Working third shift at Costco, Michael never thought that in four years he would be helping Marines re-enlist while assigned to Marine Helicopter Squadron 1.

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Local Marine has landed

Describes overseas tour as leave begins

Marine Lance Cpl. Gus Haas, 20, of Evansville, began planning for his three-week leave as soon as he was deployed to Afghanistan in December.

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July 31, 2010

Loved ones, Marines mourn fallen 19-year-old

July 31, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A funeral was held Saturday for a Marine from the western suburbs. Lance Cpl. Frederik Vazquez was killed in Afghanistan last week.

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Deployed Marine finds U.S. home for Afghan cat

By Tony Lombardo - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jul 31, 2010 12:55:44 EDT

A 9-month-old Afghan cat is living it up stateside after a Marine downrange partnered with an animal rescue group to ship it home.

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CLB-6 Marine Awarded for Valor in Afghanistan

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – When duty calls, Cpl. Rory MacEachern fires back with precision, and for his efforts in support of International Security Assistance Force operations he was awarded for valor in a ceremony here, July 30.

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July 30, 2010

Military Wives Fear The Dreaded Knock

CBS News' Terry McCarthy on How Military Wives Cope With the Fear of Bad News

(CBS) As part of our continuing coverage of "Afghanistan: the Road Ahead," CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy follows the Third Battalion, First Marines at home, and abroad in Afghanistan.

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif

In war, there are two fronts - one where troops face the enemy in battle. And one where their loved ones wait, and worry that they'll receive the worst kind of news.

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LAR Marine killed in Afghanistan

Staff report
Posted : Friday Jul 30, 2010 18:47:47 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. – Lance Cpl. Shane R. Martin was killed during combat operations Thursday in southern Afghanistan, military officials said Friday.

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July 29, 2010

Reserve lance cpl. dies in Helmand province

Staff report
Posted : Thursday Jul 29, 2010 14:24:48 EDT

A reserve Marine died Tuesday in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department has announced.

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East Texas Marine wounded by IED, family shares story

MOUNT PLEASANT, TX (KLTV) - Marine Lance Corporal Dustin Dryden, 21, of Mount Pleasant was on his second tour in Afghanistan when he was wounded by an IED late Tuesday.

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July 27, 2010

MARSOC Marine Wins Harley Davidson

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – When Sgt. Edmund Hatch snapped a photo of an Afghanistan National Army soldier standing guard in the Morghab Valley, in the Herat Province, Afghanistan, during a patrol last Thanksgiving, he was sure he had captured an image that would at least win him an iPod in the Hesco Bastion Ltd. Photo Competition.

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July 26, 2010

First Person: Estancia grad, Marine describes life in Afghanistan

Editor's note: Lance Cpl. Christopher Robert Perkins, a 2003 graduate of Estancia High School in Costa Mesa, sent the Daily Pilot a brief account of his duties and experiences as a Marine helicopter maintenance worker currently in Afghanistan with the HMH-363 unit. Perkins says he misses the Orange County Fair and would rather be there now than in the "dirt" in Afghanistan. He joined the Marines in March 2008, and recently ran into a 2004 Estancia High graduate, Cpl. Ian Paul Morton, on base.

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July 24, 2010

A Marine Comes Home From War

Marines who fought in the battle at Marjah in Afghanistan are returning home and parents who nervously watched the war from afar are anxious to see their children. Catherine Welch of member station WHQR in Wilmington, N.C., was with one family to witness a homecoming.

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July 23, 2010

‘War Dog’ Marine awarded Silver Star

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — In the chaos and danger of battle, Marines are trained to look out for each other, take control and bring chaos to their enemy.

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Davison Marine receives PETA award for bringing pet cat home from Afghanistan

DAVISON, Michigan —Marine Cpl. Chris Berry didn’t set out to rescue animals in between countering the insurgency in Afghanistan.

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July 22, 2010

Education Makes a Comeback in Helmand Province

As part of our continuing coverage of "Afghanistan: the Road Ahead," - CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy follows the Third Battalion, First Marines at home, and abroad in Afghanistan.

HELMAND, AFGHANISTAN

"I used to regard kids as pests, when we were in Iraq," says Corporal Andrew Egan of the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines.

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2 corporals die in Helmand province

Posted : Thursday Jul 22, 2010 12:37:49 EDT

Two 23-year-old Marines died this week in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Thursday.

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One Homecoming

In late April the family readiness officer, Tina Morgan, began calling and e-mailing each of 48 anxious First Anglico families with news about the company’s return to Camp Pendleton. (Anglico units — the name stands for Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company — are part of the Marine Corps.) And even though a lot of private, superstitious things had been put off by many who were waiting for the good news, I elected to wait a little longer, until I was sure my Marine had both feet on friendly soil. I’d seen enough just-about-to-retire cop movies to know that having the end in sight slows the clock and multiplies the already too plentiful ways that things can go wrong before the actual, final, blessed end of the deployment.

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July 21, 2010

Twentynine Palms Marine Dies in Afghanistan

A Twentynine Palms Marine has died while in the line of combat in Afghanistan, it was announced Wednesday.

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July 20, 2010

Bomb kills Alaska Marine in Afghanistan

The body of an Alaska Marine killed in Afghanistan was returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware this morning.

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CL Marine
laid to rest

CRYSTAL LAKE – John Antonik said his son was supposed to come home next month.

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laid to rest" »

Father claims son was killed by another Marine

By Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno - Guam Pacific Daily News via Gannett
Posted : Tuesday Jul 20, 2010 14:56:54 EDT

ROTA, Northern Mariana Islands — As the father of a Marine in a war zone, David Mundo Santos’ heart sank when he saw a pair of unexpected visitors walk up to his front door.

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July 19, 2010

2 NC-based Marine killed in southern Afghanistan

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. —
Department of Defense officials say two North Carolina-based Marines have been killed in Afghanistan

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July 18, 2010

Golf Company: Number Eight

"60 Minutes" Producer Henry Schuster Reflects On The Death of An American Soldier

I stared at the e-mail with disbelief. The header read "Sad News."

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July 17, 2010

Grief and gratitude at funeral for Marine Tyler Roads

At one point in high school, Tyler Allen Roads was struggling with his grades, so Larry Snelling, superintendent of the Fall River Joint Unified School District, went to have a chat with the boy he’d known for years.

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July 16, 2010

In Memory...Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads

The Rev. Ken Frazier and the U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard officiated at the graveside service for Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads Saturday, July 17, 2010, at the Burney District Cemetery on Bailey Avenue. Among the friends and family speaking before the nearly 600 in attendance were Supt. Larry Snelling of the Fall River Joint Unified School District.

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Hospitalman receives bronze star for saving Marine's life

CAMP LEJEUNE -- Hospitalman Nicholas Latham of the Third Battalion 10th Marines received a bronze star Friday at Camp Lejeune for saving the life of a Marine who was severely injured in Afghanistan in December 2009.

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Two Bronze Stars with V awarded

By Gidget Fuentes - [email protected]
Posted : Friday Jul 16, 2010 17:25:17 EDT

A platoon sergeant and a squad leader at Camp Pendleton, Calif., are each receiving the Bronze Star with “V” device for decisive actions while under fire in Afghanistan last year.

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Warrant officer gets Silver Star down range

By Gidget Fuentes - [email protected]
Posted : Friday Jul 16, 2010 17:24:55 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — A Marine warrant officer received the Silver Star on July 15 during a short ceremony in Afghanistan, attended by the top Marine Corps leaders in the region, including Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, commander of Regional Command-Southwest, and Brig. Gen. Charles Hudson, commander of 1st Marine Logistics Group.

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Cherry Point Marine receives Purple Heart

Huber was injured in Afghanistan

When a suicide bomber blew up his ball bearing-laden vest near the entrance to Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan, the concussion from the blast knocked Lance Cpl. Jason Huber off his feet.

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July 15, 2010

When two leaders were killed in Afghanistan before their men arrived, sergeant put his life on hold

MARJAH, Afghanistan — The two bombs went off seconds apart at corners of the building. By chance, Sgt. Zachary Walters was standing in one corner, Sgt. Derek Shanfield in the other.

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Pleasant View Marine killed in Afghanistan

A Marine from Pleasant View was just a month away from coming home when he was killed in Afghanistan on July 9, his mother said Tuesday.

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Marines honored for combat heroism

Silver Star and two Bronze Star awards go to Camp Pendleton troops

Three Camp Pendleton Marines have been awarded medals for heroic actions in Afghanistan, service officials announced Thursday.

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July 14, 2010

Fallen Colorado Marine From Boulder Remembered

Ritter Orders Flags Lowered To Half-Staff Wednesday

DENVER -- Colorado state flags will be at half-staff Wednesday as the state honors a Marine from Boulder killed in Aghanistan.

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Crystal Lake Marine dies in Afghanistan

A 29-year-old decorated Marine from Crystal Lake was killed Sunday while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, according to a release from the Department of Defense.

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July 13, 2010

3 Marines die in Helmand province

Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Jul 13, 2010 18:42:51 EDT

Three Marines have died while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Tuesday.

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Two Lejeune Marines killed in Afghanistan

Camp Lejeune, N.C. — Two Marines based at Camp Lejeune died last week in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.

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Schwarzenegger offers condolences to fallen Marine

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger offered his condolences today to the family of Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads of Burney.

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July 12, 2010

Soldier Reunited With His Family After Surviving Afghan Tour

U.S. Marine Fulfills His 'World News' Wish to Hug His Sisters Upon His Arrival in U.S.

Lance Cpl. Michael Acquaviva felt like a rock star Sunday night, as he lifted his two sisters in a warm embrace.

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3 Norfolk-based Marines drown at Gitmo

Died while swimming at recreational beach July 4th

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (WAVY) - The Navy says three Norfolk-based Marines died while swimming on July 4 at one of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay's recreational beaches.

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A MARSOC Marine attributes accomplishment to leadership

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Back in 1995, at Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, Ga., a 15-year-old Erik Housman listens to Larry Hughes, his high school Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Instructor tell stories from his time spent in Vietnam from his career as a Marine Corps Master Sergeant. Tales Housman says inspired him to enlist after completing high school.

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Palm City Marine killed in Afghanistan buried in Arlington with full honors

ARLINGTON, VA. — Lance Wilson, father of Marine Justin Wilson of Palm City, still has not taken off his son's dog tags.

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Marine hero's brother makes good on his promise

Six years after Sgt. Rafael Peralta saved several lives by smothering an enemy grenade in Iraq, his brother Ricardo follows in his footsteps by becoming a Marine. 'I have big shoes to fill,' he says.

Reporting from Camp Pendleton-- At his brother's funeral nearly six years ago, Ricardo Peralta made him a promise: He would join the Marine Corps and carry on in his example.

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Family, friends recount fallen Marine's life

Family and friends of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads spent today on what would have been his 21st birthday mourning and recounting memories of his life.

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July 11, 2010

Bikers pay tribute to local fallen Marine

Almost three weeks since a Spokane Valley Marine was killed in action in Afghanistan, hundreds of motorcyclists, including retired Marines, roared outside of his childhood home to pay tribute to the young man.

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U.S. Marine from Clay: Being shot makes you grow up fast

On a perfect summer day, Kyle Francis sat in a rocking chair on his parents’ front porch in Clay and talked about the worst part of having visible war wounds: People asking him what happened.

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20-year-old Marine from Burney killed in combat

Burney residents are in mourning as word spreads of the death of 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads of Burney, who was shot and killed Friday in an Afghanistan combat zone.

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July 10, 2010

Former DI Reunites With Legacy Recruits During Afghanistan Deployment

During the summer of 2002, Hattman and his team of dedicated drill instructors began to mold Hemenway into the Marine he is today and in the training cycles that followed, the legacy continued with Sgts. Jeremiah Rees and Jeffery Aaron.

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July 9, 2010

Family, friends honor Spokane Valley Marine killed in Afghanistan

Joshua Dumaw remembered in standing-room-only service

Joshua R. Dumaw was remembered Thursday as a man of courage, loyalty, and leadership; a man of adventure who had an endless smile for any soul who crossed his path.

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Royal, U.S. Marine Once a Marine, Twice a Marine, Always a Marine

Staff Sgt. Oliver Salder earned his place as a Marine well before he stepped on the famed yellow foot prints at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Paris Island. So when recruit Salder piled off that bus in 2000 amidst terrified peers, this salty, rugby-playing Brit was probably more entertained than scared. Or maybe he was just glad it was only going to take him 13 weeks to graduate this time.

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July 8, 2010

Corps legend’s name is carried on

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO — He is tired and feeling the slight pang of hunger set in, covered in camouflage face paint and sweat, yet, Rct. Terry Hathcock, Platoon 1074, Company D, sits extremely disciplined. His back straight as a board, his eyes straight ahead.

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July 7, 2010

Honoring the fallen, remembering their sacrifice

FOB DELARAM I, Afghanistan —
Men and women of America have been honoring those who die on her battlefield since Arlington National Cemetery was built after the Civil War, but few understand that honor better than the Marines.

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July 6, 2010

Marine's Parents: 'He Died Saving A Life'

Thornton Marine Remembered By Family, Friends

THORNTON, Colo. -- The parents of a Thornton Marine killed in combat said he died while saving another Marine's life.

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July 4, 2010

Childress Reunites With Son in Afghanistan

When Brad Childress joined three of his fellow NFL head coaches. . .Carolina’s John Fox, Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis, and Philadelphia’s Andy Reid. . .on a USO trip to Afghanistan, he expected to meet a bunch of troops and shake a lot of hands, like he had done on previous trips.

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Marine tests limits to honor friend

50-mile run raised money for fallen Army sergeant's son

Under a red tent on the lawn of Community Bank on North Highland Avenue late Saturday morning, P.J. Kellogg was finishing a banana with an IV in his arm and his legs from his knees down planted in a cooler filled with water.

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Elementary, My Dear Marine: Operation New Dawn Patrols Lead to Cache Finds

It became the catchphrase of the day - "I might as well be God d---ed Sherlock Holmes."

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July 3, 2010

Marine Husband and Wife Reunite in Afghanistan

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – She couldn’t stop smiling at him, even when he wasn’t looking. He was tangled up in her bubbly cheerful personality and smiled at her every time she spoke to him.

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July 2, 2010

Thornton Marine killed in Afghanistan

A 24-year-old Marine from Thornton was killed by a roadside bomb Thursday while on a combat foot patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, the U.S. Marines Corps said today.

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July 1, 2010

Reserve Marine officer finds niche civil affairs

NEW ORLEANS — Second Lt. Christopher Banweg walked out of his staff platoon commander’s office in a state of shock in November 2000.

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June 30, 2010

Funeral Friday for Marine killed in Afghanistan

LANSING — Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered U.S. flags statewide lowered Friday in honor of Marine Cpl. Daane A. DeBoer, who was killed in Afghanistan.

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June 29, 2010

West View Marine dies in Afghanistan

Joe Caskey followed his grandfather, father, mother and two older brothers into the military after graduating from North Hills High School in 2004.

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Josh Dumaw was a Marine's Marine

SPOKANE -- A week since his death in Afghanistan was announced by the Pentagon members of Marine Corporal Josh Dumaw’s family have taken some time to honor their son’s memory and service.

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Marine remembered as 'modern day Spartan'

PLACENTIA – In a bright gym plastered with yellow championship banners commemorating student achievement, a somber crowd of 500 gathered Monday night to remember a different kind of El Dorado High School champion: a local Marine who gave his life in battle.

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June 28, 2010

Lima Company Memorial 'very powerful'

ZANESVILLE -- Look into Lance Cpl. Nicholas W. B. Bloem's eyes and you see trust.

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Marine with Ludington ties killed in Afghanistan

DETROIT (AP) — A Marine whose experience hiking the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail while raising money for a charity helped lead him to enlist in the military has died while fighting in Afghanistan, his father said Monday.

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3 Marines die in Afghanistan

Staff report
Posted : Monday Jun 28, 2010 20:22:07 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. - Two Camp Pendleton-based Marines and a Marine from Camp Lejeune, N.C., were killed during combat operations in separate incidents in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, Defense Department officials announced Monday.

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Marine Corps still does family proud, and Everett mother shares the story

Brig. Gen. James Kessler of Mountlake Terrace has a kind message to share about U.S. Marines.

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Reserve Engineer Hopes to ‘Spark Some Innovation’ Against IED Threat

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Waiting outside a conference room in the Regional Command Southwest headquarters building, Cpl. Paul A. Spies passes the time by glancing at the wall adorned with wood-framed pictures of fallen brethren, many of whom were killed by improvised explosive device blasts. A few moments later, Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, commander of RC (SW), walks into the conference room already full of unit commanders. Spies waits patiently for his name to be called.

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June 27, 2010

Newest courage-themed strip to be released July

Series illustrates medal citations in graphic-novel style

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jun 27, 2010 8:36:25 EDT

The newest series features Cpl. Jonathan Yale and Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, who died in Ramadi, Iraq, after defending their post against a suicide bomber on April 22, 2008. They each posthumously received the Navy Cross for their actions.

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June 26, 2010

Truck makeover stuns Marine home on leave

By Abbey Brown Doyle - The (Alexandria, La.) Town Talk
Posted : Saturday Jun 26, 2010 11:12:52 EDT

BOYCE, La. — Lance Cpl. Brad Riddick pulled into his parents’ driveway at 4 a.m., home for the first time after months in Marine Corps training.

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June 25, 2010

Marine corporal from San Jose dies in Afghanistan

SAN JOSE, Calif. — SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - The aunt of a 23-year-old Marine corporal from San Jose who was killed in Afghanistan says the family worried about him and told him about the dangers of military service.

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Flags at half-staff for Yorba Linda Marine

YORBA LINDA – Flags will fly at half-staff in Yorba Linda through next week in honor of Marine Cpl. Claudio Patiño IV, who was killed in action Tuesday in Afghanistan.

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Four Twentynine Palms Marines killed this month in Afghanistan

Men died in separate incidents during June

Military officials Thursday announced the deaths of four Marines based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms who were killed this month while serving in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

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Cpl. Jeffrey Robert Standfest, USMC In Memory

Cpl. Jeffrey Robert Standfest was a natural leader whose winning presence allowed him to take control of various situations with ease. Equipped with a clear and calculating focus, he possessed a tough-minded, "take charge" attitude. He had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and he was at ease with the role of playing problem solver. Jeffrey always sought out the scene of where the action was. Sociable, analytical and pleasant, Jeffrey was an individual who enjoyed life's challenges.

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Injured Marine determined to adjust to new prosthetic feet

An area Marine is adjusting to new prosthetic feet while working to get the pieces of his life together.

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Fallen Yorba Linda Marine wanted to return to war

YORBA LINDA – Marine Cpl. Claudio Patiño IV had been home from Afghanistan for only few weeks when he started talking about going back.

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June 24, 2010

Spokane Valley Marine killed in Afghanistan

SPOKANE VALLEY -- Friends are saying goodbye to a young local Marine killed in Afghanistan.

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Marine from Sutter a hero in Afghan war

When his U.S. Marines unit participated in an operation to take back the Afghanistan town of Marjah earlier this year from the Taliban, Sutter native Wesley Slattery thought it was the hairiest operation he'd encounter during his deployment.

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Engineer falls victim to IED, leaves heritage of honorable service

CAMP DELARAM II, HELMAND PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — With our nation at war, young men and women have constantly answered the call to bear arms and protect the nation’s way of life. With every war come casualties. On June 16, Cpl. Jeffrey Standfest was counted among many of America’s fallen warriors.

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MCAS Cherry Point cpl. dies in Nimroz province

A North Carolina-based Marine died Tuesday while supporting combat operations in Nimroz province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Thursday.

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June 23, 2010

Governor Orders Flags Lowered for US Marine

Flags To Be Lowered Friday For Cpl. Jeffrey R. Standfest

LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered U.S. flags be lowered statewide to honor a 23-year-old Marine from St. Clair County who was killed in Afghanistan.

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Marine absorbs IED blast, walks away

SOUTHERN SHORSURAK, HELMAND PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — Cpl. Matt Garst should be dead.

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June 21, 2010

Eau Claire Marine injured in firefight in Afghanistan

Eau Claire (WQOW) - A U.S. Marine from Eau Claire is recovering Monday in the hospital after being wounded in a firefight Monday morning in Afghanistan.

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June 12, 2010

The Two, the Proud: Marine Siblings Attack USMC Careers, Afghanistan Together

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Just a few short months ago, Lance Cpl. Yahaira Cosme, a supply warehouseman with Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 1st Marine Logistics Group, was making final preparations for her first deployment: a combat tour to Afghanistan.

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June 11, 2010

2 Camp Pendleton Marines Receive Bronze Star

Sgt. Joseph Giardino, Sgt. Matthew Duquette Honored

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Two Camp Pendleton Marines were honored Friday for displaying courage under fire during a recent combat mission in Afghanistan.

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June 9, 2010

Brothers Reunite in Afghanistan After Five-month Separation

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHER WALI, Afghanistan – Like many twin brothers, Lance Cpls. Aaron and Adam Voelker do everything together.

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June 8, 2010

Mother of Marine Killed in Afghanistan Speaks Out Publicly

EDINBURG - The mother of a Marine who died in Afghanistan spoke out for the first time publicly. Lance Corporal Derek Hernandez died over the weekend.

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Kosovo-born Marine Becomes US Citizen in Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – With just a few dollars in his pocket, a Kosovo native came to the United States to chase his dream of providing his family with a better life.

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June 6, 2010

A true hero born on the 4th of July

All too many of us, in the busyness of life, forget that we have people from our community fighting on two war fronts: Iraq and Afghanistan.

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June 4, 2010

'You Can't Beat the View:' Reserve Gunner Helps Resupply Forward Troops

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – It was a bit of a bumpy ride for Cpl. Thomas Hornor when he sat atop the turret of his Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle during a nearly eight-hour combat logistics patrol across the unpredictable terrain of the scorching Afghanistan desert.

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Road named for Marine killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jun 4, 2010 8:04:53 EDT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Gainesville road will be named for a 19-year-old Marine who was killed in Afghanistan this year.

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June 3, 2010

3rd MAW (FWD) Siblings Serve Together

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Almost three years ago Lance Cpl. Jack Needham locked his sister in the garage with his recruiter –today they are both in Afghanistan supporting 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward).

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Fallen Marine felt duty to serve

He was killed in an ambush, supporting combat operations

Twenty-year-old Anthony DiLisio always wanted to find a way to give back to his community and help people.

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LB-6 Honors Purple Heart Recipients During Memorial Day Service

Five Marines from Alpha Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) were presented with Purple Heart medals in a ceremony, May 31.

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Post office to be named in honor of fallen Marine

The New Jersey State Senate unanimously passed a resolution last week to rename the post office building at 216 Westwood Ave. after Christopher Hrbek, a Marine Sergeant from Westwood who was killed in Afghanistan on Jan. 14.

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June 2, 2010

Faces of War: The Battalion Commander

A Battalion Commander is responsible for more than 800 Marines. He plans missions, joins his troops on patrol, counsels them, disciplines them and promotes them. He also has to do paperwork.

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Macomb Marine killed in Afghanistan

Macomb Township -- A 20-year-old U.S. Marine was killed while serving in Afghanistan after he volunteered for patrol despite an option to stay in his camp, his girlfriend said.

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Marjah Marine Departs U.S. As a Photographer, Leaves As 'honorary Grunt'

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHER WALI, HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – When the infantry Marines of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, were first told they were getting a combat camera Marine attached to their platoon for Operation Moshtarak's push into Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, they didn't know what to expect.

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Reaching Out To Afghan Women

Every time Marine Corporal Dana Drew goes out on patrol in Khanashin, Afghanistan she is armed with her gun… and some snapshots.

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June 1, 2010

Voluntown remembers slain Marine on Memorial Day

Voluntown, Conn. —

Voluntown’s annual Memorial Day tributes took on an especially somber air Monday, less than two months after Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Tyler Griffin joined the roll of the town’s sons who have fallen in service to the country.

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Family, friends, community mourn local Marine killed in Afghanistan

Editor's note: The transcript of an exclusive Signal interview with Pfc. Suter's father, Chris Unthank, conducted after press time Monday night, follows the story below.

Those attending Memorial Day events at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall on Monday had arrived ready to reflect on memories of fallen heroes, but few expected so recent a memory as that of young United States Marine Corps Pfc. Jake William Suter, killed in Afghanistan on Saturday morning, Afghanistan time.

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No longer training for war, but living it

Summer is fighting season in southern Afghanistan and the heat is rising for Camp Pendleton Marines who took command this spring in Helmand province. The red desert flanking the river valley has begun to bake at 110 degrees, the poppy harvest is over and Taliban militants have returned to their guns and bombs.

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May 31, 2010

Banding Together to Get Better

Banding Together to Get BetterAmputees at Walter Reed Army Medical Center Rely on Each Other For Inspiration to Push Themselves to Walk Again

(CBS) May was a cruel month. The number of servicemen and women who lost an arm or a leg since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began went over 1,000, many of them more than one. They come to the physical therapy room at Walter Reed, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin.

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May 30, 2010

Menifee soldier delivers cargo, care packages

The cargo Jesse Karr carries when he pilots helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan can vary.

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Marine was 1,000th Afghan war casualty

By Paul J. Weber - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday May 30, 2010 9:57:20 EDT

KERRVILLE, Texas — The 1,000th American service member killed in Afghanistan was born on the Fourth of July. He died several days before Americans honor fallen troops on Memorial Day.

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Female Marines bridging gender gap in Afghanistan

ABDUL GHAYAS, Afghanistan — Two young female Marines trudged along with an infantry patrol in the 102-degree heat, soaked through their camouflage uniforms under 60 pounds of gear. But only when they reached this speck of a village in the Taliban heartland on a recent afternoon did their hard work begin.

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May 29, 2010

Marine Mentors Afghan Soldiers

MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan -- No driver's license, no driver's education courses, no time behind the wheel of a vehicle ever … no problem for one Marine mentor responsible for teaching Afghan National Army soldiers how to drive.

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May 28, 2010

Marine Cpl. Nicolas Parada-Rodriguez is memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery

The U.S. Marines fired three rifle volleys. A bugler played taps.

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May 27, 2010

Faces of War: Capt. Jason Ford

Captain Jason Ford is on his fourth tour of duty with the U.S. Marines, his first in Afghanistan. I met him in 2003 during the buildup to the invasion of Iraq and again on the march towards Baghdad while he was serving with the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, the same unit I embedded with.

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May 25, 2010

Remembering a Marine, Step by Step

COMBAT OUTPOST LILY, Helmand Province
— For Marines who have experienced combat together, the many rituals and gestures of bidding farewell to the dead, beginning from the point of medevac and continuing beyond the fallen Marine’s journey to the grave, are observed with a devotion that is at once quiet, fiercely followed and unsummoned. The more formal rituals are matters of tradition, like memorial services in the field and the escorts who accompany a dead Marine through his or her funeral back home. Some Marines are further memorialized in the names of outposts and landing zones; thus, “Combat Outpost Hanson” and the adjacent “Landing Zone Currier,” named after two Marines from Kilo Company, Third Battalion, Sixth Marines, who were killed several hundred yards from here in fighting against the Taliban in February. Other gestures are impromptu, spontaneous and intensely personal, propelled by feelings that take hold within young infantrymen who fight through ambush after ambush together, and who find, as their tattoos often say, that they are bound by blood and then by a set of memories that will be theirs alone for the decades ahead.

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May 24, 2010

Counting the Close Calls

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MARJAH, Afghanistan – I'm not an infantryman, far from it. I'm as much of a 'pog' (meaning person other than grunt) as one can be, but with the Marine Corps being what it is, even Pog's are afforded the opportunity to see combat. While in Helmand province, Afghanistan with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, I've nearly been shot several times. I've wound up pinned down in a muddy canal by sniper fire and have watched stunned as a rocket-propelled grenade spiraled through the air, bounce of a doorframe and skid to a halt, ten feet away.

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May 23, 2010

In the Face of Death: Marine Survives Firefight by 6 Inches

NAWA, Helmand Province, Afghanistan – All Marines endure some risk of serious injury or even death while deployed to combat, but for Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Gray, a few inches and a punctured rifle is all that separated him from a very bad day on the battlefield.

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May 22, 2010

War's painful toll hits Marine's family

Stafford Marine killed in Afghanistan last week is buried at Quantico

Donald J. Lamar II was born on July 4, 1986. His mother, Coleen Lamar of Stafford County, remembers that his grandmother had prepared a sign just for the occasion, also the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.

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May 20, 2010

Yuma Marine honored with name on VMA-214 Harrier

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. — The Marine Attack Squadron 214 Black Sheep honored one of their plane captains by painting his name onto the squadron commander’s AV-8B Harrier, which was unveiled at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz., May 13, 2010.

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War kills a young couple's dreams

Marine Lance Cpl. Philip P. Clark and his wife, Ashton, were making big plans for his return from Afghanistan this summer.

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Moms help honor a hero

Sharon Ferguson of Spring brought a pair of weathered combat boots to Rosehill United Methodist Church in Tomball on Thursday and asked the reverend to place them next to the flag-draped casket of 21-year-old Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Johnson.

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Antelope-area Marine mourned at high school

A 27-year-old Marine from the Antelope area who died Monday in Afghanistan was remembered at his high school as a fun-loving, responsible person who will be missed.

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Marine EOD Community Honors Fallen Fathers, Husbands, Sons

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Second Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, held a memorial service at the Protestant Chapel here, May 17, to honor five of their own who made the ultimate sacrifice while supporting Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom from February 2008 to February 2010.

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May 19, 2010

Marine Corporal Nicolas Parada-Rodriguez, from Stafford, dies in Afghanistan

He was an immigrant, the son of immigrants, who came to the United States 19 years ago, graduated from high school in Fairfax County, and, his sister said, wanted to defend his country.

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May 18, 2010

Woman Marine pins on second star

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — A woman of many firsts drew a large crowd of Marines as she celebrated her promotion to major general May 12 at The Clubs At Quantico.

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May 15, 2010

Marine Sgt. Donald J. Lamar II killed in Afghanistan; Stafford High graduate

A Fredericksburg Marine who played football and coached wrestling at Stafford High School has been killed in combat in Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department and family friends.

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Marine mourned

LUDLOW - When Frank Evangelista, owner of Frank's Diner on East Street, thinks of the late Marine Sgt. Joshua D. Desforges he remembers a smiling young man in a Santa Claus hat.

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May 14, 2010

Army Chief Presents Medals at Warrior Games

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. made a surprise visit to the inaugural Warrior Games here, May 13, capping a pivotal night in medal game play.

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Hometown hero honored

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- People are calling Corporal Tyler Southern a hometown hero.

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May 13, 2010

Another Tomball Marine killed in the Middle East

Tomball has lost yet another of its young men to the War on Terror.

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From Protecting Obama, to Protecting Fellow Marines

As part of our continuing coverage of "Afghanistan: the Road Ahead," - CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy follows the Third Battalion, First Marines at home, and abroad in Afghanistan.

Corporal Dan Rhodes (left) was sitting on the roof of the patrol base, looking out at a treeline from where the patrol base for Weapons Company had taken fire yesterday.

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Marines Earn Gold, Silver in Warrior Games Archery

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 13, 2010 – When retired Marine Corps 1st Sgt. John Fuller was asked how he thought the inaugural Warrior Games archery competition would turn out, his answer was complicated, yet simple. And it was right.

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Husband, Wife Coach Marine Shooting Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 13, 2010 – The Marine Corps teams competing at the inaugural Warrior Games here have a wealth of coaching knowledge available to their athletes.

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May 12, 2010

Marine Cpl. Kurt Shea of Frederick, Md., killed in Afghanistan

The family of Cpl. Kurt S. Shea, a 21-year-old Marine from Frederick, had been planning a party for July 4 to celebrate the end of his tour in Afghanistan. Instead, on Tuesday, relatives were preparing to go to Dover Air Force Base to retrieve the body of Shea, who was killed Monday in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

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East Texas Marine dies day after wedding anniversary

KILGORE, TX (KLTV) - It was a sobering day on an East Texas campus and for the city of Kilgore, as a hometown Marine falls in the line of duty in Afghanistan. The Marine was killed only a day after celebrating his second wedding anniversary.

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Marine's Fast Reaction Saves Life

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - The blast hit just outside his patrol base – a small, concrete schoolhouse in northern Marjah, May 4. The impact, said Cpl. Jason Ducote, made him feel "like all the fillings had fallen out of his teeth."

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Marines Remember and Honor a Fallen Brother

COMBAT OUTPOST CAFFERETTA, Afghanistan – Marines with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, gathered aboard Combat Outpost Cafferetta, to honor their fallen brother-in-arms, May 12.

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May 11, 2010

FRO publishes book of poetry

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point — When asked what motivates her to get out of bed every morning, Gunnery Sgt. Laura Stanislaw looked down at her desert camouflage uniform through big, piercing blue eyes. Her slender fingers and well-manicured fingernails play with the pen on her desk. “I’m just happy,” she said with a shrug and a smile. The family readiness officer for Marine Aircraft Group 40 describes her job as, “the most rewarding work I’ve done in the Marine Corps.”

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May 10, 2010

MAG-26 FRO receives Military Motherhood Award

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point — Marine Aircraft Group 26’s family readiness officer has been awarded the Military Motherhood Award.

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Perry Marine lauded for attitude, spirit

Perry High School's wrestling coach knew that Lance Cpl. Joshua Davis would be a good Marine because of his drive and determination.

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S.A. Marine killed in Afghanistan

Listed on a roster as 5 feet 9 inches and just 165 pounds, Chris Rangel was a leader on the field in one of the last football seasons at West Campus High School.

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May 9, 2010

'Steady' Perry Marine killed in Afghanistan combat

A U.S. Marine from Perry has been killed in combat in Afghanistan, U.S. Marine Corps officials confirmed Saturday.

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May 8, 2010

Mom: Fallen Marine 'passionate' about mission

The letter with instructions about where 1st Lt. Brandon Barrett wanted to be buried told friends back home in Indiana that — even if he didn't talk about it — he understood he might not survive his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

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Boston pauses to recall fallen Marine

Fellow townies have never forgotten Marine Lt. Michael Quinn of Charlestown - and neither has the Marine Corps.

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Marine sergeant an angel to families of the fallen

The Marine in dress greens appeared on the front porch of the East Northport home on a warm July morning.

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May 7, 2010

Boots on the ground: Craig Marine returns home, reflects on Iraq, Afghan experiences

Wacie Laabs’ tattoos — a U.S. Marine Corps emblem, a Celtic cross, the word “Honor” inked in old English — can almost be viewed as his road map to war.

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Marine returns from Afghanistan

LOWER SALFORD — Greg Meinhardt has been changed by the war in Afghanistan, but you wouldn't be able to tell by the Marine's sense of humor.

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May 6, 2010

Combat artist tells Corps’ story through artwork

BOSTON —

The phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” may mean more to some than it does to others. To combat artists, art is history in the making. A combat artist has the ability to create art from the moment it takes place.

