Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Cell Foggers and Streamers
So, I haven't been really big on putting this out there, but I recently took a job with the Department of Corrections. I am working as a Corrections Officer, and I have been continuously surprised by the training.
Today, we started with some classroom training, but the part I was looking forward to was the "Chemical Munitions" training. I should have known better.
We talked the LPN who is just starting to come do this part of the training with us. She was a trooper, even though she didn't need to have the training.
To get right to it, we started with going over some of the terminology and then proper use of cell foggers and streamers. We were given gas masks for our time in the gas shack. This is where we would simulate a cell extraction, but without the extraction part. That was pretty exciting because we got a lot of gas in there. We did a few dosey-dos to kick up the particulates.
The instructors demonstrated what they wanted from us. Remove our gas mask, say our name, answer a question, and finally don and clear the mask. I thought simple enough. I'd done this a multitude of times in the Marine Corps. I volunteered to go first. I figured I would show the rest of the class there was nothing to be afraid of as most of them had never encountered this situation before.
I removed my mask, exhaled and took a big breath of the gas... I was able to get out "Cody" and then I started struggling. Next question: How old are you? I tried to get out the 29, but I just couldn't get it out. The instructor said to put my mask back on. All day I had been going over the muscle memory of clearing my mask as I was taught in the Marine Corps. However, I tried to clear the mask in a similar fashion to the instructor. That way does not work nearly as well. I was let out of the gas shack to recover from the cell fogger.
As people were let out, I would have to assume it was much easier to answer the questions. I won't know I guess...
We made the trek back from the gas shack to the barn where we next prepared ourselves for the streamer. Now this stuff was nasty when we were spraying it on the target. It got us all sneezing and coughing. I rubbed my eye once and immediately regretted it. So we partnered up to have somebody help us get to the sink to wash it off after we had been sprayed.
I volunteered to go first again. This was probably one of my best decisions yet.
The training consists of being sprayed across the forehead and letting the streamer run down in your eyes. Then you have to elbow and knee the instructor holding a large pad, find a baton laying on the ground and strike the pad a few more times. Sounds simple enough.
I put on safety glasses to avoid a direct hit in the eyes, said I was ready, and the instructor started spraying.
One pass and my forehead was on fire. Next was a direct hit to my left eye as he sweeped my face again. It was this point I thought the devil had stuck his finger directly into my eye. A couple more sweeps and my partner pulled the glasses off my face. All I was thinking was, "Holy shit! Find the instructor. Deliver the fastest strikes humanly possible. Throw the baton and head for the bathroom!"
Imaging taking Sriracha sauce and inserting it directly into your eyes. You know how bad that stuff burns on the way in - and out. Now put it in your eye. Then imagine it 100 times worse.
Running water on it didn't help. Baby shampoo rubbed directly into my eyes didn't help. Standing out in the wind to dry it didn't help. It took me two trips to the bathroom to rinse my face off and get that crap out of my eyes.
So, I recover after a bit. It probably took 10 minutes for me to fully recover and get both eyes open. It was rough stuff. Everybody performed admirably when sprayed. Some took two minutes to recover and others took considerably longer.
We were allowed to go home after that. I got home and thought I would just hop in the shower. My ears were burning pretty badly from the spray still. I wanted to get that crap off my skin immediately. I jumped in the shower - a very cold shower. I didn't want to get hot and have my pores open up larger. Thirty seconds into the shower I was completely on fire again. At least I could see, but my face was reaching boiling point. I couldn't even finish my shower. It was horrible. My ears were so hot again. I had to take a picture of it because it was just so unbearable. You can see all the redness. You can even see the heat, comparable to the surface of the sun, on my scalp.
Even as I write this my face still hurts. I'm glad that it's over. I just hope I get to do it again at some point. Right, just like I want a shotgun blast to the face.
Monday, June 6, 2011
MPs patrol, provide security, press on
So these guys were absolutely awesome to roll with. I used to love going on patrol with them. My first trip outside the wire was with this unit. I rode with Cpl. Doty and HM3 Brouse in the lead vehicle. I don't remember the name of the driver, but I'm pretty sure it was Boomhower in the turret.
I won't forget the box of halal meals I had to check out. It wasn't there the day before, and today it had appeared at a known IED site.
We also found a bunch of IED making parts hidden in the ground where there had been an IED previously detonated on the MSR. That was a fun day.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (April 8, 2005) – Imagine patrolling the treacherous roads of Iraq for Improvised Explosive Devices on a daily basis, stopping at commonly used IED sites and putting your life at risk to check a block of concrete along the road that was not there the day before.
I won't forget the box of halal meals I had to check out. It wasn't there the day before, and today it had appeared at a known IED site.
We also found a bunch of IED making parts hidden in the ground where there had been an IED previously detonated on the MSR. That was a fun day.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (April 8, 2005) – Imagine patrolling the treacherous roads of Iraq for Improvised Explosive Devices on a daily basis, stopping at commonly used IED sites and putting your life at risk to check a block of concrete along the road that was not there the day before.
Now, imagine yourself in the lead vehicle of a 20 to 30 vehicle convoy, driving down the same roads, past the same commonly used IED sites, but this time it is at night. All you can wonder is: do my headlights reach far enough ahead to see anything in the road that should not be there? Did the other Military Policemen patrol this far out on their security patrol to deter insurgents from placing IEDs? Could the approaching car be a suicide bomber with a vehicle borne IED?
This is what the MPs of Bravo Company, 2d Military Police Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), encounter every day doing their part in the Global War on Terrorism. For two weeks, the teams named “Evil Eye,” patrol convoy routes to detect IEDs and deter insurgents from placing IEDs along the road. After their two weeks of daytime security patrols, the teams are then employed as convoy security during nighttime convoy operations.
“I like working on the daytime patrols more because you interact with the nationals more often,” said Sgt. Keith Littreal, Alpha team leader, 3rd platoon and Greensboro, N.C., native. “I feel like we do more on the security patrols. There are a lot of Marines depending on us to make sure the roads are safe.”
