CLR-15 (FWD) June Newsletter

COMBAT LOGISTICS

REGIMENT-15 (FORWARD)

JUNE 2010

OEF 10.1

INSIDE THIS MONTH...

COMMANDING OFFICER 3

SERGEANT MAJOR 4

HEADQUARTERS & SERVICE COMPANY 5

MAINTENANCE COMPANY 8

SUPPLY COMPANY 12

MOTOR TRANSPORT COMPANY 17

SECURITY COMPANY 19

BRAVO SURGICAL COMPANY 22

CHARLIE SURGICAL COMPANY 24

PROMOTIONS 26

AWARDS 27

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE CLR-15 (FWD) FAMILY 28

GREETINGS FROM THE CHAPLAIN 29

COMMANDING OFFICER

Dear Families and Friends of CLR-15 (FWD),

We are rapidly approaching the half way point of our deployment and it is exciting to think

about our reunion with you. The Marines and Sailors of CLR-15 (FWD) continue to do amazing

things. This past month was quite challenging due to a fire that ripped through the Supply Management

Unit and the Repairable Issue Point. Fortunately, and most importantly, everyone is doing well and we

have fully recovered. It is a distant memory and we are on our way to rebuilding and making every-

thing better than before.

From a personal perspective, it was painful to watch the fire that night, but it has been the best

time of my Marine Corps career in the days after the incident. I had the distinct pleasure of watching

the unit’s response and observing their positive attitude was truly special. The resiliency demonstrated

by the Marines and Sailors of CLR-15 (FWD) was remarkable and is a testament to their character and

spirit. The entire Command came together to make a difference and ensure there were no interrup-

tions in supply support. We just took a short operational pause and things are now back to nor-

mal. With this behind us, we are clearly focused on looking ahead and continuing all the superb work

we started upon our arrival.

It is heating up and consistently over 100 degrees now, yet this does not even slow us down. We

drink a lot more water, but the mission remains and everyone perseveres. Your notes of encourage-

ment continue to help us stay motivated and we are so grateful for the continual support. We are ex-

tremely busy and we expect the pace to remain high until we turn over with our replacements in a few

months. I guarantee this, when the next group of Marines and Sailors show up in Afghanistan to turn-

over with CLR-15 (FWD), they are going to be in awe of what we have accomplished. I get to see it

every day and there is nothing that makes me so proud. It is an honor and privilege to serve with such

incredible Marines and Sailors. They probably don’t know this, but I get all of my motivation from

them.

As I write this, we know you all are enjoying summer, the beaches, cookouts, and other gather-

ings. I also hope you had a great Memorial Day. I know Memorial Day takes on an even more impor-

tant meaning when you have a loved one serving our Nation overseas. Rest assured, your Marines and

Sailors are doing heroic work and you can be very proud of them. No matter the mission or the task,

they respond. One must ask, “Where do we find such fine men and women?” The answer is simply –

they are a direct reflection of you. Thank you for all you do!

Semper Fi,

LtCol K.J. Stewart

CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010


SERGEANT MAJOR

Families and Friends of CLR-15 (FWD),

It is already the middle of June and the half way mark of the deployment is in sight.

With the hours that we are working our days seem to run together sometimes, which also

makes the days go by faster and before we know it the 10.2 Marines and Sailors will be on

deck. The Marines are also getting anxious to get home, but they know that we still have a

lot of work to do before our redeployment to the states and back to our families.

We had a busy month since our last newsletter and our Marines found how much

energy, unity and pride they have in their sections, Companies and Regiment. I am sure

everyone has heard by now about the Supply Management Unit fire last month. It could

have been a huge setback and most likely would have been for any other unit that was de-

ployed, but NOT for the Marines and Sailors of the “15”. They are the most impressive

bunch of men and women that I have ever served with in my career. It only took us five

days to get back to sending the outlining units supplies and operating as a functioning

SMU. I have never seen anything destroyed in one night and rebuilt so fast by such driven

Marines and Sailors. It was simply AMAZING!

I wrote in the last newsletter about the wind and heat that was heading our way and

it is now here. It is always over 100 degrees daily and the winds are blowing sand over the

base almost every morning and sometimes in the evening. We have had a few good sand

storms that cover everything we own and the sand is so fine that it gets everywhere. There

is nothing better than going to the shower and having to walk back to your room in a sand

storm. No matter what the temperature, the amount of hours or how much sand gets in our

work areas the Marines and Sailors are still doing a great job.

