IEDs no deterrent for Hawaii-based Marines in Al Anbar Province
03/28/2006
Submitted by: Regimental Combat Team 7
Story by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
Story ID: 20063286170
Source: Marine Corps News
BARWANAH, Iraq (March 28, 2006) -- Hawaii-based Marines
searching a known hotspot for insurgent-placed “improvised
explosive devices” say the danger posed by these deadly
devices do not deter them from providing security to the local populace here.
The Marines operating in this western Al Anbar Province town had one detonate only a few feet from them during a recent patrol and search operation in this town along the Euphrates River.
When the explosion occurred, the Marines, from Lima Co., 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, were teaching Iraqi Soldiers the tactics and procedures used by insurgents who place IEDs.
Since January 2005, IEDs have accounted for about 50-percent of all U.S. fatalities in Iraq, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count – an organization which tallies U.S. and coalition casualties based off Department of Defense press releases.
The IED explosion was the first hostile action against the Marines from Lima Company since their arrival here.
Despite the threat of IEDs, the Marines insist they will not be deterred from training the Iraqi Security Forces “in high military standards” while establishing a good relationship with the Iraqi people and the Iraqi soldiers they are working hand-in-hand with on a daily basis.
“I know the insurgents responsible for this attack did this to see how far they can push us and to try to make us step down from establishing law and order here,” said Sgt. Joshua Wartchow, a 22-year-old squad leader. “This just makes the Marines more determined and cautious.”
Directly after the blast, the Marines witnessed the suspected triggerman flee back into a village.
Before the make-shift bomb detonated, the Marines were teaching soldiers from the Iraqi Army the known tactics and procedures of how insurgents place improvised explosive devices. According to one Iraqi soldier, “Ahmad,” the experience was ironic and eye-opening.
Ahmad said that IEDs are a common occurrence in Iraq, but he has never had an up-close and personal encounter with one like he did March 24.
Wartchow was less than 15 feet from the device when it detonated.
“I remember it feel like I was in slow motion,” recalled Wartchow, a native of Doylestown, Pa. “I saw it explode and dust go everywhere. I felt it throw my body back from the hill I was standing on.”
He said other Marines in the area could not see him after the blast because it pushed him down the hill they were standing on.
“I did not even think about the fact that I could have been seriously injured,” said Wartchow. “I just wanted to find the triggerman.”
Although this was the first IED experience for these Marines, IEDs are not new to the Al Anbar Province, which was once a hot bed of insurgent activity. IEDs used to be part of the daily regimen for many U.S. servicemembers, until Marines and Coalition Forces wiped out the foreign fighters seven months ago.
Still, the experience was an eye-opener for some, a reminder that though locals in this small town are waving and children are greeting the Marines and Iraqi soldiers, Iraq is still a war zone.
Now, Marines have to be even more on the alert, combat complacency, and keep an eye out for potentially hidden bombs.
“I knew we had Marines in the area of the explosion,” said 1st Lt. Eric Montgomery, a platoon commander with Lima Co. “I was ready to call for a medical evacuation. I found out no one was injured when I arrived on the scene to assist.”
Still, the Marines leave nothing to chance. They will continue to maintain a strong presence here to disrupt insurgent activity. Moreover, the Marines say their kindness should be not be mistaken for weakness.
“The insurgents are going to realize that Lima Company is not a poorly-trained unit,” said Montgomery, 24. “We will continue to establish a presence here. We will also be proactive and aggressive in finding the insurgents.”
Montgomery believes the Iraqi Army unit partnered with Marines here is steadily learning to conduct independent operations and its soldiers are making bounds in progress toward relieving Coalition forces here.
“The Iraqi Army is learning quickly,” said Montgomery, a native of Cary, N.C. “As they continue to improve and the number of insurgents steadily decrease, Coalition forces will be able to withdraw.”