“I love what we are doing,” said Cpl. Zack Doty, vehicle commander and native of Graham, N.C. “We are making sure convoys can travel these routes safely. We don’t only do security patrols, though. We also do [personal security detachment] route reconnaissance missions and nighttime convoy security as well.”
Security patrols are generally defensive in nature, but the MPs are prepared to counter-attack at a moments notice. MPs patrol Main Supply Routes in their up-armored humvees with heavy machineguns such as the M2 .50-caliber machinegun and the M240-G machinegun.
The heavy machineguns are a last resort for the gunners when applying escalation of force. The gunners first fire a green star cluster illumination round at motorists. If that does not stop the oncoming motorist the gunners use their M16A2 service rifle to shoot the engine block.
This Standard Operating Procedure is drilled into the MPs to ensure the safety of the Iraqi citizens.
“Show, shout, shove, shoot!” echoed the MPs as Gunnery Sgt. Sean Spatar, 3rd platoon’s platoon sergeant, gave them their convoy brief. “We use 5.56 rounds to shoot the engine block, why?”
“Because every gunner has an M16 in the turret,” responded the Marines.
Spatar, a native of Logan, Ohio, reminded the Marines to remain vigilant on their security patrol.
“Everyday we go out there you have to be observant; keep your eyes open,” he said. “The day that we get complacent is the day something is going to happen.”
Over the course of 10 days conducting security patrols the MPs found three IEDs, five pieces of unexploded ordnance and wires with an actuator on the top of them. Along with the wires they also found a pouch filled with receipts and documents, some of which were photos of the person who put them there, according to Spatar.
“Every Marine is a rifleman, but out there what else are they?” asked Spatar.
“Information collector,” resounded the Marines.
When the Marines of the team are not patrolling MSRs, they are providing convoy security at night.
For Doty, providing convoy security is what he likes most and has come to terms with the fact that his life is in danger. “I would rather do convoy securtity. You’re more apt to see action at night. So far though, we haven’t seen much of anything, which is a good thing. But, going to war; that’s why people come into the Marine Corps.”
“I don’t really have any apprehension at all about nighttime convoys,” said Littreal. “I know that we’ve got a strict purpose; provide the convoy with the best security we can give them.”
The humvees the MPs call home for hours at a time are dispersed within the line of trucks to provide quick response to any hostile intent or attempt to hinder the progress of the convoy.
“I try to keep it light and joke around,” said Doty, known as “Legs” by the rest of Alpha team. “It’s good for morale if we joke around, but when it comes to business, I can be a jerk. My guys know when we have to work.”
“We’ve got a really good truck,” said Lance Cpl. Jonathon Burks, a military policeman. “I think we’ve got the best truck out here; we’re the most disciplined truck. We’re more like a family.
“We have our ups and downs,” continued Burks, a Cullman, Ala., native. “Corporal Doty is more like a big brother to us. He makes sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do and pushes us to do our best. We give each other a hard time because it keeps us awake and alert in the truck. I couldn’t just sit there and not have anybody talk.”
Burks’ current deployment puts him in Iraq for the second time, and he is patrolling the same routes he patrolled during his previous deployment.
“I love it out here,” said the 20-year-old, nicknamed Boomhower after a TV show cartoon character because of his tendency to become incomprehensible when he gets excited. “This is like my second home now, and I would rather be out here, feeling like I’m serving a purpose, than pulling gate duty back in the states. That’s still doing something, but here I feel like I’m making a difference.”
The teams have been together for four months. They went through various training exercises such as a combined arms exercise, stability and security operations training at March Air Reserve Base and Military Operations in Urban Terrain.
“I’ve got a good group of guys here. They are doing really well and I am very proud of them,” said Littreal. “They are doing great things and never cease to amaze me.”
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq -- Lance Cpl. Jonathon "Boomhower" Burks, a 20-year-old military policeman with Alpha team, 3rd platoon, Bravo Company, 2d Military Police Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), takes time to joke around with other MPs before going on a security patrol. Burks, who hails from Cullman, Ala., was nicknamed Boomhower after a TV show cartoon character because of his tendency to become incomprehensible when he gets excited.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq -- Lance Cpl. Zachary Sedgwick, a military policeman with Alpha team, 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 2d Military Police Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), prepares to test fire his M2 .50-cal. machinegun before departing the base for a resupply convoy. Sedgwick, who hails from Boring, Ore., and other MPs from CLR-25 provide convoy security for teams of Marines conducting re-supply missions to other bases.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq -- Lieutenant Cmdr. Timothy Hogan, chaplain and Southgate, Mich., native, prays with Marines who will be conducting a re-supply convoy. The Marines conduct nighttime re-supply convoys to move under the cover of darkness.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq -- Corporal Zack Doty, a military policeman with Alpha team, 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 2d Military Police Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), eats a meal before departing the base. Doty and other military policemen provide security for re-supply convoys at night. When the Marines of 2d MP Bn. are not providing convoy security, they conduct security patrols on Main Supply Routes to deter insurgents from placing Improvised Explosive Devices along the convoy routes.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq -- Lance Cpl. Jonathon "Boomhower" Burks, a 20-year-old military policeman with Alpha team, 3rd platoon, Bravo Company, 2d Military Police Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), eats a meal before providing security for a re-supply convoy. Burks, who hails from Cullman, Ala., was nicknamed Boomhower after a TV show cartoon character because of his tendency to become incomprehensible when he gets excited.
Doc Brouse highlighted
This little gem is about Doc Brouse. He was a great corpsman, and he was very well respected by the Marines he took care of. Not only that, but he was arrogant. You need to have a certain amount of arrogance when your purpose is to save Marines' lives in combat. It was a real pleasure working with this corpsman.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (April 19, 2005) – On his third tour to Iraq since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Petty Officer 3rd Class Curtis Brouse has grown very confident with his skills, and attributes it to riding with the best team of Military Policemen in the Area of Operations.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (April 19, 2005) – On his third tour to Iraq since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Petty Officer 3rd Class Curtis Brouse has grown very confident with his skills, and attributes it to riding with the best team of Military Policemen in the Area of Operations.