The morale of the unit is still very high and a lot of it has to do with the amount of

mail we receive on a daily basis. We definitely get more mail than any other unit here in

Afghanistan and we thank everyone for sending the packages from home. I know we have

missed some holidays with our families, so I would like to wish everyone a Happy Belated

Mothers Day and a Happy Fathers Day. We all wish we could have been there for those

holidays, but we will be home soon and until that day comes I wish you all the best. Again,

it is a great honor being the Sergeant Major of such a fine unit and working with great Ma-

rines and Sailors. We will keep you in our prayers and God bless.

SgtMaj J. S. Miller


H&S COMPANY


H&S COMPANY

CO’s CORNER To the Family & Friends of CLR-15 (FWD),

The summer heat has hit and the Marines and Sailors

continue to push hard. I can’t promise anyone your

loved ones won’t be ready for a nice long nap when

they get home, but I am confident each Marine and

Sailor will be able to look back and hold their head

high knowing what has been accomplished in such a

short period of time.

Semper Fi!

1st Lt Russell

1STSGT’S TWO CENTS

Three Months Down! As you can see I

have outstanding Marines and Sailors com-

mitted to doing what ever it takes to get

things done. What a great team!

God Bless,

1stSgt McEvoy

Above: Major General Mills, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) presents a Command

Coin to Sergeant David R. White for his heroic action of saving a fellow Marine’s life.


S-6 TO THE RESCUE This past month, the S-6 was faced with a huge challenge after having to relocate the Supply Man-

agement Unit (SMU) offices after the fire. In an unbelievable effort, the S-6 had the SMU operational

within 36 hours. They installed over 10,000 feet of Cat-5 cable, reconfigured over 42 computers to

provide critical connectivity to over 200 users, and provided radio support at a critical time. Nearly

all the Marines were rewarded for their hard work during this timeframe but it was their fearless

leader, Master Sergeant Schanz, who stood out the most! During the fire he ran into the direction of

the flames without pause. He came to the assistance of the firefighters and corpsmen, joining in the

effort to keep to keep the fire at bay. When a dust storm caused the evacuation of all firefighters, a

third country national abandoned his water truck and fled the approaching fire. Master Sergeant

Schanz reacted without hesitation to recover the vehicle and drive it a safe distance away from the

flames. He then proceeded to conduct a series of water resupply runs to the fire trucks actively bat-

tling the blaze. During each run, he exposed himself to danger in order to provide the fire trucks

with water. He repeatedly placed himself within yards of open flames and explosive hazardous mate-

rial in order to pump water into the fire trucks. Master Sergeant Schanz tirelessly conducted 12 water

re-supplies during the course of eight hours until 0400 the next morning. Master Sergeant Schanz

was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for his heroic efforts.

H&S COMPANY

“After the evacuation, me and another guy

went back in. I didn’t want to lose the ca-

pability of this water truck to refill the fire

trucks. I knew if I didn’t take the truck out,

it would be lost to the flames. The fire had

already spread and would be lost in a few

minutes. Since I just finished the “Troops to

Truckers” program, I thought I could figure

out how to drive it. The biggest challenge

was all the levers and knobs were labeled

in Arabic. I found the parking brake and

first gear and that’s all I needed. I was able

to continue to support the resupply of the

fire trucks until the wee hours of the morn-

ing.” -Master Sergeant Schanz

Birthday Shout Outs!

LCpl Rhoads’ Mom, Linda Welz (June 3)

1stSgt McEvoy’s Daughter, Catherine Hanby (June 8)

GySgt Cooks’ Daughter, Ariah Cook (June 16)

LCpl Rocha’s Father, Manuel Rocha (June 17)

LCpl Rhoads’ Sister, Nikki Engstrom (June 21)

LCpl Kalkstein’s Mother, Letty Kalkstein (June 30)


MAINTENANCE COMPANY


COMPANY COMMANDER

Another month has passed, which means we are another month closer to bringing the Marines

of Maintenance Company back home. This past month has been particularly busy, as we coped

with the after effects of the SMU/RIP fire. There is no doubt that Maintenance Company is the

best Company in the Regiment, which was never more evident as everyone in Maintenance

Company pulled together to ensure the RIP was moved into the IMA Compound and operational

within 72 hours of the fire. We continue to support Marine Expeditionary Forces throughout Af-

ghanistan by sending detachments of Marines spanning the entire I MEF (FWD) Area of Opera-

tions to repair and maintain equipment for forward operating forces. You should be extremely

proud of your Marines and their accomplishments thus far, as the reports pouring in from the

units at the Combat Outposts and Patrol Bases is nothing but favorable. Without your loved ones

making the sacrifices they are making these units would be hard pressed to accomplish their ob-

jectives. Thank you for the continued support of your Marines we would be hard pressed to keep

our operational tempo without it, and Happy Father’s Day.