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Family of local marine killed in Afghanistan carries on his legacy

Carpe Diem - the motto that 1st Lt. Michael Johnson lived by every single one of his 25 years.

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May 5, 2010

Iron Man

As Lance Cpl. Thomas Rivers Jr. patrolled Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province, he knew God had his back. The Marine often carried a Bible, yet even on days when he only had room for essential combat gear, Rivers felt protected by Psalm 91:1, which was tattooed on his back.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

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May 4, 2010

Food Service Specialist Cooks His Way to the Top

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The Food Service Specialist of the Year competition gauges the best of all the Food Service Specialists in the Marine Corps on their overall performance of duties. Out of the thousands of Marines in the military occupational specialty, it is a great honor to even be considered for the award. To make it to the final cut of the competition means the Marine has to be great at preparing dishes and satisfying Marine's hunger.

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May 1, 2010

Care Packages to Afghanistan Boosts Deployed Troops Morale

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Marines located on large bases such as Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, have the option to visit the Marine Corps Exchange any day to purchase supplies, hygiene products and other items a Marine might want. However, Marines in outlying areas throughout Helmand province may rarely get the opportunity to obtain essential supplies and hygiene products because of scattered convoy schedules.

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Marine recalls attack, works toward future

Phillip Martinovich reupped in January to serve another four years in the Marine Corps. He was wooed by a bonus and the opportunity to serve with a non-deployable unit in Germany.

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Afghanistan on deck for ex-Spartan

On track to be strength coach in NFL, Tate instead chose Marines

"Earned. Never given."

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April 29, 2010

MWSS-274 Marines Survives Near Fatal Accident, Deploys With His Unit

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan - Unconscious, suffering from hypothermia and tangled in his seatbelt upside down in a ditch flooded with water, survival seemed like a far shot for one Marine from Marine Wing Support Squadron 274.

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April 26, 2010

Rain doesn’t hamper memorial run for Cherry Hill Marine

The day Jeremy Kane's friends and family laid him to rest in January was cold and snowy. On Sunday, when the weather was chilly and misty, they gathered once more to run two miles in his memory.

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Afghan airfield named for Iron Range Marine

A 2-million-square-foot airfield in southern Afghanistan has been named in honor of a Marine from the Iron Range who was killed in action in October while fighting the war on global terrorism in that country.

A 2-million-square-foot airfield in southern Afghanistan has been named in honor of a Marine from the Iron Range who was killed in action in October while fighting the war on global terrorism in that country.

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April 21, 2010

No Place to Run: HMLA-367 Marine Helps Locate, Close-with, Destroy Enemy

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan — When Marines kick in doors and begin to put rounds down range, some insurgents flee — a Huey pilot helped create a way to stop them before they slip through the cracks.

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April 20, 2010

Face of Defense: Father, Son Serve in Afghanistan

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan, April 20, 2010 – An Afghan National Army Air Corps C-27A Spartan cargo aircraft took off from Kabul International Airport to conduct an International Security Assistance Force mission transporting weapons and cargo for Afghan National Police.

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April 18, 2010

Family of fallen Scranton marine helps design addition to Nay Aug Park's Heroes Memorial

Johanna Thomas Johnson will never forget the succession of telephone calls from home she received on a cold morning earlier this year.

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April 17, 2010

Marine Joins the Fight Doing What He Loves

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- In a small town in Wisconsin called Menomonee Falls, a kid named Michael J. Weiland grew up dreaming to become a police officer.

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April 15, 2010

N.C.-based combat engineer supersedes her peers

A female Marine who hails from the South American country of Brazil is shattering all myths about what it means to be a female Marine.

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April 14, 2010

Hawaii Marine recounts Wanat: 'I wasn't going to be taken alive'

Kāne'ohe Marine recalls deadly battle of Wanat

In a now-famous battle in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, Marine Staff Sgt. Luis Repreza had a dwindling supply of rifle ammunition and one grenade — which he intended to use on himself if his position was overrun by enemy fighters.

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LAPD officer killed in Afghanistan is honored in somber memorial

SWAT Officer Robert J. Cottle was on Marine Reserve duty when he died March 24 in an explosion. He was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star in services at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

A somber procession on Tuesday morning snaked its way through downtown Los Angeles as thousands honored LAPD SWAT Officer Robert J. Cottle, who was killed March 24 in Afghanistan while on Marine Corps Reserve duty.

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April 13, 2010

Pocket-Sized Pieces of Mind: Deployed Marines Keep Reminders of Home, Luck and Faith Close to Their Hearts

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - The young Marine checked his gear for the last time just a few hours before he was to depart friendly lines. The plan was to leave under the cloak of darkness, bound for yet another remote outpost in need of resupply deep in the heart of Helmand province. Regardless of the somewhat safer guise of night, the Marine knew the enemy would be watching ... waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike, as they had so many other times during his last few combat logistics patrols.

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April 12, 2010

Married to the sea: Lewes’ Parker Powell

Wharf deckhand joins Marines

Like the rest of the deckhands at Fisherman’s Wharf, Parker Powell came off the big, white-hulled fishing boats with his arms full. He carried rods in bundles; he helped lug coolers full of ice and dead croaker for out-of-state recreational anglers. With his Sunday-school smile and his yes-ma’am, no-ma’ams, one might think he was just trolling for tips.

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April 10, 2010

Marine helps save couple after hippo attack

Corporal: ‘Any Marine would have done the same thing’

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Apr 10, 2010 9:03:00 EDT

Hippopotamus attacks aren’t covered during standard Marine training, but that didn’t stop one corporal from rushing to the aid of a married couple while on safari in Zimbabwe after their inflatable canoe was flipped and the husband mauled.

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April 8, 2010

Blind Marine re-enlists

After all he's been through, the only real regret Marine Cpl. Matthew Bradford says he has now is not being able to return to combat duty in Iraq.

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Tattoos of love and war for US Marines

MARJAH, Afghanistan (AFP) – Corporal Jones Kendall twists around to read the tattoo in gothic script on his bicep: "Father please forgive me if I have to send them to you Lord".

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April 7, 2010

5 valor medals to spec ops team

By Amy McCullough - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 7, 2010 18:43:27 EDT

In northern Afghanistan, where U.S. and allied forces are in short supply, you don’t have to go far to find the bad guys. So the members of Marine Special Operations Team 5 were on high alert as they walked along the muddy Afghan roads in Bagdhis province on Oct. 28, 2008.

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Marine Fights Fires and Terrorism

Deep in the sands of Afghanistan, a Marine reservist who is also a volunteer firefighter carries out the missions placed upon him.

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April 4, 2010

Marines prepared for combat

Men and women, combat veterans and untested officers, logistics specialists and senior sergeants. Each Marine among the surge of more than 11,000 from Camp Pendleton and supporting bases heading to southern Afghanistan this spring is vital. Their roles differ, but the mission unites them as the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force assumes command of ground-combat operations in a Taliban stronghold.

The San Diego Union-Tribune will profile three of those Marines during their deployments.

THE FATHER FIGURE: 'You get attached to these young Marines.'

It hasn’t always been easy for Sgt. Maj. Neil O’Connell to balance the needs of his family at home and his family of Marines. But after more than three decades in the Corps, he has had a lot of practice.

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Scotts Valley Native Part of Marine IED Search Team

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. - Roadside bombs are reported to be the deadliest threat to the American military in the war effort in Afghanistan, but a Scotts Valley Marine led the way towards eliminating the threat with the help of a four-legged warrior.

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Slain Voluntown Marine returns home

‘He just looked out for others’

Friends and members of the Voluntown Baptist Church remembered Tyler Owen Griffin on Sunday as a kindhearted, giving young man who loved football and his country.

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April 2, 2010

Cherry Point Marine nominated for major general

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Robert S. Walsh, assistant wing commander of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point air station, has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general.

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Babies, wives and dogs among the greeters as 150 Marines return

CHERRY POINT — Pfc. Vince Sloan cradled his infant daughter in his hands for the first time Friday afternoon.

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April 1, 2010

Det. 2 Marine returns from war with Purple Heart Medal

On Christmas Day 2009, Lance Cpl. Ruben Wright awoke in a hospital bed in Afghanistan.

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Local Woman to Make History in Afghanistan

A local Marine, Cpl. Heather Sample, is making history as part of the first permanent, all-woman Female Engagement Team in Afghanistan. Also known as an FET unit, this prestigious group of women Marines will deploy along with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force early this month on a yearlong mission that will enhance the security and stability within the Helmand Province.

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March 31, 2010

Marines, sailor recognized for heroic actions in the line of fire

What they saw as simply doing their duty, many see as an act of heroism.

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March 29, 2010

Marines will parachute into award ceremony

CAMP PENDLETON — Gunnery Sgt. Brian M. Blonder and seven other reconnaissance Marines are expected to parachute onto Camp Pendleton today for a ceremony involving the Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone Award for Courage and Commitment.

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Marine corporal exceeds expectations, helps fight cancer

Dependable. Determined. Motivated. Those are just three of the many words Gunnery Sgt. Derrick Hayes, assistant staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the flammables section, 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, uses to describe Cpl. Dana Hineline.

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March 28, 2010

NYPD Marine Serves in Afghanistan

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – He's a Marine reservist by day, a crime fighter by night, and he does everything he can to protect the people of New York City. And now he's doing the same in Afghanistan.

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March 26, 2010

Local 'Hurt Locker' Marine receives Bronze Star

Marine Dustin Velzeboer scribbled seven words on a scrap of paper while steering a burning vehicle packed with explosives away from his wounded fellow servicemen.

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LAPD officer serving in Afghanistan is killed by roadside bomb

SWAT team member Robert J. Cottle, a Marine Corps reservist, is the department's first member to die in post-9/11 combat. He previously had served two tours in Iraq.

The Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday mourned its first officer to be killed in combat in Afghanistan after a roadside bomb took the life of a highly regarded SWAT team member.

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March 24, 2010

Heroics illustrated, comic-book style

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Mar 24, 2010 16:57:18 EDT

Blazing guns, explosions, epic battles and superheroes are common elements of most action comics. But in a new comic series debuting this month in Marines Magazine, the heroes are Marines, and the stories of combat are unembellished, real-life accounts of how they earned valor awards.

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March 17, 2010

A Small Victory in Afghanistan

Last week Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited the district of Now Zad in Afghanistan’s volatile Helmand Province. To many, it probably didn’t seem like significant news. Gates reportedly went no farther than a 100 meters outside the forward operating base and there were fully armed Marines posted at short intervals not far from where he was walking. They had probably been in position for at least 24 hours before Gates arrived and the area was likely swept for explosives and insurgents multiple times in the days prior to his arrival.

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March 10, 2010

2nd Dental Battalion Female Marine Makes Waves in Local Community

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - The antiquated thought that a woman's place is 'at home, in the kitchen' is not long gone, but steadily fading away. Women are more educated today, work in more demanding jobs than in years past and are more globally diverse than their foremothers.

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March 5, 2010

Flags Lowered In Honor Of Marine

LANSING (AP) -- Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff to honor a Marine from suburban Detroit who was killed in Afghanistan last month.

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March 3, 2010

Even His Red Squeak Toy Can't Get First Sgt. Gunner, USMC, to Fight

Despite Rehab, the Yellow Lab Won't Sniff For Bombs in Combat; He's 'a Lover'

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan—When the Marines cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war, one remains in his kennel. Quivering.

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March 1, 2010

Improvised Explosive Device Detection Program for the Dogs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE CAFERETTA, Nimruz province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – As improvised explosive devices continue to be a threat in the region as the Taliban's weapon of choice, coalition forces continue to adapt their ways of dealing with them.

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February 26, 2010

Marine with Minnesota ties killed in Afghanistan

A U.S. Marine with Minnesota family ties has been killed in Afghanistan.

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February 23, 2010

Pfc. Jason Hill Estopinal, 21: Marine was killed in Afghanistan

Cindy Sharpe was about to board a plane for a return trip to Atlanta when her phone rang.

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February 22, 2010

Hundreds give fallen Canton Marine a hero's welcome

Lucy Smithers didn’t know Marine Cpl. Jacob Turbett, hadn’t ever met him or anyone who knew him and knew nothing about Monday’s show of support for the fallen Marine until reading the local paper Sunday night.

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February 20, 2010

Londonderry Marine, 21, killed in Afghanistan

He died 'doing something respectful'

LONDONDERRY — A 21-year-old Londonderry Marine was killed by enemy fire Wednesday in Afghanistan.

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Family calls fallen Marine 'our hero'

Charlottean Noah Pier killed in Afghanistan, fighting for a cause "he believed in."

Lance Cpl. Noah Pier always wanted to be a Marine, and his family said they'll miss his "laughter and love of life."

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February 18, 2010

Local Marine in Afghanistan: 'I just have to stay alive'

KABUL, Afghanistan - For the U.S. Marines, including Justin Blancas of Mount Prospect, who are deployed to the battlefields of southern Afghanistan, life is fragile and thoughts focus on the day they see their families again. But something about this war is different.

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February 17, 2010

Michigan Marine killed in Afghanistan to be buried at Arlington

A Marine who graduated from Canton High School in 2007 and died recently in Afghanistan had known for years that he wanted to be in the military, according to one of his former teachers.

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Utah Marine played role in capture of Taliban leader

HOLLADAY -- American and Pakistani forces captured one of Osama Bin Ladin's right-hand men in Pakistan this week. The U.S. military is calling his capture a turning point in the war, and a Marine from Utah played a big role in the arrest.

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February 16, 2010

Marine from Canton Township killed in Afghanistan

Canton Township -- A Marine from Michigan who would have turned 22 on St. Patrick's Day has been killed in Afghanistan.

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February 15, 2010

U.S. Marine Walks Away From Shot to Helmet in Afghanistan

MARJAH, Afghanistan—It is hard to know whether Monday was a very bad day or a very good day for Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig.

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February 14, 2010

Navy Corpsmen Save Injured Afghan Girl in Marjah

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – When a 4-year-old Afghan girl named Azerha was struck by shrapnel Feb. 10, her brother Quassiam did the only thing he could think of – approach a group of armed Marines miles away and ask for medical assistance.

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February 5, 2010

Corpsman recognized for valor in Afghanistan

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION
FUTENMA — “Everybody was kind
of on edge, you could tell,” said Petty
Officer 2nd Class William Harris recently
referring to a mission last July
in Afghanistan.

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February 4, 2010

Frederick Marine remembered for bravery

Family plans to bury Frederick High graduate at Arlington National Cemetery

Kristen Forse will always remember her brother's bravery — on and off the battlefield.

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February 2, 2010

Taps

The Marines of Bravo Company left their patrol bases early Saturday morning. To their west were the Taliban pickets who defend the outer limits of Marja, an insurgent enclave in Helmand Province. The Marines turned in the opposite direction, heading to Forward Operating Base Spin Ghar, their company command post.

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January 30, 2010

Sign dedicates I-70/Cave Springs interchange to soldier's memory

First in Heroes Way program erected at I-70 and Cave Springs

The Interstate 70 interchange at Cave Springs has become a Heroes Way, dedicated to the memory of a St. Charles native killed two years ago while serving in Iraq.

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January 27, 2010

Former UT student, Navy sailor died in combat

A U.S. Navy Sailor and former University of Texas student was killed in Afghanistan Saturday. According to the Department of Defense, Petty Officer Second Class Xin Qi, 25, died in combat.

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January 23, 2010

Foot on Bomb, Marine Defies a Taliban Trap

SHOSHARAK, Afghanistan — If luck is the battlefield’s final arbiter — the wild card that can trump fitness, training, teamwork, equipment, character and skill — then Lance Cpl. Ryan T. Mathison experienced its purest and most welcome form.

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January 22, 2010

One Dog, One Marine, One Mission

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Worse than turbulence, their truck sways side to side and bumps up and down along a path in Afghanistan. What would be an intolerable ride for most is just something Lance Cpl. Paul N. Krist, a dog handler for 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion and his dog Max have accepted as part of the job.

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January 15, 2010

Marine from Bergen County killed in Afghanistan will receive Bronze Star

WESTWOOD -- On Christmas Day, Marine Sgt. Christopher Hrbek called home to Bergen County from Afghanistan with the news he had been nominated for a Bronze Star.

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December 21, 2009

Marine awarded Navy Cross for Afghan heroics

By Matt Orr, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, December 21, 2009

CAMP SCHWAB, Okinawa — A 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion Marine here received his nation’s second highest award for valor Friday.

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December 17, 2009

Family and Friends Say Goodbye to Fallen Marine

Family, friends and fellow Marines went to the Chase Parkway Memorial on Wednesday to pay their respects to Corporal Xhacob LaTorre, a proud Marine dedicated to serving his country who lost his life fighting for it.

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December 7, 2009

Family loses 2nd Marine in noncombat incident

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Dec 7, 2009 11:01:28 EST

EAST GRAND FORKS, Minn. — A Minnesota family has lost a second Marine in a noncombat incident.

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November 25, 2009

Cookin' Up a Dust Storm: Marine Puts TLC Back Into Chow

COMBAT OUTPOST NUKHAYB, Iraq – In a small corner of Iraq known as Combat Outpost Nukhayb, Marines fended for themselves in the chow hall for some time. When they got a hankering for some down-home cooking, someone whipped up a meal on the four-burner stove, but without much extra time in their busy schedules, many found solace in the microwave oven. Cpl. Ryan Schmidt, a cook with Marine Wing Support Squadron 472, intends to make a few changes to the menu.

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November 22, 2009

O.C. Marine is called a hero at Afghanistan memorial service

Lance Cpl. Justin Swanson was killed Nov. 10 when a bomb exploded under his Humvee. He was 'full of love for his family and home and dedicated to the protection of others,' his commander says.

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November 13, 2009

O.C. Marine killed in AfghanistanFriday, November 13, 2009

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- A 21-year-old Marine from Anaheim was killed in combat in Afghanistan.

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November 12, 2009

Anaheim Marine killed in Afghanistan

ANAHEIM Justin J. Swanson talked about duty and discipline and about being a role model for his family when he signed up for the U.S. Marine Corps a few weeks out of high school.

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November 4, 2009

Students bond with Marine

Sergeant went to thank them for gifts … and got a welcome-home party in return
Just in time for Veterans Day, Marine Sgt. Andrew Valora went to an Oro Valley elementary school last week to give his thanks for a classroom's support while he and others were deployed overseas.

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October 29, 2009

Evansville Marine, wounded in Afghanistan, receives electric vehicle

ARLINGTON, Va. - An Evansville Marine injured in Afghanistan was one of 25 soldiers awarded personal mobility vehicles at a ceremony in Arlington, Va., on Thursday.

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San Luis Obispo High alumnus was in helicopter crash that killed four in Afghanistan on Monday

Man loses lower leg in Monday’s helicopter wreck; parents fly from the county to see him

A Marine captain and San Luis Obispo High School alumnus is recovering in a hospital in Germany after he lost one of his lower legs and suffered other serious injuries in a helicopter crash Monday in Afghanistan.

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October 1, 2009

Humble hero earns bronze star

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Bullets were spraying down range at Gunnery Sgt. Christopher J. Clookey and his platoon during spring 2008 in Afghanistan. With a wounded Marine needing helicopter evacuation, Clookey purposely exposed himself to enemy fire in order to locate the direction of their fire. After pinpointing the enemy, he led his Marines to destroy the opposing force’s position. Afterward, Clookey was able to mark the landing zone to evacuate the injured Marine and save his life.

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Marines save elderly man in car accident

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — When Staff Sgt. Chavis P. Bowers began his morning commute Sept. 22, he had no idea just how important his combat lifesaver training would be that day.

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September 25, 2009

Marine Honored for Service, Sacrifice

Harrisburg, Pa. - A local Marine wounded in Afghanistan was honored for his service and his sacrifice on Thursday night.

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September 23, 2009

Marine readies for 4th Iraq tour

Sgt. Doug Osborn, 27, has already earned a Purple Heart
MUNCIE -- A Purple Heart recipient from Delaware County has volunteered to return to Iraq for his fourth deployment there.

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September 21, 2009

Funeral set in Anderson for Highway Patrol trooper

ANDERSON, SC — Law enforcement officials from across the state will be coming to Anderson on Wednesday to pay their respects to Lance Cpl. Jonathan S. Nash, a graduate of the city’s Oakwood Christian Academy.

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September 16, 2009

After son's death in Iraq, father embeds with unit to tell his story

When the news came, Darrell Griffin hurled the phone.
Then he got in his car and navigated the madness of Los Angeles highways, thankful only for the time it gave him to think about what he would say to his family. Later, consumed with the grief of losing a son, Griffin drew the drapes in his bedroom and made his world mimic the darkness in his heart

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September 8, 2009

Dozens gather for Marine's homecoming

DENVER - It's been one month since Staff Sergeant Jesse Cottle was seriously injured in Afghanistan. In that time he has had six surgeries and lost both of his legs.

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Marine's Award-winning Past Leads to His Significant Presence

CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - Prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps, every potential Marine sits down with a recruiter and picks out the reasons they want to join from a stack of colorful cards with the words travel, education and discipline, among others that describe most of the reasons someone would make the decision to commit.

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September 5, 2009

Corpsman with 2nd LAR killed in Afghanistan

Staff report
Posted : Saturday Sep 5, 2009 11:31:42 EDT

A Navy corpsman was killed Thursday while supporting Marines in southern Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department

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August 31, 2009

Homecoming For Local Wounded Soldier

FAIRBORN, Ohio -- It was a homecoming in Fairborn for a disabled Marine who got a hero’s welcome from thousands of people.

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August 28, 2009

Body of O.C. Marine killed in Afghanistan is coming home

Remains of Donald Hogan, 20, expected in Southern California next week

The remains of a San Clemente Marine killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware today and are expected in Southern California in the middle of next week.

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August 27, 2009

'Marine killed in Afghanistan bomb blast 'was a beautiful kid'


A Tesoro High School graduate who wanted to be a Marine like his grandfather was killed in a roadside bomb explosion Wednesday morning in southern Afghanistan

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August 23, 2009

Marine Lance Cpl. Pedro Barboza Flores, 27, Glendale, killed by roadside bomb

Having a hard time finding his path in life, he revisited a childhood dream and overcame obstacles to make it come true.
When Pedro Barboza Flores walked into the Glendale recruiting office to volunteer for the U.S. Marine Corps two summers ago, he received a discouraging reply. At 6 feet 2 and 220 pounds he was too heavy, older than most at 25, and he needed to finish high school. Staff Sgt. James Anderson thought he'd never see him again.

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August 21, 2009

29 Palms Marine receives Navy Cross

Staff report
Posted : Friday Aug 21, 2009 7:06:34 EDT

A junior Marine severely wounded during an ambush last year in Afghanistan’s Helmand province received the Navy Cross on Thursday at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif., base officials said.

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My brother's a hero, says sister of Queens Marine killed in Afghanistan

Marine Lance Cpl. Leopold Damas survived two tours in Iraq before being sent deep into Taliban territory in Afghanistan three months ago.

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My brother's a hero, says sister of Queens Marine killed in Afghanistan

Marine Lance Cpl. Leopold Damas survived two tours in Iraq before being sent deep into Taliban territory in Afghanistan three months ago.

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August 20, 2009

Marines awarding Navy Cross to Nebraskan

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.—The Marines are honoring a Nebraska native with its second-highest decoration for his heroism in Afghanistan last year.

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29 Palms Marine to receive Navy Cross

Staff report
Posted : Thursday Aug 20, 2009 7:13:51 EDT

A junior Marine severely wounded during an ambush last year in Afghanistan’s Helmand province will receive the Navy Cross on Thursday at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif., base officials said.

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August 19, 2009

Marine from Twentynine Palms to receive Navy Cross for bravery

A Marine from Twentynine Palms is set Thursday to receive the Navy Cross for bravery during combat in Afghanistan.

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Marine from Twentynine Palms to receive Navy Cross for bravery

A Marine from Twentynine Palms is set Thursday to receive the Navy Cross for bravery during combat in Afghanistan.

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August 15, 2009

Journalist Joined Marines After 9/11

Marine Sgt. Bill Cahir, 40, a former Washington-based journalist and congressional staffer who joined the Marines after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, was killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 13, his unit and friends reported. He was an Alexandria resident.

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August 14, 2009

Bill Cahir, Express-Times reporter-turned-Marine sergeant, killed in Afghanistan

Former Express-Times correspondent and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Bill Cahir has been killed in combat in Afghanistan, family and friends said Thursday.

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A day in the life of a Marine combat outpost

ANP HILL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Cpl. Justin Thompson crawled out of his rat hole dug deep into a wind-beaten, barren hilltop. Stepping over mounds of protective sand bags, he watched the sun rise over the Now Zad valley, a Taliban stronghold.

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August 13, 2009

Bill Cahir, journalist, soldier, great American, killed in Afghanistan

Express-Times correspondent Bill Cahir wrote this front page account of his U.S. Marine boot camp experience that appeared in the newspaper July 4, 2004. Our valued co-worker, friend and journalist was killed in active duty in Afghanistan.

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August 1, 2009

Destroyer christened in honor of MoH Marine

By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Aug 1, 2009 14:40:26 EDT

BATH, MAINE — Debra Dunham swung true with her silver bottle of champagne Saturday, cracking it against the bulbus sonar dome on the bow of the Navy destroyer that bears the name of her son. With its traditional alcoholic bath, the hull known as DDG 109 took its real name: “Jason Dunham.”

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Fallen MoH recipient’s helmet lives on

Staff report
Posted : Saturday Aug 1, 2009 9:03:16 EDT

Five years after Cpl. Jason Dunham died in Iraq, his former commander delivered the shattered remains of his helmet to the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va., save one piece that will be sealed within the mast of a Navy destroyer named in Dunham’s honor.

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Navy Christens Newest Arleigh Burke-Class Ship Jason Dunham

BATH, Maine (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy christened the newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), Aug. 1 during a ceremony at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.

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New warship named for lifesaving Marine

Corporal who covered live grenade with body honored at christening

BATH, Maine - In a solemn ceremony punctuated by talk of courage, service and sacrifice, the mother of a Marine corporal on Saturday christened a warship honoring her son, who died after covering an exploding grenade to protect his comrades in Iraq.

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July 31, 2009

Warship honors heroic Marine

Destroyer will be christened Saturday

The name of a brave young man from Scio forever will be remembered by the sailors and Marines who set foot on a warship about to be christened.

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July 24, 2009

Niles Marine sole survivor of Afghanistan attack

July 24, 2009 (NILES, Ill.) (WLS) -- A Marine from the Chicago area was wounded this week in Afghanistan.

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July 22, 2009

Local Marine killed on 2nd Iraq tour

Since childhood, New Braunfels man's dream was to join the Marines.

Long before he hit Canyon High School in New Braunfels, Brandon Lara knew he wanted to be a Marine. Not even the outbreak of war in Iraq, when relatives tried to persuade him not to sign up, could shake his will.

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July 20, 2009

Vaccination Amendment Added to Defense Bill

(Springfield, MO) -- The U.S. Senate is in the middle of debating a comprehensive defense bill. A Springfield family has its own reasons for wanting a new amendment to the bill passed.

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July 19, 2009

1st female Marine One pilot reflects on tenure

By Darlene Superville - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jul 19, 2009 13:21:41 EDT

WASHINGTON — Jennifer Grieves wanted independence, exposure and something she could be proud of when she joined the Marine Corps. She got all that, and more — including a place in history as the first woman to ever pilot Marine One, the president’s helicopter.

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July 17, 2009

President Obama's Historic First Female Helicopter Pilot

Maj. Jennifer Grieves Is the First Woman to Fly the President in Marine One Helicopter

Maj. Jennifer Grieves is the first female helicopter aircraft commander in the history of Marine One, the HMX-1 helicopter the president of the United States flies on.

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July 16, 2009

Stricken Marine spurs senator’s amendment

Gannett Washington Bureau - Gannett Washington Bureau
Posted : Thursday Jul 16, 2009 20:48:40 EDT

WASHINGTON — Marine Lance Cpl. Josef Lopez of Springfield has spent the last three years recovering from a smallpox vaccination that left him paralyzed and nearly took his life.

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July 13, 2009

2/3 NCO dies from blast wounds

Staff report
Posted : Monday Jul 13, 2009 16:15:02 EDT

A Hawaii-based Marine died Friday at Bethesda Naval Medical Center in Maryland from wounds suffered during a bombing late last month in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, according to reports.

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July 5, 2009

Marine seeking medical items to establish clinic

Capt. Paul Webber is serving in Afghanistan

A U.S. Marine from the foothills who has a knack of finding himself in the thick of the fray is asking area residents to help aid American efforts in Afghanistan.

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SOI instructors recognized for saving students

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jul 5, 2009 8:49:03 EDT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — In nearly identical incidents seven weeks apart, quick thinking by two Marine combat instructors prevented likely catastrophic injuries when fragmentation grenades tossed by two students didn’t clear a wall.

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July 4, 2009

Honor and tears for a fallen warrior

As I was sitting at the gate in the Washington-Baltimore airport Tuesday waiting on my flight, waiting for the attendant to announce boarding for our flight to Charlotte, I saw about a dozen Transportation Security Agency uniformed personnel head to the departure ramp.
I was concerned there was a problem, meaning a delay.
Just what I needed!

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Marine from Adairsville killed in Afghanistan had been in country six weeks, uncle says

Lance Cpl. Seth Sharp, 20, a Marine from Adairsville who was killed Thursday in Afghanistan, signed up when he was 17 and had previously been deployed in Iraq, a relative said.

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June 27, 2009

Highly decorated Marine pilot dies at 89

Received 59 medals for actions in three conflicts

The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Jun 27, 2009 10:07:49 EDT

CLACKAMAS, Ore. — Retired Marine Corps Col. Kenneth L. Reusser, who was called the most decorated Marine aviator in history and was shot down in three wars, has died at age 89.

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June 25, 2009

Marine behind Wounded Warrior barracks to retire

Staff report
Posted : Thursday Jun 25, 2009 21:38:01 EDT

The Marine officer who devised centralized barracks for wounded warriors is leaving the Corps.

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June 22, 2009

Iredell soldier laid to rest

Family, friends, and military personnel gathered in New Prospect Baptist Church to say farewell to a young man taken too early.

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June 1, 2009

For Marine, marathon on the Great Wall of China was grueling but rewarding

By Cindy Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, June 1, 2009

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Visiting the Great Wall of China is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most.

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May 31, 2009

Father, son serve under same colors in Iraq

CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq —
When Cpl. Jared P. Lopez joined the Marine Corps in September 2006, he always knew there would be a possibility that he would deploy at the same time as his father, who has served in the Marine Corps for nearly 20 years—but he didn’t think that they would end up on the same base in Iraq.

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May 30, 2009

3 brothers reflect on joining Marines

By Rob Novit - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday May 30, 2009 17:57:14 EDT

AIKEN, S.C. — Soon after graduating from South Aiken High School a decade ago, Jamie Coomes enlisted in the Marine Corps and served eight months in Iraq in 2004.

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May 26, 2009

Kittanning grad offers insider's view on Afghanistan

John Brochetti was happy to hear his son's voice for the first time in two months Friday.

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May 18, 2009

Lejeune Marine dies in car wreck

Staff report
Posted : Monday May 18, 2009 12:24:24 EDT

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — A Marine died early Sunday after being ejected from the car he was driving near Camp Lejeune.

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May 16, 2009

Retired aviator opens park for Marine Week

CHICAGO —
Roy Arnold has been the president of Arlington Park race track since April 2006, but before he took the job, Arnold was the assistant commander of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.

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South Side struggle to Marine Corps success

CHICAGO —
Growing up on the South Side of Chicago isn’t easy for a teenager. Marcos Estrada was no exception, which forced him to overcome obstacle after obstacle to get to where he is today.

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May 13, 2009

Marine receives rare opportunity

CHICAGO — Lance Cpl. Sean R. Padfield, hardly ever gets the chance to show his family what he does in the Marine Corps. With Marine Week Chicago in full swing he’s taking advantage of the opportunity, including a static display at Sears Holdings today.

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May 11, 2009

Iraqi ballots honor fallen Marines

Hickory resident provides another memory for Gold Star families

HICKORY - Russ Meade knows the power of a ballot.

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May 8, 2009

'Little Warriors' Surf Camp to Host 100 Military Children

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2009 – Surfs up! Military children of wounded or fallen servicemembers will be able to catch their first wave this summer, thanks to Freedom Is Not Free, a California-based troop-support group.

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May 3, 2009

The 2009 TIME 100 - Brady Gustafson

Lance Corporal Brady (Goose) Gustafson and his 20 fellow Marines sensed trouble on July 21 as they crept into the Afghan village of Shewan and saw civilians drifting away. Moments later, a barrage of rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and machine-gun fire enveloped Gustafson's mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle (MRAP) and its three trailing humvees. An RPG exploded inside his vehicle, the resulting blast searing his face as it rushed through the open turret where he was manning the machine gun. He started shooting at gun flashes from an estimated 100 Taliban, some only 20 yards away. Gustafson, 21, stood up for a better firing position but was instantly racked with pain. "I looked down, and a lot of my right leg wasn't there," he says. "I could see muscle and bone, and I was bleeding pretty hard." The RPG had taken out six inches of leg bones and flesh. Gustafson's booted right foot dangled uselessly, attached only by his leg's calf muscles.

Continue reading "The 2009 TIME 100 - Brady Gustafson" »

Injured Marine shares story to inspire others

By David Carter, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, May 3, 2009

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Lance Cpl. Matthew Bradford was nervous.

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May 1, 2009

Female Marine serves as gunner, Lioness in Iraq

CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq — A city girl from coastal California shocked her relatives and friends when she became the first in her family to join the Marine Corps in 2005.

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April 30, 2009

A Young Marine’s Dream Job

FIREBASE VIMOTO, Afghanistan — Three stone houses and a cluster of sandbagged bunkers cling to a slope above the Korangal Valley, forming an oval perimeter roughly 75 yards long. The oval is reinforced with timber and ringed with concertina wire

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April 29, 2009

2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment's executive officer killed in motorcycle crash

MCAGCC — The executive officer of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center was killed Tuesday night, April 28 when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a vehicle in Yucca Valley.

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April 25, 2009

Motorcyclist Killed on I-70 Near Concordia

LAFAYETTE COUNTY, Mo. – A 26-year-old Kansas City man is dead after a one-vehicle crash Friday afternoon in Lafayette County.

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Marine at Twentynine Palms adds to the growing list of military suicides

The photo is still tucked into Paul McShan's wallet. Protected by a plastic sleeve warped and dulled by the 23 years since the picture was taken, the image shows the wrinkly face of his sleeping 5-day-old son, Ricky.

Continue reading "Marine at Twentynine Palms adds to the growing list of military suicides" »

April 8, 2009

Becoming a Marine redefines ‘hard’ for senior track runner Cody Henning

As the beauty of spring slowly but surely paints the landscape of the Missoula valley, productive indoor activities go right out the window. Of the possible outdoor activities to choose from, running 400-meter sprints in the blazing hot sun would probably reside at the bottom of the list for most. But University of Montana sprinter Cody Henning holds many things in lower esteem than sprint workouts. Relay workouts are not hard. Cody Henning knows what hard is.