“I would say I’m the best corpsman out here,” said Brouse, a corpsman assigned to Alpha team, 3rd platoon, Bravo Company, 2d Military Police Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward). “These guys rub off on me; they give me confidence. I know that I can take care of anything from a small scrape to a sucking chest wound, even amputations. If anything were to happen, I’m going to make sure that nobody goes home in a pine box.”
Brouse, who graduated from Raymore-Peculiar High School in Missouri and started attending college to become an emergency medical technician, but due to insurance reasons he was too young to fulfill his dream of becoming a paramedic firefighter. He found the military would allow him to continue his education in the medical field.
“I was talking to a friend in the military,” said the Peculiar, Mo., native. “He told me the Navy has corpsmen, and their primary job is to take care of the Marines.”
Brouse is in charge of making sure the Marines of Alpha team are taken care of at all times, without as much guidance from the medical officers that would occur back at Camp Lejeune, where the unit is based.
“I’m really glad that I can take care of these guys on my own,” said Brouse. “It gives me a chance to thrive and do what I was trained to do.”
The Marines under Brouse’s care can attest to his ability to provide care for wounded Marines.
“I’d trust him to stitch a wound,” said Sgt. Keith Littreal, Alpha team leader and Greensboro, N.C., native. "You should have seen the way ‘Doc’ reacted when one of the Marines took shrapnel in his leg. He jumped out of the humvee and ran, and I mean sprinted, with his gear to the Marine.”
Brouse claimed he was just doing his job. “We were on the test fire range and I heard the [.50 caliber machine gun] make a funny sound. Then all of a sudden the Marines were screaming, DOC!”
The machine gun had malfunctioned sending shrapnel into the gunner’s leg. The shrapnel missed the femoral artery by only inches. Because of his quick reaction, the Marine did not lose too much blood and was taken to the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon to have the shrapnel removed.
“I looked at him and noticed that his trousers were starting to soak through with blood,” said Brouse. “I was actually kind of gentle about everything; normally I don’t ask before I cut clothes. But this time I said, ‘I’m going to cut your britches, alright?’ and he just nodded. He had a hole about the size of a nickel in his leg. I applied enough pressure to get the bleeding almost stopped and he was taken to [Battalion Aid Station]. From there they took him to the SSTP.”
For Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Lopez, Lead Petty Officer for Bravo Company, there is no question in his mind about Brouse’s capabilities.
“I feel very confident about Doc Brouse,” said the Silver City, N.M., native. “When he’s out on a mission with his guys, I know that every one of them is going to come back.”
Brouse, who recently began studying for his Fleet Marine Force warfare device, looks forward to the challenges that it will bring.
“I know that when he tests for the FMF pin he’s going to pass,” said Lopez. “When he puts his mind to something he’s going to accomplish whatever he wants to do. He takes it on a personal level, just to see if he can do it. He has the right attitude; he wants to grow.”
Giving credit where credit is due, Brouse learned everything he knows from his first LPO.
“I was taught everything I know about the ‘green side’ by [Petty Officer 1st Class] Ganiere,” he said. “That man was an awesome mentor. He taught me so much about my field, and he passed on to me the poem on my green book.”
Working on the “green side” of the corpsmen’s field, Brouse feels more appreciated.
“When you’re on the ‘blue side,’ you’re just another Sailor in dungarees,” he said. “The respect that Marines give corpsmen; it’s unbelievable. I love working with these guys!”
Brouse, who graduated from Raymore-Peculiar High School in Missouri and started attending college to become an emergency medical technician, but due to insurance reasons he was too young to fulfill his dream of becoming a paramedic firefighter. He found the military would allow him to continue his education in the medical field.
“I was talking to a friend in the military,” said the Peculiar, Mo., native. “He told me the Navy has corpsmen, and their primary job is to take care of the Marines.”
Brouse is in charge of making sure the Marines of Alpha team are taken care of at all times, without as much guidance from the medical officers that would occur back at Camp Lejeune, where the unit is based.
“I’m really glad that I can take care of these guys on my own,” said Brouse. “It gives me a chance to thrive and do what I was trained to do.”
The Marines under Brouse’s care can attest to his ability to provide care for wounded Marines.
“I’d trust him to stitch a wound,” said Sgt. Keith Littreal, Alpha team leader and Greensboro, N.C., native. "You should have seen the way ‘Doc’ reacted when one of the Marines took shrapnel in his leg. He jumped out of the humvee and ran, and I mean sprinted, with his gear to the Marine.”
Brouse claimed he was just doing his job. “We were on the test fire range and I heard the [.50 caliber machine gun] make a funny sound. Then all of a sudden the Marines were screaming, DOC!”
The machine gun had malfunctioned sending shrapnel into the gunner’s leg. The shrapnel missed the femoral artery by only inches. Because of his quick reaction, the Marine did not lose too much blood and was taken to the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon to have the shrapnel removed.
“I looked at him and noticed that his trousers were starting to soak through with blood,” said Brouse. “I was actually kind of gentle about everything; normally I don’t ask before I cut clothes. But this time I said, ‘I’m going to cut your britches, alright?’ and he just nodded. He had a hole about the size of a nickel in his leg. I applied enough pressure to get the bleeding almost stopped and he was taken to [Battalion Aid Station]. From there they took him to the SSTP.”
For Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Lopez, Lead Petty Officer for Bravo Company, there is no question in his mind about Brouse’s capabilities.
“I feel very confident about Doc Brouse,” said the Silver City, N.M., native. “When he’s out on a mission with his guys, I know that every one of them is going to come back.”
Brouse, who recently began studying for his Fleet Marine Force warfare device, looks forward to the challenges that it will bring.