Major Jerry R. Copley

REPARABLE ISSUE POINT

The Reparable Issue Point had a month to remember. On May 16th, the lot which we shared

with the Supply Management Unit was destroyed by fire. However, Maintenance Company

pulled together, and was able to save over 80% of the inventory. I would like to take time to

thank all of those family and friends who wished us well during this period. The Marines of the

RIP performed their duties admirably and continued the mission without a building, ware-

house, or usual day to day office equipment. A testament to their determination was evident as

we did our first transaction the morning following the fire. Never has my pride in a group been

more than it was that day.

As this current month roles on and we are now comfortably moved into our new facility we

continue to support I MEF (FWD)’s efforts in Afghanistan. Until next month…

CWO2 Johnson

RIP Platoon Commander

MAINTENANCE COMPANY


ENGINEER MAINTENANCE PLATOON

Another month has passed by and your Marines continue to excel beyond my expectations. The weather is

reaching extreme summer temperatures as we encounter each new day. Nearing the halfway point in our de-

ployment to Afghanistan, the Marines of Engineer Maintenance Platoon push on and are continuing their mis-

sion, repairing all equipment that comes their way. I must say, they are doing an outstanding job.

Though the work has not slowed down, we were able to take a few hours out of a Sunday afternoon and have

a barbeque, play volleyball, horse shoes, cards and just relax for a bit.

The Marines of the Metal Shop have been doing an outstanding job. The Metal Shop has fabricated numerous

protective barriers to enhance security for Marines manning Entry Control Points throughout our base. The

Metal Shop has also fabricated racks, ladders, and steps for many Marine Corps tactical vehicles. They have

also made bolts and plugs for many different types of vehicles and equipment. To date, our Metal Shop Marines

have fabricated and completed repairs on over 200 pieces of equipment which is about three times as much

work normally completed by the same Marines at Camp Pendleton.

Our platoon’s Maintenance Management Section is run by a single Marine; Corporal Manuel Montelongo Jr.

He processes all equipment repair orders and parts requisition for Engineer Equipment Platoon. So far, Cpl

Montelongo has opened and closed over 1,200 Equipment Repair Orders for our platoon.

The Tool Room and Calibrations Marines continue to be busy as always conducting inventories, re-arranging

the Tool Room and trying to provide the best tools for the hard working Marines that are on the lot fixing the

gear. This is the reason we recently re-located our Common #30 Tool Kit. It was placed in a more accessible

spot and now the Marines will be able to use the Material Handling Crane to lift generators, engines and other

heavy components when needed.

It’s been another busy month for the Marines of the Utilities section. Our refrigeration mechanics continue to

do great work despite the seemingly endless flow of request for air conditioner repairs; they continue to keep

their customers comfortable and cool. The generator section is staying busy as well remaining on call 24/7,

completing repairs as complex as replacing engines and as simple as instructing someone to add fuel to their

generator.

Equipment issues have plagued us since our arrival in Afghanistan but the Marines in Heavy Equipment sec-

tion have continued to do great work. They have repaired roughly 50 heavy equipment items so far and as fast

as they fix them…more broken ones roll in. There’s no shortage of work for this section either.

We have a number of acknowledgements for the month of June. Sergeant James McCormick and his wife

Amanda welcomed their baby girl, Arianna Elizabeth, into the world on May 16, 2010. Aaron Lungmus was

meritoriously promoted to the rank of Corporal. Lance Corporals Felisha Franklin and Taylor Smith were each

awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Lance Corporal Justin Grizzle received the Good

Conduct Medal.

We would like to send a sincere Happy Father’s Day to all the parents, spouses, friends, and families of the

Marines of Engineer Maintenance Platoon.

Semper Fidelis,

CWO3 Keith Earhart


MAINTENANCE COMPANY

Above: Corporal Thompson

wiring up a generator.

Center: Machinists hard at

work.

Below: The utilities section

replacing an engine.

Above: TRAM halfway

through an axle replace-

ment.

Below: Lance Corporal Phan

contemplating his next

weld...