Source: Marine Corps News
U.S. Marines from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment patrol through Barwanah, Iraq – a small village off the Euphrates River in western Al Anbar Province – for any signs of insurgent activity March 23, 2006. During the patrol, Marines and Iraqi soldiers encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) – a make-shift bomb used by insurgents to harm Coalition Forces and the Iraqi populace. The Marines, from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, say the danger posed by these deadly devices do not deter them from providing security to the local populace here. Since January 2005, IEDs have accounted for about 50-percent of all U.S. fatalities in Iraq, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count – an organization which tallies U.S. and coalition casualties based off Department of Defense press releases. The IED explosion was the first hostile action against the Hawaii-based Marines since their arrival here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
A U.S. Marine from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment overlooks an open area during a patrol with Iraqi soldiers in Barwanah, Iraq, March 23, 2006. During the patrol, Marines and Iraqi soldiers encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) – a make-shift bomb used by insurgents to harm Coalition Forces and the Iraqi populace. The Marines say the danger posed by these deadly devices do not deter them from providing security to the local populace here. Since January 2005, IEDs have accounted for about 50-percent of all U.S. fatalities in Iraq, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count – an organization which tallies U.S. and coalition casualties based off Department of Defense press releases. The IED explosion was the first hostile action against the Hawaii-based Marines since their arrival here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
Looking for signs of insurgent activity, U.S. Marines patrol the streets of Barwanah, Iraq, March 23, 2006. During the patrol, Marines and Iraqi soldiers encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) – a make-shift bomb used by insurgents to harm Coalition Forces and the Iraqi populace. The Marines, from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, say the danger posed by these deadly devices do not deter them from providing security to the local populace here. Since January 2005, IEDs have accounted for about 50-percent of all U.S. fatalities in Iraq, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count – an organization which tallies U.S. and coalition casualties based off Department of Defense press releases. The IED explosion was the first hostile action against the Hawaii-based Marines since their arrival here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
03/29/2006
Hawaii-based Marines provide security, helping hand to Iraqi town
Submitted by: Regimental Combat Team7
Story by: Computed Name: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
Story Identification #: 2006328235157
Source: Marine Corps News
BARWANAH, Iraq(March 29, 2006) -- When 22 year old Cpl. Jeff Globis taped a picture in his Kevlar helmet of his wife, he did so knowing it would be the only way he could see her for seven months.
“I think of her all throughout the day,” said the team leader from Winthrop Harbor, Ill. “It was hard to say goodbye to her, but my Marines are my family and I can turn to them for support.”
Globis is deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with hundreds of Marines and sailors from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment out of Hawaii.
Globis, and the Marines from Lima Company have the duty of keeping law and order in this remote, forward operating base located along the Euphrates River in the Western Al Anbar Province.
So far, they’re doing just that.
Daily life
Life for the Marines here means daily patrols with Iraqi Soldiers to maintain a presence and dissuade any potential insurgent activity. Rifles in hand, they patrol in their Humvees, and sometimes on foot. They interact with the locals, who seem for the most part friendly to the Marines and Iraqi soldiers.
The Marines are partnered with and mentor Iraqi soldiers, who patrol regularly with the Marines to gain the necessary military skills to conduct operations on their own, which Coalition forces say will happen by year’s end.
After all, it will ultimately be the Iraqi soldiers who permanently replace Coalition forces in Al Anbar Province, which has arguably housed the worst of Iraq’s insurgency over the past three years.
When they are not actively patrolling the streets, the Marines are continuously preparing for their next mission. During this time, conversations about home life, loved ones and movies they’re missing back in the States surface.
“I do not mind it here too much,” said Lance Cpl. Manuel Weiss of Crawfordville, Fla., as he put on a bullet-proof vest and snapped the straps on his Kevlar helmet before “going outside the wire” for another patrol.
“I wanted to come here,” said Weiss, 27. “That is why I joined the Marine Corps to begin with – to fight the terrorists.”
A patrol of the area
The Marines’ first few days here were spent conducting familiarization patrols of the area. According to Globis, it was a chance to “get to know the people, kids and common sights.”
But the Marines from 3/3, also know as “America’s Battalion,” have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing unit to continue security operations here. The area was an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here.
Now, as Marines walk the streets, children are eager to approach and shake the hands of the Marines. One Marine put a smile on a child’s face when he gave him the remainder of a small amount of black electrical tape as a toy. Several feet behind him, another Marine is busy explaining basic commands to an Iraqi soldier named “Ahmad.”
The Marines keep one eye on their surroundings, another on their Iraqi comrades to ensure they’re practicing what they’ve learned. Proper patrolling techniques and a watchful eye can mean the difference between life and death in Al Anbar Province, especially on the roads. Marines keep a keen eye open for any signs of potential roadside bombs, called “improvised explosive devices,” on the streets.
Since January 2005, IEDs have accounted for about 50-percent of all U.S. fatalities in Iraq, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count – an organization which tallies U.S. and coalition casualties based off Department of Defense press releases.
A healing hand
On one recent patrol, Hospitalman Leo Perez, one of Lima Company’s Navy Corpsmen, came upon what he called “a sad sight.” Perez discovered a 10-year-old boy in urgent need of medical care. The boy was bleeding heavily from one of his heels, which was cut by broken glass. Perez immediately treated the wound with disinfectant and bandages.