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March 27, 2009

Local Post Office Renamed For Fallen Central Texas Marine

LORENA (March 27, 2009)—During a ceremony Friday, the Lorena Post Office was renamed in honor of fallen Marine Gunnery Sgt. John D. Fry, 28, a Lorena native who died in the explosion of a homemade bomb in March 2006 in Iraq’s then-volatile Anbar Province.

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March 16, 2009

Lance Corporal J. B. Breen

Lance Corporal J. B. Breen, 23, Route 1, St. Francisville, IL passed away at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, IN, March 15, 2009, at 11:30 p.m. as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident north of Mt. Carmel, IL.

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Marine receives Bronze Star for Iraq heroics

Staff report
Posted : Monday Mar 16, 2009 16:37:51 EDT

An Arizona-based Marine received a Bronze Star with combat “V” in March for his actions last year in Iraq, according to a Marine news release.

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February 27, 2009

Station pays tribute to local fallen Marine

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan —He was a son, a brother, a friend and a Marine.

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February 22, 2009

Marines and family gather to recall sergeant who saved comrade’s lives

By Cindy Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, February 22, 2009

CAMP SCHWAB, Okinawa — Tears as well as chuckles filled the small chapel here Friday during a memorial service for Sgt. Michael H. Ferschke Jr.

Continue reading "Marines and family gather to recall sergeant who saved comrade’s lives" »

February 19, 2009

Re-enlistment getting tougher for Marines

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Feb 19, 2009 15:35:41 EST

In late December, a former NCO decided to rejoin the Corps.

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February 16, 2009

Three Marines, three paths

They joined on the buddy program with high hopes. It's been a hard road.

Reporting from Bala Balouk, Afghanistan -- The last in an occasional series on three high school friends from Southern California and their wartime enlistment in the Marine Corps.

Lance Cpl. Daryl Crookston knew there would be casualties. That inevitability had been drummed into him as far back as boot camp, by drill sergeants and infantry school instructors, by fellow Marines.

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February 11, 2009

Movie premiere hits close to home for service members

WASHINGTON —
Senior military officials and government dignitaries gathered to watch the premiere of “Taking Chance,” the HBO made-for-TV movie, Feb. 9 at the Motion Picture Association of America.

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February 9, 2009

Bridgewater mourns loss of first soldier since Vietnam to die in combat

BRIDGEWATER — Lance Cpl. Kevin T. Preach, who died Saturday from injuries sustained in combat while in Afghanistan, will be remembered for his smile, his sense of humor, and his selflessness. He was 21.

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February 7, 2009

Broken Arrow Marine Awarded Purple Heart

BROKEN ARROW, OK -- Corporal Joseph Hadavi was awarded the Purple Heart Saturday evening in Broken Arrow.

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February 6, 2009

Above and beyond the call - Marine stays in the fight, earns Bronze Star with 'V'

CAMP SCHWAB, Okinawa — I began my duty in 1944 and have no plans to retire.

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February 5, 2009

Retired Marine paves way for Leathernecks everywhere

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The best things in life are not always planned.

Continue reading "Retired Marine paves way for Leathernecks everywhere" »

February 2, 2009

Redmond Marine Receives Bronze Star

The bronze star is the military's fourth highest award and for 24-year old Sergeant Wayne DeKorte of Redmond--- an unexpected honor.

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January 30, 2009

3/7 Marine receives Bronze Star, moves on to future

Sgt. Wayne Dekorte, a platoon sergeant with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, recently left the Marine Corps after his enlistment came to an end. Part of his enlistment was receiving a Bronze Star medal for his accomplishments overseas.

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January 29, 2009

2 Lejeune NCOs killed in Afghanistan

Staff report
Posted : Thursday Jan 29, 2009 11:14:21 EST

Two North Carolina-based noncommissioned officers were killed Tuesday while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan, the Defense Department reported Wednesday.

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January 28, 2009

Twin brothers meet by chance in Iraqi desert

What are the odds?

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January 27, 2009

Lejeune Marine dies in Afghanistan

Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Jan 27, 2009 17:53:12 EST

A North Carolina-based Marine died Saturday after a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan’s Farah province, according to reports.

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January 25, 2009

A Marine pilot's long journey home

For over 60 years, they knew only that he was lost in battle. Then a Globe account reunited a family with its hero.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The rain fell steadily from an opaque sky, but the Marines stood ramrod straight, eyes fixed ahead. In the historic graveyard, the Rev. Peter Lanzillotta gazed down at the urn. "You served your country with a full measure of your devotion. We shall salute you and say hail and farewell, good and noble Marine."

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Brothers meet up during deployment to Iraq

CAMP RIPPER, Iraq —
While deployed, Marines often depend on phone calls and e-mails to keep in contact with their families. Some Marines however, can find themselves separated from a loved one by just a few miles.

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January 23, 2009

Devil dog providing the Corps with some new threads

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — When Russ Meade was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1994, the former infantryman thought his separation would be only temporary. After obtaining his college degree, he planned on returning to the Marine Corps as an officer and making it a career.

Continue reading "Devil dog providing the Corps with some new threads" »

January 21, 2009

Lejeune Marines die in auto wreck

Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Jan 21, 2009 19:02:08 EST

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — Two North Carolina-based Marines are dead and another is in a Pennsylvania hospital after early morning vehicle accident Tuesday.

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January 9, 2009

Chaplain's 'guardian' remains ready to fight

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 9, 2009) — If you search across the landscape of any battlefield where Marines fight, you’re bound to find a Navy chaplain nearby.

Continue reading "Chaplain's 'guardian' remains ready to fight" »

January 8, 2009

Okinawa-based gunny receives Silver Star

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jan 8, 2009 19:44:20 EST

A gunnery sergeant was awarded the Silver Star on Thursday, four months after he helped fight off insurgents in Iraq by calling for his vehicle to be rammed into a building, then leading the recovery of a wounded Marine inside.

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January 7, 2009

Iraq battle yields Navy Cross, 4 Silver Stars

By Gidget Fuentes - [email protected]
Posted : Wednesday Jan 7, 2009 10:38:31 EST

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The Marine Corps will present the Navy Cross on Thursday to a junior grenadier credited with saving the lives of 10 fellow infantrymen and decimating a force of insurgents during a deadly 2005 firefight inside an Iraqi home.

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January 6, 2009

Lejeune Marine dies in Afghanistan

Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Jan 6, 2009 20:25:39 EST

A North Carolina-based Marine was killed late last week after triggering a land mine in Afghanistan, his family said.

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January 2, 2009

S. Fla. Marine Killed In Jet Crash

Former Hialeah Resident Dies In North Carolina

HIALEAH, Fla. -- A South Florida Marine pilot died Monday when the harrier jet he was flying crashed in North Carolina.

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December 31, 2008

Pilot killed in crash identified

Staff and wire reports
Posted : Wednesday Dec 31, 2008 12:24:45 EST

HAVELOCK, N.C. — The Marine pilot who was killed Monday when an AV-8B Harrier jet crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. has been identified as Capt. Alberto Bencosme with Marine Attack Training Squadron 203.

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December 29, 2008

Fallen Marines to be awarded Navy Cross

Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, 19, had just arrived in Iraq.

Cpl. Jonathan Yale and Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter saved Iraqi police and fellow Marines from a truck-driving suicide bomber, Marine brass say. The April attack could have slain dozens.

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December 24, 2008

Support For Marine Parents

(December 24, 2008) - For the Knoph Family, this Christmas may just be the most special of them all, because their son, Blake, is home safe from service in Afghanistan.

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December 2, 2008

A Marine's spoken word

There is a peace surrounded by insurrection in Rhamadi, Iraq.

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November 28, 2008

Intelligence site named for slain Ind. Marine

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Nov 28, 2008 12:46:59 EST

KOKOMO, Ind. — The family of Lance Cpl. James Swain is proud that the Marine Corps named a building at its intelligence base in Virginia after him. But it’s an honor that comes with mixed feelings.

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November 27, 2008

Hero honored at annex with Medal for Valor

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Marines are preparing to enter a building as the machine gunner squints to identify figures approaching from a distance. Suddenly the figures come into focus, and the Marine reacts instinctively to the threat by manning the vehicle-mounted weapon and immediately providing suppressive fire to alert fellow Marines of the impending danger.

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November 25, 2008

Sailor risks life, epitomizes heroism

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Nov. 25, 2008) — An Iraqi reporter from Al Jazeera met his worst nightmare and possibly his best friend when he was caught in the crossfire while covering combat operations, April 4.

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Scholarship to be named for fallen Marine

It has been nine months since a gunman's bullet took the life of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Drew Weaver.

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Scholarship to be named for fallen Marine

It has been nine months since a gunman's bullet took the life of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Drew Weaver.

Continue reading "Scholarship to be named for fallen Marine" »

Scholarship to be named for fallen Marine

It has been nine months since a gunman's bullet took the life of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Drew Weaver.

Continue reading "Scholarship to be named for fallen Marine" »

Scholarship to be named for fallen Marine

It has been nine months since a gunman's bullet took the life of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Drew Weaver.

Continue reading "Scholarship to be named for fallen Marine" »

November 24, 2008

War tour plays role in firehouse prank

By Joe Bush - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 24, 2008 20:06:47 EST

At first, fellow Marines might have thought Staff Sgt. Daniel Stranahan was nuts for carrying a plaque with him into outhouses in the middle of Iraq — and photographing it.

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November 22, 2008

Reserve Commander Adapts and Overcomes

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq — When Lt. Col. Geoff Rollins took command of 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team in October 2006, he had a daunting task before him.

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Marines to be awarded Navy Cross posthumously

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Nov 22, 2008 7:46:45 EST

Two Marines who died in Iraq stopping a small water tanker filled with explosives will be posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, the nation’s second-highest combat honor, a Marine spokeswoman said.

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November 21, 2008

Remembering a friend, hero, Marine

FALLUJAH, Iraq — A small pump station on the outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq, sends streams of water through large metal pipes and into the homes and businesses of local citizens.

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November 19, 2008

Friends and family mourn Marine killed in Iraq

CAMP PENDLETON — Friends and family today mourned a 24-year-old Camp Pendleton Marine from Santa Barbara County killed in combat in Iraq last week.

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November 11, 2008

Easton Marine eager to rejoin unit

EASTON — There are only four fingers now and a long scar on Ryan Walsh’s left hand, and the 22-year-old Marine is still limping a bit, weeks after surgery to insert a metal plate in his shattered right leg.

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November 4, 2008

‘Incredible Marine’ laid to rest

By Rasheed Oluwa - The Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal
Posted : Tuesday Nov 4, 2008 9:54:56 EST

MARLBORO, N.Y. — Hundreds of Trevor Yurista’s family members and friends poured into St. Mary’s Church in Marlboro, N.Y., on Monday for his funeral.

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November 2, 2008

John Ripley, Vietnam War hero, dies at age 69

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Retired Marine Col. John Ripley, who was credited with stopping a column of North Vietnamese tanks by blowing up a pair of bridges during the 1972 Easter Offensive of the Vietnam War, died at home at age 69, friends and relatives said Sunday.

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November 1, 2008

Service honors Marine killed in Afghanistan

U.S. gives family certificate making Lance Cpl. San Sim a U.S. citizen as of day he died.


NEWPORT BEACH – Lance Cpl. San Sim's wife made a quiet promise to him Saturday as she ran her hand over the white stars of the flag that covered his coffin.

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October 31, 2008

My Marine

My son Zachary was a gangly high-school junior when he casually informed me, in the fall of 2003, that he’d been speaking with military recruiters. “An Army guy, a Navy guy and a marine are coming over,” Zach said. “A parent has to be present because I’m not 18 yet.”

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October 29, 2008

Marine from Pleasant Valley, killed in Afghanistan, being mourned

A Marine from Pleasant Valley was killed Monday in Afghanistan, his father has confirmed.

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October 28, 2008

Pleasant Valley native killed in Afghanistan

First Lt. Trevor Yurista, 31, died when an improvised explosive device exploded near him while he was on duty in a remote region of Afghanistan, his father, Ronald Yurista, said.

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N.J. Marine receives Bronze Star

New Orleans — Capt. Joseph Lizarraga, Inspector/Instructor, Battery G, 3rd battalion, 14th Marines, and a Hamilton, N.J. native, was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service while on deployment in Iraq, at the reserve center in Trenton, N.J., Oct. 20.

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October 25, 2008

Marine amputee returns to combat after near death experience

CAMP BARBER, Helmand Province, Afghanistan — There was blood in the water. It was a grim addition to the Iraqi sewage canal usually littered with dead sheep and festering fish.
That’s where the Marines of Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division found their comrade after the attack.

Continue reading "Marine amputee returns to combat after near death experience" »

October 24, 2008

Family remembers Marine killed in Afghanistan

San Sim, 23, was weeks away from completing his third tour.

Lance Cpl. San Sim came from a family of pacifists.

His birthplace, the Phillipines, was ever a reminder of their journey from the terror of the Khmer Rouge. But after Sept. 11, 2001, Sim decided to fight.

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1st LAR Bn. Marine shoots to attain higher goal

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq -- (October 24, 2008) When it comes to basketball, you might expect to find a prospective pro on the court practicing jump shots and passes. You might find him at a pro combine running back rebounds with all he has left under the watchful eyes of scouts. Where you might not expect to find him is supporting the mission of a light-armored infantry battalion here in al Anbar Province, Iraq.

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October 23, 2008

Virginia Marine running in honor of fallen Bensenville comrade

In a few short weeks, U.S. Marine Dawid Pietrek was supposed to be coming home after his tour overseas ended.

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October 20, 2008

Reserve MP spices up life for Marines at remote outpost

COMBAT OUTPOST TREBIL, Iraq — When you step into the mess hall here, the first thing you notice is the smell of gourmet coffee. Next, you notice an orderly array of shelf-stable meals displayed in cubbies along the plywood walls, available to the post’s Marines 24-hours a day.

Continue reading "Reserve MP spices up life for Marines at remote outpost" »

October 18, 2008

Anchorage Marine remembered

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Family, friends, even complete strangers gathered on Saturday to remember Marine Cpl. Jason Karella Saturday.

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October 15, 2008

Another side of combat

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

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October 10, 2008

Dedication ceremony planned for Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps Memorial Hwy.

Jamestown, Mo. -

Friends and family of Leon B. Deraps have announced that a formal dedication ceremony for the Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps Memorial Highway has been set for Saturday, Oct. 18, at 10 a.m.

Continue reading "Dedication ceremony planned for Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps Memorial Hwy." »

October 1, 2008

Hawaii delegation joins move to review slain Marine's award

Hawai'i's congressional delegation has added its voices to those seeking a presidential review of the Pentagon's decision to award the late Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta — whose body shielded others from a grenade blast — a Navy Cross instead of the Medal of Honor.

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September 29, 2008

4th Tanks Marine extends to deploy

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — Civilian life can wait. At least that was how Sgt. Jonathan J. Gray felt when he found out his unit needed him.

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September 28, 2008

Marine father, soldier son reunite in Iraq

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — In a line of Marines from Team Tank, Regimental Combat Team 1 firing a combat-marksmanship program shoot here, one man stood out in his gray digital battle dress uniform.

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September 26, 2008

Benefit planned for injured Orland marine

Family, friend to come together for Corporal Kaspar

Sometimes, some good can result from a grim situation. Such is the case trusted for by the Kaspar family in the "Coming Together for Corporal Kaspar Foundation," to financially help U.S.M.C. Corporal Sean Kaspar of Orland Park and his family with the many months of therapy and rehabilitation he faces from injuries suffered in active duty.

Continue reading "Benefit planned for injured Orland marine" »

September 24, 2008

Capt. awarded third-highest medal for valor

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — It was just another day in Iraq for Capt. John Roussos and the men of Company B, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division.

Continue reading "Capt. awarded third-highest medal for valor" »

September 18, 2008

Marine praised by Bush won't get Medal of Honor

SAN DIEGO - A Marine sergeant singled out by President Bush for throwing his body on a grenade to save his comrades in Iraq will receive the prestigious Navy Cross rather than the nation's highest military award, military officials said.

Continue reading "Marine praised by Bush won't get Medal of Honor" »

September 16, 2008

Kiernan comes home -- on two (new) legs

Petaluma Marine wounded in Iraq greeted by well-wishers upon return to hometown

A young hero came home Monday -- true to plan -- on his own two feet.

Continue reading "Kiernan comes home -- on two (new) legs" »

September 14, 2008

‘Wiener dog’ helps Iraq War veteran adjust

Scott MacKenzie is sleeping better these days.

Continue reading "‘Wiener dog’ helps Iraq War veteran adjust" »

August 29, 2008

Corpsman saves lives on the way home

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. —
Marines and corpsman have fought battles, trained, played and saved lives together since the establishment of the Navy Hospital Corps in 1898. This rapport was proven yet again on the morning of July 15.

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August 28, 2008

Beyond the Call of Duty

How One Team Roping Marine Made A Difference

Cody Hill was like most late-teen roping bums you know. Coming off a 300-mother cow operation in Ada, Okla., he gravitated toward the arena and was a natural.

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August 21, 2008

Marine receives Silver Star

By Colby Sledge - The Nashville Tennessean
Posted : Thursday Aug 21, 2008 17:09:10 EDT

When Lance Cpl. William “Billy” D. Spencer saw his squad leader wounded in an Iraq shootout, he did the only thing he could do: He tried to save his commanding officer.

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Admin to Grunt: Battalion Commander’s eyes and ears

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq – A Marine underwent an immense transition from monitoring pay to becoming the eyes and ears of the battalion commander.

Continue reading "Admin to Grunt: Battalion Commander’s eyes and ears" »

August 20, 2008

Slain Marine just wanted to stay alive

By Jim Walsh - The Arizona Republic
Posted : Wednesday Aug 20, 2008 16:29:27 EDT

A 19-year-old Mesa Marine had a simple but essential goal for this year: to stay alive.

Continue reading "Slain Marine just wanted to stay alive" »

August 19, 2008

Supporters break ground on home for West Michigan Marine

MIDDLEVILLE, Mich. (WZZM) - Supporters of a local Marine paralyzed by a sniper's bullet in Iraq broke ground today on a new home for him in Middleville.

Continue reading "Supporters break ground on home for West Michigan Marine" »

August 18, 2008

Combat artists paint Reserve battalion’s portrait

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — There are hundreds of thousands of Marines spread across hundreds of occupational specialties, yet only two of them are combat artists, and they are both Reserve Marines

Continue reading "Combat artists paint Reserve battalion’s portrait" »

August 17, 2008

Local marine receives hero's welcome home

A local marine who was severely injured in Afghanistan is back home tonight with his family. But not after an amazing show of generosity from strangers and friends alike.

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August 16, 2008

Clearlake Marine laid to rest

Six Marines in full dress uniform, one struggling mightily against tears, were the last to say good-bye to Clearlake's Ivan Wilson on Saturday.

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Mashpee Marine killed in Iraq

MASHPEE — A prayer book lies open on the McGuires' coffee table. The oversized American flag outside the Katian Way house is at half-staff.

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August 15, 2008

Friends pulling together to help injured Marine

Word was received this evening that a fund raiser for a Central Nebraska Marine will be held Saturday, August 16 at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Hastings. Friends and family of PFC. Paden Daly of Thedford, NE, will be holding a horse show and will have donation buckets at the food stands. The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.

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August 14, 2008

Procession honors fallen Marine

A hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of Marine Lance Cpl. Ivan Wilson slowed Thursday afternoon along Lakeshore Boulevard, where clusters of somber onlookers gathered in front of the apartment complex where Wilson grew up.

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August 13, 2008

Marine from Gig Harbor promoted in Afghanistan

Mom uses Web site to help ease worries of her son’s safety

Trish Doherty of Gig Harbor is a proud but worried mother of a U.S. Marine who is serving at the newly established Camp Barber in Afghanistan.

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August 11, 2008

Easton Marine recovering from Afghanistan attack

EASTON -
A 21-year-old Marine from Easton is recovering at a veterans hospital in Virginia after being seriously injured last month in an attack while serving in Afghanistan.

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August 10, 2008

Memory loss haunts injured Iraq War veteran

Scott MacKenzie recalls little of his past. His parents remember every detail.

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August 6, 2008

Amputee Marine returns to combat duty

A year after Cpl. Garrett Jones lost his left leg to a bomb in Iraq, he has rejoined his unit in Afghanistan. Improved medical care and prostheses -- and his determination -- made it possible.

CAMP BARBER, AFGHANISTAN --
Just over a year ago, Cpl. Garrett Jones was one of thousands of Marines slogging through a tour of duty in Iraq. Today, he is deployed with the same unit in Afghanistan, but he serves now with an unusual distinction.

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August 3, 2008

Family's heart broken 2nd time

Nearly 12 years ago, the Buila family of Modesto buried 11-year-old son Andrew. He was a happy boy who played baseball, did well at Ustach Middle School and whose favorite color was green.

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July 31, 2008

'Hero amongst the proud and few': Family, friends tell fallen Marine's story

CLEARLAKE – The knock that came at Denise Wilson's front door early on the morning of July 21 would change her life – and that of her family – forever.

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July 26, 2008

Marine thanks the Corps with service

COMBAT OUTPOST AKASHAT, Iraq —
During the Korean War, U.S. Marines fought to defend the citizens of South Korea against communist North Korea.

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July 21, 2008

Clearlake Marine dies in Afghanistan

CLEARLAKE – A young Clearlake Marine died Monday after being wounded in combat in Afghanistan, becoming Lake County's first military casualty of the war in the Middle East.

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Lake County man dies in Afghanistan

CLEARLAKE -- Our nation's war on terrorism has struck home. A devastating call was received by a mother in the community early Monday morning informing her that her son was killed in Afghanistan.

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Officer with 24th MEU dies in Afghanistan

WOODLYN, N.J. — When 1st Lt. Jason Mann joined the Marines 11 years ago, his mom, Alfina, was nervous.

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July 15, 2008

Corporal earns Bronze Star in desert ambush

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jul 15, 2008 12:34:20 EDT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Few of these men had ever seen real shoot-and-kill combat.

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July 13, 2008

CBRN Marine provides double threat

HIT, Iraq — Cpl. Jeremy M. Wright is a Marine who looks forward to pressure situations.

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July 9, 2008

Marine ends prisoner's escape

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (July 9, 2008) — A North Carolina based Marine was awarded a Navy Commendation Medal here July 9 for his actions in apprehending a prisoner who escaped from an Ozark County, Mo., courthouse June 10.

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July 2, 2008

Immigrant Killed in Afghanistan Granted Posthumous Citizenship

Dawid Pietrek, a Polish immigrant, couldn't vote, run for public office or obtain a U.S. passport. But he signed up to serve a country that wasn't yet his, and last month he gave his life for that country.

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June 29, 2008

Fallen Marine Laid To Rest

Family, Friends Remember Sgt. Matthew Mendoza

SAN ANTONIO -- A San Antonio Marine was laid to rest Saturday, a little more than a week after he died on patrol in Afghanistan.

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June 28, 2008

Honoring Marine as he wished

Before Marine Sgt. Matthew Mendoza left for each of his three deployments to the war zone, he told his father what he wanted done if he came back in a casket.

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June 26, 2008

Fallen DuPage Marine to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery

U.S. Marine Dawid Pietrek, who gave his life for a country that was not yet his own, will be buried with military honors alongside other American heroes.

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June 21, 2008

Injured soldier: I need you to be strong

Family members of a 21-year-old U.S. Marine critically injured in Afghanistan late Thursday have talked with him as he awaits transfer to a hospital in Germany.

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June 17, 2008

Marine dies in Afghanistan

'Outgoing,' 'brave' RHS grad among 4 killed by roadside bomb

A 22-year-old Richmond Marine described by friends as "outgoing" and "brave" was killed over the weekend while serving in Afghanistan.

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Roadside bomb claimed Marine from Bensenville

Dawid Pietrek was a Polish immigrant who went to war for the U.S. to help fulfill his dream of becoming a citizen and police officer.

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Marine from Bensenville killed in Afghanistan, Defense Department says

Corps was big dream for Polish immigrant

Dawid Pietrek was a Polish immigrant who had always wanted to join the Marines.

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June 16, 2008

Tacoma Marine killed in Afghanistan

TACOMA -- Family says one of the four Marines killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan was from Tacoma.

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Marine from Fenton area is killed in Afghanistan

FENTON — Michael Patton, 19, who grew up in the Fenton area and graduated from Fox High School in Arnold in 2007, was among four Marines killed by a roadside bomb on Saturday in Afghanistan, his sister said Sunday.

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Marine from Tacoma killed in Afghanistan

TACOMA, Wash. - A Tacoma family mourns a marine who was killed in Afghanistan.

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From nothing to success

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq — “I started from nothing to making something of my life,” said Cpl. Andrew E. Nelson, a personnel clerk with 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5. “I was broke then, and now I have goals, my credit cards are paid and I can go to school again.”

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June 15, 2008

Tacoma Marine among four killed in Afghan blast

A Tacoma Marine was among four Americans killed Saturday in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan, his family said Sunday. Sgt. Michael T. Washington, 20, was returning from a mission when an IED exploded near their Humvee, said his father, who is also named Michael. The Department of Defense had not yet issued a news statement about the incident.

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June 3, 2008

Deployed Marine holds onto ‘Big League’ dream

AT-TAQADDUM, Iraq — Chasing a lifelong dream for a career in professional baseball … It’s a story as distinctly American as apple pie.

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May 29, 2008

Legacy of female major killed in Iraq grows

By Mike Barber - Seattle Post-Intelligencer via The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday May 29, 2008 8:26:35 EDT

COUPLEVILLE, Wash. — After they received the hard news of their daughter’s death in Iraq in December 2006, Mike and Re McClung cloaked themselves in solitude, declining requests for interviews.

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May 26, 2008

Marine recovering after being shot in head

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday May 26, 2008 9:39:03 EDT

Lance Cpl. Sam Hansen was on a Mother’s Day vehicle patrol in Taliban-heavy Garmser, Afghanistan, when insurgents opened fire.

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May 25, 2008

'Miracle' Marine Refused to Surrender Will to Live

The young Marine came back from the war, with his toughest fight ahead of him. Merlin German waged that battle in the quiet of a Texas hospital, far from the dusty road in Iraq where a bomb exploded, leaving him with burns over 97 percent of his body.

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May 23, 2008

Condition of DI in motorcycle crash upgraded

Staff report
Posted : Sunday Mar 23, 2008 10:01:52 EDT

A drill instructor hospitalized since March 14 after a motorcycle crash in South Carolina has been upgraded to fair condition and is conscious, a hospital spokesman said Thursday afternoon.

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May 20, 2008

Fallen Marine heroic, selfless

Eupora High graduate, 22, shot to death Sunday during combat in Afghanistan

On Sunday, Marine Cpl. Justin Cooper of Eupora was killed in combat in Afghanistan.

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Motorcycle crash kills Marine on leave from Iraq

GRAND RAPIDS -- A Marine home on leave and scheduled to return to Iraq on June 2 died in a motorcycle crash while visiting relatives.

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Heroic last stand, Marines thwart enemy attack

RAMADI, Iraq —
RAMADI, Iraq — It was a typical quiet morning on April 22, with the temperature intensifying as a bright orange sun emerged high from the horizon.

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May 19, 2008

Healing visions

Artist's portraits touch spirit of lost Marines of Ohio's Lima Company

COLUMBUS - There's a little-known stretch of heaven in Westerville.

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May 15, 2008

Petaluma Marine to receive Purple Heart

Marine Cpl. Steven Kiernan, 20 of Petaluma, will be awarded the Purple Heart Thursday afternoon at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

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Marine can’t wear uniform at graduation

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday May 15, 2008 12:24:34 EDT

BLOOMER, Wis. — A new Marine who’s graduating from Bloomer High School this month won’t be able to wear his military uniform during the commencement ceremony.

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May 12, 2008

3rd LAR remembers fallen brother

The Marines and sailors of 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion gathered with friends and family at the Combat Center’s Sunset Cinema Thursday to honor their fallen comrade Lance Cpl. Drew W. Weaver, who was killed in action Feb. 21 in Iraq.

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May 8, 2008

Wisconsin family remembers their fallen Marine

HABBANIYAH, Iraq (May 8, 2008) – Funny, outgoing, crazy, loving, full of life – those are just a few of the many words that describe the late Cpl. Richard “Ricky” J. Nelson, a 23-year-old rifleman from Kenosha, Wis., who was killed by an improvised explosive device in the al Anbar Province of Iraq, Apr. 14.

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May 5, 2008

Marine works hard for citizenship

By Cpl. Ryan L. Tomlinson
Date Taken: 04.13.2008 | Posted:05.05.2008 15:28

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq – Hard work has paid off for one Marine trying to become a United States citizen.

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May 2, 2008

'MIRACLE MAN' MARINE DIES

May 2, 2008 -- A brave Manhattan-born Marine - whom doctors nicknamed the "Miracle Man" for surviving burns to 97 percent of his body after a roadside blast in Iraq three years ago - has died, the Pentagon announced yesterday.

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Marine burned on 97 percent of body dies

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Friday May 2, 2008 8:35:26 EDT

Sgt. Merlin German had been struggling with burn wounds covering more than 97 percent of his body for nearly two years when he made a decision: painful or not, he was going to don his dress blues and whisk his mother away for a dance during a hospital ball.

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April 29, 2008

Heroic last stand, Marines thwart enemy attack

RAMADI, IRAQ (April 29, 2008) – It was a typical quiet morning on April 22, with the temperature intensifying as a bright orange sun emerged high from the horizon.

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April 28, 2008

Face of Defense: Air Force Photographer Becomes Marine Infantryman

KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq, April 28, 2008 – A hard-fought transition brought one Marine from shooting photos to shooting rifles.

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Thousands attend service for former MIA Maupin

By Howard Wilkinson and Cliff Radel - The Cincinnati Enquirer
Posted : Monday Apr 28, 2008 8:59:19 EDT

CINCINNATI — Yes, there were many tears Sunday afternoon as Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin was finally laid to rest. But they were not all tears of sorrow.

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April 26, 2008

IRAQ: Without hesitation

Two young Marines killed in the explosion of a suicide vehicle are being praised for saving the lives of dozens of Marines and Iraqi police by preventing the vehicle from penetrating a police compound in Ramadi.

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April 21, 2008

Construction begins on USS Jason Dunham

A lot has changed for the parents of the late Cpl. Jason Dunham since he died in 2004, after saving two other Marines by throwing himself on an insurgent’s grenade in Karabilah, Iraq.

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April 17, 2008

A 'Green Card Warrior' No More

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - An estimated 20,500 U.S. service members are "non-citizens," according to a March 20 article on CNN.com. They choose to serve, fight and possibly lay down their lives for a country to which they owe no allegiance.

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April 10, 2008

Marine who lost leg returns to combat in Iraq

Sniper’s bullet destroyed gunnery sergeant’s knee, but not his will to serve

If you’ve ever wondered what the Marines have in mind when they advertise for “a few good men,” look no further than Gunnery Sgt. William “Spanky” Gibson.

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April 9, 2008

What a difference 31 years makes

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. —
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — During the past 31 years, the role of females in the Marine Corps has changed drastically. One female Marine has experienced those changes firsthand.

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April 8, 2008

Military says it's investigating death of Hampton Marine

HAMPTON — The military says the death of a Marine from Hampton is under investigation.

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April 6, 2008

Vocal on War, McCain Is Silent on Son’s Service

One evening last July, Senator John McCain of Arizona arrived at the New Hampshire home of Erin Flanagan for sandwiches, chocolate-chip cookies and heartfelt talk about Iraq. They had met at a presidential debate, when she asked the candidates what they would do to bring home American soldiers — soldiers like her brother, who had been killed in action a few months earlier.

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April 5, 2008

Camp Pendleton Marine killed in traffic accident

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP) -- Officials say a 19-year-old Marine has died after he was injured in a traffic accident at Camp Pendleton.

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March 29, 2008

Iraq: Like father like son

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq —
CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq Service members from all over the United States deploy to locations around the world leaving their family behind to fight for their country. For one Marine, deploying to Iraq actually meant reuniting with his father.

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March 25, 2008

Hundreds greet wounded Marine

CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich (WOOD) -- When word went out that Joshua Hoffman was coming home, his family asked the injured Marine corporal if he wanted a public homecoming.

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Paralyzed Marine Joshua Hoffman returns home to well-wishers

"Can I give you a kiss?"

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March 23, 2008

Local man gets a surprising welcome back

When Lance Cpl. Justin Longcor returned after seven months in Iraq he expected to see a few smiling faces.

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March 21, 2008

2/7 Marine earns Silver Star for combat valor

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (Mar. 21, 2008) -- Any Marine would brave enemy fire to rescue a wounded comrade when you have friends that "got your back."

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March 19, 2008

“Darkside” Marine finds the light

HIT, Iraq (March 19, 2008) -- HIT, Iraq - Lance Cpl. Micah P. Adams said he never thought that as a rifleman he’d be chosen to personally keep a chaplain safe from harm.

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DI critical after motorcycle crash

Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Mar 19, 2008 14:02:36 EDT

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — A drill instructor found in a wooded area hours after his motorcycle crashed Friday remains in critical condition in a Georgia hospital.

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March 13, 2008

A flying look into women's history

AL ASAD, Iraq (March 13, 2008) -- From Amelia Earhart’s solo trans-Atlantic flight in 1932 to Marine Capt. Sarah Deal’s achievement as the first-ever female Marine Corps pilot in 1995, the spectrum of women’s aviation history continues to expand.

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Wounded Soldiers See the Pentagon In Private Parade

Little-Known Event Is Emotional Salute;
Cpl. Lyon Pays a Visit

WASHINGTON -- Cpl. Kenny Lyon's mother pushed his wheelchair down a narrow Pentagon hallway, crying as she listened to the applause.

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March 12, 2008

Recording History - Part XIII - Jason and Lindsey

By Richard S. Lowry
March 12, 2008

December 12, 2004 changed Jason and Lindsey Arellano’s lives forever. U.S. Marine Sergeant Jason R Arellano, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, Kilo Company, 2nd Platoon’s third squad leader found himself in Iraq for the second time. He had last seen American soil on September 11, 2004, leaving his loved ones in prayer and anticipation. Jason and Lindsey recently shared the following write-up with me after I contacted him to request an interview for my book. Jason told me that they wanted to write it all down before the memories faded. Hopefully, they will gather other stories of that fateful day and publish a book of their own. No doubt, I will tell Sergeant Jason Arellano’s story, but this poignant tale will be left for their telling.about

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March 8, 2008

Marine deploys to Iraq, puts Ultimate Fighter dream on hold

HABBANIYAH, Iraq (March 8, 2008) -- Sacrifices are made when preparing to deploy. When a reserve battalion is activated, the Marines are required to put their entire lives on hold. Not only do they sacrifice being away from family, friends and jobs, some of them even put their dreams on hold.