“I know that when he tests for the FMF pin he’s going to pass,” said Lopez. “When he puts his mind to something he’s going to accomplish whatever he wants to do. He takes it on a personal level, just to see if he can do it. He has the right attitude; he wants to grow.”
Giving credit where credit is due, Brouse learned everything he knows from his first LPO.
“I was taught everything I know about the ‘green side’ by [Petty Officer 1st Class] Ganiere,” he said. “That man was an awesome mentor. He taught me so much about my field, and he passed on to me the poem on my green book.”
Working on the “green side” of the corpsmen’s field, Brouse feels more appreciated.
“When you’re on the ‘blue side,’ you’re just another Sailor in dungarees,” he said. “The respect that Marines give corpsmen; it’s unbelievable. I love working with these guys!”
CLB 8 Delivers
This was a long day out on a mission. I can remember the day like yesterday. I took hundreds of photos, there was a tank wrecker that had to be called in, and we also had another photographer attached to the mission. He was a civilian, but I don't remember who he was working for.
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (May 4, 2005) -- Hesco barriers and sand bags are still a commonly used tool in fortifying coalition forces bases, but new “T” barriers are becoming more noticeable throughout the area. Being place atop Hesco barriers for added protection the “T” barriers seen at construction sites in the United States are turning into an essential piece of the puzzle for protection here.
Along with delivering the barriers, which is no small task, the Marines of Charlie Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), conduct convoy operations into the city of Fallujah bringing food and water to the police station.
“We do the city run everyday to make sure the Iraqis have enough food and water,” said Cpl. Anthony Gaede, a truck driver with Black team. “What we’re doing out here makes me feel like I’m doing something. This is my third time out here. Last time we saw a lot more action, but I would still rather be here than back in the [United States].”
According to Sgt. Gary P. Owens, a truck driver and Lehigh Acres, Fla., native, the Marines are always trying to get road time.
“We do runs two to three times a day,” said Owens. “These guys will do anything to get on the road. Being out there makes them happy.”
The mission Charlie Co. has been tasked with is providing direct support to Regimental Combat Team 8, ensuring the units that comprise RCT-8 have adequate supplies.
“We get a tasker, or mission, which designates what we are going to be carrying, where we are carrying it and what we need to transport it,” said Owens. “Then we get everything set up the night before. That way we can get our brief in the morning and roll out.”
Recently the Marines of Black team assisted 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment establish a safe house and observation post.
“We basically gave them a place to fall back to if they need it,” said Gaede, a Neillsville, Wis., native.
For Owens, the greatest part of being here with Black team is seeing the Marines improve on a daily basis.
“I love challenging the Marines,” said Owens. “This is a really great group of Marines. You can challenge them with anything and they will get the job done. You can see improvement in them daily.”
“The teamwork these guys have is really awesome,” said Sgt. Jim Wood, a Flushing, Mich., native and platoon sergeant for Charlie Co. “These guys are like brothers. They fight like brothers and stick up for each other like brothers. They are a really close family, and you tell them to get something done and they do it, without question.”
Along with delivering the barriers, which is no small task, the Marines of Charlie Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), conduct convoy operations into the city of Fallujah bringing food and water to the police station.
“We do the city run everyday to make sure the Iraqis have enough food and water,” said Cpl. Anthony Gaede, a truck driver with Black team. “What we’re doing out here makes me feel like I’m doing something. This is my third time out here. Last time we saw a lot more action, but I would still rather be here than back in the [United States].”
According to Sgt. Gary P. Owens, a truck driver and Lehigh Acres, Fla., native, the Marines are always trying to get road time.
“We do runs two to three times a day,” said Owens. “These guys will do anything to get on the road. Being out there makes them happy.”
The mission Charlie Co. has been tasked with is providing direct support to Regimental Combat Team 8, ensuring the units that comprise RCT-8 have adequate supplies.
“We get a tasker, or mission, which designates what we are going to be carrying, where we are carrying it and what we need to transport it,” said Owens. “Then we get everything set up the night before. That way we can get our brief in the morning and roll out.”
Recently the Marines of Black team assisted 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment establish a safe house and observation post.
“We basically gave them a place to fall back to if they need it,” said Gaede, a Neillsville, Wis., native.
For Owens, the greatest part of being here with Black team is seeing the Marines improve on a daily basis.
“I love challenging the Marines,” said Owens. “This is a really great group of Marines. You can challenge them with anything and they will get the job done. You can see improvement in them daily.”
“The teamwork these guys have is really awesome,” said Sgt. Jim Wood, a Flushing, Mich., native and platoon sergeant for Charlie Co. “These guys are like brothers. They fight like brothers and stick up for each other like brothers. They are a really close family, and you tell them to get something done and they do it, without question.”
KHARMA, Iraq -- Corporal Matthew Labell, a truck driver with Black team, Charlie Company Motor Pool, Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), mans a M2 .50 caliber machine gun. Labell is a native of Dansville, N.Y.
KHARMA, Iraq -- Marines using an M88 tank recovery vehicle place "T" barriers being used to fortify the position of an observation post manned by Marines from 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.
KHARMA, Iraq -- Lance Cpl.Matthew Bailey, a Bullscreek, W.Va. native and tank mechanic with Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), signals for the Marine operating an M88 tank recovery vehicle to pick up a "T" barrier being used to fortify the postion of Marines from 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division.
KHARMA, Iraq -- Lance Cpl.Matthew Bailey, a tank mechanic with Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), drags a chain used to move "T" barriers. The Marines of Black team, Charlie Company Motor Pool, CLB-8, convoyed the barriers to the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, to fortify their position.
KHARMA, Iraq -- Lance Cpl. Ryan Rigsby, a Farimount, Ind. native hides from the rays of the sun. Rigsby, is a truck driver for Black team, Charlie Company Motor Pool, Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward).
KHARMA, Iraq -- Truck drivers of Black team, Charlie Company Motor Pool, Combat Logistics Battalion 8, 2d Force Service Support Group (Forward), take a break from the heat inside a house. The Marines were conducting convoy operations, delivering "T" barriers to fortify a position used by other Marines as an observation post.
