Marine Headline News
K-9s
give 42 reasons why crime doesn’t pay - He
patrols the streets of U.S. military installations on Okinawa
throughout the night; guarding, protecting, serving. He
and his partner’s only mission is to safeguard residents
from an unknown enemy, whomever it may be. This defender
is the military working dog. For the Marines and dogs at the military
working dog section of the Marine Corps Base Camp Butler
Provost Marshal’s Office, their mission is simple; to serve
and protect.
Okinawa-based
Marines push to meet smallpox vaccination goal -
Units island wide are pushing to meet the May
1 goal for smallpox vaccinations for the more than 20,000
servicemembers currently assigned to the III Marine
Expeditionary Force. Medical personnel must screen and
vaccinate all medically qualified servicemembers in order to
meet the goal outlined in a letter of instruction issued by
the III MEF commanding general, Lt. Gen. Robert R. Blackman,
this past February.
Ceremony
recognizes ‘a few good women’ - This
year’s Women’s History Month theme is “Women
Change America,” which recognizes the profound
accomplishments that women have made and how they have
transformed history, explained 1st Lt. Donna N. Evans, officer
in charge of the Choices female mentorship program here.
CAB
Marines create craters - Hunched behind a
hill, wearing flak jackets and Kevlar helmets, a group of
Marines anxiously awaits the
destructive vibrations of the strategically placed explosives.
The group of Marines yells, “Fire in the hole!” three
times in unison. A combat engineer squeezes the detonation
switch, sending an electrical charge more than 20,000 feet per
second through 50 feet of detonation cord attached to a
2-pound, 8-ounce block of plastic explosive placed on a door.
Black
Cadillacs get the boot - Marines are
instructed that the most important aspect of foot care is to
keep feet clean and dry but without functional combat boots,
this task is virtually impossible. Lieutenant Col. Gabriel R.
Patricio, Marine Corps Systems Command’s Infantry Combat
Equipment program manager, recently issued an information
paper outlining the maintenance of
the new Marine Corps Combat Boots, or MCCBs
Don’t
let this happen to you…— Summer
traveling throughout the Asian Pacific is a popular practice
among servicemembers stationed on Okinawa.
Whether venturing solo, or with friends and family,
travelers should be aware of the health risks associated with
the countries in the region. To
counteract the diseases, viruses and parasites that can be
caught, travelers need to take preventative measures before
visiting foreign countries.
Marines,
sailors dance, sing at local hospital —
There
is a saying that the most precious gift
you can give someone is your time. Time
is what eight Marines and sailors from Camp Kinser gave to the
patients of Dojin Hospital’s geriatric intensive care unit.
“Normally
the residents here don’t have visitors,” said Lt j.g. John
Keith, battalion chaplain, Headquarters and Service Battalion,
3rd Force Service Support Group. “So the Marines and sailors
came up here and made their day a whole lot better.”
Training,
the key to battle readiness - Today’s global war on terrorism and Operation Iraqi
Freedom II make preparing U.S. forces for future contingencies
of particular importance. At any given time, there are armed
forces units undergoing training for such contingencies.
Exercise Northern Edge is an example of such training.
Navy-Marine
Corps Relief Society breaks fund raising record - The
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society recently completed its most
successful active duty fund drive ever on island, according to
NMCRS officials. The
society’s island wide coordinator 1st Lt. Amanda A. Coleman,
and Keira Bishop, director of NMCRS of Okinawa, presented a
check for $464,736 to Brig. Gen. James F. Flock, Marine
Corps Base Camp Butler commanding general, June 8, officially
concluding the drive.
Spreading
the word around the world -
At the sound of the teacher’s greeting, the children filled
the first grade classroom at Hamagawa Elementary School with
eager and excited voices. The rhythmic chimes sounded, and the
children shuffled into their seats to start the class, anxious
to meet the strange new visitors. June 4 was no ordinary
morning for the young Okinawan
students; U.S. Marines and sailors were in attendance.
Comic
book, card enthusiasts invade enlisted club
- Close to 100 comic
book and trading card enthusiasts arrived throughout the day
to buy, trade and sell comic books, trading cards and sports
memorabilia at the monthly comic
book and card show held here June 5 at the Globe and
Anchor enlisted club. Five vendors set up shop in the club,
displaying a wide variety of goods available to the
patrons.
Senior
Marine and sailor share similar background -
The highest-ranking enlisted sailor and Marine in 3rd Force
Service Support Group have spent the past two years leading
the men and women under them and recounting their time as
members of elite reconnaissance units. The
service members of 3rd FSSG will soon lose the wealth of
ability and experience provided by the pairing of these two
talented men, because one is finishing his career.
Recon
trains forward observers to destroy enemy front, Marines
attend Training Set Fire Observation School -
Using slide projectors to display a simulated
enemy front in an attack position, Marines of 3rd
Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, conducted
artillery support, close air support and naval gunfire
training here May 25-27.
3rd
Materiel Readiness Battalion takes flight with combat skills
- Marines in various support specialties with 3rd Materiel
Readiness Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group, strapped
on pistols and grabbed their rifles during helicopter
embarkation and landing zone defense
training here June 7.
Marines,
sailors sharpen stick fighting skills, Service members learn
ancient discipline - The sound of cracking
sticks filled the room as opponents sparred to enhance their
fighting ability through the art of Filipino stick fighting at
The House of Pain gym here June 2.
Marines
battle sumo wrestlers in annual Henoko exhibition - U.S. Marines battled heavyweight sumo wrestlers in
the annual Henoko Sumo Wrestling Tournament at Mae-no-Hama
Beach here May 29. The tournament
is a precursor to the annual dragon
boat races.
Marine
volunteers make kids smile - Like rock stars
pulling up in a tour bus at a packed arena, Marines with
Materiel Readiness Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group,
were greeted by dozens of smiling and screaming students upon
their arrival at the AmerAsian School in Okinawa May 27. Ten
Marines on this trip volunteered to visit the school and be playmates
and teachers to the children
Volunteers
teach English, gain cultural respect
- Marines and Sailors from Camp Schwab taught
English to Okinawan children at Omiya Elementary School
here May 25. Twice a month Camp Services offers service
members a unique opportunity to bond with Okinawan elementary
students, promoting international understanding and English
language instruction.
Military
police hone field sniper skills -
Military police marksman observers, equipped with precision
rifles mounted with scopes to increase their deadly accurate
shots, took their sharp-shooting skills to the next level
during sniper training here May 21. Special Reaction Team
Marines from the Provost Marshal’s Office, Marine Corps Base
Camp Foster, are trained to handle S.W.A.T.-like situations,
but they stepped out of their urban realm and crossed
into the field side of sniper shooting.
Single
Marines find fun, relaxation at Okuma
- The 90 degree temperature was accompanied by 80 percent
humidity. Despite the heat, a few enterprising Marines dared
to leave the barracks and venture
out into the steamy conditions May 14-16. More
than 90 Marines from Camp Kinser attended a three-day Single
Marine Program camping trip here. Although the retreat offered
swimming, snorkeling and other activities, some Marines just
preferred to lean against a railing and gaze out over the
crystal-clear ocean water.
Secrets
of deployment don’t go unnoticed - I
am glad to be back in Okinawa from my recent deployment to
Thailand where I worked primarily with members of other
services, which was a change for me. What has not changed is
the common misconception some people still have. Some service
members think they can break any rule they choose while away
from home, and no one will talk about it when they return home
because “what happens on deployment stays
on deployment.”