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Some time with family, then it's off to war

If Colin Glavan is worried about going to Iraq, he doesn't show it.

He's a newly minted Marine. So it's his job, he says.

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March 6, 2008

The American Dream: MSOAG Marine looks back on his long journey to the Corps, MARSOC

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (March 4, 2008) -- In his book, “The Epic of America”, James Truslow Adams described the American dream as “…that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement.”

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March 5, 2008

3/7 awards Bronze Star

RODRIGUEZ LIVE FIRE COMPLEX, Republic of Korea (March 5, 2008) -- Of all the weapons in the Marine Corps arsenal, Sgt. Andrew T. Maddox found just the right one at a bookstore.

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March 1, 2008

3rd LAR gathers to remember their fallen Marine

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq (March 1, 2008) -- KOREAN VILLAGE, AL ANBAR PROVINCE, IRAQ -- The overcast sky at Camp Korean Village, Iraq, March 1 reflected the solemn mood as Marines from 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5 gathered to remember their fallen Marine.

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February 29, 2008

Iraq War Marine With Amputated Leg Back on Active Duty

Spanky Gibson was shot by a sniper in May of 2006 while on foot patrol in Ramadi, Iraq. When the firefight was over, his left leg was gone.

But Gunnery Sgt. William Gibson, a decorated Marine, didn't stop serving his country, even after his leg was amputated above the knee. He didn't settle for a desk job stateside, either. He's back in Iraq — his second tour — on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps.

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February 25, 2008

Marine donates kidney to man he barely knew

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Feb 25, 2008 10:01:32 EST

Staff Sgt. Darren Smiley was sitting at Thanksgiving dinner in 2006 when he made a decision: He needed to see if he could help a man he barely knew by giving up a kidney.

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February 22, 2008

Dog Saved by Marine Gets Home in US

SAN DIEGO (Feb. 22) - It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war.

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February 9, 2008

Last original Iwo Jima flag-raiser dies at 82

REDDING, Calif. (Feb 9, 2008) -- Raymond Jacobs, believed to be the last surviving member of the group of Marines photographed during the original U.S. flag-raising on Iwo Jima during World War II, has died at age 82.

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February 4, 2008

From Marine to corpsman: Brooklyn, N.Y., native strives to serve

AL QA’IM, Iraq (Feb. 4, 2008) -- You will rarely find a group of Marines performing combat operations without a Navy corpsman by their side. The time-honored unification of Marines and corpsmen has created an immeasurable bond, indescribable to most.

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February 1, 2008

An Open Letter to Code Pink

While the protest that you staged in front of my office on Wednesday, Sept. 26th, was an exercise of your constitutional rights, the messages that you left behind were insulting, untrue, and ultimately misdirected. Additionally, from the comments quoted in the Berkeley Daily Planet article, it is clear that you have no idea what it is that I do here. Given that I was unaware of your planned protest, I was unable to contest your claims in person, so I will therefore address them here.

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January 26, 2008

Homes for Our Troops begins house in Alabama

By Garry Mitchell - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Jan 26, 2008 14:16:36 EST

IRVINGTON, Ala. — Two Black Hawk helicopters hovered and tipped rotors Friday in honor of Marine Sgt. Greg Edwards at a ceremony to start building a specially adapted home for the Edwards family.

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January 25, 2008

Bravery on the Battlefield

COP RAWAH, Iraq (Jan. 25, 2008) -- Heroism is defined by the actions of people in extreme situations.

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Bravery on the Battlefield

COP RAWAH, Iraq (Jan. 25, 2008) -- Heroism is defined by the actions of people in extreme situations.

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January 22, 2008

Marine may finally get Medal of Honor

For the better part of three years, the refrain from grunts in the Marine Corps has been, "What about Peralta?"

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January 17, 2008

Climbing corpsman conquers mountain carrying Corps’ colors

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 17, 2008) -- At 6,288 feet, Mt. Washington is the tallest mountain in the Northeast and a treacherous mound of earth, rock, and ice known to have the some of the worst weather of any mountain in the eastern United States. Climbing such a mountain might be a daunting task for anyone to undertake, but Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Szylobryt, hospital corpsman, Marine Special Operations Support Group, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, took on the challenge and planted a Marine Corps flag at the summit of Mt. Washington, N.H., Jan. 3.

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January 11, 2008

Don't call it a comeback: Marine goes from wounded warrior to silent warrior

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 11, 2008) -- The greatest leaders, it seems, don’t think of themselves as great.

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January 7, 2008

2 brothers also in band of brothers

Marine reservists glad to serve in same unit in Iraq

Brian and Mike Wiebe shared everything, from friends to a passion for football, while growing up in northwest suburban Rolling Meadows.

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December 27, 2007

Colin Smith a beacon of strength and hope for all who face adversity

Strength. Strength to survive. Strength to overcome long odds. Strength to cope with overwhelming adversity. Strength to hope for a better future. And strength to work hard at making that future happen.

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December 25, 2007

Always smiling

Colin Smith always has a smile on his face. His sincerity and charm shine through it, making it impossible to not smile back. His smile radiates energy that can be felt by those around him.

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December 22, 2007

Brothers transition from football field to battle field

RAMADI, Iraq (Dec. 22, 2007) -- Some Marines in the infantry claim those who they work the closest with as their family; even further their brothers. Two assault men with Fox Company in Ramadi have not only the birth certificates, but also the DNA to prove in fact they are brothers.

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Marine Cpl. Eric Morante fights to find purpose in rehab grind

Last of two parts
Part one may be found here:
http://www.marine-corps-news.com/2007/12/blasted_off_an_iraqi_bridge_cp.htm

SAN ANTONIO – Marine Cpl. Eric Morante's face darkens with effort, his mouth compressed in a tight line as he struggles for balance while doing abdominal crunches on a big blue exercise ball.

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December 15, 2007

Blasted off an Iraqi bridge, Cpl. Eric Morante fights back; He won't rest until his Marines make it home

First in a two-part series
Part two may be found here:
http://www.marine-corps-news.com/2007/12/marine_cpl_eric_morante_fights.htm

It's sometime after noon on a Friday, the end of a four-day rotation on Bridge 286.

Continue reading "Blasted off an Iraqi bridge, Cpl. Eric Morante fights back; He won't rest until his Marines make it home" »

December 9, 2007

A Marine's long road home; After an Iraq bomb left him in a coma with Traumatic Brain Injury, a Saginaw man struggles to be normal

BAY CITY -- A Purple Heart hangs on the wall over his pillow. Photos from Iraq are taped above the desk. A Marine Corps flag is pinned above the bed.

Continue reading "A Marine's long road home; After an Iraq bomb left him in a coma with Traumatic Brain Injury, a Saginaw man struggles to be normal" »

December 7, 2007

Lieutenant carries on Lejeune legacy

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJUENE, N.C. (Dec. 7, 2007) -- The legacy of Lt. Gen. John A. Lejeune, a man often referred to as the “Marine’s Marine” and “The greatest of all Leathernecks,” still continues more than 78 years after retiring from the Marine Corps.

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November 26, 2007

Camp Foster road renamed in honor of fallen Marine

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan (Nov. 26, 2007) -- The street in front of the Vehicle Registration Office on Camp Foster was dedicated as Captain Brock Road during a ceremony Nov. 16.

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November 16, 2007

MARFORPAC band member follows passion and family tradition

MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii (Nov. 16, 2007) -- Many young Marines have never worked in the job field they are expected to master in the Corps. They join with little to no experience and from there are molded into experts their field.

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November 12, 2007

Campaigning From a Combat Zone

A Marine reservist seeks Dad's House seat.

While California Congressman Duncan L. Hunter, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, is navigating the campaign trail in his long-shot bid for the White House, his son, Marine Capt. Duncan D. Hunter, is running to replace him in Congress with help from his dad's Beltway buddies. The younger Hunter, or Junior, as he is called by some friends and family, is waging this political struggle while serving his country 8,000 miles away in Afghanistan (he has also served in Iraq).

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October 16, 2007

Veteran from Muscoda on Cosmo bachelor list

Wednesday, Neil Schalk, Cosmo 's Wisconsin Bachelor 2007, will head to New York to face a day filled with media, capped by the magazine 's Bachelor of the Year party.

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October 14, 2007

Sunshine Run sets fast pace for generosity; Annual race tallies a record $40,000 for various charities as runners aim for best.

They ran for different reasons.

Continue reading "Sunshine Run sets fast pace for generosity; Annual race tallies a record $40,000 for various charities as runners aim for best." »

October 13, 2007

New San Diego facility cares for war's worst wounded; The Naval Medical Center upgrade includes expanded therapy for amputees.

SAN DIEGO — Marine Sgt. Jordan Pierson, who lost his left leg to a roadside bomb in Ramadi, Iraq, had a request for the therapists at the Naval Medical Center here. He wanted a prosthetic leg that would let him play golf like he did before his injury.

Continue reading "New San Diego facility cares for war's worst wounded; The Naval Medical Center upgrade includes expanded therapy for amputees." »

Marine keeps faith in spite of near paralysis; Physical therapy helps Lopez rebuild strength.

Surrounded by about 2,000 others on foot at today's Sunshine Run, Lance Cpl. Joe Lopez will get by with arm-power — and a set of wheels.

Continue reading "Marine keeps faith in spite of near paralysis; Physical therapy helps Lopez rebuild strength." »

October 10, 2007

Marine from southeast Texas killed in Iraq

LIBERTY, Texas (Map, News) - A Marine from southeast Texas who was killed in Iraq was remembered by family members and friends as a man of great faith who leaves behind six younger siblings.

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Richland Center Marine Bachelor of the Year?

An area Marine who was injured in Iraq is up for a big award, but it's not for his service. Cosmopolitan magazine is taking his story nationwide. Each year Cosmo has a contest to find the hottest bachelors in the country and it just so happens that Richland Center is home to one of the lucky 50 finalists.

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October 5, 2007

Son follows father into Corps, shares time in Iraq

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 5, 2007) -- A father is someone that a boy can look up to and admire, someone that a son can emulate in his adulthood. Growing up together learning from each other, the bond between father and son can become strong. Sometimes that bond can be made even stronger with special circumstances.

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October 4, 2007

Injured Marines, Gold Star Family Team Up to Conquer the Marine Corps Marathon on October 28

Marines Raising Funds to Support Marines Injured in Iraq or Afghanistan

Washington, D.C. (October 04, 2007) – LCpl. Josef Lopez and Cpl. Neil Schalk didn’t know each other while serving in the Marine Corps in Iraq, but the invisible bonds of brotherhood that tie Marines together made it an easy decision for them to support each other through their next challenge: the Marine Corps Marathon. Those same bonds also made it an easy decision for a Gold Star family to support their cause.

Continue reading "Injured Marines, Gold Star Family Team Up to Conquer the Marine Corps Marathon on October 28" »

September 28, 2007

Columbine was 'defining moment' for Navy medic who died a hero; School massacre 'defining moment' for 1999 graduate

Charles Luke Milam may have been inspired to follow a hero's path because of a day he never talked about, a terrible April day in 1999 when he was a student at Columbine High School.

Continue reading "Columbine was 'defining moment' for Navy medic who died a hero; School massacre 'defining moment' for 1999 graduate" »

September 22, 2007

Marine immortalizes fallen brother through art

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Sept. 22, 2007) -- Hippocrates once said, “Art is long, life is short- Ars longa, vita brevis. ”

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September 10, 2007

As bullets fly, Marine takes out a sketchpad; His mission is to deploy with various squads and create art depicting life in a war zone.

His orders are simple: "Go to war, do art."

Continue reading "As bullets fly, Marine takes out a sketchpad; His mission is to deploy with various squads and create art depicting life in a war zone." »

August 25, 2007

Cpl. Jason Dunham honored at Kings Bay, Ga.

NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE KINGS BAY, Ga. (Aug. 25, 2007) -- It was no average summer day Aug. 17, in Kings Bay, Ga., at least not at the Marine Corps Security Force Company’s barracks. There was a special feeling in the air for every fellow Marine, sailor, friend and family member of a true American hero.

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To war and back: Injured soldiers find healing in the wilderness

LINCOLN CREEK VALLEY -- When Bryon Chambers stopped on a ledge halfway through the climb to catch his breath and plan his next move, everyone watching was unsure if he would continue.

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August 20, 2007

Sergeant returns to new Iraq

BARWANAH, Iraq (Aug. 20, 2007) -- In the Fall of 2004, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines fought in the Battle of Fallujah. It experienced some of the Marine Corps’ most intense urban fighting since Vietnam’s Hue City. That deployment left a lasting effect on this battalion and the individuals involved. Although they are mostly stationed elsewhere or out of the Marine Corps, 1/3 still has a few of its Fallujah Veterans through its ranks and companies. These Marines bring much knowledge and determination with them, and they play a large role in the success this task force has achieved in the Hadithah Triad

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August 17, 2007

Kings Bay Marine Barracks Named To Honor Hero; Cpl. Jason Dunham Died Saving Fellow Marines

KINGS BAY, Ga. -- Friends and family of a U.S. Marine who gave his life in Iraq to save others was remembered on Friday as the Marine barracks at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay were named in his honor.

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Kings Bay Marine Barracks Named To Honor Hero; Cpl. Jason Dunham Died Saving Fellow Marines

KINGS BAY, Ga. -- Friends and family of a U.S. Marine who gave his life in Iraq to save others was remembered on Friday as the Marine barracks at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay were named in his honor.

Continue reading "Kings Bay Marine Barracks Named To Honor Hero; Cpl. Jason Dunham Died Saving Fellow Marines" »

August 15, 2007

Services planned for oldest female U.S. Marine veteran

OWASSO -- Maye Ryan, who had been the oldest female Marine veteran in the nation, died Monday night at the Baptist Village, where she had lived for the last 14 years. She was 97.

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Parris Island, Kings Bay to honor Dunham

Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Aug 15, 2007 12:04:31 EDT

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — Cpl. Jason Dunham, the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in the Iraq war, earned the title Marine at the recruit depot in Parris Island, S.C.

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August 9, 2007

Long line of Marines honors fallen ‘brother’

By Franklin Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, August 9, 2007

COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, Iraq — Hundreds of U.S. Marines in western Iraq waited their turn in intense heat Tuesday to show respect for a fellow Marine killed earlier this month in western Anbar province.

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August 3, 2007

First sergeant inspires Marines, awarded Bronze Star

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Aug. 3, 2007) -- First Sgt. Paul T. Archie’s Marines were put to the test during a series of heavy and sustained attacks, Oct. 19, 2006. His forward operating base faced a mass of insurgent fire power ranging from small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades to a suicide dump truck intent on disaster.

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July 14, 2007

CLB-13 Marine serves 5th tour in Iraq

AL TAQADDUM, Iraq (July 14, 2007) -- With Marine Corps operational tempo at an all-time high, there are Marines out there who don’t mind the deployments-- even after five of them.

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PPE stops round, saves Marine

NEAR KARMAH, Iraq (July 14, 2007) -- Over the past decade there have been significant advancements in body armor. During that time there have also been heated debates concerning the performance and effectiveness of the body armor being used by Marines.

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July 9, 2007

Marine killed in Anbar

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Jul 9, 2007 19:08:25 EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY — A Harrah Marine died in Iraq after being hit by a roadside bomb explosion, his family confirmed Monday.

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July 8, 2007

Local mayor promotes 1st LAR Marine

COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, Iraq - (July 8, 2007) -- Usually when Marines pin on their new rank, they look to a mentor within their unit to do the honors but it isn’t uncommon for a loved one to step in to do the promotion either.

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July 1, 2007

A Fighting Chance

(CBS) This segment was originally broadcast on Oct. 29, 2006. It was updated on June 28, 2007.


Twenty-first century science and old fashioned guts are revolutionizing combat medicine for our troops. In Iraq, the medical units made famous by "MASH" have been retired in favor of new combat hospitals set up in the midst of the action.

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By the Grace of God, Still a Marine

My son, Marine Lance Corporal John McClellan is living proof that prayer really does work and that God is still in the miracle working business.

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June 25, 2007

Bride's brother, from Iraq with love; A world away with the Marine Corps but there for his sister's wedding

Devin Klein and Heidi Mauch, native Charlotteans both, married on Saturday.

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June 21, 2007

Commitment: 1st LAR Marine extends to serve tour in Iraq

COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, Iraq - (June 21, 2007) -- Many Marines sign up for four years of service, complete one or two tours, then get out and take the knowledge the Marine Corps has taught them into the civilian world to prosper and flourish. Others stay in for 20 years, lead thousands of Marines, and serve upward of a dozen tours of duty.

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June 18, 2007

Training center dedicated to fallen hero

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 1, 2007) – (June 18, 2007) -- A 15-minute drive through Fallujah, Iraq, on June 23, 2005, turned into one of the worst days in history for female U.S. Marines. A suicide bomber drove his car into a convoy, causing a massive explosion that killed three women and three men and severely burnt seven other women.

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June 17, 2007

ON THE FRONTLINE / Cpl. JOHN MATTHEW BISHOP: The warrior's passage; Battle leads Marines to a reckoning

Northern Iraq —- "There he goes! He's moving, he's moving!" cries my gunner. From a hidden alley, a white sedan fishtails onto the road ahead, its rear window shattering as the passengers open fire with AK-47s. As the bullets spray past our Humvee, the blistered air fills with the various whines, hums and snaps of our high-velocity passage. Above, my gunner takes aim, and the fight begins.

Continue reading "ON THE FRONTLINE / Cpl. JOHN MATTHEW BISHOP: The warrior's passage; Battle leads Marines to a reckoning" »

June 12, 2007

NMCRS Combat Casualty Program Meets Critical Need

From the time he was a young boy, Maj. James L. Browning Jr. wanted to fly. As a 12-year-old, Browning joined the Mississippi Wing Civil Air Patrol, a civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. During his time as a Civilian Air Patrol cadet, he learned the importance of leadership, physical fitness, and a strong moral compass—all qualities that would serve him well as a Marine in the years to come.

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June 8, 2007

Illinois native keeps battalion firing despite hardships

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (June 8, 2007) -- Being a small arms repair technician or armorer consists of working in a building that houses thousands of dollars worth of weaponry that has to be accounted for to ensure the safety of fellow coalition forces.

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June 7, 2007

MILITARY: Soldier's experience nothing like on TV

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti -- For one Ottawa native, life in Africa is much different than what is portrayed in movies.

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Purple Heart winner: 'We are in awe of him'

Marine Lance Cpl. Scott MacKenzie of Cherokee County wanted to make his mother proud after receiving a Purple Heart for injuries in Iraq.

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June 4, 2007

Hard work, dedication keys to success for Hitchens, Ky., Marine

ALBU HAWA, Iraq (June 4, 2007) -- The language differences between Arabic and English often impede Marines when they try and interact with the Iraqi people. Interpreters who speak both languages are often in short supply, leaving Marines with no way of holding a proper conversation. Luckily both sides make the effort to breach that communication barrier. Most Iraqis have learned broken English and nearly every Marine knows a few words of Arabic. Iraqis are often able to converse with Marines in the “pointy talky” fashion using a mix of Arabic and English and gesturing at what they want. However, these one or two word conversations are limited.

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June 2, 2007

Plaza honors Marine, others killed in Iraq

From childhood, Brad Squires dreamed of being two things: a Marine and firefighter.

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May 31, 2007

Anchorage native leads with experience

AL RAFTA, Iraq (May 31, 2007) -- The backbone of the United States Marine Corps is its noncommissioned officers. Senior leadership depends on these Marines, more commonly referred to as NCOs, to make decisions affecting the lives of thousands of lance corporals, privates first class and privates alike.

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May 28, 2007

Their words live on; Letters shine light on what Marines thought in final days

Memorial Day is the day we remember the men and women in uniform who died serving this country, from Saratoga and Bunker Hill to Haditha and Fallujah.

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May 25, 2007

Wounded warrior leads formation run to Ground Zero

NEW YORK (May 25, 2007) -- New York police and firefighters joined forces with the Marine Corps on Thursday for a two-mile motivational run through the lower east side of Manhattan led by a “wounded warrior.”

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May 20, 2007

Playground dedicated to fallen Marine

MILFORD — A few days before Aug. 25, 2006, Marine Cpl. Jordan Pierson could have transferred to a safer assignment in Iraq.

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May 19, 2007

Lion of Fallujah is laid to rest

U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, ANNAPOLIS, Md. (May 19, 2007) -- The Lion of Fallujah is at rest.

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Pa. Marine's last request for bedding for his platoon inspires mother's charity

PHILADELPHIA – Five days before Lance Cpl. Adam C. Conboy was killed in Iraq, he inspired his own memorial fund.

Continue reading "Pa. Marine's last request for bedding for his platoon inspires mother's charity" »

Northglenn Marine Returns From Iraq; Family, Friends Celebrate

NORTHGLENN -- Cheers of joy rang through Denver International Airport Saturday to welcome back a Northglenn Marine.

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May 18, 2007

A Denver Neighborhood Celebrates the Return of a Marine

John David Garcia, a 20-year old Marine just back from Iraq, came home to a hero's Welcome Saturday. The Legacy High grad enlisted right after graduation last year. He has spent the past nine months in-country.

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TF 1/4 Marine cooks up morale, troop welfare in Iraq

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (May 18, 2007) -- A small trail of smoke rose above Battle Position Vera Cruz, or BP Vera Cruz, here. The smell of barbequed meat filled the air while off-duty Marines milled around, avoiding the heat by finding shade wherever possible. A lone Marine stood over his grille, no matter how hot the temperature in the unforgiving desert heat, preparing the afternoon meal for his fellow Marines.

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May 17, 2007

For his family: Battalion Landing Team 2/1 Marine awarded Bronze Star

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan (May 17, 2007) -- “Now you tell me - do I deserve it?"

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Dad honors fallen Marine; Slain pilot's father joins motorcycle pilgrimage

ONTARIO - During conversations with his dad, 1st Lt. Jared Landaker told him he wanted to buy a new Harley-Davidson Heritage motorcycle when he got home from Iraq and ride with his father in an annual cross-country pilgrimage to honor veterans.

Jared never made it back for the run.

Continue reading "Dad honors fallen Marine; Slain pilot's father joins motorcycle pilgrimage" »

May 15, 2007

N. Topsail drowning victim identified

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH - The body of a Marine who drowned Saturday after being caught in a riptide off North Topsail Beach was found in the same general area where he went missing, authorities said.

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May 14, 2007

College honors Marine Corps general

SPRINGFIELD - Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Paul E. Lefebvre's military career has placed him in a position to help those who need it most

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May 8, 2007

Marine Drowns Saving 2 Boys Off North Carolina Beach

ALMA, Mich. — A U.S. Marine drowned after saving two children who were swimming off Atlantic Beach in North Carolina, the military said.

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April 10, 2007

Piketon, Ohio, Marine awarded Purple Heart for wounds received in Iraq

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (April 10, 2007) -- The Purple Heart medal has been awarded to service members and civilians since 1932 for wounds received in action against enemies of the United States and its allies.

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April 7, 2007

Bronze Star awarded to Marine

Sgt. Tony S. Flynn will tell you he was just doing his job. The Bronze Star Medal, though, indicates he did more.

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April 2, 2007

Warrior gets his wish

Despite life-changing injuries and some 40 surgeries, nothing was going to keep 2nd Lt. Andrew Kinard from greeting his fellow Marines who return home today after seven months in Iraq.

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March 23, 2007

Marine Awarded the Flying Cross

LONDON – A U.S. Marine appeared before Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace March 21 to receive the United Kingdom's Distinguished Flying Cross for saving lives and in recognition for his bravery during combat operations in Iraq.

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March 22, 2007

Queen Elizabeth honors U.S. Marine helicopter pilot

By Geoff Ziezulewicz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, March 22, 2007

A U.S. Marine helicopter pilot who helped save a British marine’s life in Iraq was awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross on Wednesday, the first time an American has received the honor since World War II.

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March 21, 2007

Navy will name ship the USS Jason Dunham; Destroyer honors Iraq War hero from Allegany County

WASHINGTON — The legacy of an Iraq War hero from Allegany County will be honored on the high seas for years to come.

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Fallen Maine Soldier Remembered

Friends, family and fellow marines gathered at the Sacred Heart Church in Portland Wednesday for the funeral of Angel Rosa, a marine from South Portland who was killed in Iraq last week. He was 21 years old.

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March 20, 2007

Marine to be awarded Navy Cross posthumously

CAMP PENDLETON — Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher Adlesperger, who was killed during the battle in Fallouja in 2004, has been selected for the Navy Cross, the Marine Corps' second highest medal for combat bravery, the corps announced Monday.

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Marine to be awarded Navy Cross posthumously

CAMP PENDLETON — Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher Adlesperger, who was killed during the battle in Fallouja in 2004, has been selected for the Navy Cross, the Marine Corps' second highest medal for combat bravery, the corps announced Monday.

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March 16, 2007

Governor sends condolences to family of Twentynine Palms Marine

Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff in honor of Twentynine Palms Marine Lance Cpl. Nathanial D. Windsor, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement today.

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March 15, 2007

Friends, Family Remember Fallen Maine Soldier

Private First Class Angel Rosa was killed Monday while conducting combat operations in the Anbar province of Iraq. Those who knew him said he was a born leader, a great athlete, and an exceptional young man.

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March 6, 2007

1st MLG gets new sergeant major

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Mar 6, 2007 6:09:02 EST

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines and sailors of the 1st Marine Logistics Group got a new senior enlisted leader March 1 with the retirement of Sgt. Maj. Dan L. Hakala.

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Marine receives Bronze Star posthumously

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. A Marine private first class who continued to shoot at the enemy from his burning Humvee has been awared the Bronze Star posthumously.

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His son was the motivation, the Corps was the way

AR RAMADI, Iraq (March 6, 2007) -- Hit with the news that he was about to be father, Johan S. Arenas knew he had to make a change and make it fast.

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March 5, 2007

Marine Sgt. Jeffrey L. Kirk posthumously awarded Silver Star

CAMP PENDLETON -- Sgt. Jeffrey Lynn Kirk will never see the Silver Star awarded for his valor during an intense room-to-room firefight in a Fallujah home more than two years ago.

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March 4, 2007

Blown up in Iraq

Jason Bingham, like many 22-year-olds, isn't sure what he wants to do with his life.

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March 1, 2007

Maple Lake marine killed in Iraq

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A 25-year-old Marine from Maple Lake was killed in Al Anbar province, Iraq, when a bomb exploded during combat operations, the Department of Defense and his family said Thursday.

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February 26, 2007

Hard Corps: Brothers, Marines, will serve in Iraq

ALANSON - Melody Bradley recently shared a few hugs and tears with her son, John McClellan, who leaves for Iraq in a few weeks.

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Catholic family remembers U.S. Marine kiled in Iraq as 'dad' first

HONOLULU, Hawaii (Hawaii Catholic Herald) – Before he was deployed to Iraq this past August, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Joseph Trane McCloud made sure to spend a “Daddy Day” with each of his three children.

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February 25, 2007

Lives Entwined by War Enter a Long, Arduous Chapter: Recovery

Petty Officer Third Class Dustin E. Kirby, a Navy corpsman whose efforts to save a wounded marine in Iraq and his own wounding by a sniper on Christmas were covered by The New York Times, has returned home to Georgia and expects a nearly full recovery, he and his family said.

Continue reading "Lives Entwined by War Enter a Long, Arduous Chapter: Recovery" »

February 20, 2007

Parris Island Marine In the Spotlight

A Parris Island marine is in the spotlight not only for what he does at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, but for the way he served our country on the soccer field.

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February 17, 2007

Wandering musician finds his way in the Corps

AR RAMADI, Iraq(Feb. 17, 2007) -- From college student to wandering musician to United States Marine, Lance Cpl. Jeff S. Bailey walked a long, twisting road into military service.

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February 16, 2007

2/1 Marine receives heroism medal for life-saving actions

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa (February 16, 2007) -- For two days, an Iraqi civilian lay helplessly buried beneath the rubble and debris of a toppled building. He had been left for dead and his fate was looking grim.

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February 15, 2007

Departing Marine finds a temporary home for his 170-pound dog

MENIFEE ---- Gunnery Sgt. Carl Cole has had a lot on his mind since volunteering to spend a year in Iraq.

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February 12, 2007

Marine receives 2 Bronze Stars, Danville graduate is honored for service in Afghanistan

Marine Corps Maj. Randall S. Hoffman never knew his uncle, a Vietnam War helicopter crew chief who died in a troop recovery mission in 1968.

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February 10, 2007

Marine pilot from Big Bear City dies in Iraq

BIG BEAR CITY - Every day during his tour of duty in Iraq, 1st Lt. Jared Landaker flew casualty evacuation missions in dangerous combat zones in al-Anbar Province.

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February 9, 2007

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gives wounded warrior a lift home

2/9/2007 - TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An injured Marine received an unexpected upgrade in his flight home from Iraq here Feb. 8.

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Police chief gets Iraq war medals, Angelino receives two Purple Hearts

Norwich Police Chief Joseph G. Angelino recently received Purple Hearts for two injuries he suffered in Iraq in September 2005.

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February 7, 2007

Local Marine dies in Iraq grenade attack

A 20-year-old Lynn Township man who was motivated to join the Marines by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was killed by a grenade in Iraq on Monday just 20 days after arriving there for his first tour of duty

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February 6, 2007

Marine killed in Iraq laid to rest in Westlake Village, People on street salute family

The night before her son's funeral, Vicki Melia looked up at the midnight sky. Alone, she sat on the curb outside her Thousand Oaks home talking with him.

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February 5, 2007

Fallen Marine. Iraq war touches home

WESTLAKE VILLAGE - Last year, Anthony Melia returned to his alma mater, Thousand Oaks High School, proudly wearing his crisp uniform as a U.S. Marine.

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February 3, 2007

Surprise ceremony honors Marine at home. Purple Heart recognizes Iraq war wounds

MT. JULIET — Gene Leigh McCollum stepped out the door Friday morning to run errands, pay some bills and have a fairly normal day. Less than five minutes later, he was a decorated war veteran.

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February 2, 2007

Wounded Marine remembers fallen comrade

CALEDONIA -- He lost a kidney, his spleen and almost his life.

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January 30, 2007

Dinwiddie resident severly injured in Iraq , A county resident was severely injured while fighting in Iraq Jan. 18.

Matthew Bradford, 20, was serving in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines in Haditha, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device exploded.

Continue reading "Dinwiddie resident severly injured in Iraq , A county resident was severely injured while fighting in Iraq Jan. 18." »

January 28, 2007

Marine honored for valor in Iraq

'He feared his God, but that's about it,' commander says

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Marine honored for valor in Iraq

'He feared his God, but that's about it,' commander says

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January 25, 2007

Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based Marine learns Arabic working in detention facility

COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, IRAQ - (Jan. 25, 2007) -- After working the constantly-changing shifts in the detainee handling facility here, Lance Cpl. Michael Otero finds himself in a different place than most Marines – the interpreters tent, asking questions.

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W.Va. Marine fighting back after losing legs in IED blast

Cpl. Chris Santiago spent last week in the Cayman Islands.

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January 20, 2007

Serving his country in triplicate

Marine volunteers to go back to Iraq for third tour

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January 12, 2007

Medal of Honor Recipient Honored at Pentagon

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2007 – The second servicemember to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in the Iraq war was inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes today.

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Medal Of Honor Citation for Cpl. Jason L. Dunham

WASHINGTON (Jan. 12, 2007) -- The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

CORPORAL
JASON L. DUNHAM
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following

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January 11, 2007

President Bush Presents Medal of Honor to Corporal Jason Dunham

THE PRESIDENT: Welcome to the White House.

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor a President can bestow. The Medal is given for gallantry in the face of an enemy attack that is above and beyond the call of duty. The Medal is part of a cherished American tradition that began in this house with the signature of President Abraham Lincoln.

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January 10, 2007

Marine's family learns kinship of war

EDITOR'S NOTE: The war in Iraq hit home in Lorain County last fall with headlines about a local Marine, Lance Corporal Colin Smith, 19, being seriously wounded by an Iraqi sniper near the town of Fallujah. Smith, a 2005 graduate of Avon Lake High School, was shot in the head.

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January 9, 2007

Honor And Sacrifice: Roy & Cassie's Story

The young man speaking to me is Marine Corporal Roy Vanwey, an outpatient at the burn unit at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio. He has gorgeous brown eyes but the rest of his face is badly scarred by burns he suffered in a roadside bomb attack near the Syrian border in Iraq.

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January 6, 2007

How Do You Repay A Hero's Sacrifice? Three years ago, a fellow Marine gave his life

Two mothers join forces

EUREKA, Calif. -- Kelly Miller has the dream once or twice a week.

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January 4, 2007

Marine found dead while on leave from Iraq

PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- A North Carolina-based Marine on break from fighting in Iraq was found dead in his sleep, leaving family members puzzled as they mourned.

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January 2, 2007

Bagpiping Marine headed to Iraq

Jesse Short said he always wanted to be different, and he wanted to be the best at whatever he did.

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December 31, 2006

21-year-old Marine squad leader dedicates himself to fellow “grunts,” chooses Iraq over home

HUSAYBAH, Iraq - Commitment and dedication. Those are the two words U.S. Marines here use to describe Cpl. Jason Getty"s recent decision to extend his current enlistment to stay in Iraq.

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December 30, 2006

Healer who never fell back laid to rest

ARLINGTON, Va. - The sergeant with no legs sat inside the cemetery, thinking about how this homecoming was supposed to happen.

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December 29, 2006

Marine’s uncommon valor in combat earns him medal during last few months in Marine Corps

AL ASAD, Iraq - Marines and sailors here say that a sergeant leading a convoy through Iraq"s western Al Anbar province showed uncommon valor in May when he pulled several Marines from a burning humvee ignited by an improvised explosive.

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December 28, 2006

Road to recovery

Andrew Kinard came back from Iraq more than seven weeks ago, but in many ways, he’s spent the time here fighting harder than ever.

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December 17, 2006

Fighting spirit carries Marine, After a bomb in Iraq took Tennessean Eric Frazier's legs, he took on a new mission — to walk again.

WASHINGTON — On the 52nd day of the rest of his life, Marine Lance Cpl. Eric Frazier chatted with a basketball star, enjoyed time outside soaking up an unusually mild December morning and stood for more than a minute on his new right leg.

Continue reading "Fighting spirit carries Marine, After a bomb in Iraq took Tennessean Eric Frazier's legs, he took on a new mission — to walk again." »

December 15, 2006

Battlefield's 'Doc' now in a nation's care, Brought home by his best friend, lost medic unites perfect strangers

The skinny sailor sat in the Philadelphia airport terminal in his deep-blue dress uniform, cracking his knuckles, shifting in his seat, waiting for his best friend.

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December 14, 2006

Injured Marine showing progress, Colin Smith smiling, playing tic-tac-toe

Injured Marine Lance Cpl. Colin Smith of Avon Lake, who was initially thought to be brain-dead, recognizes his family, has regained some use of one arm and even plays tic-tac-toe with his father, according to his mother.