SUPPLY COMPANY


COMPANY COMMANDER

Dear Friends and Family,

On the 16th of May the Company suffered a minor setback in the form of a fire that consumed

the lot we were located on. As it was being contained the 100 Days of Wind Afghanistan is

known for contributed a massive sand storm which took the fire to new heights. It tore through

the Supply Management Unit reducing it to scrap and ashes. The Marines witnessed as their

hard work from the last six weeks went up in smoke. What would cause me to say that this was only a minor setback? With the superb support of

all in CLR-15 (FWD) we were re-located into a new lot within 24 hours. Everyone pitched in

from Communication Marines working overnight to set up phone lines and computers, Mainte-

nance Marines setting up generators and Motor Transportation Marines moving gear and con-

tainers to the new location. The list could go on as every Company and Section within the CLR

assisted with the move and set up. Supply Company Marines and Sailors went to work the fol-

lowing day to set up tents and salvage inventory to begin rebuilding. With the leadership of the

Officers and SNCOs and the hard work and ingenuity of the Marines and Sailors we were issu-

ing supplies in support of I MEF (FWD) within 96 hours. It still astounds me that we recovered

and were operational within four days. The Marines rebounded quickly and decided that this

would be their SMU and it would be better than before.

The new lot improves every day. New buildings are being constructed and inventory comes

in waves. The Marines are constantly engaged in ensuring that I MEF (FWD) continues to get

supported with everything it needs to continue the fight. I have never been more proud to

serve with any unit than I have been with this Company.

Without your continued support to your Marines and Sailors none of this is possible. You

have my sincerest appreciation for what you do for us. As we get closer to the half way mark we

are looking forward to finishing strong and coming home to our loved ones.

Best Regards,

Major Doug Burke


COMPANY FIRST SERGEANT Family and Friends,

We have almost hit our 90 mark in theater, close to the half way mark of this deployment. The Ma-

rines and Sailors continue to make positive contributions to their Unit and MEF. I remain extremely

proud to serve along side of them. In my dealings with our young warriors, I can tell you each of you is

missed. The 90 day mark can be a difficult time for both you at home and your Marines and Sailors

here. A few letters or a small care package goes a long way during this time. Please make every effort

to remain in contact and supportive. Morale remains high and we haven’t had any problems, together

we can finish strong together. After the half way point of the deployment, new goals are usually estab-

lished and the light at the end of the tunnel begins to become brighter. The closer to our redeploy the

brighter this light gets.

As many of you already know, the Supply Management Unit sustained a fire during the month of May.

I am sure you already know enough about this incident, but what can’t be expressed enough was the

manner in which Supply Company overcame this hurdle. While the fire was still being extinguished, the

company staff went into planning our next set of moves. Having a solid plan and with the help from 200

of the Nation’s Finest, Supply Company was up and running in just under 5 days. We far exceeded the

expectations of those at the higher headquarters. So much so the fire was no longer referred to as an

incident but instead an unscheduled “Operational Pause.”

While the conduct of the company as a whole has been noteworthy, we were able to recognize a few

of Marines whose contributions set them apart. Sergeant’s Vila and Dessart received the Navy and Ma-

rine Corps Achievement Medal for their actions during and after the fire. While Sergeant Lemke and

Corporals Etter and Delarosa received the impact Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals for

their extreme hard work since arriving in theater. Despite internal hurdles, as a testament to their indi-

vidual character, Supply Company participated at the 1st Marine Logistics Group board and walked

away with two Marines combat meritoriously promoted to the rank of Corporal. My hat is off to Corpo-

ral Flores and Corporal Clearman who were selected over some keen competition. We continue to be

impressed with the hard work from the Marines and Sailors, we see it every day and you can be proud.

I would also like to take the time to thank you for the support you are providing to us here. It makes our

job that much easier.

1stSgt Ray Stephens

SUPPLY COMPANY


SUPPLY COMPANY

GENERAL ACCOUNT

Greetings family and friends of the General Account. It has been an exciting and opportunity filled month. Although

the fire caused destruction to property, it only served to make our will and cohesiveness stronger. Every member of

GA stood out from the crowd at some point during the month because of their extraordinary effort. Special thanks go

out to Master Sergeant Grounds who provided outstanding leadership during this difficult time.

Corporal Trevino is running a tight ship. Within five days of losing our entire office and equipment, the section was

back doing business as usual. As always, Corporal Berry amazes us with his ability to manipulate information in the

database. His skill in this area proved to be invaluable when we were replacing equipment lost in the fire.

Corporal Flores became the first member of Supply Company to receive a Combat Meritorious Promotion. She is

now a proud member of our NCO Corps. We are extremely fortunate to have a Marine of her caliber in our ranks.

