Steaks, Burgers Replace MREs for Marines at COP Rankel
Story by Cpl. Skyler Tooker
Marines with Meals on Wheels from RCT 7 all volunteered to come out and cook hot food for the ANA and Marines with Lima Co, 3rd Bn, 1st Marine Regt, in COP Rankel, Garmsir District, Helmand province, Aug. 19, 2010.
COP RANKEL — The Marines with the Meals-on-Wheels traveled 4 hours to deliver a well-deserved hot meal. The convoy traveled to various unit positions throughout Helmand prov., providing hot meals to service members “outside the wire,” who typically eat packaged, dehydrated meals from their MREs. Scoring a packet of peanut butter or candy, or coming across their favorite MRE is the most satisfaction they usually get from their twice-a-day meals.
The meals-on-wheels Marines cooked and served steak, chicken, hotdogs, hamburgers and ice-cold beverages. “This is a great morale booster for all the Marines, sailors and soldiers out here,” said Lance Cpl. Matt Wilson, a team leader with Weapons Plt, Lima Co. “It's a good day when meals-on-wheels comes out and provides us with a hot steak and cold Coke,” said Wilson, 25.
Normally the Marines search out their favorite 2 MREs to ensure they get the food they want for the day. Once the Marines saw the meals-on-wheels convoy roll in, they weren't even thinking about MREs anymore, as the sounds and scents of burgers, hot dogs and steaks grilling captured their imagination.
Lance Cpl. Gary Mishoe, a Marine with meals-on-wheels, said this is his 15th time coming out and serving a hot meal to Marines in southern Afghanistan, and he gets the same result every time — extremely grateful Marines. “I think it's great that we get to come out here and recognize all the Marines down here,” said Mishoe, a motor transport operator for RCT-7.
The Marines and ANA soldiers were very grateful for the food they received from meals-on-wheels. They understand the risk these Marines took driving down on dangerous roads to provide them with a meal to remember.
The Marines with Meals on Wheels serve the Marines with Lima Co,
One hot dog coming up!
The Marines with Meals-on-Wheels joke around with the Marines with Lima Co, while serving. Meals-on-Wheels not only provided more food than could be eaten, they also left a grill and extra food and drinks for Lima Co to later have a cookout of their own.
The ANA soldiers enjoy a hot meal.
Steaks on the grill!
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DVIDS
Marine Reservist Leaves With a Lasting ImpactStory by Cpl. Megan Sindelar
Lance Cpl. Jason Sestina, a member of the police mentoring team with 1st Bn, 2nd Marine Regt, gives chocolate and pens to children at the ANP entry control point at Musa Qa'leh District Center, Aug. 24.
Sestina, an MP with the police mentoring team, is only one year away from receiving his degree in preliminary law and criminology from the Indiana University of Pa., and is excited to go home and finish his degree. But, he'll never forget the time he spent here.
Sestina, from a family of 7, has 2 cousins in the Marine Corps. He said that he wanted to join the Marine Corps Reserves, because he wanted the best of both worlds: to be a Marine and to attend college. He chose a career as an MP because he believed the experience would help his professional career.
The afternoon of Aug. 24, Sestina, received a Letter of Appreciation and a Certificate of Commendation for his efforts and contributions to the ANP and 1/2.
“The awards were well deserved. He's a very mature young man and is destined for success,” said Maj. Anthony Aragon, civil affairs team leader with I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)(FWD).
The Letter of Appreciation was awarded to him for working at the detention facility, and the Certificate of Commendation was presented to him for heroic actions on July 4. Two IEDs detonated in the bazaar outside Musa Qa’leh Distrit Center during the U.S. Independence Day. Twenty-one casualties were brought into the base. With the limited members of medical staff, the corpsmen called on all Marines who were combat lifesavers to help with the casualties.