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Marine doesn’t give up on Corps

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - Staff Sgt. James M. Sturla knows what it means to get back up after being knocked down.

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December 12, 2006

Marines lose a friendly face from Whidbey Island, Highest-ranking woman to die in Iraq was public affairs officer

To journalists covering the war in Iraq, Marine Corps Maj. Megan Malia McClung was a professional yet friendly face, working hard as a public affairs officer to help them do their jobs.

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Alabama Marine dies after becoming sick in Iraq

ANNISTON, Ala. Cody Watson, a 21-year-old Anniston man who joined the Marines last year, fell ill and died while serving in Iraq.

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December 11, 2006

Two more Maine soldiers die in Iraq

CASTLE HILL - When family members talk about Cpl. Dustin J. Libby, they talk about the man he became.

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1st Female Marine Officer Killed In Iraq

(AP) CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. The Department of Defense said Monday the first woman Marine officer has been killed in Iraq.

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Reno Marine lieutenant killed in Iraq

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Marine 1st Lt. Nathan Krissoff of Reno has been killed in Iraq, according to his family.

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December 10, 2006

Funeral held for N.C.-based Marine killed in Iraq

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. - A Camp Lejeune Marine killed in Iraq followed his brothers into the military and loved serving his country, a minister said during his funeral Saturday in Wisconsin.

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December 9, 2006

Marine from Aroostook is killed in Iraq firefight

A Marine from Aroostook County who died in Iraq this week was killed in a firefight, his brother said on Friday night.

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Reverence, heartache for Marine

As wind whipped an American flag flying at half-staff, hundreds of mourners from Carlstadt and beyond gathered Friday to bid farewell to the community's second resident recently killed in military combat, Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Schwarz.

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December 8, 2006

Navy seaman recalled as 'natural leader'

LONGMONT - Navy Seaman Christopher Anderson wanted all his life to make a difference in the world - and in his short 24 years he did, for his nation and to his family, his father, Rick, said Thursday.

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Semper Fi spirit, Wounded three times in Iraq, Marine stays strong with family support and video games used to boost rehabilitation efforts.

If a Marine survives being shot in the head, chances are he or she will be looking forward to some quiet time at home. Lance Cpl. John McClellan just wanted to waste some aliens on planet Sera.

Continue reading "Semper Fi spirit, Wounded three times in Iraq, Marine stays strong with family support and video games used to boost rehabilitation efforts." »

Marines Save Iraqi Baby to Honor Fallen Medic, Routine Patrol Turned Into Mission to Help Sick Child

(Dec. 8) - The story of a group of Marines' quest to save a sick baby in war-torn Iraq gives some hope to humanity this holiday season.

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December 7, 2006

Injured Marine gets hero's welcome home

Sitting around the dinner table this Thanksgiving, the Leddy family had plenty of reason to be thankful for the past year.

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December 6, 2006

Family, friends welcome home wounded Iraq war veteran

FREDERICK -- After 55 days of hospital food, surgeries and physical therapy, a Frederick Marine who has been back in the United States for two months is finally, truly, back home.

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Hub officer gets a hero's welcome home

Terrence "Shane" Burke wanted a quiet reunion with his Boston police family last evening.

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TH Marine loses leg after Humvee blasted by improvised explosive device

TERRE HAUTE — Mike Watson struggled to hold back tears as he spoke Wednesday via telephone about his son, Lance Cpl. Chad M. Watson.

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December 3, 2006

Memorial on football field was Marine's wish, ANZA: The Aguanga man killed in Iraq loved playing for Hamilton High School.

ANZA - Jeromy D. West's memory will return to the football field where he grew up and found a sense of belonging and purpose.

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Marine is facing the fight of his life

Lance Cpl. Timothy Lang manned the turret atop a Humvee patrolling Fallujah, Iraq, when a roadside bomb made him a casualty of war.

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December 2, 2006

Marine Corps Capt. Jason Torbensen, Air Force 1st Lt. Dustin Torbensen

Blackanthem Military News, SOUTHWEST ASIA — Being in different services, they never thought their military paths would cross, but two Kaysville, Utah, brothers are sharing a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Continue reading "Marine Corps Capt. Jason Torbensen, Air Force 1st Lt. Dustin Torbensen" »

Horse-drawn hearse to carry Marine's body in Canton

A 110-year-old horse-drawn hearse will carry the body of Canton Marine Pvt. Heath Warner next week.

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December 1, 2006

Ambushes target morale, As insurgents aim for casualties, Marines train to neutralize tactic

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – When he closes his eyes, Marine Cpl. Christopher Shelhamer can feel the bullet that tore through his body when he was ambushed while on foot patrol outside Fallujah, Iraq.

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Mount Zion Marine wounded

MOUNT ZION - When a Marine Corps Reserve officer called Mike Watson at work to tell him his son had been seriously injured in Iraq, he asked the officer if his son would survive.

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As careers end, duty calls

Tyler Tidwell was in his company's ward room when he found out his request for service selection with the Marine Corps was granted.

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November 29, 2006

Military service a longtime dream, Canton McKinley graduate, in Marines for a year, was proud to be `defending freedom'

CANTON - When Heath Warner was 12, he visited Arlington National Cemetery with his family.

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'HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS', 2 Ohio towns say farewell to fallen Marine

TIFFIN - To the altar of St. Mary's Catholic Church, family and friends of Lance Cpl. Jeremy S. Shock carried symbols of what was important to the young Marine killed 10 days ago in Iraq.

Continue reading "'HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS', 2 Ohio towns say farewell to fallen Marine" »

November 21, 2006

Marine pen pal tells of Iraqi experiences

ROXBURY TWP. – Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Masterson said his convoy was driving down an Iraqi roadway when it came to a sudden halt because a young Iraqi girl was sitting in the middle of the road, clutching a Teddy bear.

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November 13, 2006

Catching Up: Iraq war veteran marks third marathon finish

It was almost a year ago that Lance Cpl. Neil Schalk, then 19, a Marine from Richland Center serving in Iraq, was wounded by a homemade bomb during a convoy mission from Fallujah to Ramadi.

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November 11, 2006

Medal of Honor will be awarded to fallen Marine

By Patrick Dickson, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, November 11, 2006

WASHINGTON — President Bush on Friday announced that the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, will be awarded posthumously to Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham.

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*Parents of Jason Dunham say they can put him to rest now

SCIO - Semper Fidelius, was shown for Marine Corporal Jason Dunham, when President George W. Bush announced at the dedication of the National Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Va., Friday that the Scio Central School graduate would receive “the nation's highest declaration of valor the Medal of Honor.”

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*Parents of Jason Dunham say they can put him to rest now

SCIO - Semper Fidelius, was shown for Marine Corporal Jason Dunham, when President George W. Bush announced at the dedication of the National Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Va., Friday that the Scio Central School graduate would receive “the nation's highest declaration of valor the Medal of Honor.”

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*Marine to receive Medal of Honor for Iraq heroism

(CNN) -- President Bush announced on Friday that the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration, will be awarded posthumously to Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham.

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The highest honor for a fallen hero

Corp. Jason Dunham receives Medal of Honor posthumously

SCIO, N.Y. - At the dedication of the Marine Museum at the Marine Corps headquarters in Quantico, Va., today — a ceremony to honor those who've served in past and present military conflicts — President Bush announced the next recipient of the nation's highest decoration for valor, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

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November 10, 2006

Hub’s bravest doing double duty overseas

Just weeks before Terrence Burke would lose his right lower leg in a bomb blast in Fallujah, the rookie BPD officer had already been dubbed a hero and “all heart” by the Marines of Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines - not an easy feat in a unit that includes four Boston cops and several city firefighters, men generally leery of “hero” tags.

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First Long War Marine to receive Medal of Honor

Quantico, VA (Nov. 10, 2006) -- A corporal who died shielding men in his care from a bursting grenade deserves America’s highest military decoration, President Bush has confirmed (http://www.mcnews.info/mcnewsinfo/moh/).

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First Long War Marine to receive Medal of Honor

QUANTICO, Va. (Nov. 10, 2006) – A corporal who died shielding men in his care from a bursting grenade deserves America’s highest military decoration, President Bush has confirmed.

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November 9, 2006

*Greenfield Marine fights battle at home

Greenfield - The Marine uniform symbolizes strength, honor and country. The men and women who answer the call live by the Marine motto "Semper Fidelis." It means "Always faithful" in Latin.

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November 7, 2006

Shot Marine back in U.S., is in ‘serious’ condition; Lance Cpl. Smith moved to medical center in Maryland

Injured Marine Lance Cpl. Colin Smith has been moved to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and his condition Monday was listed as serious, according to a spokesman for the hospital.

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November 5, 2006

Wish fulfilled: Burned soldier to see Bears; Chicagoans step up, donate tickets, sweatshirts, cash

Two weeks ago while patrolling Iraq's Al Anbar province, Lance Cpl. Jon Green's truck hit a roadside bomb.

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November 3, 2006

*Fund-raiser held for cancer-stricken Marine

Sgt. Mike Baker fought for his country in Iraq and now he's fighting for his life and needs his community's help. A spaghetti dinner fund-raiser will be held Saturday to raise money for his expenses while he wrangles with his newest enemy, cancer.

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Thrice-wounded Marine shows his teammates what luck really is

By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, November 3, 2006

WASHINGTON — The third time he was shot was the luckiest day of Lance Cpl. John McClellan’s life.

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Local Marine injured in Iraq explosion, 23-year-old officer listed as ‘critical’

Bettye Kinard, of Greenwood, had a few words of loving precaution for her grandson, Marine 2nd Lt. Andrew Kinard, of Spartanburg, before he began his tour of duty in Iraq.

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*Former county resident commands a battalion in Iraq

The Iraqi city of Al Qaim lines the banks of the great Euphrates River at the western edge of the Al Anbar Province just miles from the Syrian border.

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November 2, 2006

Embedded Reporter Recounts Wounding Of Avon Lake Marine; Marine Injured In Iraq When Bullet Pierced Helmet

CLEVELAND -- New details have emerged about a northeast Ohio Marine injured in Iraq

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October 27, 2006

Marine recovering after Iraq IED blast

Peggy and Michael Kreiser got the call around 10 a.m. on Oct. 7.
The voice on the other end of the phone belonged to a Marine Corps officer in Iraq. The Kreisers’ 26-year-old son, Lance Cpl. Jared Kreiser, had suffered injuries from a roadside bomb — one of the infamous “IEDs.”

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October 26, 2006

*Treatment, son’s recovery thrill local Marine’s mom

For a woman who met Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in recent weeks, Connie McClellan is still pretty easy to impress.

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October 24, 2006

*Family's joy turns to grief as son comes home early; Joshua Watkins was due home from Iraq on Oct. 31, but he was killed Saturday in Fallujah.

Marine Cpl. Joshua Watkins planned to come home from Iraq on Oct. 31, and his Jacksonville family dreamed of meeting him in a joyous reunion. They wanted to be at the base in North Carolina as he walked off the bus.

Continue reading "*Family's joy turns to grief as son comes home early; Joshua Watkins was due home from Iraq on Oct. 31, but he was killed Saturday in Fallujah." »

October 21, 2006

Wounded Burlington Marine wants to return to duty

Bomb's are the weapons of choice for insurgents in Iraq. Lance Corporal Jason Mikolajcik was three feet from a car bomb in Falluja when it exploded.

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October 19, 2006

*Sturbridge Marine dies in Iraq

The single black bar on his vest made the tall man with bright blue eyes stand out among his camouflaged charges.

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October 18, 2006

*Family Of Marine Severely Injured In Iraq Holds Faith

GREENFIELD, Ind. -- The family of a Marine from Indiana is awaiting his return to the U.S. after he was severely injured in a roadside bomb blast in Iraq.

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October 17, 2006

Rockport man dies in Iraq; Insurgents attacked his patrol unit

Sgt. Jonathan J. Simpson, 25, of Rockport, died Saturday during combat operations against enemy forces in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, the Department of Defense announced Monday.

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October 16, 2006

Canadian who became Texan, Marine is killed

A former Canadian who adopted Texas as his home was killed during a Marine combat operation in Iraq on Saturday.

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October 12, 2006

*A NEW FRIEND IN WASHINGTON

Twenty-year-old John McClellan is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head, his third combat injury.

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October 8, 2006

In ambush, he lost a friend. Then he became a hero.

A Marine is up for the Medal of Honor after killing 11 insurgents in Iraq in close combat, but the award would be posthumous.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — One November day in 2004, in 30 minutes of close combat, Marine Pfc. Chris Adlesperger, a soft-spoken, religious young man who loved poetry and art, attacked an enemy stronghold in Fallujah, Iraq, and killed at least 11 insurgents.

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October 6, 2006

Local Marine leaves intensive care

No one would blame John McClellan for being bitter after getting shot in the head by a sniper in Iraq, but that’s not the Columbia Marine’s style.

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October 2, 2006

Hurt Marine recovering in Bethesda

The Columbia lance corporal has made a miraculous recovery so far after being shot in the head

When Connie and Carl McClellan of Columbia arrived at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., on Saturday, they didn’t know quite what to expect. Their son, Lance Cpl. John McClellan, 20, had survived a gunshot to the head just four days earlier while serving with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, Echo Company in Haditha, Iraq.

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October 1, 2006

Hearts open for injured Marine

His dad's youth football team has helped raise about $10,000 to ease the burden for the man's family

It has been exactly one month since it happened. Since Mike Delancey and Paula Palmer got the call.

Their son, Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Delancey, 21, had been wounded in an insurgent attack in Iraq. A bullet struck him in the back and tore through his body.

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*Just weeks into Iraq deployment, Hawaii-based Marine battalion honors fallen warrior

HADITHA, Iraq (Oct. 1, 2006) -- Just weeks into a seven-month deployment in Iraq’s Al Anbar Province, Hawaii-based Marines from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment held a memorial service Oct. 1, 2006, at the Haditha Dam for a Marine killed in action recently.

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Drive-Thru Danger; How a U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor saved a man's life at McDonald's.


Somebody's Trapped in There!

As a U.S. marine corps drill instructor, Jamie Nicholson had a tough-as-leather scowl and a cannon-like voice that could drain the color right out of the faces of his new recruits. Whether driving his platoon on a 12-mile hike with 45-pound packs or ordering them to plunge fully dressed from a tower into water ten feet below, he pushed the young soldiers ceaselessly. As Marines he taught them to act decisively and effectively, even in the midst of chaos.

Continue reading "Drive-Thru Danger; How a U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor saved a man's life at McDonald's." »

September 30, 2006

Friend: Marine had plan to disappear

BOULDER, Colo. --A Marine who went missing in the Colorado mountains had a plan to avoid returning to duty and had hoped to be presumed dead so he could collect insurance money from his brother, the beneficiary, his girlfriend said.

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September 29, 2006

*Hickman grad shot for third time in Iraq

Marine who was shot in head was awarded another Purple Heart

Lance Cpl. John McClellan, 20, has a tattoo of shamrocks below his belly button. The image symbolizes the nickname his fellow Marines gave him, “Lucky,” after he was shot in his right arm twice in one week last October, while serving with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Echo Company in Afghanistan.

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September 24, 2006

Wounded soldier welcomed home as hero

Candia – Marine Lance Cpl. Louis Stamatelos Jr. doesn't think he's a hero, but his hometown begs to differ and gave him a hero's welcome this weekend.

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September 19, 2006

NH Marine is home to recover after being hit by enemy sniper in Iraq

CANDIA – A young man wounded this summer during Operation Iraqi Freedom says the support of his family, excellent medical care and the prayers of his community have helped answer his wish.

Louis Stamatelos Jr., who celebrates his 21st birthday in a week, will be headed home in three days for the upcoming celebration of Candia's Old Home Days festival, and friends say he may also attend the Deerfield Fair.

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September 18, 2006

Marine Cpl. Rides At The Door praised and honored in BTBC ceremonies.

Already having served two tours of duty in Iraq and earning the Purple Heart via a roadside bomb in 2004, Browning High School graduate Jonas Rides At The Door was honored in ceremonies Friday, Sept. 8, at Blackfeet Tribal Headquarters in Browning.

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September 15, 2006

*Hard-headed Marine walks away from headshot

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Sept. 15, 2006) -- Cpl. Daniel M. Greenwald knows that being hard headed isn’t always a bad thing.

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September 12, 2006

Cody Hill continues fight for life

ADA — Marine Lance Cpl. Cody Hill is fighting to recover from severe burns and wounds from shrapnel he sustained in Iraq on Sept. 4. The three other riders in the vehicle struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) were killed. Hill’s father Carlyle Hill is very emotional as he stays with his son at the Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.“Cody needs your thoughts and prayers. The families of the other three boys that didn’t make it also need prayers,” Carlyle said.

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September 11, 2006

*Marine 'gave his all' before dying

Benson had just two months to go in his second tour of duty in Iraq when a bomb exploded under his vehicle on June 17. He died Saturday night from his injuries.

Moments after Marine Cpl. Johnathan Benson's bomb-wracked body endured a second stroke, his mother knew the end was near.
"His goal as a kid was to serve in the military," Marjorie Benson said Sunday from Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, where she and her husband, Steve, were making funeral arrangements for their 21-year-old son. "Even lying in the bed the Marines here asked him, 'Are you a Marine?' He said, 'Yes sir, I'm still a Marine. I want to go back over."

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*Marine 'gave his all' before dying

Benson had just two months to go in his second tour of duty in Iraq when a bomb exploded under his vehicle on June 17. He died Saturday night from his injuries.

Moments after Marine Cpl. Johnathan Benson's bomb-wracked body endured a second stroke, his mother knew the end was near.
"His goal as a kid was to serve in the military," Marjorie Benson said Sunday from Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, where she and her husband, Steve, were making funeral arrangements for their 21-year-old son. "Even lying in the bed the Marines here asked him, 'Are you a Marine?' He said, 'Yes sir, I'm still a Marine. I want to go back over."

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September 9, 2006

Police aim to arrest Marine, Warrant is from probation violation

Boulder authorities issued an arrest warrant Friday for a missing Marine who they believe, with the help of a friend, staged his disappearance to avoid returning to duty and possibly another tour in Iraq.

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September 7, 2006

Sheriff Says Missing Marine Staged Disappearance, Hering's Friend Arrested, Faces False Reporting Charges

BOULDER, Colo. -- After five days of searching to no avail, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office now believes that the Marine who was lost in the mountains was never missing and may have staged his disappearance.

Continue reading "Sheriff Says Missing Marine Staged Disappearance, Hering's Friend Arrested, Faces False Reporting Charges" »

September 6, 2006

*R.I. Marine hurt in Iraq

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- A 23-year-old Marine reservist from Rhode Island was injured in an attack in Iraq Monday and is being transported back to the United States, according to his father, North Kingstown Fire Chief David Murray.

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September 5, 2006

WWII Hero Gabaldon Dies

MIAMI - Guy Gabaldon, who as an 18-year-old Marine Private single-handedly persuaded more than 1,000 Japanese soldiers to surrender in the World War II battle for Saipan, has died. He was 80.

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Searchers won't give up on Marine

Volunteers will continue an informal search today for a Boulder Marine who went missing in Eldorado Canyon State Park one week ago.

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September 4, 2006

Search is off for missing Boulder Marine

The official search was called off Sunday for a 21-year-old Marine from Boulder who disappeared after injuring his head while hiking in Eldorado Canyon State Park.

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Search is off for missing Boulder Marine

The official search was called off Sunday for a 21-year-old Marine from Boulder who disappeared after injuring his head while hiking in Eldorado Canyon State Park.

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September 3, 2006

Search for missing climber called off

BOULDER COUNTY - The fifth day was the last day of a search for a missing Marine in Eldorado Canyon.

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September 2, 2006

Marine gets to see Tigers

Ed Holmgren of Ishpeming, left, greets Cpl. Neil Frustaglio of Ishpeming during a spaghetti dinner benefit at the Ishpeming Armory recently. Frustaglio planned to take a break from rehab this weekend at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. Thanks to a group called the Wounded Warrior Project, he was offered a trip to today’s Detroit Tigers game. (Journal file photo)

ISHPEMING — Wounded Marine Cpl. Neil Frustaglio of Ishpeming Township will get a chance to take a break from his rehabilitation activities at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. — even if just for a few days — to attend today’s Detroit Tigers game against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park.

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Fellow Marines join park search

Third day ends with injured Boulder climber, 21, still missing

A group of fellow Marines joined the effort to find Lance Hering, and his mother donned a Semper Fi shirt Friday before heading up a mountain trail, but the third day of searching ended with the 21-year-old still missing.
Lloyd Hering believes his youngest son could be anywhere in the state -– disoriented and just trying to get by.

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September 1, 2006

Hundreds gather on Hansen to honor fallen EOD Marine

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan
(Sept. 1, 2006) -- More than 200 people gathered in Camp Hansen's West Chapel Aug. 21 to honor a 3rd Marine Logistics Group Marine who died Aug. 16 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio from wounds he received while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq March 7.

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No luck in search

Volunteers spend second day looking for missing Marine who fell in Eldorado Canyon

ELDORADO CANYON - Tall pine trees and steep, rocky terrain continued to hide a young Marine from the view of helicopters hovering above and search-and-rescue teams scouring a mountain to find him Thursday.

Continue reading "No luck in search" »

Missing climber's dad issues plea

ELDORADO SPRINGS CANYON — The father of a missing Marine who vanished with a head injury today asked for help in finding his son in the narrow, wooded canyon near Boulder.

Continue reading "Missing climber's dad issues plea" »

August 31, 2006

Injured Marine missing in park, Search to resume for Boulder climber on leave from Iraq

BOULDER - A Marine visiting home on leave from Iraq remained missing Wednesday night, one day after he injured his head in a climbing accident.

Continue reading "Injured Marine missing in park, Search to resume for Boulder climber on leave from Iraq" »

August 30, 2006

Local group provides keys to van for wounded Marine

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- Thanks to a special lady from Rhode Island, a quadriplegic Marine from Wisconsin will receive heartfelt cheers -- and a set of keys -- when he's wheeled on the field at halftime of the Naval Academy-University of Massachusetts football game.

Continue reading "Local group provides keys to van for wounded Marine" »

August 29, 2006

Wounded, but not out; Cullman Marine returns from bombing injuries to support platoon

Marine Cpl. Rowdy Zane Burney's hands, face and eyes were blasted with shrapnel May 6 when the Humvee he was riding in was blown up by a bomb hidden under a road in western Iraq.

Continue reading "Wounded, but not out; Cullman Marine returns from bombing injuries to support platoon" »

August 27, 2006

S. Dade Marine injured in Iraq

Patrick Howard was determined to become a Marine as a teenager in South Miami-Dade. After being seriously injured in Iraq last month, he hasn't lost his will to fight.

Patrick Howard heard his blood dripping onto the floor. He was on a mesh stretcher, a doctor leaning over him. His right arm was motionless, and he struggled to speak. Only a year out of high school, the 20-year-old Marine from South Miami-Dade faced his mortality last month on the battlefield in Iraq.

Continue reading "S. Dade Marine injured in Iraq" »

August 24, 2006

Bikers say 'thanks' to Marine


Motorcycle club donates $1,300 to aid in recovery from his injuries in Iraq
A Picatinny Arsenal worker's stepson, who suffered life-threatening shrapnel injuries to his head while serving as a Marine in Iraq, got a boost recently when he visited the Rockaway Township Army base.

The Tri-County Motorcycle Club presented a $1,300 donation on Aug. 2 to Sgt. Jacob Knospler of East Stroudsburg, Pa., Picatinny officials said in a statement released on Wednesday. The arsenal employs his stepfather, Jacob Wood.

Continue reading "Bikers say 'thanks' to Marine" »

August 22, 2006

Charleston Southern's defensive lineman goes from Iraq to Big South

(North Charleston-AP) August 21, 2006 - Football coaches and players often use military terms to describe the game.

Continue reading "Charleston Southern's defensive lineman goes from Iraq to Big South" »

August 21, 2006

Marine who died from IED burns remembered on Okinawa


Marines at Camp Hansen on Okinawa hold a memorial service Monday for Sgt. John Phillips, who died after a five-month fight to survive burns suffered in Fallujah, Iraq, in March. During his recovery, Phillips married his girlfriend and was on the mend when infections set in and took his life.
Megan McCloskey / S&S;

By Megan McCloskey, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, August 22, 2006

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa — Sgt. John Phillips was a man other Marines would go to for guidance because of his honesty and his intelligence, but mostly because he lived life from the heart, those who served with him said at a memorial service Monday.

Continue reading "Marine who died from IED burns remembered on Okinawa" »

'Wounded hero' showered with gifts for baby

Marine Miguel Delgado honored at fund-raiser


WINTHROP HARBOR — Marine Sgt. Miguel Delgado headed back to duty at Camp Lejuene, N.C. on Sunday with his arms full of baby supplies, clothes and toys.

Continue reading "'Wounded hero' showered with gifts for baby" »

Flight surgeon looks to future while deployed to Al Asad

Navy Lt. Stacey R. Black stands in front of a CH-53E Super Stallion shortly before flight Aug. 20, at Al Asad, Iraq. Black is a flight surgeon for Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and a native of Huntsville, Texas

Continue reading "Flight surgeon looks to future while deployed to Al Asad" »

August 20, 2006

Marines awarded Silver Stars for actions in Iraq

COLUMBUS, Ohio --A Marine killed last year in a gun battle in Iraq and another who was wounded in a roadside bombing that killed two of his comrades were awarded Silver Stars at a ceremony Sunday.

Continue reading "Marines awarded Silver Stars for actions in Iraq" »

August 15, 2006

*Once a mystery, 9/11 rescuer unmasks self amid publicity for new film

NEW YORK (AP) — For years, authorities wondered about the identity of a U.S. Marine who appeared at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, helped find a pair of police officers buried in the rubble, then vanished.
Even the producers of the new film chronicling the rescue, World Trade Center, couldn't locate the mystery serviceman, who had given his name only as Sgt. Thomas.

Continue reading "*Once a mystery, 9/11 rescuer unmasks self amid publicity for new film" »

Marine keeps convoys secure

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Cpl. Daniel M. Dresch is a man with his head on a swivel.

Dresch, a 21-year-old security force commander from Colombia, S.C., is the man making the call for his Marines when it comes to shoot or don’t shoot. It’s a role that demands complete awareness, quick decisions and nerves of steel. It’s also a job that he knows keeps his Marines safe on Iraq’s roads.

Continue reading "Marine keeps convoys secure" »

August 11, 2006

Prosthetic eye, Purple Heart for young wounded Marine

Marine is first in military to try experiment to preserve vision

The path from Iraq to Gilbert for Marine Corps veteran Brent Phillips was long, painstaking and earned him a Purple Heart.

Continue reading "Prosthetic eye, Purple Heart for young wounded Marine" »

August 5, 2006

Annual ‘Soldier Ride' receives local support

Lima 3/7 Marine, double amputee, among cyclists

More than eight months have passed since 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment's Cpl. Neil Frustaglio lost both his legs in Iraq. As a 22-year-old double amputee, Frustaglio came back to Twentynine Palms, Calif., July 26 on a modified bicycle alongside 10 other cyclists as part of Soldier Ride, an annual cross-country cycling event designed to motivate recovering amputees and raise donations for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Continue reading "Annual ‘Soldier Ride' receives local support" »

August 4, 2006

LCpl Patrick Howard receives Purple Heart

President George W. Bush awards a Purple Heart medal and citation to U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick Howard of Windermere, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006, at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., as Howard's parents Bertha and Wally Howard look on. Howard is recovering from wounds suffered in Operation Iraqi Freedom. White House photo by Eric Draper

Members Name: Wally

Please see this link for more info: http://www.usmcparents.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=38154&whichpage;=1

August 1, 2006

Marine Plays Taps for 400th Time

MCRD San Diego, CA. - Out of a sincere devotion to play the final song for a Marine who has passed away, Cpl. Aaron A. Rapp, from Marine Band San Diego, performed Taps at a funeral July 13 at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.

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'House of Hell' survivor awarded Navy Cross

Lt. Gen. John F. Sattler, commanding general of the I Marine Expeditionary Force, congratulates former Marine Sgt. Robert J. Mitchell on his receipt of the Navy Cross during a ceremony aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., July 28, 2006. Mitchell, who was wounded four times during his two tours in Iraq, received the medal, the nation's second-highest award for battlefield heroism, in recognition of his actions during the battle for Fallujah, Iraq in November 2004.

Continue reading "'House of Hell' survivor awarded Navy Cross" »

July 30, 2006

Marine photographer says Kevlar helmet saved him from enemy bullet in Iraq

Cpl. Brian M. Henner, a 22-year-old Marine from Rochester, N.Y., displays the Kevlar helmet he wore July 23, 2006, when he was shot in the head by an insurgent. Henner, a combat photographer with Regimental Combat Team 7, was shot in the helmet when insurgents, hidden in a near-by tree-line, fired upon Marines manning a vehicle inspection checkpoint. The incident took place in Haqlaniyah – one of three Euphrates River valley cities in the western portion of Al Anbar Province which make up the Haditha Triad region. “If I didn’t have it on, it probably would have went into the top of my head,” said Henner, a two-time veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. “It didn’t just graze, it dug in to the helmet, but that’s why we wear them, though.” Henner was photographing the Marines’ activities when the gun fight began, and was caught in the middle. After firing several rounds at the insurgents, he began crawling along the median away from the insurgents’ fire – that’s when he was shot in the head, he said.

Continue reading "Marine photographer says Kevlar helmet saved him from enemy bullet in Iraq" »

July 26, 2006

Marine sniper metes out swift death in Iraq's most dangerous neighborhood

RAMADI, Iraq, July 26 — He was 5 when he first fired an M-16, his father holding him to brace against the recoil. At 17 he enlisted in the Marine Corps, spurred by the memory of 9/11.

Continue reading "Marine sniper metes out swift death in Iraq's most dangerous neighborhood" »

July 20, 2006

Memory of Iraq is missing

Wounded area Marine in VA hospital gets upset at inability to recall tour, mom says

Day by day, Marine Lance Cpl. Bryan Carpenter is remembering more.

Continue reading "Memory of Iraq is missing" »

July 14, 2006

Lissner to assume command at Camp Fuji

Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Friday, July 14, 2006

The Marines at Camp Fuji, Japan, are to officially welcome their new permanent commander Friday.

Continue reading "Lissner to assume command at Camp Fuji" »

July 13, 2006

Santee, Calif., Marine awarded Bronze Star medal for heroic actions in Iraq

RAMANA, Iraq (July 13, 2006) -- Staff Sgt. Jeffery V. Escalderon experienced some of the fiercest fighting along the Iraqi-Syrian border city of Husaybah – against insurgents wielding machine guns, mortars and rocket propelled grenades.

Continue reading "Santee, Calif., Marine awarded Bronze Star medal for heroic actions in Iraq" »

Young Marine faces toughest battle of all


Private First Class Kris Taylor faces a battle for his life.


A Conroe teenager dreamed of becoming a Marine and serving his country.

Private First Class Kris Taylor faces a battle for his life. He was living that dream when doctors uncovered a serious problem. Now the young Marine is facing a new fight.

Continue reading "Young Marine faces toughest battle of all" »

Major who caught alleged jewelry thief honored

A national jewelry store chain honored a leatherneck who tackled an alleged thief in a shopping mall in May.

Helzberg Diamonds honored Maj. Erik McInnis during a ceremony Tuesday at one of its San Diego area stores.

Continue reading "Major who caught alleged jewelry thief honored" »

July 10, 2006

‘New England’s Own’ remembers fallen Marine

CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq - Lance Cpl. Joseph E. Donaher, assigned to Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, pays his final respects to a fallen brother, Cpl. Paul N. King, during a memorial service held July 6 at Camp Baharia, Iraq. King, 24, from Tyngsboro, Mass., was killed in action June 25, by small arms fire in Fallujah, Iraq.

Continue reading "‘New England’s Own’ remembers fallen Marine" »

July 3, 2006

JANE ANN MORRISON: Nun, Marine, mom, model, traveler: Woman personifies American spunk

A nun who became a U.S. Marine during World War II, then a wife, mother, teacher, model and world traveler whose last big trip was to Antarctica when she was 87, Laurene Quateman embodies the spunky American spirit we're celebrating Tuesday.

Continue reading "JANE ANN MORRISON: Nun, Marine, mom, model, traveler: Woman personifies American spunk" »

June 30, 2006

Former Marine Comes Back After 21-Year Break

Ramadi, Iraq - New York City Police Department Detective Evan L. Schwerner had nearly 21 years off active duty in the Marine Corps when in the four-year wake of Sept. 11, 2001, he decided he could better serve his family and country in the global war on terror as a Marine in Iraq.

Continue reading "Former Marine Comes Back After 21-Year Break" »

June 28, 2006

Marine in `Fahrenheit 9/11' killed in Iraq

DETROIT - A Marine and one-time recruiter who appeared in Michael Moore's documentary film "Fahrenheit 9/11" has died in a roadside bombing in Iraq.

Continue reading " Marine in `Fahrenheit 9/11' killed in Iraq" »

June 27, 2006

Marine lieutenant exposed himself to enemy fire to save another in Iraq


HADITHA, Iraq (June 27, 2006) -- Marines here say a lieutenant who was leading Marines and Iraqi soldiers through the volatile streets of Haditha, Iraq, June 14, showed uncommon valor when he ran into a barrage of enemy gunfire to pull a wounded Marine to safety.

1st Lt. Rick Posselt, a 25-year-old from Crystal River, Fla., said he is not the Marine who deserves the recognition.

Continue reading "Marine lieutenant exposed himself to enemy fire to save another in Iraq" »

June 26, 2006

A Marine to the max

MANSFIELD, Ohio — Michael Stover didn’t cry.

As a child, he lost a tear duct when a friend whacked him in the head with a snow shovel. He told his older brother and sister that’s why he didn’t shed tears, even when he did crazy childhood things like fall from trees.

Continue reading "A Marine to the max" »

Sgt. Jeremy Handen, connecting with the people of Okinawa

Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, June 26, 2006

Earlier this month, you were one of the few non-Japanese who Japan’s prime minister’s office honored for volunteer work. What were some of the activities mentioned in your citation?

Continue reading "Sgt. Jeremy Handen, connecting with the people of Okinawa" »

June 22, 2006

Corps Experience

Late-night arrivals: Matt, left, and Robert Shipp place their feet on yellow footprints at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. The Hauser Lake, Idaho, recruits were first off the bus at nearly midnight Monday for their processing into boot camp.


Closer to their dream but thousands of miles from home, twins Matt and Robert Shipp step into the world of Marine boot camp

Continue reading "Corps Experience" »

June 21, 2006

Former ‘Magnificent Bastards’ react to sniper rifle recovery

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (June 21, 2006) -- Call it a little bit of justice.

Marine snipers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment shot and killed an insurgent sniper and spotter preparing to shoot at passing Marines, June 16. And the insurgents were going to use a stolen Marine sniper rifle for the attack.