“I knew it would only take a few minutes to fix his foot up, but he would probably remember that for the rest of his life and it made my day a better one knowing I helped a child,” said Perez, a 24-year-old from Burlington, Vt. “The child was being tough and trying not to cry. But I could see in his face he was relieved to have his foot bandaged up.”
The child’s parents were not in the area when Perez went to work on the child’s foot, but other children and elders in the area witnessed Perez’ actions. He believes simple acts like this will give the locals a more positive outlook on the presence of Coalition Forces.
“Helping the Iraqi people like this brings (them) on our side if they are unsure if they support us or not,” said Perez. “When they see actions like this, it might (turn) a future insurgent into someone that wants to help us fight insurgents.”
After the taking care of the child’s wounded foot, Perez gave the child extra bandages, which the boy accepted with a warm smile.
“We have to have humanitarian concerns about these people,” said Perez. “There are a lot of people out there against us and when they see humanitarian actions like that one, it changes their minds positively.”
The big picture
Providing band aids to children and teaching urban patrolling tactics to Iraqi soldiers is all part of the process of Coalition and Iraqi forces’ ultimate goal – helping the Iraqi government and people to self-sustainment.
“Everything we do out here, from patrolling the streets to convoys in and out of the city, involves the Iraqi Security Forces,” said Anderson Township, Ohio, native 1st Lt. Scott Perry, the company’s artillery forward observer.
Perry said the Marines from Lima Company were somewhat surprised at the receptiveness of their presence here. He believes the locals are tired of living under constant intimidation from insurgents.
“The locals are receptive of us and we want to keep it that way,” said Perry. “For the next seven months we are going to aggressively patrol the streets and keep the Iraqi people here safe.”
Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces in providing security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this weary town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here.
“Our goal is to leave here knowing these people are safe from insurgents and we are going to do everything in our power to accomplish this,” said Perry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hospitalman Leo Perez, a U.S. Navy corpsman from Burlington, Vt., prepares to treat a cut on the foot of a 10-year-old boy during a patrol with U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers in Barwanah, Iraq, March 23, 2006. Perez, 24, used disinfectant on the wound and wrapped it with bandages. “We have to have humanitarian concerns about these people,” said Perez. “There are a lot of people out there against us and when they see humanitarian actions like that one, it changes their minds positively.” The Marines, from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before conducting a patrol in Barwanah, Iraq, U.S. Marines make final preparations – including reviewing a map of the area – before “stepping outside the wire” March 23, 2006. The Marines, from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marine 2nd Lt. Eric Montgomery, 24, from Cary, N.C., shakes hands with an Iraqi child while on patrol with Iraqi soldiers and Marines from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, March 23, 2006. Montgomery, a platoon commander, says he often uses useful Arabic phrases to communicate with local children. The Hawaii-based Marines have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hospitalman Leo Perez, a U.S. Navy corpsman from Burlington, Vt., provided medical aid to a 10-year-old boy during a patrol with U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers in Barwanah, Iraq, March 23, 2006. Perez, 24, treated a severe glass cut on the bottom of the boy’s left foot. “We have to have humanitarian concerns about these people,” said Perez. “When they see humanitarian actions like that one, it changes their minds positively.” The Marines, from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iraqi children keep a close eye on a U.S. Marine in Barwanah, Iraq, March 23, 2006. The Marines, from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A U.S. Marine, rifle in hand, walks down a street in Barwanah, Iraq, during a patrol with Iraqi soldiers March 23, 2006. The Marines, from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A U.S. Marine from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment patrols the outskirts of Barawanah, Iraq, with an Iraqi soldier March 23, 2006. The Hawaii-based Marines have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers search vehicles for explosives and weapons in Barwanah, Iraq, March 23, 2006. The Marines, from the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, have worked hand-in-hand with the outgoing Marine unit to continue security operations in this small Iraqi town located off the Euphrates River about 155 miles northwest of Baghdad. The area was once an insurgent-filled hotspot seven months ago before Marines and Iraqi soldiers wiped out nearly all remnants of the insurgency here. Now, the Marines are assisting Iraqi Security Forces’ transition to eventually lead security operations and relieve Coalition Forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. During this patrol, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers provided medical care to a wounded child, interacted with locals, and searched for weapons caches and insurgent activity. Soon, the Marines from Lima Company will assist the Iraqi Security Forces provide security during the upcoming local elections – another milestone for this small town. They’ll also work with local government officials to begin and continue on-going civil affairs projects to improve local infrastructure here. Photo by: Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
Note: This is not an official website. It's purpose is to support Marines of 3/3.