EOD Marine and his one finger salute
We all know who Gunnery Sgt. Michael Burghardt is. The famous EOD Marine who gave insurgents the finger after being hit by an IED. His photo is famous.
I wrote a story about him before this happened to him. I know there are plenty of stories about him out there, but I'm in the process of posting all my stories to my blog since they disappeared from everywhere else.
Gunnery Sgt. Michael Burghardt, a team leader with EOD, Headquarters and Service Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2d Force Service Support Group, recently returned from a tour in Iraq. While there, he approached 64 Improvised Explosive Devices, discovered and cleared an IED manufacturing house, destroyed 1,548 pieces of ordnance, two heavy machine guns, a 60mm mortar and a recoilless anti-tank gun that fires a 73mm fin-stabilized, rocket-assisted high-explosive anti-tank projectile, without a single injury.
For his actions, Burghardt, a Fountain Valley, Calif., native, was awarded the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device. Nicknamed “Clark Kent,” by his team, he became the second in his family to receive the award. His father, Josef Burghardt, received three Bronze Stars and three Purple Hearts while serving in the Marine Corps during Vietnam.
Burghardt was attached to Regimental Combat Team 7. During the second call Burghardt’s EOD team received, their Talon, a robot used to defuse bombs, broke down.
Even without the technology Burghardt and his team was forced to push on. He gave great credit to his team for their willingness to trust him and never question him.
“I had a great team. They knew that we had a job to get done and this was the way we had to do it,” he said. “I would never put my team in any danger, though.”
Burghardt is not the only Marine on the team being awarded a medal.
Burghardt was attached to Regimental Combat Team 7. During the second call Burghardt’s EOD team received, their Talon, a robot used to defuse bombs, broke down.
Even without the technology Burghardt and his team was forced to push on. He gave great credit to his team for their willingness to trust him and never question him.
“I had a great team. They knew that we had a job to get done and this was the way we had to do it,” he said. “I would never put my team in any danger, though.”
Burghardt is not the only Marine on the team being awarded a medal.
“My team members are also being recognized for what we did,” said Burghardt. “Staff Sergeant Victor Levine is receiving a Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device and Sergeant John Camara is getting a Navy Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device.”
In only six hours, along a treacherous 13-kilometer stretch of Alternate Supply Route Lincoln RCT-7, the EOD team was able to identify 26 IEDs and render them safe. The IEDs ranged from multiple IEDs daisy chained together to improvised rocket launchers.
Convoys traveling along the supply route had been facing heavy insurgency, Burghardt said. “We found fighting positions, dug out holes, machine guns and you could see where they had been sleeping. All they had to do was man their posts, but it’s hard to hide a battalion on the move in the middle of the desert. They knew that we were coming and they wouldn’t succeed in holding us back.”
Burghardt said the team was searching for IEDs now, which is something that the team doesn’t normally do.
“I was sitting on top of a [light-armored vehicle] looking for what I call a ‘trail of ants,’” said Burghardt. “As soon as I saw one I would get the vehicle to stop and take my Ka-Bar and wire cutters and approach the IED from a different angle and render it safe. Then my team would come in and blow it up.”
Burghardt described a “trail of ants” as what looked like somebody had tried to hide wires by burying them. He would find the route the insurgents had taken to place the IEDs and then low crawl along their footsteps until he found the receiver.
According to the summary, these actions prevented the injury or potential loss of life of numerous RCT 7 Marines moving along the route to the assembly area. Further, the assault element was able to go into the attack on time as a direct result of the actions of Burghardt and his team.
The summary continued to read, April 23, Burghardt and his team were called back to Alternate Supply Route Lincoln to clear four more IEDs, some of which had been placed in the same location within the past 12 hours. Despite the fact that some of the IEDs were probably secondary devices aimed at killing Burghardt and his team, they proceeded to the site and destroyed the IEDs.
Despite his award, the modest Burghardt feels that he was just doing his job. “I’m supposed to be great, that’s why I’m the team leader,” he said.
After returning from their deployment, Brughardt and his team put together training packages with the real-world experience they gained while in Iraq for Marines and Sailors getting ready to deploy.
“The combined effort of all of us at EOD Platoon put together realistic training packages for deploying units and EOD members based off real EOD responses in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Burghardt.
In only six hours, along a treacherous 13-kilometer stretch of Alternate Supply Route Lincoln RCT-7, the EOD team was able to identify 26 IEDs and render them safe. The IEDs ranged from multiple IEDs daisy chained together to improvised rocket launchers.
Convoys traveling along the supply route had been facing heavy insurgency, Burghardt said. “We found fighting positions, dug out holes, machine guns and you could see where they had been sleeping. All they had to do was man their posts, but it’s hard to hide a battalion on the move in the middle of the desert. They knew that we were coming and they wouldn’t succeed in holding us back.”
Burghardt said the team was searching for IEDs now, which is something that the team doesn’t normally do.
“I was sitting on top of a [light-armored vehicle] looking for what I call a ‘trail of ants,’” said Burghardt. “As soon as I saw one I would get the vehicle to stop and take my Ka-Bar and wire cutters and approach the IED from a different angle and render it safe. Then my team would come in and blow it up.”
Burghardt described a “trail of ants” as what looked like somebody had tried to hide wires by burying them. He would find the route the insurgents had taken to place the IEDs and then low crawl along their footsteps until he found the receiver.
According to the summary, these actions prevented the injury or potential loss of life of numerous RCT 7 Marines moving along the route to the assembly area. Further, the assault element was able to go into the attack on time as a direct result of the actions of Burghardt and his team.
The summary continued to read, April 23, Burghardt and his team were called back to Alternate Supply Route Lincoln to clear four more IEDs, some of which had been placed in the same location within the past 12 hours. Despite the fact that some of the IEDs were probably secondary devices aimed at killing Burghardt and his team, they proceeded to the site and destroyed the IEDs.