That rifle – an M-40A1 – belonged to the “Magnificent Bastards” of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, a battalion within the Regimental Combat Team 5 family. It was taken by insurgents when a team of four Marines were killed in a rooftop outpost June 21, 2004, in Ramadi.

Continue reading "Former ‘Magnificent Bastards’ react to sniper rifle recovery" »

June 20, 2006

Darkhorse snipers kill insurgent sniper, recover stolen Marine sniper rifle

CAMP HABBANIYAH, Iraq (June 20, 2006) -- Scout snipers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment killed an enemy sniper and recovered a Marine sniper rifle lost nearly two years ago during a mission near Habbaniyah June 16.

The rifle was the one formerly used by four Marines of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment who were killed on a rooftop in Ramadi June 21, 2004.

Continue reading "Darkhorse snipers kill insurgent sniper, recover stolen Marine sniper rifle" »

Brothers in arms

With high school behind them, identical twins Matt and Robert Shipp plan to fulfill a dream: become Marines and go to war for their country

Continue reading "Brothers in arms" »

June 19, 2006

Deployed Marine sees daughter’s birth via video linkup


JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — Marine Cpl. Terrence Lambert will have to wait until his return to Alabama in the fall to hold his first child, but a satellite linkup in Iraq allowed him to witness her birth on Father’s Day.

Continue reading "Deployed Marine sees daughter’s birth via video linkup" »

June 18, 2006

Lance Cpl. James Tessneer: A broken Marine

Editor's note: When Marines come back from the war in Iraq, they sometimes find that their war hasn't ended at all. It goes on in their minds and hearts. They have wounds that never bled, but left them badly injured ---- wounds of heart and mind. They look unchanged, but they are, and chances are they will never be the same again. Here is the story of one such Marine.

* * * * * *

He says his last tour in Iraq had him teetering on the abyss.

Continue reading "Lance Cpl. James Tessneer: A broken Marine" »

June 15, 2006

Military Salute--Cpl. Rob Hill

Thousands of recruits graduate from Parris Island each year, and Cpl. Rob Hill is helping shape those recruits into one of the few and the proud.

Continue reading "Military Salute--Cpl. Rob Hill" »

June 14, 2006

‘There was just no way I was leaving my boys’

Shot to the leg couldn’t get Marine out of the fight

By Geoff Ziezulewicz, Stars and Stripes
Heroes, Wednesday, June 14, 2006

With the typical stone-faced grit of a Marine, Staff Sgt. Anthony Viggiani is modest about how he came to be awarded the Navy Cross, the service’s highest award.

Continue reading "‘There was just no way I was leaving my boys’" »

June 11, 2006

'Rocket Man' rocks Ramadi

RAMADI, Iraq (June 11, 2006) -- The crack of insurgents firing rounds overhead sends him into action to find his target and neutralize it - fast. The Marine assesses multiple enemy targets approximately 400 meters away. He sights in. His finger steadily squeezes the trigger as a single shot jets from his rocket launcher. The explosion rocks the earth as the perfect hit is rewarded by the now silenced enemy – courtesy of the "Rocket man."

Continue reading "'Rocket Man' rocks Ramadi" »

June 10, 2006

Scout sniper serving in Iraq awarded U.S. military’s third highest award for valor

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (June 10, 2006) -- When Sgt. Jarred L. Adams retrieved the body of a fallen Marine from a burning humvee, he says he was simply doing his job.

Continue reading "Scout sniper serving in Iraq awarded U.S. military’s third highest award for valor" »

June 9, 2006

Marlboro Man of Fallujah...Gets Hitched

PRESTONSBURG - They said their “I do's” under a setting sun.

A year after they were legally wed, Pike County's own “Marlboro Man,” Blake Miller, finally celebrated a storybook wedding with his wife Jessica Holbrook Miller at the StoneCrest Golf Course in Prestonsburg Saturday night.

Continue reading "Marlboro Man of Fallujah...Gets Hitched" »

June 6, 2006

Marine brings welding skills to fight against insurgency

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (June 6, 2006) -- When he joined the Marine Corps in 2002, Cpl. Joshua W. Dale never thought he would be using his welding experience to defeat insurgents in western Iraq.

Continue reading "Marine brings welding skills to fight against insurgency" »

June 5, 2006

Local military leaders, consumer advocates protect the protectors

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (June 5, 2006) -- Maj. Gen. Michael R. Lehnert, commanding general, Marine Corps Installations West, appointed his top enlisted leader, Sgt. Maj. Wayne R. Bell, to testify before the State Senate May 23.

Bell, local military leaders and consumer rights advocates testified before the state senate during an informational hearing to combat consumer scams aimed at military service members.

Continue reading "Local military leaders, consumer advocates protect the protectors" »

June 2, 2006

Taking Chance

EDITOR'S NOTE: PFC Chance Phelps, 19, died April 9 from hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. He was buried in Dubois, Wyoming on April 17. The below story was written by LtCol. Mike Strobl, assigned to Manpower Management Officer Assignments at Quantico, who volunteered to be the escort officer for PFC Phelps during his journey home. LtCol Strobl's mission as escort officer was to ensure PFC Phelps arrived home with dignity and honor and in a professional and timely manner.

Continue reading "Taking Chance" »

May 30, 2006

Music Star's Son Back from Iraq

New York, N.Y. - It’s not everyday the son of an American country music star finds himself in combat, but it happens.

Continue reading "Music Star's Son Back from Iraq" »

May 29, 2006

In Honor of the Fallen: Marine Cpl. Todd J. Godwin

ZANESVILLE - Every day is Memorial Day for Kathy Godwin.

Every day Kathy mourns the death of her son, Marine Cpl. Todd Godwin, 21, who died from injuries received during enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq on July 20, 2004.

Continue reading "In Honor of the Fallen: Marine Cpl. Todd J. Godwin" »

The War Comes Home: One family lost a son, but the nation gained a hero


SNOHOMISH -- A year ago here in the foothills to the Cascades, Brian and Shellie Starr began Memorial Day as they always had. It was the start of summer, a weekend of camping, cookouts and catching up.

Brian drove to his office. "I had all these errands to run," Shellie recalls.

Continue reading "The War Comes Home: One family lost a son, but the nation gained a hero" »

May 28, 2006

Four who serve

Millions have served in the U.S. military. From there, commonality gives way to differences - both subtle and glaring - and variables that give each serviceman and servicewoman a unique story.

Continue reading "Four who serve" »

May 27, 2006

Fallen Marine Remembered At Memorial Service

Twenty-seven-year-old Lance Corporeal Eric Palmisano of Florence was remembered Saturday, for his courage, his leadership, but most of all, his sense of humor.

Continue reading "Fallen Marine Remembered At Memorial Service" »

May 24, 2006

‘What doesn’t kill you,only makes you stronger’

Keegan Winkeller is a local. He’s an employee, a son and a brother. He’s also a Marine and by the end of this summer, he will be a soldier in Iraq.

Continue reading "‘What doesn’t kill you,only makes you stronger’" »

May 23, 2006

Injured Marine set to return home

BURLINGTON - The ribbons in Burlington are a little less yellow. The flags still fly, but the wind has taken its toll on many of them.

Burlington is missing a son.

Continue reading "Injured Marine set to return home" »

May 22, 2006

Darkhorse Marine Decorated for Valor

Camp Fallujah, Iraq - A Darkhorse Marine was decorated with the nation’s fourth highest award for valor by the 1st Marine Division commanding general here, May 19.

Continue reading "Darkhorse Marine Decorated for Valor" »

May 19, 2006

Iconic Marine Is at Home but Not at Ease

Blake Miller's weary gaze hinted at the psychological pain to come

JONANCY, Ky. — Growing up in Jonancy Bottom, where coal trucks grind their gears as they rumble down from the ragged green hills, Blake Miller always believed there were only two paths for him: the coal mines or the Marine Corps. He chose the Marines, enlisting right out of high school.

Continue reading "Iconic Marine Is at Home but Not at Ease" »

May 16, 2006

Soldier's Mom Views Son's Last Hours in HBO's 'Baghdad ER'

War Documentary Chronicles Iraq Heroism in Painful Detail

ARLINGTON, Va., May 16, 2006 — - Paula Zwillinger knew something awful had happened when she saw two military officers waiting in her driveway as she came home from work on June 6, 2005. The officers told her that her son had been hit by a roadside bomb in Fallujah and had died 17 hours later.

Continue reading "Soldier's Mom Views Son's Last Hours in HBO's 'Baghdad ER'" »

May 12, 2006

Parris Island DI awarded Navy Cross

A drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., was awarded the nation’s second highest award for combat heroism during a ceremony held at the depot today, according to a Marine Corps release.

Continue reading "Parris Island DI awarded Navy Cross" »

May 11, 2006

For wounded soldier, a wealth of support

Somerset Marine hospitalized after being seriously injured in Iraq

MARION STATION -- Insurgent fire shot off his lower jaw. Damage to his left leg was so severe, doctors amputated beneath the knee. Shrapnel from a May 1 roadway bombing near Fallujah still penetrates his skin, in some places 2 inches deep.

Continue reading "For wounded soldier, a wealth of support" »

May 3, 2006

Marine's story inspires Iraq movie

HBO has ordered a movie based on a US Marine's experience transporting the body of a fallen colleague home from Iraq.

Continue reading "Marine's story inspires Iraq movie" »

April 30, 2006

Marine invasion - for a good cause

Volunteers landscape injured Iraq vet's yard, bring him a new Harley
Dan Priestley got a home makeover, Marine Corps-style.

The staff sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserves was confused when his wife, Lisa, woke him at 7:30 Saturday morning. But the confusion dissipated when he saw retired Marines arriving on motorcycles with heavy equipment to work on the front and back yards of his Parma home.

Continue reading "Marine invasion - for a good cause" »

April 29, 2006

Marine is remembered for his humor and antics

He died in a flood 60 days after he was deployed to Iraq.

God must have built Lance Cpl. Eric A. Palmisano without a filter, because he would say exactly what was on his mind -- and it was always hilarious.

Continue reading "Marine is remembered for his humor and antics" »

April 28, 2006

'Now it's time for our country to serve him'

Marine who survived two tours in Iraq now in coma due to accident hours after return

PALM SPRINGS - "Be careful."

Continue reading "'Now it's time for our country to serve him'" »

Orlando Marine dies at turning point in life

"He had a brilliant mind, motivated by the heart of a child"

If you ever dined at Brio Tuscan Grille or the Black Fin restaurants in Winter Park, Eric Palmisano might have been the kid who parked your car.

Continue reading "Orlando Marine dies at turning point in life" »

April 27, 2006

Marine finds 'the good life' in desert

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (April 27, 2006) -- Sleeping in dusty, wind-battered tents, waking up at 4 a.m. to carry heavy packs long distances and showering with wet wipes is just a brief description of life in the field.

Continue reading "Marine finds 'the good life' in desert" »

April 25, 2006

SDPD posthumously honors hero Marine

First came the bullets to his torso and his face. The automatic gunfire struck Sgt. Rafael Peralta the second he opened that door in a Fallujah house on Nov. 15, 2004.

Then, as Peralta lay dying, came the grenade, lobbed into the room with him and five other Marines.

Continue reading "SDPD posthumously honors hero Marine" »

April 19, 2006

Fallen Marine was anxious to meet his son for the first time

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (April 19, 2006) -- “All the stories and memories him and I have, I’m going to carry with me for the rest of my days,” said the young Marine, emotion gripping his voice, tears welling up in his eyes.

Remembering the life and legacy of his best friend was a difficult task as so many experiences filled the short two years and seven months he knew Lance Cpl. Darin T. Settle.

Continue reading "Fallen Marine was anxious to meet his son for the first time" »

April 9, 2006

Marine serenades Ramadi with ‘Marines’ Hymn’

AR RAMADI, Iraq (April 9, 2006) -- Cpl. Matthew E. Bucceri has something to pipe about. He’s played his bagpipes for the entire city of Ramadi.

Continue reading "Marine serenades Ramadi with ‘Marines’ Hymn’" »

April 7, 2006

The real McKoy: Recruiting’s leading lady wasn’t always so successful

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO(April 7, 2006) -- Female Marines have progressed extensively throughout their military history. For 63 years they have continually served their Corps and helped “free a man to fight” during both world wars.

Continue reading "The real McKoy: Recruiting’s leading lady wasn’t always so successful" »

April 6, 2006

Marine from Missouri unfazed by combat injuries in Iraq

HADITHA, Iraq (April 6, 2006) -- Lance Cpl. Matt Calvert accepts the wound he received March 25 from a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Iraq. It comes with the territory of being a Marine in a combat zone.

Continue reading "Marine from Missouri unfazed by combat injuries in Iraq" »

April 1, 2006

Local Marine recovering from gunshot wound

The local Marine, 21, from Leroy Township, continues to recover from a gunshot wound to his right leg, in his shin bone, that he sustained while serving in Iraq. He was shot by a sniper in February.

Continue reading "Local Marine recovering from gunshot wound" »

March 28, 2006

A $10,000 thank-you from state residents

A citizens group established to aid state military families awarded its first big grant to a young Marine injured in Iraq.

Continue reading "A $10,000 thank-you from state residents" »

March 24, 2006

Wounded (1/1) Marine back home--Grenade attack near Fallujah, Iraq, left Lance Cpl. Shane Chambers' right leg paralyzed

Two weeks and two days after Lance Cpl. Shane Chambers was wounded during an attack near Fallujah, Iraq, the Marine was greeted by his family Thursday as he returned home.

Continue reading "Wounded (1/1) Marine back home--Grenade attack near Fallujah, Iraq, left Lance Cpl. Shane Chambers' right leg paralyzed" »

March 22, 2006

On war's anniversary, a family mourns, another worries

As he sank into the couch in his parents' Freemansburg home, the shrapnel scar visible behind his ear, 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Tony Gilliard clicked through an electronic photo album of the guys he spent nine months with, fighting side-by-side in Iraq.

Continue reading "On war's anniversary, a family mourns, another worries" »

March 21, 2006

Sharp corners, crisp creases

Funny story about the American flag that arrived unfolded after flying over the Iraqi city of Fallujah.

To be displayed in a case at the real estate office where she works, Nedi Trodden knew the stars and stripes would need to be properly folded.

Continue reading "Sharp corners, crisp creases" »

March 20, 2006

Canton, Mich., Marine brothers cross paths in Iraq

CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq (March 20, 2006) -- After enlisting in the Marine Corps more than a year apart, two brothers from Canton, Mich., have crossed paths in Iraq, while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Continue reading "Canton, Mich., Marine brothers cross paths in Iraq" »

Matthew Palacios: Picking Up the Little Pieces, He saved lives by intercepting a live grenade, and took shrapnel for his trouble. Recovery has been bumpy, but this Marine is ready for action.

March 20, 2006 issue - Cpl. Matthew Palacios, the wounded Marine who saved his comrades by hurling away a live grenade, is still pulling out the pieces of shrapnel. Usually an eighth of an inch in diameter, the grenade fragments are easier to leave in his body than remove. But over time, the shards eject themselves, pushing their way up through his skin. Palacios can feel them surfacing, usually on his right side, where he took the brunt of the blast. One was working its way out of his calf as he spoke to NEWSWEEK, more than a year after the battle. "I can kind of squeeze it out," he says.

Continue reading "Matthew Palacios: Picking Up the Little Pieces, He saved lives by intercepting a live grenade, and took shrapnel for his trouble. Recovery has been bumpy, but this Marine is ready for action." »

March 17, 2006

Manteca woman blazes trail in Marines, Iraq vet among few women to lead copter crew

MANTECA - Anything but a desk job.

Jennifer Vollbrecht wanted action. And she found it in the Marine Corps.

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'I'm going to miss him'

Mar 17, 2006 — Even after losing her son in Iraq, Julie Snyder doesn't regret giving him permission to join the Marines.

When Matthew Snyder was a senior at Westminster High School in Maryland, he called his mother at work, said hi, and added, "I just enlisted in the Marines!"

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March 16, 2006

The face behind 'The Boot'

MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C.(March 16, 2006) -- While retired Master Sgt. Eulas "Jody" Talley Jr.'s name may not be immediately familiar, his face is more famous than many Marines aboard the Depot would guess.

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A Mother Drives Her Son's Memory Home

Karla Comfort Takes Her Tribute To Her Marine Son On The Road

(CBS) One military mother is going to extraordinary lengths to pay tribute to her fallen son. Jerry Bowen reports on her journey in the fourth part of the CBS Evening News special series, "The Iraq War: Three Years and Counting."

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March 14, 2006

On Call in Hell

He left a desk job for the front lines of Fallujah—and a horror show few doctors ever see. How Richard Jadick earned his Bronze Star. (1/8)

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March 13, 2006

Yellow Ribbon Week: Aaron Richter

OUR VERY OWN MEMBER'S SON!!!!! :)

LRICH527 OOOOHHHHRRRAAAAHHHH

Send a shout out to her and congratulate her on Aaron :)

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To serve, to become

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (March 13, 2006) -- A Twenty-nine Palms Marine participated in a United States naturalization ceremony, along with 33 other people from 20 different countries, more than 60 students here in Fort Collins and political representatives from the national, state and local levels.

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Twin Brothers From Peru Heading To Iraq


A Couple from Peru just said goodbye to twin sons who are being deployed to Iraq

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Camp Lejeune Marine awarded Silver Star for valor

CAMP LEJEUNE — Last May, the members of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, fought a hard battle in the name of Iraqi freedom — and under the name of Operation Matador.

To seize a key bridge in Iraq, the platoon led by 1st Lt. Brian Stann endured rocket-propelled grenades, machine gun fire, improvised explosive devices and suicide vehicles from the enemy.

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March 11, 2006

Norwalk Marine Wounded In Iraq

Parents Plan To Meet Son In Capitol
DES MOINES, Iowa -- An explosion in Iraq injured one of two Norwalk brothers serving in Iraq.

The brothers are just one year apart, and they're both Marines serving overseas.

It was the younger brother, Joel Klobnak, 19, who was injured earlier this week.

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Doctor brings trauma experience to Naval Hospital, helps to heal Marines again

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.(March 10, 2006) -- Growing up in a small Pennsylvania town nestled in the Pocono Mountains and dreaming of becoming a doctor, Joe Strauss would have never predicted he would be the lead resident physician at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., during one of the Marine Corps’ bloodiest battles in Iraq.

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For the troops

TWIN FALLS -- Three hundred and sixty four days a year, Twin Falls residents send the troops their appreciation. On Friday, residents took that support a step further by sending their blood.

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Tenacity wins Marine a medal

It was 5 a.m. when 2nd Lt. Brian M. Stann got the word.

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March 10, 2006

After 26 years of honorable service, Marine Corps retires leader

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.(March 10, 2006) -- Every Marine past and present is an honored part of the Marine Corps family, responsible for handing down its values and ideals. From oldest to youngest, America knows “once a Marine, always a Marine.”

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March 9, 2006

Fricke earns medal for combat valor

MOUNT PULASKI - Twenty-one-year-old Cpl. Matthew Fricke is a hero - not just to his dad, but to the whole U.S. Marine Corps. (3/7)

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March 8, 2006

3/8 Marine ready for 3rd deployment

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (March 8, 2006) -- Families and friends gathered with their Marines, helping them with their packs and giving them that one last hug for the seven months they’ll be apart. Hugs and kisses from families to Marines seemed synchronized as if there was a cue card letting them know when to do it.

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March 4, 2006

Families unite behind Arlington trio in Iraq

Three military men, all from Upper Arlington, graduated from the same middle school. They traveled to Iraq on the same Navy ship, in the same unit. Now, they’re preparing to come back to the United States on that same ship. Although Navy Lt. Tim Burkhart, Marine 1 st Lt. Antonio Agnone and Marine Pfc. Bob Lane are all members of the 22 nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, they have never been together. But their families have. This week, their brothers, fathers, mothers and sisters gathered at Da Vinci Ristorante at Henderson and Reed roads and talked for hours.

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Dunham bill finally on way to president

SCIO - The bill to rename the Scio post office after Jason Dunham is on its way to the desk of President George W. Bush.

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February 25, 2006

Parris Island Instructor Receives Navy Cross

CHARLESTON (AP) - A Parris Island drill instructor who was shot in the leg but managed to lead Marines up an Afghanistan mountainside in pursuit of enemy troops in 2004 has received the
Navy Cross award for bravery.

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February 18, 2006

Injured Daphne Marine 'anxious to get back', Lance Cpl. Benjamin Lyles injured in Iraq on Nov. 1

Although he suffered extensive shrapnel wounds when a grenade exploded in front of him while his Marine Corps squad was on a foot patrol in Iraq, Lance Cpl. Benjamin Lyles of Daphne said he intends to return to his unit.

Continue reading "Injured Daphne Marine 'anxious to get back', Lance Cpl. Benjamin Lyles injured in Iraq on Nov. 1" »

February 17, 2006

Snipers keep eye on Operation Industrial Revolution

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Feb. 17, 2006) -- Cpl. Justin V. Novi summed up the mission with a simple statement.

“It’s a huge building to clear.”

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February 14, 2006

One brave Marine

State lawmakers approve resolutions honoring Iowa native severely hurt rescuing fellow troops in Iraq

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February 12, 2006

Troops coming and going

Trenton VanBoening — perhaps a future lieutenant in the making — was ready for his dad to come home from Iraq.

The 19-month-old boy was decked out in his own pair of desert cammies, the same kind his father — 1st. Lt. Simon VanBoening — wears when he’s in the field with his unit, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines.

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February 5, 2006

8th ESB Marine shares running, Marine Corps experiences

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq(Feb. 5, 2006) -- Staying determined throughout a deployment can often challenge service members. Maintaining a sense of normalcy in the face of continuous stress and days of repetitiveness while separated from family and friends can sometimes make a goal seem unachievable.

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February 3, 2006

Ironton, Ohio, native manages units interpreters

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Feb. 3, 2006) -- Being able to communicate with the local populous is an important part of every mission the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment conduct in their area of operations. In order to do this, the unit works with local Iraqi interpreters.

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Houston native manages detainees in Iraq

CAMP FALLUJA, Iraq (Feb. 3, 2006) -- The Marines in 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment bring in suspected insurgents as detainees from their area of operation in order to keep local Iraqi citizens safe. Having one location for all of the detainees to be processed helps expedite the process.

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Rockford, Ill., native searches for weapons caches during Operation Trifecta

ZAIDON, Iraq (Feb. 3, 2006) -- The sun was rising on the second day of Operation Trifecta and it was time for Sgt. Chad T. Johnson, a combat engineer attached to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, and his engineers to impair insurgent operations in the Zaidon area.

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January 31, 2006

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Michael McGraw Marine’s Actions Help Save Platoon

There they were, moving into an area known to be a hot spot for insurgent activity when it happened Oct. 2, 2005. Gunfire, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades began flying around them as they took cover and started their assault on the enemy’s position in Karmah, Iraq.

Continue reading "U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Michael McGraw Marine’s Actions Help Save Platoon" »

January 30, 2006

2/6 Marine recognized for superior leadership

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Jan. 30, 2006) -- First Lt. Martin B. Keogh from Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment was awarded the 2nd Marine Division Association’s Tarawa Award.

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January 29, 2006

NCO recognized for outstanding leadership

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Jan. 29, 2006) -- A Marine from Company F, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment was awarded the 2nd Marine Division Association’s Lt. Gen. Julian C. Smith Award for his leadership excellence while serving as squad leader for 1st Squad, 4th Platoon.

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Some stay, some go, all proud

As the final year of a Marine's enlistment approaches, he or she may be unsure whether or not to stay in the Corps. What some Marines may not take into consideration is that there are benefits in staying Marine.

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January 27, 2006

Lance Cpl. runs admin shop for three months in boss' absence

MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (Jan. 27, 2006) -- Marines pride themselves on being able to lead Marines, no matter who it is - at any time another Marine can step up and take over without lacking in performance.

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January 25, 2006

Staying Marine in Iraq


CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Jan. 25, 2006) -- Reenlisting or separating from the Marine Corps is a decision each enlisted Marine reaches at some point in their career.

Gunnery Sgt. Antonio M. Hardy, the 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) career retention specialist is on hand here to assist Marines considering “re-uping” while forward deployed.

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A Marine by any other name is still a Marine

QUANTICO, Va. — The Marine Reservist from Valdosta has grown used to the funny looks and sarcastic questions.

No, there is no mistake on Gunnery Sgt. Mike Marine's uniform. His last name really is Marine.

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January 24, 2006

Marine now shows improvement

TWIN FALLS -- The Marine isn't out of the woods yet, but his doctors say his vital signs look good.

"His color is improving, the swelling is continuing to subside and all his vital numbers are looking pretty normal," said Terry Greene about his son, Marine Cpl. Travis Greene, in a phone interview from Bethesda, Md., on Monday.

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Buckeye Marine participates in 24 MEU work-ups.


Fort A.P. Hill Va. (Jan. 24, 2006) -- Eleven months ago if you asked Pfc. Michael Parnell, a native of Canton, Ohio, where he’d be in a year, he probably wouldn’t have told you, Fort A.P. Hill, Va., wrapping up the Mechanized Raid Course. Yet, almost exactly eleven months after he enlisted in the Marine Corps, Pfc. Parnell found himself here in the middle of winter conducting training with Bravo Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 8th Marines as a part of their pre-deployment training package with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

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Nashville admin-warrior tells how the other half lives

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.(Jan. 24, 2006) -- In cosmopolitan metro areas across the world, people come in contact with myriad ethnicities, faiths and lifestyles. Often times, their preconceived notions about one group or another quickly crumble upon realizing that stereotypes are anything but a “one size fits all” idea. (1/6 Marine)

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Humboldt Marines link up in Iraq

It's a small world.
Three Marines who graduated from Humboldt County high schools in three different decades have ended up working together in Iraq. (2/11 Marine, MHS 466 Marine)

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Euless, Texas, brothers work together in Iraq

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq(Jan. 23, 2006) -- A Marine is never alone because around them at all times are fellow Marines taking care of them, watching their back and making sure they get home. Every Marine is a brother or sister to another Marine. (14th Marine Reg attached to 3/6)

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Experience pays off for Destin, Fla., native

FALLUJAH, Iraq(Jan. 24, 2006) -- “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror; I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do,” Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote. (2/6 E. 4th Plt)

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January 23, 2006

Local Marine Sergeant Returns From Third Tour Of Duty

Sonora, CA -- A local Sonora resident has returned from duty in the Middle East.

Marine Sergeant Lance White returned home from his third tour of duty January 12th. White served his first tour in Afghanistan followed by two in Iraq.

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January 22, 2006

The Fewer. The Proud. The Corpsmen.

Wherever Marines go, there are corpsmen following, guarding and watching over the wellbeing of the Marine unit. Seaman John Bradley was the corpsman with the notorious 28th Marine Regiment who raised the American flag on Mt. Suribachi during the invasion of Iwo Jima. (3/11)

Continue reading "The Fewer. The Proud. The Corpsmen." »

January 16, 2006

Norwalk, Calif., native keeps commander safe


HADITHA DAM, Iraq(Jan. 16, 2006) -- The job of lead vehicle gunner for a convoy in Iraq is one of the most dangerous and demanding jobs for a Marine, as insurgents continue to place roadside bombs aimed at injuring Marines, Iraqi soldiers, police and civilians.
(3/1)

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January 15, 2006

Thrice-hurt Marine undeterred

PROUD PARENTS — Leslie and Doyle Perkins look at a photo album and read letters from their son, Lance Cpl. Preston “Cody” Perkins, pictured in foreground. Cody Perkins, a member of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, also known as the “Thundering Third,” has been a Marine for just 21/2 years but has already been awarded three Purple Hearts. PHOTO BY PAULA MERRITT / THE MERIDIAN STAR

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January 14, 2006

Baldwin, Wis., native works alongside Iraqi troops

AL TAMAL, Iraq (Jan. 14, 2006) -- The last time Corporal Matt D. McGee was deployed to Iraq he was responsible for finding and destroying the enemy and maintaining his personal weapon and light armored vehicle.

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Kenai, Alaska, “doc” confirms calling in Iraq

AL TAMAL, Iraq (Jan. 14, 2006) -- Seaman Bryan W. Stocks, a 20-year-old Kenai, Alaska, native and platoon hospital corpsman for 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, had a tough choice to make when he was considering enlisting into the Navy: nuclear physics or medicine

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Tiny reminders

Baby's smile, special blanket and last letter home keep spirit of war widow's husband alive

Katherine Cathey holds her son, James Jr., during a recent doctor's visit. Katherine's husband, 2nd Lt. James J. Cathey, was killed Aug. 21 in Iraq. Katherine, 24, is trying to save as many things as possible to show her son. "I hope he asks a lot about his dad," she said of "Jimmy," who was born Dec. 22. "I'm sure he will."

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January 13, 2006

A commanding figure, at home and in Iraq

On the day before Marine Reserve Col. Mike Pannell returned to one of the most important jobs in Iraq, Gahanna’s Lincoln Elementary kids, sitting crisscross applesauce, took a shot at him in the auditorium.

They asked whether he was able to take a shower, whether he got sunburned, whether he saw snakes.

If only those were his biggest problems.

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War follows soldier home on leave from Iraq to his campus here


As an assistant principal at Woodlawn High, Reginald Williams wrote up a few students during the 2004-2005 school year. But when shirt-tail offender Chris Smith saw Williams walk into the Shreveport school's library Thursday, the 17-year-old had nothing but big smiles for the major in the Marine Corps Reserve who is on leave for two weeks from Iraq.

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Facing deployment to war, Marines arrested


Two U.S. Marines pled guilty Tuesday in court to charges stemming from their Jan. 5 arrests when they established an illegal campsite at the Tuckahoe Management Area.

The men were scheduled for deployment to the war in Iraq.

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January 12, 2006

Seasoned corpsman grabs Sailor of the Year title


MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif.(Jan. 12, 2006) -- When Navy Petty Officer First Class Joseph Topp, corpsman, graduated from high school he knew he wanted to do two things, be a pilot or a corpsman. He decided to enter the medical field and that has led him to his current point in his life, standing out above everyone else as the sailor of the year.

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Like father, like son for 2nd AAB Marine


MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.(Jan. 12, 2006) -- As a young boy, Chris P. Holman II looked up to his Marine father, an amphibious assault vehicle mechanic. He went to work with his father occasionally and was around AAVs most of his childhood.

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Boone, N.C. native lives childhood dream, follows in family footsteps

CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq (Jan. 12, 2006) -- The right to wear the eagle, globe and anchor and be considered among the world’s finest is a privilege that is hard earned. (2/6)

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Marines share hometown roots

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Jan. 12, 2006) -- For two Marines from 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, the pain of being away from home is eased by the memories they can share of growing up in the same area.

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January 11, 2006

Chicago native keeps Marines, computers talking


CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Jan. 11, 2006) -- It can be said communications is one of the central ingredients of modern combat operations in Iraq. Marines must be able to communicate with one another through the use of secure technology in order to plan, coordinate and execute missions vital to the success of the overall mission here. (3/6)

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January 10, 2006

Southern Calif., Marine keeps Light Armor Recon running

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq(Jan. 11, 2006) -- Without a continuous flow of supplies, combat-ready units within the Marine Corps would cease to function. This is where Marines like Lance Cpl. Kevin J. Bourbon, a supply administration and operations clerk, play a big role in ensuring that does not happen. (1st LAR)

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January 9, 2006

Corpsman risks life, saves lives of two Marines

CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq(Jan. 9, 2006) -- Retired Marine Maj. Gene Duncan once defined Navy hospital corpsmen as, “Usually a young, long haired, bearded, Marine-hatin' Sailor with certain medical skills, who will go through the very gates of Hell to get to a wounded Marine.” (RCT-2)

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January 6, 2006

'Patriot' gains U.S. citizenship in Iraq

Sergeant Andre G. Joseph, a personnel administration chief with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, gained his U.S. citizenship, Dec. 18, during a ceremony in Baghdad, Iraq. Joseph, a Flushing, N.Y. native, immigrated to the United States from Trinidad when he was a teenager and joined the Marine Corps after graduating from Francis Lewis High School. He is currently deployed with the Patriots of MALS-26 to Al Asad, Iraq.

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January 4, 2006

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kevin Wollam

3/7 Marine: U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kevin Wollam, a rifleman with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, said he is enjoying his time in Iraq and understands that the sooner they can help the Iraqi Army become solvent, the sooner coalition forces will be able to leave Iraq in Iraqi hands. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Shane Suzuki

This is the son of MarineParents.com member KevsMom.

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January 3, 2006

Band of cousins bound for war in Iraq

Among about 120 Marine reservists from Massachusetts who begin a year of active duty this morning that will take them to the war in Iraq, three have a special bond. They are a band of cousins, among the younger members of two companies scheduled to leave Devens Reserve Forces Training Area before sunrise today. 1/25

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'Marlboro Marine': Home Front Woes

(CBS) In November 2004, a photo of a U.S. Marine made the front page of newspapers across the country. The picture is still one of the best-known images of the war. But the man himself has moved on, and is having trouble adjusting to civilian life.

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January 1, 2006

Reporter Moved to Become a U.S. Marine

Former Wall Street Journal Correspondent Moved by Sense of Duty, Sight of Marines in Tsunami Zone

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December 31, 2005

LA fireman builds career around selfless service

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Dec. 31, 2005) -- When his unit was activated, Sgt. David A. Arellano, watch chief, 5th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, was faced with the difficult decision: should he remain behind fighting fires or deploy to Iraq with Marines he has served with for more than eight years?

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December 29, 2005

Santa Ana, Calif. native keeps Marines battle-ready


HADITHA DAM, Iraq (Dec. 27, 2005) -- Known as one of a Marine’s best friends, the Navy field corpsman spends most of his time keeping Marines healthy and battle-ready while operating in the most hostile combat environments.

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Marine Sweeps for IEDs in Haqlaniyah

U.S. Marine Corps
Lance Cpl. Darin Wittnebel

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December 14, 2005

Oconomowoc, Wis., native sweeps for IEDs in Haqlaniyah


HAQLANIYAH, Iraq (Dec. 14, 2005) -- In the town of Haqlaniyah, the “Raiders” of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, continue to patrol the streets every day, keeping the area safe from the ongoing insurgency.

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December 13, 2005

Marine dad plans deep talk with son

Editor's note: This is an occasional series featuring stories of soldiers far from home and their loved ones here.

What it's like to be a Marine Reserve with a 5 year old son, and explain to him why Daddy must leave.

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December 9, 2005

College football player hangs up helmet for stethoscope

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Dec. 9, 2005) -- It is often said that nothing is given to a Marine — it is figuratively beat into the psyche of every young man and woman who steps on the yellow footprints at the recruit depots in San Diego or Parris Island, S.C., that they are going to have to earn the title “Marine.”