Marine from Missouri unfazed by combat injuries in Iraq
HADITHA, Iraq (April 6, 2006) -- Lance Cpl. Matt Calvert accepts the wound he received March 25 from a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Iraq. It comes with the territory of being a Marine in a combat zone.
Submitted by: Regimental Combat Team7
Story Identification #: 20064653426
Story by Sgt. Roe F. Seigle
The infantryman from Blue Springs, Mo., said he was unfazed by the wound, caused when insurgents attacked his unit’s patrol in western Al Anbar Province.
“I did not hear the insurgent fire the RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) until the round exploded against the wall near me,” said Calvert, 22.
Calvert was injured when shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade caught him in the chest and neck when his platoon came under attack in this Euphrates River Valley city.
Calvert was providing security at an intersection of two major roads in the heart of Haditha when his platoon, part of the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, was attacked. The small arms attack came as the Marines were leaving the city to return to their forward operating base here, he said.
Reflecting on the incident several days later at the Marines’ base here, Calvert credits his body armor as saving his life. If it wasn’t for the thick, armored plates in his vest, he’s certain the shrapnel could have been lethal, he said.
“I was full of adrenaline, so I did not feel any pain at all,” said Calvert, who also saw combat during a deployment to Afghanistan last year. “I remember feeling a sharp pain in my shoulder blade under my protective vest. I knew something had penetrated it.”
As he speaks, he holds his M16 A4 service rifle closely. His weapon never leaves his side, he said.
Calvert and the rest of the battalion’s Marines arrived in Iraq about a month ago. In that time, they’ve focused their efforts on disrupting insurgent activity in the “Triad” region of Hadithah, Haqliniyah, and Barwanah –three of the most populous towns in the area.
Though previous Marine units have spent more than a year combating the insurgency here, there is still more work to be done, as evidenced by the recent attack on Calvert’s platoon as well as the frequent improvised explosive devices the Marines have encountered since arriving here.
But while IEDs and occasional insurgent attacks are nothing new to Coalition Forces operating in Al Anbar Province, Calvert’s perseverance in the face of danger seems to have inspired others in the unit – a testament that one man’s actions can inspire others.
Cpl. Robert Janson, 22, witnessed the attack. He was on patrol with Calvert that day, and says he could not believe Calvert’s reaction to the attack.
“Calvert just brushed this attack on his life off like it was nothing,” said Janson, one of the unit’s squad leaders. “All he cared about was getting back out on patrol four hours later too find those responsible for the attack.”
After reinforcements were called out to the scene of the attack, Calvert’s wounds were treated and he was medically evacuated to the Marines’ base here. Though he’s still recovering, his wounds have not deterred him from helping the Iraqi people and finding those responsible for the attack, he said.
“The only thing the insurgents accomplished that day was heighten the Marines’ awareness to an even higher level and make them more determined to hunt them down and bring them to justice,” Calvert said.
More importantly, such attacks will not hinder the progress of the Iraqi Army or the growth of Iraqi communities here, said Calvert. The Marines here “are suppressing the few insurgents that remain in the area,” he said, all the more reason he can’t wait for his injuries to heal – to get back in the action.
“If you think about (the wounds) too much, that can affect you even more than the physical injuries,” said Calvert.
While his injuries are healing, Calvert added that telling his family – especially his mother – what happened was more painful than his wounds.
“She took it well,” he said. “She understands why I am out here and all she wants is for me to come home safe.”
Even though he’s injured, Calvert still keeps the sense of humor he is known for in his unit, keeping morale up with his witty banter, said Janson.
“We can still count on him to drop his one-liners that make us all laugh,” said Janson. “He is a great Marine and can be counted on for anything. He brings morale to the squad with his level of motivation and his sense of humor.”
Humor aside, Calvert takes his job, and the welfare of his fellow Marines, his “brothers,” quite seriously.
“I am focused on becoming a corporal … and leading troops,” said Calvert, whose brown eyes give away his seriousness on the subject, as does the slightly deeper tone in his voice when he speaks of the other Marines in his unit.
“Calvert is going to make a good leader of Marines,” agreed Janson.
A promotion to corporal would make Calvert a noncommissioned officer – a small-unit leader.
But for this two-time combat veteran, leadership means more than adding another stripe to the black, metal rank insignia on his collar. For Calvert, a promotion means added responsibility to protect his Marines and ensure their mission is complete before they return to their base in Hawaii later this year.
“I am not going to hold onto the fact that I was hurt; and I, or another one of the Marines, can be hurt again,” he said. “I am going to accomplish my mission here and return home to my family. That is also what I am going to make sure the other Marines are going to do.”