Despite his award, the modest Burghardt feels that he was just doing his job. “I’m supposed to be great, that’s why I’m the team leader,” he said.
After returning from their deployment, Brughardt and his team put together training packages with the real-world experience they gained while in Iraq for Marines and Sailors getting ready to deploy.
“The combined effort of all of us at EOD Platoon put together realistic training packages for deploying units and EOD members based off real EOD responses in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Burghardt.
An old story I wrote
This is one of the first stories I wrote while I was deployed to Iraq. I tried to find it on the Marines website, but there were problems with the servers back then. If I remember correctly, there was a bunch of stories lost when they switched to the new servers.
Reading this brings back a lot of memories for me. I hope the Marines in this story will someday come across the story. I haven't heard from them since I conducted the interviews.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (April 25, 2005) – “We just heard a boom and saw a flash of light,” said Pfc. Gregory Fino, a 24-year-old reservist from Pittsburgh. “Everybody’s nose and mouth started bleeding from the shock waves. It felt like hot water running down my face.”
With II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in control of operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-06, Marine reserve units from across the United States are being called upon to fight alongside active-duty Marines in the Global War on Terrorism.
Marines from Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, are spending their days in Iraq at Forward Operating Base, Camp Hit.
“Being at the FOB makes you understand what you’ve got at home,” said Pfc. Shane P. Ott, a New Castle, Pa., resident. “It’s not maltreatment; it just makes you appreciate what you’ve got.”
“We’re allotted nine liters of water a day for hygiene,” added Fino. “We don’t take showers everyday out there, but we’ve got bunk beds and mattresses so nobody is complaining. At least we’re not sleeping on dirt floors and we’ve got hot food for breakfast and dinner.”
The Marines at Camp Hit eat Meals, Ready-to-Eat for lunch.
“From what I’ve been told, things have drastically improved at Camp Hit,” said Fino. “I was told that Marines were eating MREs three times a day out here until recently.”
When the fire team of five Marines, which Ott and Fino belong to, were conducting cordon and knock operations in the city of Hit, Iraq, this week they came under attack from insurgents firing mortar rounds.
“I never thought we would be hit by a mortar,” said Ott, a 19-year-old New Castle, Pa., native. “We’ve heard about it; we just hadn’t seen it. You can’t do anything about mines, Improvised Explosive Devices or mortar attacks. It’s something you know could just happen.”
The fire team, comprised of Cpl. Michael Pasquarelli, a North Huntington, Pa. native and fire-team leader, Lance Cpl. Gregory Candelario of Cabins, W.Va., and Pfcs. Adam McCann, who hails from Cleveland, Ott and Fino, are all infantry riflemen.
The Marines of the fire team have become a very close-knit family, according to Fino and Ott.
“We’re always playing jokes on each other,” said Ott. “I’ve only been with the unit since December, but we’re all basically each other’s best friends. If we’re going somewhere on base it is always the entire fire team going.”
The Marines were walking back to their Amtracs recently after finding rifles and 155mm artillery rounds when the mortars hit the ground between the Marines and their Amtracs. Pasquarelli dragged McCann into one of the Amtracs and then directed the attention of the rest of the Marines and Corpsman to his team, who were seeking cover in a garage.
“It was almost like the movies…” said Fino. “Everyone thought they had shrapnel in their face, but it was just from the nose bleeds. Once we figured out what happened, we just took off running to find cover. Then another mortar round hit in pretty much the same spot.”
“Every Marine is a rifleman;” is the creed the Marine Corps has lived by since its inception in 1775. Due to current conditions in the world, an even newer creed has been adopted by the Corps; “Every Marine is a Combat Lifesaver.”
“We’ve all been given CLS classes,” said Fino. “There are designated CLS Marines, but we all know basic first aid. When we were being treated, Corporal Pasquarelli was wrapping up Marines and even one of the sergeants was in there giving first aid.”
“We knew what it was that hit the ground in the city,” said the 19-year-old Ott. It was really good the way we reacted. We could have been ambushed at any time while we were being treated at the site. I kept my [Squad Automatic Weapon] next to me the entire time. I wanted to make sure if we were ambushed I could take care of my fellow Marines.”
Except for Pasquarelli, the remaining four of the Marines were evacuated from the city to the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon here. Three of which had to endure surgery to remove shrapnel, some still undecided as to whether the shrapnel will stay inside the Marines’ bodies, or if the SSTP will be able to remove it without doing any further damage.
“Candelario got hit the worst,” said Fino. “We could just tell because he wasn’t talking to [me and Ott]. When the [corpsman] came in I told him to treat somebody else because I knew I was going to be okay.”
“He came over to me and I told him to treat Candelario,” said Ott. “He wasn’t talking so we knew instantly something was wrong.
“The worst part of taking cover in that garage was there were three Iraqi guys in there,” continued Ott. “They were smiling and laughing at us. Once I pointed my SAW at them they ran off, but I kept an eye on them because I didn’t trust them.”
Trust is the most important quality Marines need to maintain with one another in a fire team. Not only do the Marines in a fire team rely on each other on the battlefield, but for motivation, moral support and someone to talk to in times of need.
“We keep each other motivated,” said Ott. “I mean, even after all of this, we’re all still upbeat because we’re all together. We’re not sure if we’re going to go home, but for right now we’re all together, except Corporal Pasquarelli. He is back at the FOB. If you had talked to any of us back at the FOB and the other three were wounded and here, it would be totally different.”
While back at the FOB, thinking of home, talking to families and spending time together keeps these Marines from becoming caught up in the doldrums of war.
“We usually spend time at the internet and phone centers talking to our families,” said Ott, speaking of daily activities before the explosion.
“Well, that or thinking about going home,” said Fino. “I know we’ve only been here for a little over a month, but being here you appreciate everything at home even more. I miss my family and girlfriend.”
The Marines are thankful to be alive and gave credit to the Sailors of the SSTP.