Combat lifesavers are Marines who have completed the Combat Lifesaver’s Course, consisting of basic trauma treatment. Sestina, 21, being CLS qualified since January, ran to help the casualties. “I knew what to do,” Sestina said. “I jumped in and every wound they had, I knew how to treat.”
Aragon said Sestina is always on his feet, and he thought swiftly and responded to the situation professionally. Sestina admitted to having some rough times, but he said he has many warm memories of the time he spent here.
One of his favorite memories was from a patrol he went on with the ANP. As they were passing through the bazaar, Sestina said he saw 2 children, not more than 5-to-7 years old, driving flawlessly down the road in a truck with a sofa instead of seats. “One kid was working the clutch and gas while the other steered and shifted,” Sestina laughed. “I was trying to be all serious on the patrol, but I almost lost it.”
Lance Cpl. Jason Sestina, a member of the police mentoring team with 1st Bn, 2nd Marine Regt, receives a Certificate of Commendation.
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DVIDS
New Commander for Regional Support Command-CapitalStory by Capt. Anthony Deiss
Outgoing cmdr of the Regional Support Command-Capital (RSC-C), Maj. Robert Firman, center, passes the flag to Brig. Gen. John McGuiness, dep. cmdr for regional support, to symbolize the end of his command in a change of command ceremony Aug. 28, 2010, in patriot square at Camp Phoenix in Kabul.
CAMP PHOENIX – Col. Robert Wicks Jr. assumed command of the (RSC-C) from Maj. Robert Firman. The mission of the RSC-C is to support the ANSF in the areas of training, fielding, and equipping new units, as well as sustaining the fielded force in the Kabul prov., and capital region. Established just last fall, the unit is growing and has become an O-6 level command.
“My goal as RSC-C Cmdr is to build something strong and lasting in Afghanistan, and to optimize our momentum on the progress already made,” Wicks stated speaking to the multinational audience. “As partners, we share a common goal to build capability and ultimately a lasting security”. Col. Wicks comes to the RSC-C command position from 13th AF as the dir. of Space Forces for Pacific Air Forces at Hickam AF Base, Hawaii.
“The opportunity to work directly with professionals in the ANSF has been very rewarding,” said Firman. “I was also lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the best team in Afghanistan. Being part of the RSC team has been the highlight of my career."
Incoming cmdr Col. Robert Wicks Jr., gives a speech during a change of command ceremony.
Outgoing cmdr Maj. Robert Firman, gives a speech to thank fellow co-workers for the support and great effort they have given while under his command.
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Blackanthem Military News
Air Force combat medics serve critical role on Laghman PRT
By Air Force Capt. Tristan Hinderliter
Laghman PRT members meet in their barracks to participate in a combat lifesaver refresher course taught by medics AF Master Sgt. Simon Deyell from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and AF Senior Airman Jeffrey Marr from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 12. The medics reviewed combat first aid skills, and how to properly use the material in individual first aid kits and combat lifesaver bags.
(Photos by AF Staff Sgt. Ave Pele)
FOB MEHTAR LAM - AF Master Sgt. Simon Deyell stands in front of about 15 Soldiers and Airmen explaining how, while on a dismounted patrol, some Afghans brought him a young boy whose head and shoulders were covered in blood. When Deyell cleaned the blood off, he discovered the cause of the bleeding was just a small cut on the back of the boy's head. "The incident showed how even minor head wounds can bleed profusely," he said.
Deyell is the NCO-in-charge of medical ops, and the senior combat medic with the Laghman PRT. Deyell and fellow medics AF Senior Airman Jeffrey Marr and AF Staff Sgt. Nikolia Saunders from Langley AF Base, Va., recently provided combat lifesaver refresher training to about 50 of their teammates on the PRT.
"Combat lifesaver" training is provided to most non-medical Soldiers and Airmen before they deploy to Afghanistan. The course teaches advanced first aid and lifesaving procedures beyond the scope of the "self-aid and buddy care" skills taught to all servicemembers. "The PRT rotation currently at Mehtar Lam has been in place since Feb., so this was a good time for refresher training," said AF Capt. Philip Hotchkiss, a physician asst deployed from Tyndall AFB, Fla., and the PRT's senior medical officer.