Lance Corporal Maldonado and Lance Corporal Kerkau continue to be the workhorses of GA. They are involved in

almost everything the section does. Even with the long work hours, Lance Corporal Kerkau decided to use what little off

time she had to earn her Grey MCMAP belt this month.

We think about our families every day and look forward to the time when we are reunited. But, until then, we will ful-

fill Customer Service’s tag line. We will “Support the Warfighter”.

Sincerely,

CWO3 Jose I. Torres III

CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

SUPPLY COMPANY

CAMP DWYER SUPPLY DETACHMENT

Greetings family and friends of CLR-15 (FWD),

I’m the Detachment Staff Non-commissioned Officer in charge of your Marines deployed aboard Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan. As you

are more than well aware, we are just about to touch down on the half way point of this deployment. I must say the men of this detach-

ment are still hard at it without displaying any signs of slowing down. The Marines of this detachment have been busy planning, design-

ing and building future operational procedures for supply and distribution operations in support of future war fighters. In addition your

Marines have managed to maintain daily tasks to support commands and detachments within the Camp Dwyer area which comprises of

more than 13 using units. There is still quite a bit of work ahead of us.

In the past few weeks the weather has started to change and seems to be getting hotter every week. We have endured dozens of sand

and dust storms which your Marines so dearly love. This is a true indicator of the hot months to come. You should see leaner Marines by

the time we arrive home. The base in which we are embedded in has all the amenities within its barriers. There is great dining facility,

air conditioned living spaces with full restroom facilities, fitness gyms and a recreational center with TV, free internet/SKYPE and tele-

phone services.

I would like to congratulate the Cpl McCarver and LCpl Juarez family for the new blessings in their families. Cpl McCarver’s wife gave

birth to a baby boy and LCpl Juarez’s wife gave birth to a baby girl. We have 3 other Marines who are expecting new borns here shortly.

Their names are Cpls’ Ferry & Davis and LCpl Amesquita, may their wives have a healthy and successful birth.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve and work with this fine group of Marines. I know that they and you look forward to getting

home, and I can promise that it will be a well deserved welcome home. I look forward to meeting you all when we arrive on that parade

deck. I speak on behalf of all the Marines when I say we appreciate the sacrifice and support you have provided us. Because of you, we

are able to complete our tasks and stay focused on the mission. Last but not least, I would like to say hello to my lovely wife Jennifer and

my kids. I love you guys and miss you and look forward to seeing Sushi on the football field. See you in a few months. SEMPER FIDELIS!

Gunnery Sergeant Felton


GSMT COMPANY


COMPANY COMMANDER All,

It’s been a great month for GSMT Com-

pany. We have pushed ourselves beyond

what we thought were our limits, and have

only seen success. Your sons, daughters,

siblings, spouses and significant others con-

tinue get the job done day after day, week

after week. Their dedication, persistence,

creativity and discipline personally inspire

me on a daily basis. You all have great rea-

son to be extremely proud. Until next

month….SEMPER FI!

Sincerely,

Capt Hines

COMPANY FIRST SERGEANT Hello Family and Friends!

General Support Motor Transport Com-

pany continues to conduct Motor Transport

Operations. Our operational pace has been

particularly fast during the previous month.

However, our Marines continue to stand up to

the challenges in front of them. They solve

problems and overcome obstacles as they

arise. It is what Marines do best, they adapt

and overcome! The summer is upon us and

the heat is on, the wind is blowing and the

sand is in the air. Our focus continues to be

on mission accomplishment and safety. We

appreciate your continued support of our

Marines. Mail call is big every day and thank

you for the generous letters and packages.

Semper Fidelis,

1stSgt Miller

Below: Lance Corporal Kirchner receives a Meritorious Mast from the Commanding

Officer after being selected as the Road Warrior of the Month.

Previous Page (Top): LCpl Depina, LCpl Peckham,

LCpl Marchand, Cpl Jones, LCpl Oliveira (Standing)

and LCpl Graves (Kneeling) getting ready to offload

cargo.

Previous Page (Bottom): Staff Sergeants Avila, Gray, and Cunanan strike a pose.

GSMT COMPANY


SECURITY COMPANY


SECURITY COMPANY

COMPANY COMMANDER

This month’s Security Company submission for the newsletter was written by Corporal Nathaniel Drahota from

2nd Platoon. Corporal Drahota is from Minnesota by way of Edmonton, Washington. He is currently serving as a

Vehicle Commander and Fire Team Leader for his platoon. Most notable about Corporal Drahota is his quiet but

forceful leadership. He is a genuine Marine and a leader by example. He has been on numerous extensive mis-

sions across Helmand Province, conducting convoy, recovery, or security escort missions in support of fellow

Marines and Afghan National Army. He is currently participating in Corporal’s Course; a course designed to in-

struct Marine Corporals on Non-Commissioned Officer leadership. It arms Corporals with the tools to be suc-

cessful leaders in the Marine Corps. We hope you will enjoy what he had to say about his experiences with

Security Company.