“The medical staff here is fantastic,” said Ott. “They had two docs up all night to make sure we were okay. They didn’t sleep at all.”
“And the corpsmen did a great job during the attack,” added Fino. “The entire team out there was awesome. Security was set up so the corpsmen could do their job and we were all safe. The Medevac getting us here was really fast. We realize that we were fortunate, but it was something we knew was possible going into the city.”
Fino continued, “It feels good knowing there are corpsmen and a medical staff here to take care of us and get us back into the fight.”
Reading this brings back a lot of memories for me. I hope the Marines in this story will someday come across the story. I haven't heard from them since I conducted the interviews.
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (April 25, 2005) – “We just heard a boom and saw a flash of light,” said Pfc. Gregory Fino, a 24-year-old reservist from Pittsburgh. “Everybody’s nose and mouth started bleeding from the shock waves. It felt like hot water running down my face.”
With II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in control of operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-06, Marine reserve units from across the United States are being called upon to fight alongside active-duty Marines in the Global War on Terrorism.
Marines from Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, are spending their days in Iraq at Forward Operating Base, Camp Hit.
“Being at the FOB makes you understand what you’ve got at home,” said Pfc. Shane P. Ott, a New Castle, Pa., resident. “It’s not maltreatment; it just makes you appreciate what you’ve got.”
“We’re allotted nine liters of water a day for hygiene,” added Fino. “We don’t take showers everyday out there, but we’ve got bunk beds and mattresses so nobody is complaining. At least we’re not sleeping on dirt floors and we’ve got hot food for breakfast and dinner.”
The Marines at Camp Hit eat Meals, Ready-to-Eat for lunch.
“From what I’ve been told, things have drastically improved at Camp Hit,” said Fino. “I was told that Marines were eating MREs three times a day out here until recently.”
When the fire team of five Marines, which Ott and Fino belong to, were conducting cordon and knock operations in the city of Hit, Iraq, this week they came under attack from insurgents firing mortar rounds.
“I never thought we would be hit by a mortar,” said Ott, a 19-year-old New Castle, Pa., native. “We’ve heard about it; we just hadn’t seen it. You can’t do anything about mines, Improvised Explosive Devices or mortar attacks. It’s something you know could just happen.”
The fire team, comprised of Cpl. Michael Pasquarelli, a North Huntington, Pa. native and fire-team leader, Lance Cpl. Gregory Candelario of Cabins, W.Va., and Pfcs. Adam McCann, who hails from Cleveland, Ott and Fino, are all infantry riflemen.
The Marines of the fire team have become a very close-knit family, according to Fino and Ott.
“We’re always playing jokes on each other,” said Ott. “I’ve only been with the unit since December, but we’re all basically each other’s best friends. If we’re going somewhere on base it is always the entire fire team going.”
The Marines were walking back to their Amtracs recently after finding rifles and 155mm artillery rounds when the mortars hit the ground between the Marines and their Amtracs. Pasquarelli dragged McCann into one of the Amtracs and then directed the attention of the rest of the Marines and Corpsman to his team, who were seeking cover in a garage.
“It was almost like the movies…” said Fino. “Everyone thought they had shrapnel in their face, but it was just from the nose bleeds. Once we figured out what happened, we just took off running to find cover. Then another mortar round hit in pretty much the same spot.”
“Every Marine is a rifleman;” is the creed the Marine Corps has lived by since its inception in 1775. Due to current conditions in the world, an even newer creed has been adopted by the Corps; “Every Marine is a Combat Lifesaver.”
“We’ve all been given CLS classes,” said Fino. “There are designated CLS Marines, but we all know basic first aid. When we were being treated, Corporal Pasquarelli was wrapping up Marines and even one of the sergeants was in there giving first aid.”
“We knew what it was that hit the ground in the city,” said the 19-year-old Ott. It was really good the way we reacted. We could have been ambushed at any time while we were being treated at the site. I kept my [Squad Automatic Weapon] next to me the entire time. I wanted to make sure if we were ambushed I could take care of my fellow Marines.”
Except for Pasquarelli, the remaining four of the Marines were evacuated from the city to the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon here. Three of which had to endure surgery to remove shrapnel, some still undecided as to whether the shrapnel will stay inside the Marines’ bodies, or if the SSTP will be able to remove it without doing any further damage.
“Candelario got hit the worst,” said Fino. “We could just tell because he wasn’t talking to [me and Ott]. When the [corpsman] came in I told him to treat somebody else because I knew I was going to be okay.”
“He came over to me and I told him to treat Candelario,” said Ott. “He wasn’t talking so we knew instantly something was wrong.
“The worst part of taking cover in that garage was there were three Iraqi guys in there,” continued Ott. “They were smiling and laughing at us. Once I pointed my SAW at them they ran off, but I kept an eye on them because I didn’t trust them.”
Trust is the most important quality Marines need to maintain with one another in a fire team. Not only do the Marines in a fire team rely on each other on the battlefield, but for motivation, moral support and someone to talk to in times of need.
“We keep each other motivated,” said Ott. “I mean, even after all of this, we’re all still upbeat because we’re all together. We’re not sure if we’re going to go home, but for right now we’re all together, except Corporal Pasquarelli. He is back at the FOB. If you had talked to any of us back at the FOB and the other three were wounded and here, it would be totally different.”
While back at the FOB, thinking of home, talking to families and spending time together keeps these Marines from becoming caught up in the doldrums of war.
“We usually spend time at the internet and phone centers talking to our families,” said Ott, speaking of daily activities before the explosion.
“Well, that or thinking about going home,” said Fino. “I know we’ve only been here for a little over a month, but being here you appreciate everything at home even more. I miss my family and girlfriend.”
The Marines are thankful to be alive and gave credit to the Sailors of the SSTP.
“The medical staff here is fantastic,” said Ott. “They had two docs up all night to make sure we were okay. They didn’t sleep at all.”