"Unfortunately, these are perishable skills," said Hotchkiss. "If you don't use them occasionally, you will either lose the skill completely or freeze when attempting to recall them during stressful situations. Therefore, during the summer months when kinetics in Afghanistan have traditionally heated up, we thought that a review would sharpen the skills of our warriors, improve reaction times and save lives."
As part of the training for this deployment, they attended a 2-week course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, on what the Army calls "Tactical Combat Casualty Care." The training focused on immediate actions to take if someone is injured on the battlefield - such as how to stop bleeding, treat a sucking chest wound, open someone's airway or splint a fractured bone. "It was basically a 2-week trauma course on how to be self-sufficient without a provider around," said Marr.
"In addition to the trauma training, the instructors also taught clinical aspects of care, such as various medications and what they're used for," said Deyell. "They try to refine your skills and get you ready for what potentially could happen in theater."
The 4-person medical section cares for more than 100 individuals on the PRT, and they provide support to other units on FOB Mehtar Lam, including TF Iron Gray and the ADT.
At least one medic also goes on every PRT mission outside the wire. For Marr and Saunders that averages 2 or 3 trips a week. As the NCO-in-charge, Deyell manages the schedule and covers missions for the other medics, when they have tower guard duty, go on their mid-tour leave, or when he gets "FOB fever," he said.
"In the field, the medics give the warriors they protect an additional dose of confidence," said Hotchkiss. "Having their ‘doc' - the colloquial term the Army uses for combat medics, along on the mission gives the troops the reassurance that if something goes wrong and someone gets hurt, they will receive prompt and proper care."
In addition to treating U.S. and other ISAF troops, the medics also sometimes have the opportunity to treat local nationals, as Deyell did with the Afghan boy's head injury," said Hotchkiss. "They've been very compassionate in treating the Afghans," he said. "I'm really proud of the work our medics are doing here. They freely give of themselves day and night, 7 days a week, without hesitation."
Laghman PRT medics AF Master Sgt. Simon Deyell and AF Senior Airman Jeffrey Marr demonstrate how to use a cravat as a sling.
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DVIDS
Women's Afghan National Police Graduation Photos by Spc. Tracy Weeden
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD - Kandahar's first coalition sponsored ANP course for women graduated, Aug. 5, at Camp Nathan Smith. 1st Lt. Elizabeth Merwin, E Co, TF Shadow maintenance plt leader and Dari linguist, assisted with their training and collected boots, burqas, socks, gloves and sunglasses to donate to the women.
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ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
CF Conduct Precision Strike Against Senior IMU Member
Kabul (Sept. 2) - CF conducted a precision air strike targeting an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan senior member, assessed to be the dep. shadow gov. for Takhar prov. this morning.
He regularly coordinates and conducts attacks with known IMU and Taliban insurgents, and traveled from Pakistan to Takhar this spring. Intel tracked the insurgents traveling in a sedan on a series of remote roads in Rustaq district. After careful planning to ensure no civilians were present, coalition aircraft conducted a precision air strike on one sedan and later followed with direct fire from an aerial platform. The vehicle was traveling as part of a 6-car convoy, but no other vehicles were hit in the strike. The SECFOR was unable to immediately dispatch a ground force to assess the results, but initial reflections indicate 8 to 12 insurgents were killed or injured in the strike, including a Taliban cmdr. Multiple passengers of the vehicle were positively identified carrying weapons.
"We're aware of the allegations that this strike caused civilian causalities and we'll do our best to get to the bottom of the accusations," said Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David Garza, dep. chief of staff for joint ops, HQ ISAF Joint Command. "What I can say is these vehicles were nowhere near a populated area, and we're confident this strike hit only the targeted vehicle, after days of tracking the occupants' activity."