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Ops Chief, RP recount days in recruit training

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Dec. 9, 2005) -- On Nov. 10, 1992, two young men found themselves standing on the yellow footprints together aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C. Now, more than 13 years later they reunited in Iraq for the first time since graduating recruit training. (5/14 & 8th Comm Marines)

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Manassas native keeps Marines connected in Iraq

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq (Dec. 9, 2005) -- Corporal Justin A. Dagostin keeps the 2nd Marine Division connected. The 23-year-old Manassas, Va., native maintains the communications equipment that allows Marines here in western Iraq to coordinate the complex military operations needed to bring stability to the province. (2nd Mar HQ BN- Comm Co)

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Analyzing intelligence in Iraq

While Thomas and Geraldine Witham are proud of both of their children, it’s their daughter Kathleen that they are most worried about.

Kathleen, better known as Katie, is a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps and currently stationed in Iraq.

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December 8, 2005

Single Parents

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.(Dec. 8, 2005) -- Marines are trained to deploy: Married or single. This includes single parents.

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Marines need life-saving bone marrow transplants

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Ca.(Dec. 8, 2005) -- With their lean physiques, short hair and confident demeanors, staff sergeants Emanuel Smith Jr. and Gustavo Aleman are like most of their camouflaged comrades, but with one difference.

These two Marines have cancer.

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December 7, 2005

Two Marines take the road less traveled

ABOARD THE U.S.S. PELELIU(Dec. 6, 2005) -- One Marine sought the road less traveled while the other sought the path to self discovery. Both found that their road was one in the same, and it began at the yellow footprints. (11th MEU)

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December 6, 2005

Looking on the Bright Side

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - A Baton Rouge, La. native was presented the Purple Heart Medal here Nov. 30 for injuries he suffered while deployed to Iraq in September. (2/2 Marine)

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From supply clerk to interpreter to Purple Heart recipient

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.(Dec. 6, 2005) -- While serving as an interpreter with 2nd Military Police Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, Lance Cpl. Amber R. Price of Greenville, N.C., a supply clerk with 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd MLG, traveled in several convoys during her time in Iraq, but, unbeknownst to her, the one on Aug. 13 would be her last.

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Dad and son Marines facing flak on Iraq

SHAWNEE, Kan. Since Chris Phelps, 35, returned from his second tour in Iraq in October, he has tried to ignore the debate about the war in Congress and the media. He stopped reading newspapers. He won’t watch the news on TV. He turned off the news radio channel in the car.

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HML/A-269 Marine promoted by father, brother

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C.(Dec. 6, 2005) -- One Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron-269 Marine’s Dec. 1 promotion ceremony was made even more special when he was surprised to find he would be pinned with his new chevrons by his father and brother, both active duty Marines.

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December 2, 2005

Bronze star awarded for squelching enemy ambush

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.(Dec. 2, 2005) -- If it wasn’t for the selfless actions of Staff Sgt. Anthony B. Speich, ten Afghani troops and a Navy corpsman on the forward element of the Special Forces Operational Detachment, Company C., 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Combined-Joint Special operations Task Force Afghanistan, may have never been able to return home.

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Bronze Star awardee gears up for eighth deployment

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Dec. 2, 2005) -- Like hail during a thunderstorm, the bullets landed all around the Marine as he simultaneously fired two M-16 service rifles, one in each arm. His own weapon and the weapon of his platoon sergeant, who was busy carrying another wounded Marine on his back to safety, continuously erupted as he methodically emptied magazine after magazine into the insurgent position. (1/3)

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Injured USC graduate returns home for holidays


Marine sustained injuries to right side of body during war in Iraq (3/1)

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Tech takes career one step at a time

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Dec. 02, 2005) -- He quietly sits alone, waiting to board a C-130 transport plane that is heading to the mainland to participate in a one-month training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz., with the rest of his unit, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463.

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December 1, 2005

A real survivor

Whitefish Marine tells story of being wounded in Iraq
Sgt. Caleb Pleasants watched a bullet ricochet off a ledge, then hit a wall and fall to the ground in a desert town near the Syrian border. (13th MEU Marine)

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EOD, Engineers stay ‘Untouchable’ in Iraq

AL ASAD, Iraq (Dec. 1, 2005) -- In the air Wing, combat engineers don’t normally work a great deal with explosives. But, in Marine Wing Support Squadron 272, a detachment of combat engineers is working with the Untouchables’ explosive ordnance disposal Marines to change that.

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First Coast Brothers Injured In Iraq

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL -- Matthew and A.J. Anderson grew up in St. Augustine. While they were in high school, they both shared a love for the Marines. In the St. Augustine High School Class of 2004 group photograph, Matthew is even donning fatigues.

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He wants to be home for Christmas - Local Marine recuperating in Maryland after injuries suffered in Iraq bombing

A North Bend man is recovering from serious injuries suffered during his second tour of duty in Iraq with his Marine unit. 1/3 Marine

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Brothers enlist for better future in Corps


MARINE CORPS RECRUITING STATION, FORT WORTH, Texas (Nov. 30, 2005) -- When April Bradford bought a used Volkswagen car years ago, she knew the faded Marine Corps sticker clinging to the rear window was a sign.

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Lorain, Ohio native receives Bronze Star

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Dec. 1, 2005) -- Marines often go unrecognized for the jobs they do. The faithful service, self-sacrifice, and adaptability in tough situations often go unseen. Marines don’t fight for recognition. They fight for freedom and strive to keep the band of brothers they left with safe, so they can all return home together. (2nd CEB)

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November 30, 2005

Local Marine makes the best of holiday in Iraq, misses life on home front


FRANKLIN COUNTY — Marines serving in Iraq might have been fed well on Thanksgiving, but holidays in a war zone are just another day closer to going home, according to Pfc. Ashley Graybill, an ammo specialist from Franklin County stationed in Iraq.

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November 29, 2005

Pendleton Marine Awarded Silver Star


CAMP PENDLETON – A Marine sergeant who rescued his platoon commander from a burning vehicle during a firefight with Iraqi insurgents last year is to receive the Silver Star Wednesday in a ceremony at Camp Pendleton Marine Base (1/5)

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November 28, 2005

The Iraq War: Another View

Although the national media provides everyone with up-to-the-minute news of all the attacks, bombings, and other horrors of combat in Iraq and in Afghanistan, there are other facets of the effort to help the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as of the support provided to our troops in combat, which don’t get the coverage they deserve. That is the purpose of this column, in which information from various other sources will be presented.

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Four best friends to serve in Iraq together

When Marine reservist Daniel Bowman volunteered to serve in Iraq with another platoon, his three best friends in Gainesville were worried.

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Lance Corporal Justin Johnston, USMC

Justin Johnston is young and handsome. After graduating from Johnson High School in Hall County in 2003, he joined the United States Marine Corps. I got to know Justin through his parents Joey and Judy. Joey began sending me email updates on how Justin was doing about the time of the invasion of Fallujah in 2004. That is when I began worrying, praying and being proud of Justin Johnston and his service to this country.

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November 27, 2005

Strange World

Twin brothers who have done two tours of duty in Iraq find that the return to civilian life is a hard adjustment

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November 26, 2005

Marines' Elite Unit Breaks Ground

TAMPA - -- Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Dennis Hejlik is no stranger to tough assignments.

In Iraq a year ago, Hejlik was preparing his troops for an assault on Fallujah, an insurgent stronghold about 40 miles west of Baghdad.

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Marine's Thanksgiving first with family in three years

Sgt. Ronnie Shertel is home for the holidays after missing three Christmases and two Thanksgivings while serving in the Marine Corps. (1/6 Marine)

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November 25, 2005

2/7 lieutenant comes across hardships during honorable service

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.(Nov. 25, 2005) -- Semper Fidelis is more than just a motto to for Marines; it’s a way of life. It’s a commitment Marines all share to the country, to the Corps and to each other.

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Ohio, Native Living Dream, Supporting Marines from 30,000 Feet

AL ASAD, Iraq - Chasing down a dream can lead people to the far corners of Earth, or into the depths of their soul. Capt. Brian Rolf, a Defiance, Ohio, native, fulfilled his dream at 30,000 feet.

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Knox Marine worries about sick wife

'Duty' made Gaskin join Corps, but he didn't count on cancer (2/6 family)

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Marine remembered as foster care success story

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- A 21-year-old Marine mostly raised in foster care was remembered by his former caseworker as a positive child despite some hard times and shuffling around different families. (2/1)

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Marine finds family in fellow Lava Dogs, leadership skills

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Nov. 25, 2005) -- Like a contestant on Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice,” 17-year-old Florencio Bermudez sat across the kitchen table from his parents in the El Paso, Texas, home he grew up in and tried to make a power play deal that would alter his life forever. (1/3)

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Scout chose ‘road less traveled’ to serve

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii(Nov. 25, 2005) -- From a young Eagle Scout to hardened Marine, he chose to take “the road less traveled” to become one of the “few and the proud.” (3/3 Marine)

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November 23, 2005

Monotony rules the day in Iraq


The days run together for Cpl. Justin Miller. Monotony is the word of the day for this 20-year-old Marine from Lino Lakes who is stationed at Al Asad Airfield in northern Iraq.

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November 22, 2005

Marine, family dedicated to Corps

AL ASAD, Iraq (Nov. 22, 2005) -- Sergeant Joshua Nixon, a maintenance mechanic for Marine Aircraft Group 26 and Mountain Ranch, Calif., native, has the Marine Corps in his blood.

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Memphis sniper, Iraq war veteran, receives Purple Heart


MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Nov. 22, 2005) -- A Memphis, Tenn. native was awarded the Purple Heart Medal here Nov. 16 for wounds received during combat operations in Iraq. (1/6 Surveillance)

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Marine Corps family legacy carries on as father, daughter reunite in Iraq

AL ASAD, Iraq (Nov. 22, 2005) -- For many Marines, the Corps becomes a surrogate family as soon as young recruits step on the yellow footprints at Marine Corps Recruit Depots. But, for Lance Cpl. Shannon M. Flaherty, a Sewell, N.J., native, joining the Marine Corps was just another page out of her family’s history book.

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Gunfighters’ maintenance controller keeps operations at full sprint

AL QAIM, Iraq (Nov. 22, 2005) -- When faced with challenges, Marines are renowned for their ability to adapt and overcome.

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November 21, 2005

Trackers receive awards

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Nov. 21, 2005) -- Every Marine and sailor takes pride in knowing they impact the lives of Americans, whether its fighting for freedom or just providing a presence of reassurance and safety in our country. (2nd AAB)

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Marine touted for hurricane heroism


GULFPORT - Last week, the Air Force changed command, the Seabees hosted a Salute to the Military and a Marine was honored for rescuing nearly 200 hurricane victims. (4th AABN)

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November 20, 2005

San Jose, Calif., native helps CAG patrol through city

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Nov. 20, 2005) -- During a recent civil affairs patrol, some of the Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment guard force were asked to come along as a security element. For the guard Marines, who usually spend their days and nights keeping watch from guard towers, getting the opportunity to participate in a foot patrol was an exciting opportunity that they have looked forward to since arriving in country more than two months ago.

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Sweden native leads Marines in combat

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Nov. 20, 2005) -- Clearing out compounds and buildings that might potentially harbor insurgents is a hair-raising and sometimes deadly activity. It takes men of a certain quality to handle the unknown of what’s behind the closed doors and around shadowed corners.

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Paintsville, Ky., native fires light rocket at insurgents

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Nov. 20, 2005) -- During Operation Steel Curtain, the fight to clear Husaybah and Karabilah in western Iraq, Paintsville, Ky., native Lance Cpl. Scotty R. Price was designated by his leaders to carry a light antitank weapon, known as the LAW. (3/6 Marine)

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Nashua, N.H., native leads team in combat

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Nov. 20, 2005) -- The infantry fire team is the lowest smallest unit and at the bottom of the infantry hierarchy… and maybe the most important. (3/6 MArine)

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Bakersfield, Calif., native provides beans, bullets, bandages

CAMP RIPPER, Iraq (Nov. 20, 2005) -- The Marine Corps’ three B’s, beans, bullets and bandages, are said to be the only equipment a Marine needs to accomplish the mission while in Iraq. (RCT 2 Marine)

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November 18, 2005

Depot drill instructor takes top honors in Corpswide board

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Nov. 18, 2005) -- Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. John L. Estrada, presented the annual drill instructor of the year award to Gunnery Sgt. Antonio Ceritelli at Marine Corps Air Facility, Quantico, Va., Nov. 1.

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November 16, 2005

Van donation helps wounded Marine

Friendswood Marine Steven Schulz took a major step this week on his journey back from a traumatic brain injury suffered in Iraq, as a Minnesota company provided him with a customized van to simplify transport to rehabilitation in Houston.

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November 14, 2005

Marine postal chief takes reigns as chaplain

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 14, 2005) -- As the postal chief for the camp post office, he supervises Marines and helps bridge the gap between service members and their families. On Sundays, he leads the gospel service held at the camp chapel. (2nd MLG marine)

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Iraq veteran tells of life 'over there'.

LEOMINSTER-- Matthew Burke has nothing but a positive attitude when speaking about his ongoing Marine Corps service in Fallujah, Iraq.

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November 13, 2005

Even back home, he's ready to serve

ALLEN – U.S. Marine Corps Reservist 1st Sgt. Tim Dowd, 40, returned home from the Anbar province of western Iraq in April with shrapnel lodged under his skin.

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November 11, 2005

Remembering those who served

Aggie veteran returns to College Station from Iraq

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L.A. native mans posts to keep Marines safe

BARWANA, Iraq(Nov. 10, 2005) -- Being an infantryman and standing security posts go hand in hand when in Iraq. While some are in security positions and others are regulating traffic, these posts are an important part of keeping Marines safe here. (3/1)

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Strong Differences

RANDOLPH TWP. – Five generations of one township family and dozens of friends and neighbors gathered last Saturday to welcome home a young Marine who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq. (1/6 Marine)

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After losing home in hurricane, Bulldog keeps in good spirits, company

AL ASAD, Iraq (Nov. 11, 2005) -- Getting through hard times together is a part of life Marines have grown accustomed to while deployed to Iraq. Any challenge that arises from storming an insurgent stronghold to repairing a jet engine, Marines are there for each other.

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November 10, 2005

Corpsmen do whatever it takes

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 10, 2005) -- While sitting down for lunch in the chow hall here Nov. 3, corpsmen assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 8 Base Aid Station recognized Marines they treated in past combat situations. One corpsman pointed out an everyday Marine in line for chow who he had treated. (CLB 8- 2nd MLB)

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Marine Updates Iraqis as Troops Perform Missions

While many Marines use the cover of darkness to secretly infiltrate and secure cities and towns across Iraq, Lance Cpl. Pedro L. Rangel is doing his best to be seen and heard. (RCT 2)

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Nation honors Boise teacher-turned-hero

As insurgent bullets flew overhead, Sgt. Luke Miller held his paralyzed friend’s hand and prayed with him in the sweltering belly of a bombed-out tank in Iraq.

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November 9, 2005

Sumter County Marine heading home due to injury

(Sumter) Nov. 8, 2005 - A Marine from Sumter County has been shot in Iraq, and his injury could have a lasting effect on his life when he gets back home.

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Father/Son Marines Who Served Together in Iraq to Speak at KU on Veterans Day

A father/son Marine duo who served in Iraq together will return to the University of Kansas, the son's alma mater, to celebrate Veterans Day with university ROTC units.

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November 8, 2005

Akron, Ohio, native deployed to Iraq sees birth of child via internet

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 8, 2005) -- While deployed to Iraq, many Marines of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, will unfortunately miss important family events that happen only once a year or perhaps once in a lifetime. (2/2 RCT 8)

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Merrillville, Ind., native passes word to Iraqis

AL KHAFFAJIYAH, Iraq (Nov. 8, 2005) -- While many Marines use the cover of darkness to secretly infiltrate and secure cities and towns across Iraq, Lance Cpl. Pedro L. Rangel is doing his best to be seen and heard. (RCT 2)

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November 7, 2005

Pataskala, Ohio, native has electric touch

RAMADI, Iraq (Nov. 6, 2005) -- For the most part, the work of Sergeant Derrick L. Hicks is hidden. What he contributes to the 2nd Marine Division would go completely unnoticed as long as he kept doing his job. (2nd Mar Div. HQ Comm Co)

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Marine awakes to terrorist attack, awarded Bronze Star for valor

AL ASAD, Iraq (Nov. 6, 2005) -- Two hours into a deep sleep, he awoke to the sound of bullets flying and alarms screaming as heavily armed al-Qaeda terrorists attacked the U.S. Consulate Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (MEWS 1)

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Soldiers' Stories: Major Christopher Toland

Major Christopher Toland heads to Lost Creek Country Club in Austin to swing a club every Friday during fall. The golf course is worlds away from where Toland has been. (3/25)

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A Professional Soldier: 1st Lt. Mark Bailey

He is a patriot, a hero, a father, husband, son and a man from North Georgia.
triot, a hero, a father, husband, son and a man from North Georgia—all things that I respect.

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Reporting for duty

Students balance school, military service

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Wounded Marine gets hero's welcome

IDAHO SPRINGS - Michael Carroll brought one of his sons back home last week.

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November 6, 2005

Newfield honors its hometown hero

They honored U.S. Marine Cpl. Ryan Donnelly before yesterday's football game between Newfield and West Babylon in Selden. The Wolverines had Donnelly's number 42 emblazoned on the field and wore it on their helmets.

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Yonkers Marines welcomed home

Cpl. Christopher Torres had a dangerous job in Iraq — he was a driver for the Marines in Fallujah (1/6)

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November 5, 2005

Indelible Memories For Veterans of Iraq

Post-Battle Tattooing Ritual 'as Old as War Itself' (1/8)

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November 4, 2005

Wiles of Iraq are war, more for Tom Wilberg

Anoka High School 1996 graduate Tom Wilberg knows the wiles of Iraq well. (3/6)

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Local Marine on the front lines in Iraq

It could be at least another month before the U.S. begins to reduce military troops in Iraq. On Thursday, Pentagon officials announced that they would keep an expanded force of about 160,000 soldiers in Iraq through the December 15th election of a new government.

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November 3, 2005

Marines tell stories to shape futures

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(Nov. 3, 2005) -- It’s on television, in movies, video games and music. Some observe it in others, and some experience it firsthand. Violence is everywhere, and its harmful effects do not discriminate.

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Wounded Marines awaited

Two Metamora-area men coming home (6th ESB injured Marine)

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Corpsman continues to care for Marines after losing leg

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Nov. 3, 2005) -- It is unadulterated courage in the face of horrifying danger and risk. It is being able to perform under fire while knowing you are probably going to lose a leg. It is taking care of your Marines when everything is on the line. It is duty, courage and love all together. It is what Nathaniel Leoncio showed the Marines of Company L the morning of Oct. 4. (3/7 Co. L)

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Athol, Mass., native keeps it cool in Ramadi

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq (Nov. 3, 2005) -- What Cpl. Jeffery R. Lyskawa does here is not flashy or sexy. He doesn’t fly planes or stalk the enemy through the night. (2nd MAR Comm Co.)

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Combat Doc supports Marines in Ar Ramadi

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, RAMADI, Iraq (Nov. 3, 2005) -- Marlon D. Rendon immigrated to the United States from Ecuador when he was 17 years old to live with his father and start a new life in Queens, NY. (QRF 2nd MAR)

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Taking wedding vows to new meaning

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Nov. 3, 2005) -- When Marines departed Camp Lejeune, N.C. to continue the war on terrorism here, many said farewell to families knowing their next visit would have to wait until after the deployment. However, some married spouses never had to say goodbye. (2nd FSSG / CLR 25)

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November 2, 2005

RCT-2 Awards Section ensures troops receive 'their just rewards'

CAMP RIPPER, Iraq (Nov. 2, 2005) -- As the ongoing mission continues here, Marines and Sailors often find themselves in dangerous situations where they respond selflessly and heroically. (RCT 2 pics at ext link)

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Marine shown importance of gear, hard way.

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Nov. 2, 2005) -- The 3rd Mobile Assault Platoon took sniper fire all day as they conducted a relief in place with 1st Mobile Assault Platoon. (3/6 Weapons / RCT 2) / pics at ext link)

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Officer and enlisted team up, just for kicks

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C (Nov. 2, 2005) -- The teamwork formed when enlisted Marines work side-by-side with commissioned officers is one of the Marine Corps most successful aspects. This bond becomes a powerful tool used to facilitate the everyday mission of the Marine Corps.

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Columbus, Ga., native aids in fight, one package at a time

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 3, 2005) -- The mission of postal Marines in Iraq is vital to the morale of troops serving in operations, and one Marine here is helping in the fight, one package at a time. (PD 6 Service Co. H&S; 2nd FSSG)

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Marine makes remarkable recovery

Lance Cpl. Steven Schulz was in a humvee just outside of Fallujah, Iraq, on April 19 when a bomb exploded.

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Advanced technology saves Texas Marine

Video Clip of 3/4 Marine recovering after 4/19/2005 injuries sustained while in Iraq.

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November 1, 2005

Marine returns home to support from family

Iraq - thousands of miles away from the U.S. and in another time zone - is nowhere like home. (1/6 Marine)

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Ellenville Marine earns Purple Heart

Ellenville – The sacrifices of Marine Sgt. Eddie Ryan of Ellenville are worth his nation's Purple Heart Medal, Marine officials have decided.

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Deployed Troops Run Marine Corps Marathon

The runners completed the goal in spite of distractions such as an unimproved course
of rocks and gravel and an improvised explosive device detonating on the horizon.

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October 31, 2005

Video teleconference brings father, son together

MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (Oct. 28, 2005) -- A recent recruit training graduate received a special opportunity at the Peatross Parade Deck Oct. 21.

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Injured Marine returns to duty, receives Purple Heart

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 30, 2005) -- Gunnery Sgt. Rose M. Noel, the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 electronic counter measures repair center noncommissioned officer-in-charge, is the ultimate family person. One of her families is in the United States and includes her children and mother. Her other family is the Marine Corps, and more specifically, her fellow Marines in MALS-26.

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Marine Enjoys Triumph

Casey Owens completed his first marathon yesterday, which is always a tremendous accomplishment. But it was especially so for Owens, who just over a year ago was injured in an antitank mine explosion in Iraq. As he crossed the Marine Corps Marathon finish line, the 24-year-old Marine corporal from Houston was mobbed by well-wishers, including Marine Commandant Michael Hagee.

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Iraq war vet comes back home to recruit

Marine finds himself in middle of debate

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October 30, 2005

Young soldier takes not one but two bullets in same week

John McClellan’s buddies call him lucky.

His mom looks above and thanks a higher power for her son’s relative well being. 2/3

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Pieces Of Brian

He says he never, ever wonders who was responsible for digging that hole in that field on the outskirts of Fallujah and packing it with scraps of metal and explosives and rocks and anything else that could destroy vehicles and shred skin.

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WNY Marine Injured in Iraq Received a Hero's Welcome

(Western New York, October 30, 2005) - - A Western New York Marine injured in the line of duty in Iraq received a hero's welcome Saturday in his hometown.

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October 29, 2005

Utah native continues family legacy

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Oct. 29, 2005) -- Growing up, a young boy looked up to his grandfather, a Bronze Star recipient who served in the Army during World War II, and grew up to follow a legacy that he continues today in Iraq. (II MEF)

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Marine from Dallas decorated

Silver Star honors captain who led platoon to safety in Iraq

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Evesham Marine receives warm send-off

EVESHAM
"I'm confident in my unit," said Macready, 20. "My platoon knows how do the job. I've lost close friends in Iraq, friends I went to infantry school with. That doesn't make me afraid. It just makes me want to make sure their deaths were not in vain." (1/2 / pic at ext link)

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Battle-scarred Marine yearns for his buddies

Now resting at home, he wants to return to Iraq

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October 28, 2005

Marine receives Silver Star medal for combat valor

MARINE BARRACKS WASHINGTON, Washington D.C. (Oct. 28, 2005) -- The annals of Marine Corps history are filled with stories of men and women who have sacrificed their all in service to their country. Puller, Basilone, Lejeune, Butler, Daley—names that are synonymous with valor in combat and Marine Corps lore.

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Clerk sees deployment as the ‘real’ Corps

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Oct. 28, 2005) -- When you think of a Marine who isn’t an infantryman being deployed to a combat zone, your first thought would be they’ll only be there for about six to eight months and then they’ll never have to go again.

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Deploying again excites Marine

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Oct. 28, 2005) -- One of the most important jobs Marines do, especially in a combat situation, is stand guard to help protect their fellow Marines. (3/3 / pic at ext link)

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Marine earns two awards, trip home from Iraq

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, SC (Oct. 28, 2005) -- When Marines do an outstanding job, they might hear an ‘Oohrah’ from fellow comrades, but when they go above and beyond the call of duty some receive a lot more than a motivating shout.

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Sgt. Maj. reflects on 30-years of service

NORFOLK, Va. (Oct. 28, 2005) -- After 30 years of service to the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. Clifford L. Milton-Stewart will retire Oct. 31st. Over the years he has seen many changes in the Marine Corps. One contrast between past and present is the level of education Marines obtain before and after joining the Marine Corps.

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“Doc Bibi” recognized as Sailor of the Quarter

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Oct. 28, 2005) -- Side by side on the battlefield, in a desert camouflage utility uniform, Marines know they can count on the person on their left or right to protect them, provide moral support and look over them. This person is courageous, dependable and competent in his or her duties, especially when that person is a corpsman. You can look to your corpsman in times of need as a Marine’s personal guardian angel.

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ATC Marine leads the way

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. (Oct. 28, 2005) -- “Every Marine is a rifleman.”
Staff Sgt. Michael A. Knowlton, Air Traffic Control, Crew “B,” crew officer, learned the true meaning of this essential Marine Corps adage while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II from December, 2004 to May, 2005

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Mount students hear Marine’s speech from Iraq

Marine Cpl. Ryan Groves, who was injured while on military duty in Iraq, returned to Mount Union College on Thursday to discuss his personal experiences. Groves, 25, who is from Portage County, lost much of his left leg when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near him. (3/1 Marine)

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‘Devil Doc’ celebrates 28th birthday in Iraq

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 28, 2005) -- For many people a birthday means a day off. It’s a time to celebrate the successful passage of another year of life and to look forward to the year that lies ahead. It’s a time of celebration with family and friends, relaxation and gifts. (2/6 Fox)

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Kuwaiti-born Marine on third deployment in Iraq

BARWANA, Iraq (Oct. 28, 2005) -- While many service members view a deployment to Iraq as a long separation from their family, Cpl. Yousef A. Badou sees it as a chance to visit his family who live in Kuwait near a U.S. military base. (1st LAR / pic at ext link)

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October 27, 2005

Marine's short film makes waves

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Oct. 27, 2005) -- With eligibility for retirement closing in and a deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom behind him, a catalyst was ignited in Master Sgt. Kelvin Owens’ life to get back to writing.

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Local soldier earns Purple Heart

NORTHUMBERLAND — Todd Bucher was promoted and received the Purple Heart all in one day.

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Politicians show heart

Reps go to the mat for wounded Ellenville Marine trying to get his Purple Heart.

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Marine In Iraq To Run MS Marathon Remotely

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Marine Lt. Col. Steve Grass will be running in a Washington marathon this weekend, even though he's in Iraq.

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October 26, 2005

Shot twice in a week, Marine dubbed ‘Lucky’

2-3 Marine wounded in two separate Afghanistan firefights

By Steve Mraz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, October 26, 2005

ASADABAD, Afghanistan — To the U.S. Marine Corps, he’s known as Lance Cpl. John McClellan of Company E’s combined anti-armor team, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.

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Logistics Marine receives Bronze Star

CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, Japan(Oct. 25, 2005) -- Brig. Gen. Frank A. Panter, the commanding general of 3rd Marine Logistics Group, presents the Bronze Star to Master Gunnery Sgt. Robert J. Williams in front of the MLG headquarters building Oct. 24.

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Shot twice in a week, Marine dubbed ‘Lucky’

2/3 Marine wounded in two separate Afghanistan firefights

By Steve Mraz
Stars and Stripes
Published: October 26, 2005

ASADABAD, Afghanistan — To the U.S. Marine Corps, he’s known as Lance Cpl. John McClellan of Company E’s combined anti-armor team, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.

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Recon Marine fights through injuries, takes out insurgents

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 25, 2005) -- The Marines of Iraqi Army Platoon, Echo Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, clashed with insurgents in the month leading up to the unit’s relief in place.

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Erie, Penn., native leads seasoned squad of Marines

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 26, 2005) -- The sound of magazines being slapped into weapons and bolts chambering rounds cuts through the dust-filled air. The men adjust their flak jackets and Kevlar helmets to ensure the maximum amount of comfort over the next two hours. Once these final preparations are made, they all look at their leader. Every man is in his place and knows his role in the mission. They won’t move however, unless they receive the order to do so. (2/6 F Co / pics at ext. link)

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Idaho Falls native keeps convoys safe in Iraq

HADITHA DAM, Iraq (Oct. 26, 2005) -- Traveling on the roads in Iraq can be dangerous as insurgents continue placing roadside bombs and targeting Marines and civilians. (3/1)

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October 25, 2005

Military dog handlers find satisfaction in serving at the front

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 25, 2005) -- ‘Man’s best friend’ is a term of endearment that has been used by dog lovers for years, and in Iraq that brotherhood continues saving the lives of hundreds of service members. (att. 2nd FSSG)

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Tampa man gets 'award for sacrifice'

Adam Boggs received a Purple Heart Tuesday, along with Marines from Tampa, Largo, Orlando and Lakeland. (4th AAB)

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Student's deployment brings home Iraq war to Bowdoin College campus

BRUNSWICK — On Dec. 1, Alex Cornell du Houx, a 21-year-old Bowdoin College senior from Solon will head to Iraq for approximately 10 months as part of the Alpha 1st Company Battalion of the Marines.

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October 24, 2005

Ammo technician learned much from life in the rear

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.(Oct. 24, 2005) -- There are many stories of Marines from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, who distinguished themselves on the battlefield in Iraq with valor and bravery. (pics at ext. link)

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Pendleton Marine has leg amputated

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) — A Pendleton Marine, who was injured in Iraq when a bomb exploded beneath his Humvee, remains in a military hospital in Germany after doctors amputated his left leg.

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VMA-223 Sgt. Maj. brings unique experience, keeps Marines focused

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 24, 2005) -- Sgt. Maj. Courtney K. Curtis had never served in an aviation combat unit. After enlisting in the Marine Corps as an amphibious assault vehicle crewman, Curtis had spent all his time in the Fleet Marine Force with Marine Corps ground units. (Marine Attack Squadron 223- 2nd MAW / pics at ext. link))

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Together we serve: Brothers join Marines

Hurlock men follow in family's military tradition

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October 23, 2005

MALS-26 Patriot creates unique art in Iraq

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 23, 2005) -- Once they turned on helicopters as they flew into combat. Now, they are enshrined with visions of Iwo Jima, Sept. 11, kabars, Purple Hearts and Marines patrolling the deserts of Iraq. (pics in ext. link)

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October 22, 2005

Oxnard, Calif., native gets experience to succeed

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 22, 2005) -- Being a Navy corpsman is one of the most demanding and respected jobs in the military. Not only are they expected to be fully capable of performing life-saving field medicine under fire, they also must maintain the standards and discipline of the Marines they work with. For Seaman Allen Pham, a corpsman with 2nd Platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, the challenge of deploying and working with the best was part of the appeal.

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High school athlete takes on Marine challenge

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 22, 2005) -- The high school football and soccer player from Moncks Corner, S.C., had the option of going to college on a scholarship. Seeking personal self-improvement, the strapping young man instead joined the smallest branch of the military, the Marine Corps.

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October 21, 2005

Wounded Marine couple make plans for marriage


NEW YORK (Oct. 20, 2005) -- Two Marines will consecrate their love for one another by taking the vows of marriage in front of the Soldiers’, Sailors’, Marines’, and Airmen’s Club (SSMAC) here, October 27.

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Stafford, Va., native serves in Operation Iraq Freedom

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 21, 2005) -- Being a Marine is something Lance Cpl. Joel Mulligan always wanted to be. Coming from a military family, the choice wasn’t hard for the 20-year-old from Stafford, Va.

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Missoula, Mont., native seeing the world and loving it

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 21, 2005) -- People join the military for many reasons. Some join for adventure, some for college money, some for travel and some join for the experience and chance to serve their country. Lance Cpl. Brandon Holland, a 20-year-old from Missoula, Mont., decided to enlist and become a Marine for all those reasons and more. (3/7)

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Chicago native finds direction, guidance in the Marine Corps

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 21, 2005) -- Some people need the guidance and direction the Marine Corps provides and Pfc. David Smush, a machine gunner with Weapons Platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, was one of them.

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Orange County, Calif., native joins Corps for many reasons

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 21, 2005) -- Lance Cpl. James Loomis joined the Marine Corps for a number of reasons. While some people join for adventure or college money, others join for the chance to travel and experience other cultures. Loomis, a machine gunner from Orange County, Calif., enlisted in the Corps for all those reasons and more.

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Centralia, Wash., native doing his part in Ar Ramadi

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 21, 2005) -- Many young men and women harbor dreams of serving their country and enlisting in the Marine Corps. Joe Bier from Centralia, Wash., is following that dream. (3/7L)

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Father's yellow footsteps followed: DI's son strives to outdo dad; senior's PFT score better than junior's

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Oct. 21, 2005) -- He stands in line behind other members of his platoon with a solid face of worry. This is his defining moment of boot camp, his final physical fitness test. He has to pass it in order to graduate, but the worry on his face is there for another reason.

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Conowingo, Md. native manages transportation web

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 22, 2005) -- Lance Cpl. Jason M. Crawford tracks the numerous convoys moving through the Al Anbar province.

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Marine continues family tradition

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii(Oct. 21, 2005) -- In two years, you would expect that most people could accomplish some pretty outstanding things. Lance Cpl. Geoff A. Kercher, team leader, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, has done just that and used his ambition to take his life to the next level and push himself do more than the “average Joe.” (3/3)

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The battle continues for Marine leader

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.(Oct. 21, 2005) -- The stories of authentic warriors are told, retold and passed down through generations of Marines. Even in a culture that demands elite performance from its members, there are a few special warriors who overshadow all expectations and become legendary. (3/11)

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Reunited in the Gulf

Picture this scene if you will.

Two relatives who have not seen each other in several months share a meal in a crowded cafeteria by catching up and shooting the breeze.

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Military Matters

Marine in Iraq watches son graduate Marine Boot Camp Friday.

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October 20, 2005

'Bulldog' deploys with two families in mind

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 20, 2005) -- Sergeant Craig Meltzer did not want to leave his wife and 2-month-old daughter at home while he deployed to Iraq's Al Anbar province for six months. But, as much as he hated to leave his wife and daughter, the idea of watching his Marine family deploy without him was unthinkable. (2nd MAW)

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Duty called and he answered

Lance Cpl. James McMahon enlisted in the Marines before he graduated from Portsmouth High School in 2003.

James McMahon enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17, months before his class was to graduate from Portsmouth High School. (1/10 Marine)

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Marine good samaritan receives gracious gift from community

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.(Oct. 20, 2005) -- Good things really do happen to good people.