Capt Carper.

COMPANY FIRST SERGEANT Greetings to all our lovely families,

We are now approaching the half way point of a very busy and fast paced deployment and I want you to know

that your Marines and Sailors are looking forward to the day they will see your smiling faces and feel your warm-

ing embraces. As mentioned above the pace has been fast, but safe. The Regimental Commander, Company

Commander, and everyone who falls underneath keeps safety in the forefront of everything we do, to include mis-

sions. So do not worry as I’ve stated in other newsletters, not only is safety a priority for me as the First Sergeant,

Prayer is as well. We have been blessed and I personally believe that Prayer in conjunction with your profes-

sional Marines and Sailors attention to detail has allowed for Security Company to be successful thus far. We’ve

suffered no serious injuries and I believe God is going to make this be the case for the rest of the deployment. I

also want you to know your Marines are well feed and have plenty of everything they need, to include mail, but

don’t stop sending the care packages yet, it is still yet one of the most important things that keeps the morale ele-

vated.

Your Marines have been doing some great things out here, such as getting promoted, graduating from courses,

and recognized for their actions in combat, and they deserve to be recognized here.

Frank Cruz: Combat Meritoriously Promoted to the rank of Sergeant

Heather Nejame: Combat Meritoriously Promoted to the Rank of Corporal

Jeremy Floyd: Combat Meritoriously Promoted to the Rank of Lance Corporal

Oliver Persons: Promoted to the Rank of Corporal

Anthony Floresca: Promoted to the Rank of Corporal

LCpl Charles Center: Certificate of Commendation for Actions In Combat

LCpl William Johnson: Certificate of Commendation for Actions In Combat

Cpl Sean Johnson: Graduated from Martial Arts Instructors Course, “Gung Ho Award”

Cpl Justin Hudnall: Graduated from Martial Arts Instructors Course

Congratulations to you, our family, for all that you are doing back home!

I want to thank you for all your mail which keeps coming in, it really keeps morale up, but more importantly, I

thank you for your Prayers that you send up for us. Don’t stop sending the mail yet, and please don’t stop praying.

Remember, if have any concerns, please feel free to contact me on the e-mail listed below.

May God Bless You All in my Prayers

GySgt, Alvin T. Dupree Jr

Security Company First Sergeant

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


SECURITY COMPANY

DIVERSE SECURITY

When I was asked to describe my experience of the deployment thus far I had trouble deciding on

what particular subject I should base this description. There are certainly a plethora of topics that would

fulfill the requirements of my assignment. I finally decided that the actual operations of the company,

while exciting, would be better left to description

by your loved ones. The subject that I would pre-

fer to set before you is the overall spirit and deter-

mination of the Marines of Security Company.

The Marines that work together out here

every day come from a wide variety of places.

Some come from an infantry background and have an

incredible amount of deployment and opera-

tional experience. Others are activated Reservists,

many of whom are working well outside of their mili-

tary occupational special- ties. Still others come

from the original Military Police Company, from

which Security Company was mainly derived, and

have their own unique experiences. All of these

Marines have come together with the common

goal of mission accomplishment and, despite their

differences, have worked together effectively and

admirably.

Whenever a task has been given, the Marines

of Security Company have risen to the occasion with

zeal and vigor. Everyone has had to work long

hours under varying levels of stress and have all

proven their worth time and time again. This deploy-

ment is still far from over, but I for one am proud to

be a part of such a diverse group performing such

an important mission so masterfully.

"Some people live an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference in the world, Marines don't

have that problem." ~ President Ronald Regan.

The Marines of Security Company certainly fall in to the category of individuals who make a differ-

ence every day.

Nathaniel Drahota

Corporal USMC


BRAVO SURGICAL COMPANY

CHARLIE SURGICAL COMPANY



Making a Difference, One Patient at a Time Frightened, injured, and apprehensive are words to describe

Sarah (patient name fictitious due to privacy matters) upon

arrival to the Charlie Surgical STP. Sarah, a 14 year old Local

National (LN) female who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg,

was the innocent victim of a firefight that took place near her

home. Just like in Sarah’s case, many of the patients received

by Charlie Surgical Company happen to be LN’s who are inno-

cent victims of firefights. For Sarah, as is the case for the major-

ity of the LN patients, this was her first interaction with a group

of people whose culture, religion, and language was far differ-

ent from her own. Terrified and in disarray, what Sarah didn’t

know upon arrival was that she would be departing with a new

friend. That new friend would end up to be STP member HM3

Michelle Etsitty.