“And the corpsmen did a great job during the attack,” added Fino. “The entire team out there was awesome. Security was set up so the corpsmen could do their job and we were all safe. The Medevac getting us here was really fast. We realize that we were fortunate, but it was something we knew was possible going into the city.”
Fino continued, “It feels good knowing there are corpsmen and a medical staff here to take care of us and get us back into the fight.”
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A Month of Sundays
I was out golfing the other day, and I used the term "'coons age". My buddy says, "I've never heard that before." Which is mostly my fault because I had not used that phrase in a month of Sundays.
In other news, I have been working at Snap Social Media for the time being. I'm helping out with odds and ends until next week when I start my job as a corrections officer. I'll be working with the DOC at the St. Cloud facility. I'm mildly nervous about it. I have no idea what to expect. I mean, other than I'll be on the right side of the bars.
I've been hanging out with my little brother quite a bit lately. I took him to his first Twins game at Target Field. We went to get some food. In typical 8-year-old fashion, he wanted a pretzel with cheese, purple Gatorade and cotton candy. By the end of the sixth inning the kid was running up and down the aisles, wanting to go up to the concourse for fun and cheering for more cotton candy. The best, and worst, part of the night was when he started messing with the vendors. They would come by with their coolers filled with whatever was in there, and he would yell out he wanted something. They would look to see who said it. Meanwhile, he's hiding behind me.
We left before the game was over; before the Twins were able to blow the lead, too.
After that it was a crazy night. Who knew there was so much "culture" in Robbinsdale, MN. I know it wasn't Whizbang Days, but it was close.
We put tick repellant on Rock because we were pulling ticks off him before bed and first thing when we would wake up. Now the ticks are crawling on me. I've had so many that were just crawling around on me I can't shake the creepy crawly feeling. Bleh...
I don't know why, but the SyFy channel is constantly playing the original Star Trek movies. I have been watching so much William Shatner Imnearlytyping.... just.... likehim. Yeah, read it again.
I've also started posting pictures to this crazy little photo service called PicPlz. Talk about a fun way to manipulate photos to make them look terrible.
My brother and I did a ride on our bikes the other day. I'm guessing his iPhone 4 has a better GPS than my Nexus One. But why wouldn't his work better. Google touted the Nexus One as the iPhone killer. It wasn't. So Google dropped support for it. Now, the only way to get customer support for it is by calling HTC. The hours for receiving customer support seem to only be when I don't call them. Every time I have called there was no answer. My phone has become the bastard child of every company who had anything to do with it.
Back to the ride, according to iPhone 4, we logged 24.28 miles. Our average pace was 3:40 per mile. According to Bastard Child One, we only accomplished 21.69 miles and our average pace was 4:05. This makes me question the accuracy of my phone's GPS. How many miles have I actually run, and what has been my real pace? I've been taking this whole running thing seriously this summer. I started blogging about it, but I wasn't keeping up with it. I'm still running, though. I'm just not telling everyone about it. I'll post whether or not I fail to reach my goal. I've got a lot of miles left, and time is running out faster than I thought it would. Oh well, that just means I have to start taking longer runs. I did a six mile run last week. It was the loop I had set as a goal. Well, mini-goal accomplished. Now, I just have to run it faster.
Well, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is starting. I'll be lost in space where no man has gone before for about two hours. Check back later.
In other news, I have been working at Snap Social Media for the time being. I'm helping out with odds and ends until next week when I start my job as a corrections officer. I'll be working with the DOC at the St. Cloud facility. I'm mildly nervous about it. I have no idea what to expect. I mean, other than I'll be on the right side of the bars.
I've been hanging out with my little brother quite a bit lately. I took him to his first Twins game at Target Field. We went to get some food. In typical 8-year-old fashion, he wanted a pretzel with cheese, purple Gatorade and cotton candy. By the end of the sixth inning the kid was running up and down the aisles, wanting to go up to the concourse for fun and cheering for more cotton candy. The best, and worst, part of the night was when he started messing with the vendors. They would come by with their coolers filled with whatever was in there, and he would yell out he wanted something. They would look to see who said it. Meanwhile, he's hiding behind me.
We left before the game was over; before the Twins were able to blow the lead, too.
After that it was a crazy night. Who knew there was so much "culture" in Robbinsdale, MN. I know it wasn't Whizbang Days, but it was close.
We put tick repellant on Rock because we were pulling ticks off him before bed and first thing when we would wake up. Now the ticks are crawling on me. I've had so many that were just crawling around on me I can't shake the creepy crawly feeling. Bleh...
I don't know why, but the SyFy channel is constantly playing the original Star Trek movies. I have been watching so much William Shatner Imnearlytyping.... just.... likehim. Yeah, read it again.
I've also started posting pictures to this crazy little photo service called PicPlz. Talk about a fun way to manipulate photos to make them look terrible.
My brother and I did a ride on our bikes the other day. I'm guessing his iPhone 4 has a better GPS than my Nexus One. But why wouldn't his work better. Google touted the Nexus One as the iPhone killer. It wasn't. So Google dropped support for it. Now, the only way to get customer support for it is by calling HTC. The hours for receiving customer support seem to only be when I don't call them. Every time I have called there was no answer. My phone has become the bastard child of every company who had anything to do with it.
Back to the ride, according to iPhone 4, we logged 24.28 miles. Our average pace was 3:40 per mile. According to Bastard Child One, we only accomplished 21.69 miles and our average pace was 4:05. This makes me question the accuracy of my phone's GPS. How many miles have I actually run, and what has been my real pace? I've been taking this whole running thing seriously this summer. I started blogging about it, but I wasn't keeping up with it. I'm still running, though. I'm just not telling everyone about it. I'll post whether or not I fail to reach my goal. I've got a lot of miles left, and time is running out faster than I thought it would. Oh well, that just means I have to start taking longer runs. I did a six mile run last week. It was the loop I had set as a goal. Well, mini-goal accomplished. Now, I just have to run it faster.
Well, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is starting. I'll be lost in space where no man has gone before for about two hours. Check back later.
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