At least that’s what Cpl. Matthew Castaneda found out months after saving a 71-year-old woman from her burning car.

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Marine finds inspiration in blue grass roots while serving in Iraq

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Oct. 20, 2005) -- Venture to the deep southern parts of the United States and you will hear the sounds of the famed genre of blue grass music.

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Edgewood, Iowa native gets college and whole lot more


AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 20, 2005) -- For many, getting a four-year degree from a college or university is the path to accomplishing their career goals. However, for a number of people, the cost of attending those schools is prohibitive. Private First Class David Shellito Jr., found a way to pay for his school, as well as gain valuable leadership skills when he joined the Marine Corps. (3/7)

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October 19, 2005

Peoria, Ill., native becoming a man in the Corps

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Oct. 19, 2005) -- In the eyes of Josey Wenger, the Marine Corps offered a chance to test himself in the most strenuous of circumstances – War. Private First Class
Wenger, a rifleman with 2nd platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, decided to become a Marine to find out more about himself. (3/7)

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Pomona, Calif., native supports Iraqi referendum in Haditha

HADITHA, Iraq (Oct. 15, 2005) -- Iraqi Security Forces and Marines with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment provided security for the constitutional referendum as citizens cast their vote here Oct. 15. (3/1 / pics at ext. link)

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October 18, 2005

Marine family gives helping hand to Islamic services

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Oct. 18, 2005) -- Islamic religious services here received a boost in support recently when a Marine family donated funds to facilitate the purchase of carpeting, Islamic holy books and pamphlets used in community outreach.

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Marine Corps Athlete of the Year stands out in crowd

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan (Oct. 18, 2005) -- At first glance he might not seem like the most approachable man with his cauliflower ears, brutish build and aggressive nature on the wrestling mat, but Sgt. Jacob A. Clark has devoted a large amount of his free time to helping others.

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October 17, 2005

Pace Salutes U.S. Troops At Italian-American Event

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2005 – All Americans enjoy their freedoms today "because there are thousands and thousand of troops protecting us," the U.S. military's top general said at the National Italian American Foundation's annual awards dinner here Oct. 15.

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Boyhood dream comes true for career retention specialist

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, JOLON, Calif. (Oct. 17, 2005) -- Growing up in the shadow of a John Deere tractor factory and literally amongst the seemingly endless cornfields that surrounded his small boyhood Iowa hometown, he knew even at a young age that he would never end up working on an assembly line or down on the farm.

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H&HS; Marine serenades barracks with the sounds of his ancestors


MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C.(Oct. 17, 2005) -- William Wallace charges the battlefield alongside hundreds of his countrymen, all fighting for their freedom from a tyrannical and oppressive king. As the bloody battle ensues, amidst the chaos and disorder of war, a man marches through the lines playing an instrument easily recognizable for its Scottish/Irish roots – the bagpipe.

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Homecoming For Western Hills Marine

Marine Corporal Erik Brinker counts himself lucky to have survived the deadliest ever roadside bombing of US troops in Iraq this past August.

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Jamestown soldier returns on leave to hero's welcome

JAMESTOWN, N.D. - Balloons, signs and cheers welcomed Marine Lance Cpl. Bryan Nagel, home on leave after fighting off an insurgent attack in Iraq.

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October 16, 2005

Sniper aims for recruiting duty

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Oct. 14, 2005) -- Training brand new Marine scout snipers is a long, difficult process some instructors might find difficult. But Sgt. Andrew K. Jones does the job as if it were a hobby.

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Geoff Oldfather: Two Marines, two mothers, one connection

HOBE SOUND — I know a couple of Marines who have two moms. Just ask Gina Cantrell and Darlene Saurman. They've got something — make that a couple of someones — in common but didn't know it until Saurman saw the Marine Corps sticker on Cantrell's car in the parking lot of a Stuart shopping center this summer.

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October 15, 2005

Don't protest for me


MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(Oct. 14, 2005) -- As the war continues, I hear stories of deaths in Iraq. In my own solemn way, I mourn the loss of my fellow service members. Then, I read stories of civilians. Not the stories I like to read, the stories about firefighters helping a child out of a well or an old grandmother who won the lottery and instead of keeping it she spent all of the money on yarn to knits afghans for relief societies. No, it is not the courageous, sappy stories I get to read.

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October 14, 2005

Loganville native proud to serve third tour in Iraq

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Oct. 14, 2005) -- Some people go their whole life wondering if they ever made a difference. Marines don’t have that problem. –Ronald Regan, 40th President of the United States of America. (2nd FSSG CLB 8)

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October 13, 2005

Sergeant major sacrifices trip for Marine

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (Sept. 11, 2005) -- Sacrifice is often associated with military service and leadership. Recently, one private first class learned a valuable lesson about sacrifice from a seasoned senior Marine.

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Brothers of different blood

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.(Oct. 13, 2005) -- I will never forget the day I met my best friend. We were in the cafeteria of Marietta High School, Marietta, Ga., when I saw him waiting in line with many other students.

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Military Engagement: E-mails tell a little about life in Iraq

This continuing series follows the lives of Luke Anderson, 25, and Daily News reporter Theresa Stahl, 28. The couple was engaged in May and are planning an April wedding — after Luke returns from Iraq.

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Hundreds of Marines return to Camp Lejeune

CAMP LEJEUNE - His leg broken and his arm torn up, Sgt. Daniel Kachmar sat and waited Wednesday in a wheel chair.

But when the buses arrived, Kachmar stood. His Marines were home from Iraq.

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October 12, 2005

Marine supports mom, raises breast cancer awareness by flying flag

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 10, 2005) -- You take the flag, march it to the flag pole, call the commands and fly the colors. A member of the color guard for Marine Light Attack Squadron 167, Lance Cpl. Nick R. Baham, a Denver native, has done it a hundred times. However, on Oct. 10, it was different.

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For one corporal, small-unit leadership more important than ever

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.(Oct. 12, 2005) -- It’s 4 a.m., and the frigid morning temperatures have left the ground frozen and forced Cpl. Rey Leal, a fire team leader for Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, into his over-night cocoon.

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October 11, 2005

Payson girl's hitch with U.S. Marine Corps taking her to Iraq

An impending tour of duty in war-torn Iraq hasn't lessened Laura Crabtree's enthusiasm for her decision to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.

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Brothers watch each others backs in Iraq

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Oct. 11, 2005) -- After serving nearly 13 years in the Marine Corps respectively, two brothers with 8th Communication Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Headquarters Group, II MEF (FWD), have found themselves side-by-side in the same unit serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom here.

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Marine gets ‘exceptional’ help from military program

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan (Oct. 11, 2005) -- Last July, when the doctors diagnosed his wife with gastric cancer, all the other problems in Sgt. Devin Mitchell’s life no longer seemed to matter. His main concern immediately turned to the health of his wife, Hisano.

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October 10, 2005

Navajos honor returning U.S Marine brothers

It is the smell of the Shiprock air, the smell of the tawny earth around their family’s home, that John and Cheston Bailon can best appreciate now. (3/25)

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Punk rocker serves in Iraq, focuses on change

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 10, 2005) -- Punk rockers have made their mark on society for more than 20 years, entertaining audiences with distorted guitars, brash lyrics and energetic performances; but, one has made his mark in another important way.

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October 9, 2005

Former College Dean, Student Re-united as Chaplains in Iraq

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 9, 2005) -- In 1996, Tim Moore was the Dean of Students for Southwest College of Christian Ministry (SCCM) in Bethany, Oklahoma and Wm. Jerrod Glenn was one of his students studying for ordination. Today, Lieutenant Moore is a Navy Chaplain and Captain Glenn is an Army Chaplain both serving God, country and the members of the Coalition Armed Forces here at Al Asad Air Base.

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II MEF Marine reenlists in Iraq

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Oct. 8, 2005) -- After graduating high school in 2001 and bouncing around between odd jobs, one II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD), Marine was looking for a little more excitement in life.

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October 8, 2005

Hello moto!: Kahuku offers dirt-bike riders wide open space

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Oct. 7, 2005) -- Hawaii is a state known by many for being the birthplace of some of the world’s most extreme sports. Big-wave surfing, kite boarding, and many others have seen their start here in the state of Hawaii, but one import sport is nonetheless popular in the Hawaiian isles.

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Marine back home, safe

BULLHEAD CITY - A Bullhead City resident, who not only fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, but was a combat instructor, is now home, and will be training to become a police officer.

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October 7, 2005

Junior Marine is experienced beyond what rank implies

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.(Oct. 7, 2005) -- The shrapnel burning in his legs most likely came from a hand grenade, he figured, considering the fighting was so up close and personal that day in Fallujah. He couldn’t really be sure. It might have been from an rocket-propelled grenade, mortar, or who knows what other kind of homemade bomb some insurgent had put together in his basement. The media and military called these tools of death improvised explosive devices, but it didn’t really matter to him what label they were given or even what exactly it was imbedded inside of him, piercing his flesh. (1/3 )

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Career planner puts 100 percent into all

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Oct. 7, 2005) -- His Marines know him as their career planner; his boxers know him as their coach; and his family knows him as a great husband and father. What those jobs and titles have in common, when it comes to one man, is the passion and devotion he has for each one. (3/3)

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Corpsman applies know-how to car

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Oct. 7, 2005) -- Sitting in the lounge area of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s Auto Hobby Shop, wearing a pair of coveralls, and sporting pink nail polish, she looks quite out of place among an array of car parts, guys, and the sounds of roaring engines that are all too familiar to the shop.

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Mississippi man makes home in Marines

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 7, 2005) -- He grew up in the Deep South, in small-town Mississippi playing baseball for his high school in the spring and hunting in the fall.

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Three T-bolts earn recognition

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, SC (Oct. 7, 2005) -- Three maintenance Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 were recently awarded for their exemplary work while supporting and representing their squadron over the past few weeks.

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October 6, 2005

City recognizes corporals' courageous act

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Oct. 6, 2005) -- Marines don’t leave other Marines behind.

Marines don’t leave civilians behind either, as proven by a pair of two-time Operation Iraqi freedom veterans.

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Slain Marine put friends first

Sometimes he would call in the middle of the night, using the minute or so soldiers in Iraq are allotted to touch base with his friends.

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October 5, 2005

Becoming a father and a Marine

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.(Oct. 6, 2005) -- Parenthood can be one of the most wonderful and scariest things to anticipate and ponder on.

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Her Marine dream

Jennifer Dyer-Taft has wanted to be a Marine ever since she watched a Ricki Lake Show when she was six.

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Marines, sailor save fellow devil dog’s life

CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, Japan (Oct. 5, 2005) -- For performing their duties in an exemplary and highly professional manner, three members of 3rd Materiel Readiness Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, were awarded Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals at Roberts Field on Camp Kinser Sept. 30.

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Major Newspaper Recognizes 2nd MAW Cobra Pilot

AL ASAD, Iraq - Captain Jessica M. Moore is one of a handful of female AH-1 Cobra pilots. As the daughter of a Navy radar intercept officer, Moore had never planned to join the military, and even if she had, the Marine Corps seemed the least likely option.

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Marine’s life ends in remote outpost

Lance Cpl. Steven Valdez, 20, of McRae was killed Monday at Camp Blessing in Afghanistan’s Pesch Valley, which is home to personnel from the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, including Army Rangers, Marines and the Afghan Security Forces.
Valdez, a machine-gun operator, was running to his post when shrapnel from a mortar round struck him in the neck. (2/3)

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Livingston, Texas native born to lead the Corps

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Oct. 05, 2005) -- Staff Sergeant Eric D. Johnson knows no limit to what he can accomplish.

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6th Civil Affairs Group takes reins in Al Anbar

AL ANBAR, Iraq (Oct. 5, 2005) -- The 6th Civil Affairs Group has taken over operations from 5th CAG and has constructed additional plans for the future of Iraq's economic development.

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October 4, 2005

Brothers unite as Moonlighter maintainers

AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 4, 2005) -- Two Marines from Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 are making the unit’s deployment a family affair.

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October 3, 2005

Trinidad Marine tells his story

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 1, 2005) -- It is said that experience is the best teacher, the common denominator that unites people of different backgrounds who have lived under similar conditions and tackled similar challenges. (RCT 8)

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Southern Calif., reserve Marine one of many volunteers in Iraq

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 2, 2005) -- He is one of thousands of Marines arriving to Iraq within the past month. The affable and personable Marine is also one of many volunteers who have requested to come here.

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Michigan Marine keeps howitzer in fight

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 2, 2005) -- Moving quickly in the midst of outgoing artillery fire here, the cannoneers work methodically and with precision as they deliver devastating salvos in support of Marines operating within the nearby area.

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Active Duty

Air Force Airman Adrienne M. Hodges has graduated from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Hodges is the stepdaughter of Leo Troha of Oak Harbor and a 2004 graduate of Oak Harbor High School.

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Marine impresses Girl Scout pen pals

RED HOOK — At 5 feet, 1 inch, Jessica Torelli is barely taller than many of the girls in Junior Girl Scout Troop 150 in Red Hook.

In a few instances, she even has to look up at the girls, who are in the third and fourth grades.

Make no mistake about it — Torelli, a 22-year-old Saugerties native and lance corporal with the U.S. Marines, has little difficulty catching the respect and admiration of the 14 girls in the Girl Scout troop. They met for the first time last week.

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Dominican Marine helps “Beastmasters” send rounds down range

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Oct. 3, 2005) -- Born and raised in the Dominican Republic until the age of 10, Lance Cpl. Elio Ortega and his family moved to the United States in 1995 to begin a life in the land of opportunity. (1/11)

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Sergeant uses gridiron to make kids better players, people

HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS, Washington (Oct. 3, 2005) -- After a hard days work as a career retention specialist at Headquarters Company, Henderson Hall, Sgt. William D. Johnson makes the transition from keeping Marines in the Corps to keeping children focused.

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October 2, 2005

Marine brings work ethic to Corps

AL ASAD, Iraq(Oct. 2, 2005) -- For one native of Phoenix, N.Y., here, the work ethic his parents instilled in him at an early age, he carried on in the Corps and continues to find an inner satisfaction of accomplishment in completing the mission. (2nd Marine Division 2nd Combat Logisitcs Group FWD)

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Iowa Marine brings on the firepower

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Oct. 2, 2005) -- Under the Middle Eastern sun, the artillery crew rushed around their massive artillery gun, doing all the procedures needed to fire high explosive rounds. One of the crewmen, a tall and bespectacled young man with dark hair and protective eyewear, quickly loaded the charge needed to send the powerful round toward the given target.

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October 1, 2005

Chico Marine receives Purple Heart for injuries in Iraq


A 22-year-old Marine with ties to the Chico area recently received a Purple Heart medal for injuries she sustained during a June 23 attack in Fallujah, Iraq.

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Platoon sergeant trades Caribbean for Corps

Fallujah, Iraq (Oct. 1, 2005) -- One native of the Virgin Islands here joined the Marine Corps after moving to Florida in search of a better life. (RCT 8)

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September 30, 2005

Sweat Hog earns Bronze Star

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, SC -- Master Sgt. Donald Parrish, the officer-in-charge of explosive ordnance disposal for Marine Wing Support Squadron 273, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device for Valor for his actions in Iraq in a ceremony aboard the Air Station Sept. 14.

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Pace Becomes First Marine JCS Chief

FORT MYER, Va. -- Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace was sworn in Friday as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, becoming the first Marine to hold the nation's highest military post.

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September 29, 2005

Marine and wife save 2 from desert heat

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Sept. 29, 2005) -- A Marine and his wife rescued two Yuma area teenagers from dehydration in the desert behind the foothills Sept. 17.

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Former Marine hook up Gunny's hog

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (Sept. 29, 2005) -- Marines are a proud bunch. A lot have Marine Corps stickers or motivational license plates on their vehicles. But how many Marines have a motorcycle customized or painted entirely with a Marine Corps theme?

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New Fairfield Marine 'grateful' for experience in Iraq campaign

Tom Mack, a 25-year-old Marine lance corporal who returned to his home in New Fairfield this week after a seven-month stint in Iraq, knows what that means. The war never goes away.

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Marine Gets Warm Welcome Home From Iraq

Lance Corporal Michael Larin says it's good to be back home. Away from the bullets, bombs and bazooka blasts he's used to waking up to. Today, NewsChannel 3 was at Palm Springs International Airport when Larin saw his family for the first time in months. We have their reunion and some exclusive footage of the action in Iraq.

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September 28, 2005

Marine upbeat on Iraq's future

A Marine lieutenant colonel who served as a military adviser in Iraq said more progress is being made in Iraq than news media report.

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Veteran Marine completes Sniper Course

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Sept. 28, 2005) -- Gunnery Sgt. Jeff Chang was called up to active duty just over a year ago and has been busy ever since.

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Third IED attack doesn’t faze TOW sergeant


CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Sept. 28, 2005) -- Most Marines in Iraq consider themselves lucky when they walk away from one improvised explosive device attack, but two, or even three? (2nd Tanks)

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'It is still pretty dangerous out there'

Navy doctor reflects on service in Iraq. (served with 3/8)

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September 27, 2005

Marine on leave from Iraq expresses support for U.S. role

The wish expressed on the giant yellow ribbon on top of Brooklyn Bagels has come true.

Marine Lance Cpl. Trent Dyer has returned safely from Iraq.

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Masters’ in psychology helps Master Guns lead troops, create leaders

AL ASAD, IRAQ (Sept. 27, 2005) -- The languages of the brain are pictures, sounds, feelings, tastes and smells. Under the stress of living in a combat zone, these languages become razor sharp. Marines in Iraq must be constantly vigilant of their surroundings and the personnel around them.

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September 26, 2005

Garnerville Marine talks to kids

Marine Sgt. Irene Gregoriades, a huge smile on her face, would have hugged the dozen Willow Grove Middle School kids who crowded around her in the school hallway Wednesday, but instead chased them away to their classes as they were beginning to clog the passage.

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White Plains Marine returns home from Iraq


Shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, John Schneekloth was drinking a beer with some buddies when he told them he was going to join the U.S. Marine Corps.

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Marine's career soars high, keeps birds in the sky


MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan (Sept. 25, 2005) -- Soaring through the clouds at nearly 25,000 feet off the ground and traveling more than 400 mph can give life a different look. Something different is exactly what one Marine stationed with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, wanted when he signed his enlistment papers.

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Reserve Marine keeps recon rolling


AL AMARIYAH, Iraq(Sept. 26, 2005) -- After graduating high school in 1992, and attending community college for one year, Gerald Garcia transitioned into the civilian work force. (2nd Marine Division, 3rd RECON Echo Co. Iraqi Security Force Plt.)

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Military notes

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert H. Wershing and Marine Corps Cpl. Zachary J. Zierden participated in a communityrelations project during a port visit to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where Marines and sailors volunteered to paint hallways and do repairs at a women's shelter.

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September 25, 2005

Northern Virginia college student serving as Marine in Iraq

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- College students across America are in class, studying, working on projects and preparing for mid-term exams in a couple of weeks.

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Portland, Ore., native keeps night watch going

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- When the majority of people aboard the camp are preparing for bed, there are Marines scattered throughout walking their post. These protectors stand watch in the stillness of the night with their weapons loaded, providing security against those who might do harm to the members of the camp. (II MEF HQ)

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A son is sent to war

Kenton Dial heads for Iraq, and the hearts of his Sylvania family go with him

This is the third in an occasional series

These stories mark universally common experiences in our lives, the seemingly mundane events that, in fact, are some of the most meaningful moments of human existence.

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Ft. Collins, Colo., native “cleared hot” in Iraq

HIT, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- As insurgents continue to launch attacks on multinational forces, Marines continue to beat them back using every means possible to include close air support. (4th RECON attached to 3/25)

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Ward, Ark. native doubles up in Iraq

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- After re-enlisting into a new job field in the Marine Corps, Cpl. Ebern H. Wiley deployed to Iraq where he found himself not only working as a mechanic but also filling a billet from his old field.

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Dearborn Marine's team engineers new ways to help Iraq

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime. That's a philosophy Marines like Cpl. Mike Goebel take to heart.

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Honoring Their Own

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- It’s the hardest thing to do, especially in a brotherhood as close as the Marine Corps. Saying good-bye to one of your own, a fellow Marine lost on the battlefield. The Marines of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment recently paid their respects and honored their own when a memorial service was held for Lance Cpl. Shane Swanberg, who died from indirect fire Sept. 15.

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3/7 corpsmen go back to basics

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- On the battlefield, the difference between life and death is often very small. Little things like proper first aid skills and administration of ‘buddy aid’ often prove to be the difference between Marines coming home safe or not at all. (3/7)

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Bloomington, Ind., native follows family footsteps

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- Some people know, even as a small child, what they want to do with their life. Lance Cpl. Chris Snell has wanted to be a Marine for as long as he could remember, and now his dream has come true. (3/7 Wpns CAAT)

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San Francisco native keeps Marines talking


CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, RAMADI, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- Corporal Jessica L. Curtis knows the roads here like the back of her hand.

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Marines award Bronze Star posthumously to Jerabek family

HOBART, Wis. - The Marines awarded the Bronze Star Saturday to an 18-year-old soldier who was killed in Iraq trying to protect his fellow Marines.

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Team “Ghost Rider” storms through Fallujah to provide security

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- Breakups can be painful. For Cpl. Joseph Mahoney, however, he claimed to have found something bigger and better after the final farewells were said.

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Company L patrol Hit to disrupt insurgency

HIT, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- Corporal Andrew C. Britten and other Marines with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment participating in Operation Sword conducted presence patrols near the newly constructed forward operating base in Hit.

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Springfield, Mass., police officer serves in Iraq

CAMP RIPPER, AL ASAD, Iraq (Sept. 25, 2005) -- The police motto, ‘To Protect and to Serve,’ is often lettered across police vehicles in many towns and cities in the United States. As Marines with Regimental Combat Team-2 begin to police this area of Iraq for insurgents, one sergeant knows this routine all too well.

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September 24, 2005

Marine reflects on injuries, tour in Iraq

AKRON, Ohio -- Richard "Ricky" Paul Turner sat on a couch at his mother's home and flipped through snapshots he took in Iraq.

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Kansas Marine's team, stateside charity bring about big changes in Iraq

SAQLAWIYAH, Iraq (Sept. 24, 2005) -- The crisp air heralded the arrival of a new day, one filled with renewed hope and fresh beginnings for the citizens of Saqlawiyah. This farming village on the outskirts of Fallujah had remained nearly untouched by the military's helping hand until April, when Coalition and Iraqi forces began operating in the area.

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Big-city Marine learns value of small pleasures in Corps

FALLUJAH, Iraq (Sept. 24, 2005) -- Years ago in “The Big Apple,” Justin Henshaw lived a life many might envy and few would consider trading.

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McConnelsville, Ohio native fire-rescue member

HADITHAH DAM, Iraq (Sept. 24, 2005) -- In the midst of emergencies, decisions made by emergency personnel often mean life or death. One Marine with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, who is also an EMT and volunteer fireman, understands the choices that civilian rescue teams make and is applying it to his first deployment to Iraq.

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Dallas, Ga., native serves to follow dad’s footsteps

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Sept. 24, 2005) -- Dallas, Ga., native Cpl. Richard E. Scarlett III spent his entire life around the Marine Corps, traveling to the various Marine posts around the globe, long before he could even vote, drive, pay taxes, or even wear the uniform of a United States Marine.

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Newport native puts welding skills to work

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, RAMADI, Iraq (Sept. 24, 2005) -- Lance Cpl. Anthony S. Loftin has all the hallmarks of a working man. His blackened fingernails, grease-covered hands and dirt-smudged face are tell-tale signs of the work he does as a mechanic. Few know, however, of the contributions he has made toward keeping the Marines and sailors living and working here in the Al Anbar Province safe.

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St. Charles native helps keep 2nd Marine Division running

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, RAMADI, Iraq (Sept. 24, 2005) -- The treacherous desert environment takes it’s toll on the hundreds of vehicles and thousands of weapons and communications equipment used to conduct daily military operations in the western region of Iraq.

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Motor-T Marine presses on after stumbling block

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Sept. 24, 2005) -- He is known for being a high spirited Marine who could have been a class clown in high school, however the Cuba native knows what it takes to get the job done under difficult circumstances here.

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September 23, 2005

Marine musician finds link to childhood

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.(Sept. 23, 2005) -- Thousands of onlookers cheered and applauded as the sides of streets were packed shoulder-to-shoulder during a parade held in honor of returning Gulf War veterans in San Bernardino, Calif. People walked down the path waving as marching music blared behind them.

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Air Station Marine wins top spot in All-Marine golf tournament

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, SC (Sept. 23, 3005) -- A Fightertown Marine recently beat the Marine Corps’ best golfers in the All-Marine Golf tournament held at The Legends Golf Course aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Sept. 11-17.

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Sweat Hog earns Bronze Star

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, SC (Sept. 23, 2005) -- Master Sgt. Donald Parrish, the officer-in-charge of explosive ordnance disposal for Marine Wing Support Squadron 273, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device for Valor for his actions in Iraq in a ceremony aboard the Air Station Sept. 14.

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Sailor lives the 'better life' in Navy

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Sept. 23, 2005) -- “All we want is a better life for you,” said the parents of a Navy machinist’s mate assigned to Patrol Squadron Special Projects Unit 2, before he joined the Navy in 2001.

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Corps matures jock into man

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Sept. 23, 2005) -- On Dec. 15, 2001, one young man made a decision to take “the road less traveled” and joined the Marine Corps, which, by his own admittance, turned a former high school football star into a man.

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Artilleryman is knocked off feet, returns for more

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.(Sept. 23, 2005) -- There are countless threatening missions and operations taking place daily in Operation Iraqi Freedom, some of which are convoy operations.

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Commentary: Marine knows she won’t be left behind

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Sept. 23, 2005) -- Approximately 88,021 U.S. service members have not returned to America after being killed in action, classified as missing in action or after becoming prisoners of war.

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Island Marine goes beyond the call

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii — (Sept. 23, 2005) -- He had flown in for a conference, but 13 hours later found himself in Katrina’s path.

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Deuce XO takes reins of command, flies combat missions in Iraq


AL ASAD, IRAQ (Sept. 23, 2005) -- For many people, doing two jobs at once is an unwelcome burden. For hard-charging Marines, it’s a welcome challenge, and a chance to become better at both.

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Born ready: New Marine came prepped by family, military schooling

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Sept. 23, 2005) -- Pfc. Gavin M. Treese was just an infant when his father retired from the Army. His mother had just gotten out of the Army after 11 years. It was the stories they told that sparked his interest in the military. The California-native decided to continue the family military tradition, but instead of joining the Army, he decided to become one of the few and the proud.

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Born on the bayou: Sergeant rallies around support

MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER, BRIDGEPORT, Calif.(Sept. 23, 2005) -- To most, the devastating images from television news reports of Hurricane Katrina that ravaged New Orleans and outlying areas with category five force, are just that — images.

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Marines come home from Iraq


Two Roseburg Marines who have spent the past eight months in Iraq as members of an engineer support battalion will return home to Oregon tonight.

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Marines, local police officers train together

GINOWAN CITY, OKINAWA, Japan -- Marines from Camp Foster and Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Provost Marshal's Offices took part in martial arts training with Ginowan police officers at the Ginowan Police Department Sept. 7.

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NYPDs finest serve Corps in Iraq

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Sept. 23, 2005) -- “All I could see was a big cloud of dust and smoke and people running all over the place to get away from it,” said Staff Sgt. Jose Mercado, recalling his memory of the North Tower of the World Trade Center as it collapsed on Sept. 11, 2001. “I didn’t know what was happening. It was total chaos.” (2/25 Marines)

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Sergeant placed with large financial responsibilty

AR RAMADI, Iraq (Sept. 23, 2005) -- Spend one day in Iraq with a service member deployed to Ar Ramadi and they will tell you that the insurgency has made traveling through the city here dangerous to say the least.

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September 22, 2005

Sergeant served in Marines, Army, Navy and now Air Force

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) — Staff Sgt. James Murphy isn’t your typical Airman. A 30-year-old tattoo of U.S.M.C. peeking out from his T-shirt sleeve and his no-nonsense attitude may shed light on some of his life story, but it wouldn’t come close to telling most of it.

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Salinas, Calif., Marine receives Purple Heart

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Sept. 22, 2005) -- A Marine from Salinas, Calif., received the Purple Heart during a ceremony here Sept. 15.

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BICmd NCOs deploy in support of OIF

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Sept. 22, 2005) -- Two hard-charging noncommissioned officers from Blount Island Command (BICmd), are serving in their first combat deployment here, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

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Identical twins cross paths in Iraq

CAMP HIT, Iraq (Sept. 22, 2005) -- Being born a twin is an uncommon occurrence, but an even more unusual occasion is when two identical twins get a chance to hold a reunion on the sandy terrain of Iraq.

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Long Island City native fills big shoes in Iraq

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Ar Ramadi, Iraq (Sept. 22, 2005) -- Lance Cpl. Jorge T. Villafuerte may be small in stature but he’s big on results

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Marines honored for saving life

OCEANSIDE – The City Council last night honored two Marines it credited with saving the life of a city commissioner.

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September 21, 2005

Polish Immigrant Serving With Honor

(CBS4) DENVER Chris Kozuch is now a United States citizen and living in Denver, but he wasn't when he first started serving with honor in the U.S. Marine Corps.

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Villagers' son returns from Iraq to ecstatic reception

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Having dodged bullets and bombs in the dusty desert sands of Iraq for seven long months, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Billy Easton returned home from war, kicked off his shoes and enjoyed the unfamiliar sensation of dewy grass between his toes.

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Squad leader uses language skills on patrols

HIT, Iraq (Sept. 21, 2005) -- When Sgt. Keith M. Wagner, a squad leader with 3rd Platoon, K Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, learned he would be deploying to Iraq last year, he enrolled in the Survival Level Arabic Course to communicate with the people.

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A Marine's Last Words

Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Starr's last letter arrived home more than two months after his flag-draped casket. "If you are reading this then I have died in Iraq."

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Pro soccer player follows father's footsteps

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan (Sept. 21, 2005) -- A cry of cheers filled the stands as Kyle H. Ditto and his team ran on the field at their high school championship soccer game, one of the many memories from Ditto's younger years.

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September 20, 2005

Hawaii Marines search for marrow match

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Sept. 20, 2005) -- Marines prepare for just about any situation whether in the infantry, aviation or motor transportation their training is basically the same. But there is something not even Marines can prepare for, no matter what the precaution, and that is certain ailments.

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Supply Marine named Military Affairs Committee Service Member of the Month

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Sept. 20, 2005) -- Twenty-two-year-old Corporal Michael K. Robert, the unit diary chief with Headquarters and Support Company, 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group, was recently named the Jacksonville Military Affairs Committee’s Service Member of the Month for August.

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Three Clearwater, Fla. natives from same high school together in Iraq

Some people say the Marine Corps is a small community in a small world. Three Clearwater, Fla., natives who live less than five minutes from each other are proof of that theory.

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Augusta, Ga., native “works like a dog” in Iraq

“This is the best job in the Corps,” said Moulton, a canine handler. “I mean, how many other jobs are there were you can work with man’s best friend?”

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Western Samoan-born Marine protects his country, feeds his Marines

When some Marines in the Al Anbar province eat their meals, they can be assured that a master sergeant known as the ‘Food Doctor’ has given those dishes his blessing.

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Mortar man from Pittsburgh helps defend base in Iraq

When insurgents attempt to attack the camp, the base’s mortar men with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment send the insurgents fleeing by responding with mortars of their own.

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Shiite Muslim Marine fights the war on terrorism with Company L, 3/25

HIT, Al Anbar, Iraq (Sept. 20, 2005) -- As a young boy growing up in Pakistan, Lance Cpl. Sajjad H. Rizvi, witnessed terrorists killing people of his faith and terrorizing those who wouldn’t comply with their way of life. More than a decade later, with memories of his past weighing heavy on his mind, Rizvi has dedicated himself to bringing terrorists to justice as a United States Marine.

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Florida State Trooper trades in badge for Marine Corps cammies, serves in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Staff Sgt. Charles E. Sexton, a Florida state trooper, is thousands of miles away from the humidity and the long stretches of highway in the Sunshine State.

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Hispanic immigrant serves proudly in Iraq

Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sept. 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries. It’s a time to reflect on the ingenuity, creativity, cultural and political experiences of Hispanic Americans and recognize the achievements of a people who have contributed so much to U.S. culture.

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MWHS-2 NCOs exemplify initiative

AL ASAD, Iraq (Sept. 20, 2005) -- Time and time again, the Marine Corps’ senior leaders remind anyone willing to listen that noncommissioned officers are the backbone of the Corps.

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Proud Marine says fatherhood will be his toughest mission

He has never seen his 1-month-old son. Not even in a picture. With all the moving about a Marine does in the last month of his tour, the mail just hasn't caught up.

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September 19, 2005

Marine home, playing 'bad hand' he was dealt

WAYLAND -- Marine Cpl. Dustin Howell, injured last year while serving in Iraq, said he was "dealt a bad hand, and now I've got to play it."

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Wounded Marine reflects in Akron

Hurt trying to find missing American, he summons memories of those killed in Iraq

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September 16, 2005

Carthage, N.C. native Master Sergeant flexes his muscle

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Sept. 16, 2005) -- As a staff noncommissioned officer for the Service Record Book Maintenance Section of the Division Personnel Administrative Center, Master Sgt. William P. Wooten already has a full plate. Even with this task, the 42-year-old Carthage, N.C. native has also been competing in amateur body building contests, and juggling all this with a family.

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September 15, 2005

Station Marine shows combat through art

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Sept. 15, 2005) -- Many people will never have the opportunity to experience war firsthand, but through the paintings and sketches of a Marine Corps illustrator, art can serve as eyes into the world of combat.

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September 14, 2005

Recon Marine Brings Knowledge, Experience to Fight

AL AMIRIYAH, Iraq - Becoming a Marine is no easy task. With the longest boot camp in the U.S. Military and arguably the toughest training, Marines have distinguished themselves as America’s finest fighting force.

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September 13, 2005

Sgt. Paul Simon Salazar, U.S. Marine Corps Recon Ranger

War is beginning to take a toll on Salazar, 24, as he heads back for his third rotation in Iraq.

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September 10, 2005

Former Marine, golf professional reenlists in the Marines, deploys to Iraq.

CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (Sept. 10, 2005) -- On July 15, 2005, Orlando, Fla., native Sgt. David S. Bateman, assistant radio chief, communications platoon, Headquarters & Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division enlisted in the Marine Corps… six weeks later, he found himself serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

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September 4, 2005

3/25’s Devil Docs save lives in heat of insurgent attack

HIT, Iraq (Sept. 4, 2005) -- Petty Officer 3rd Class Aragorn T. Wold’s day was just beginning when the corpsman with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, heard screaming and small arms fire.

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August 21, 2005

Injured Marine hopes to return to Iraqi battlefield

Huguenot resident Capt. Raymond Lopes was lucky to get out with his life, but wants to finish the job

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