HM3 Etsitty, notorious for passionately interacting with and

taking care of the Local National Pa-tients, saw the fear in

Sarah’s eyes when she came in and decided to take action.

When asked to talk about her personal experience with Sarah,

HM3 Etsitty said: “At first I saw that she was extremely scared,

so after she awoke from surgery I started trying to interact

with her as an attempt to calm her nerves and comfort her .

After talking with her, the interpreter told me that she ex-

plained to him that she had never seen an American before,

and that she was frightened because she had been taught that

all Americans are bad. During the three days she was here, I

kept trying to interact with her until she finally became com-

fortable with me. The language and communication barrier

with Sarah and all of the LN patients makes efforts very diffi-

cult, but there are still things we can do to interact with them.

With Sarah, I showed her the pictures on my computer of my

friends and family. She loved it. She had never been exposed

to a computer due to the lack of technology they have here, so

she was amused. The funniest moment that happened while

she was here occurred when she started pointing to her

mouth as if she was in pain. Naturally, I went and got the inter-

preter just to clarify that her mouth hurt so that we could tell

the Doctor. After the interpreter talked to her, he told that me

that her mouth didn’t hurt, she just wanted another piece of

gum. I thought it was hilarious, and her and I both started

laughing. We ended up forming a friendship and special

bond. Before she left, she gave me her bracelet and told the

interpreter to tell me that she will always remember me.” HM3

Etsitty concluded by saying : “Our goal is to ultimately make a

difference, one patient at a time.”

The purpose of the FRSS is to perform what is

known as damage control surgery. What this

means in the most basic sense is that the FRSS is a

surgical team whose job it is to stop bleeding and

give blood in order to stabilize severely injured

patients for transport to a larger hospital.

The team is composed of two surgeons, one to

two anesthesiologists/nurse anesthetists, two

critical care nurses, two surgical techs, one gen-

eral duty corpsman, and a Chief Petty Officer.

Our cases consist primarily of gunshot wounds,

fragmentation wounds, blast injuries, and pa-

tients who are more often than not, very sick.

We usually get word that a patient is coming in

about 15 minutes before they arrive. During this

time,we prepare for the case based on the infor-

mation provided.

Once the patient arrives, we quickly assess the

patient’s status then decide if resuscitation will

begin in the Shock Trauma Platoon (STP), or if

they will be sent straight to the FRSS. The sickest

patients go to the FRSS directly, as it is capable of

intervening surgically to stop bleeding. The sick-

est patients often require massive blood transfu-

sions and require major surgery to save their

lives. The Corpsman, Nurses, and Doctors work

very closely as a team to render these life saving

interventions in as quick a manner as possible.

Once patients leave the FRSS, they are usually

moved directly to an awaiting helicopter and sent

to what is known as a level III facility. This is sim-

ply a hospital with higher level capabilities than a

FRSS/STP (a level II facility) combination. The

team enjoys its work and there is a great feeling

of camaraderie, however, we are counting down

the days until we get back home to our families.

PROMOTIONS

JUNE

Master Sergeant

Wayne Bosley

Alvaro Medina

Rogelio Sanchez

Staff Sergeant

Timothy Blodgett

Robert Shuman

Sergeant

Mychael Checky

Joshua Cook

Vincent Lemke

Corporal

Jorge Carillo

Dominick Chiurco

Daniel Delangel

Anthony Floresca

Jorge Floresguttierez

Efrain Hernandez

Jason Huang

Ian Jones

Adam Luttio

Erandi Martinez

Justin McCarver

Joaquin Perez

Oliver Persons

Guadalupe Ramirez

Lance Corporal

Paul Cantino

Berrie McCormick

Bradley McDonald

Jeffrey Mejia

Carlos Ramos

Joseph Teague

Joshua Willinsky

COMBAT MERITORIOUS

Sergeant

Frank Cruz

Corporal

Matthew Clearman

Amy Flores

Aaron Lungmus

Heather Nejame

Lionel Smith

Lance Corporal

Jeremy Floyd

Nikolas Rivera

Diana Valdez

MERITORIOUS

Corporal

Patrick Clark

Raymond Sullivan

AWARDS

NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL

Sgt Dessart; Supply Company

Sgt Vila; Supply Company

Sgt White; Headquarters and Service Company

Cpl Delarosa; Supply Company

Cpl Eggleston; GSMT Company

Cpl Etter; Supply Company

Cpl Henson; GSMT Company

Cpl Oldaker; GSMT Company

LCpl Curran; GSMT Company

LCpl Franklin; Maintenance Company

LCpl Hays; GSMT Company

LCpl Medlin; Maintenance Company

LCpl Smith, Taylor; Maintenance Company

LCpl Staritz; Maintenance Company

CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION

MSgt Schanz; Headquarters and Service Company

Cpl Center; Security Company

Cpl Savoie; GSMT Company

Cpl Soriano; GSMT Company

LCpl Barbera; GSMT Company

LCpl Johnson, William; Security Company

LCpl Olveira; GSMT Company

OUTSTANDING

VOLUNTEER

SERVICE MEDAL

Cpl Diggins

Cpl Jensen

MERTIORIOUS MAST

GySgt Cook

SSgt Deleon

Sgt Carroll

Sgt Checky

Sgt Cheney

Sgt Reynolds

Sgt Sgt Salazar

Sgt Schwartz

Sgt Stanley

Cpl Grey

Cpl Hankison

Cpl Hayden

Cpl Karhoff

Cpl Kuiper

Cpl Paz

Cpl Simmons

LCpl Devrou

LCpl Kalkstein

LCpl Maxwell

LCpl Ramirezherrera

LCpl Rocha

LCpl Tanner

PFC Holcomb

New Arrivals to the CLR-15 (FWD) Family

Maintenance Company

Joseph Brooks

GySgt Joseph and Susan Miciotto

Arianna Elizabeth

Sgt James and Amanda McCormick

Olivia Finley

Cpl Franklin and Suzanna Alvarado

GSMT Company

Lennox Noah

Cpl Raul and Crystal Sandoval

Benjamin Clark

LCpl Daniel and Kathrine Reed

Security Company

Zoie Lynn

HM3 Addison and Shelby Bradford

Headquarters and Service Company

Ejay

Sgt Emmanuel and Allison Boyd



Greetings from the Chaplain

Being in Afghanistan is like traveling back in time. Camp Leatherneck isn’t ancient;

since there is so much new construction going on, this is a modern base. However, the ac-

tual place where we live and work has a very ancient history. Most of us are only aware of

Afghanistan’s recent history: the Taliban movement, 9-11, and the subsequent American

and NATO conflict which is now the longest in America’s history. Some of you may re-

member the old Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, and America’s

“shadow” involvement then, dramatized in movies like Charlie Wilson’s War or The Kite

Runner. Many people think of Afghanistan as only a backwards and intolerant Islamic

country, hostile to foreigners, but it was not always violent or inhospitable.

North of our location is part of the remains of the Silk Road, a famous caravan route

which once stretched from the Mediterranean to China and Asia, which was used from an-

tiquity up until the Middle Ages. Many ideas about religion, as well as goods and works of

art, were transmitted to various populations among the countries on the Silk Road. During

this time-period, both Buddhism and Christianity flourished Afghanistan (known in ancient

times as Bactria), brought there by missionary monks. Invasions and wars by different

tribes eventually closed this route forever. The most famous relics of Buddhism in Af-

ghanistan were the 8200-feet-tall, 1,000-year-old Bamiyan Buddhas, which were destroyed

by the Taliban in 2001. Yet even today, archaeologists are hoping to discover what may

be an even bigger statue, hidden under the sands in Bamiyan Province.

Even in modern times, Afghanistan was once a popular tourist destination on what was

known as the “Hippie Trail.” During the 1960s and 1970s, young Europeans and Ameri-

cans would travel from Europe, through the Middle East, and to Afghanistan and India,

mostly by hitchhiking on cars and buses. You can imagine why hippies wanted to visit Af-

ghanistan! There are many accounts by travelers of how hospitable and friendly the Af-

ghans were. This kind of adventure travel also declined with war, following the Soviet in-

vasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s and the resultant civil wars and rise of Islamist violence.

I believe some of the old buses here at Camp Leatherneck that are used to shuttle Marines

from one side of the base to the other, must date from this time!

Afghanistan was not always a battleground, although many times in its history it has

been fought over by Greeks, Mongols, British and Americans. Perhaps one day, peace

will be restored and the people of this country can benefit again from visitors from all

parts of the world, as it used to be.

Namaste! (Peace!)

LT Jeanette Shin

CLR-15 (FWD) June Newsletter

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