The Rankel Workout: Marines Test Limits to Honor Fallen Marine
COP RANKEL, Helmand prov. — It’s 120 degrees outside. Ten minutes have passed — the halfway point — and sweat is pouring off LCpl. Jose Contreras’ face like a raging river. Oxygen escapes his lungs faster than it can be absorbed, and stars form in daylight, because his brain is suffocating. Like an engine revving in the ‘red,’ Contreras’ heart pumps at an uncountable beat.
Gravity stiffens sinew and muscle: his body aches, his mind screams and another round is completed. Sound like torture? In a way it is – albeit self-imposed. Marines with Charlie Co and throughout 1st Bn, 3rd Marine Regt, endure the Rankel workout to honor Sgt. John Rankel, the namesake of this COP in Garmsir. Rankel made the ultimate sacrifice while deployed here in 2010. “I never met Sgt. Rankel, but he's a brother, a fellow Marine,” said Capt. Charles Siedlecki, the Charlie Co cmdr. “He made the ultimate sacrifice, so we could have the freedoms we do in America. This is just a more intimate way we honor his sacrifice.”The workout consists of multiple rounds of the following circuit:• 6 dead-lifts of 225 pounds• 7 burpee pull-ups
• 10 70-pound kettle bell swings
• 200-meter sprint. When the full circuit is completed, it counts as one round. Whoever completes the most in 20 minutes wins. The work corresponds numerically to June, 7 2010, the day Rankel died. The dead-lifts are for the month; the pull-ups are for the day; and the 10 kettle bell swings and 200-meter sprint represent the year. “It’s exhausting,” said LCpl. Joshua Townsend, a patrol leader with Charlie Co. “I played football and baseball in high school, and it's one of the most exhausting workouts I've ever done.” Almost a month ago, 1st Lt. Gregory Veteto, the EO for Charlie Co, found the workout posted on the Crossfit website as a ‘hero workout,’ dedicated to service members, policemen, and firefighters who've given their life in service to their country. As soon as he saw it he decided to try. Veteto then challenged the company staff to beat his record, and after experiencing the grueling exercise regime, the staff challenged every Marine in Charlie Co., to endure the pain in memory of Rankel. “When I had 4 minutes left, I almost quit,” said Siedlecki. “The EO kept encouraging me, but then he said, ‘do it for Rankel.’ I didn’t stop until the time was out after that.” Now, the ‘Rankel Workout’ has spread throughout the bn. Marines from every company have endured the pain, both as physical training, and in honor of Rankel’s sacrifice. The question is, ‘How much pain will you go through for Rankel?’
LCpl. Jose Contreras completes a burpee pull-up as part of the Rankel Workout here, Aug. 1.
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DVIDS, Regional Command Southwest
Texas Marines Wrap-up Afghan Police Training Mission
Afghan Border Police (ABP) conduct a mass casualty exercise at Training Site Survey Lonestar, Nangarhar prov. Over the last several months, more than 2,000 policemen attended training courses provided by Marines with the Houston-based 1st Bn, 23rd Marine Regt. (Photos courtesy of TSS Lonestar)
CAMP LEATHERNECK – In the mountains of Nangarhar prov., in eastern Afghanistan, a small group of Marines are wrapping up a successful tour of training ANSF.
When the Texas Marines arrived at TSS Lonestar, they found themselves conducting almost all of the ABP’s training at the site. However, during the course of a steady transition, the Marines are preparing to leave, having successfully handed over instructing duties to a mostly Afghan instructor group.
“This site was not expected to be Afghan-led for another 2 years,” said GnrySgt. Rusty Smith, the site cmdr. “In addition, the Marines truly set an excellent example of leadership and professionalism that I believe will endure for years to come in their Afghan counterparts.”
During their tour the Marines at TSS Lonestar mentored more than 2,000 Afghan police in firearms tactics, small unit patrols, vehicle ops, and clear and sweep ops. 95% of the trainees also earned tactical drivers’ licenses. “The policemen that come through here come in with an open mind, because everything they're taught here they haven’t seen yet,” said Sgt. Michael Augustine, communications chief for the training detachment. “The students become eager once they see how locked-on their Afghan instructors are.”The ABP students learned more than just combat tactics. "They learned how to act as professionals, and it showed with the time and effort the policemen put forth, to square away their uniforms each day," said 1st Sgt. Scott Wolfe, part of the bn’s contribution to NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan.“The Marines have put this site on track to be fully Afghan led in less than a year,” Smith said. “Every Marine on this mission went above and beyond, to break language and cultural barriers, and build solid relationships with Afghan instructors, interpreters and students. These positive relationships were the foundation of everything.”The Marines who helped develop training at the site are now preparing to transfer authority of ops to a contingent with the Massachusetts-based 1st Bn, 25th Marine Regt. “All the training and gear is there for them,” said Wolfe. “I hope 1/25 does even better than us.”Sgt. Michael Augustine attends a meeting with CF at TSS Lonestar.
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DVIDS
Real Life Heli-Borne Insert Puts Video Games to Shame
SANGIN, Helmand prov. -- The Marines executed the type of op most people only see from the backside of a video game controller. From that perspective gamers only see the firefights and the destruction of targets, to achieve some national mission. What game enthusiasts don’t see on their flat screens are the logistical challenges, social constraints, and cultural considerations the Marines of 1/5 overcame to accomplish their mission.
Intel and surveillance told the Marines that a small compound on the east side of the Helmand River was being used as an enemy command and control center. Enemy fighters cross the nearby river, and are dispatched throughout the area to survey and harass CF with small-arms fire and other guerrilla warfare tactics, throughout the Northern Sangin green zone. “It was like a coordination point for them. They would cross the river from the west side to east, and link up at that coordination point,” said Capt. Ryan Hunt, the comm. officer of Co B. “At the coordination point, some type of insurgent cmdr. would basically issue areas of ops (AO) for the men. Unlike the briefs gamers get, the Marines receive their final marching orders huddled around a chow hall table, as they scratch down the timelines, radio frequencies and grid coordinates in their notebooks. The Marines knew the mission was straightforward - show the enemy fighters that Afghan-Marine partnered forces can present themselves anywhere, anytime, throughout the AO despite the rough terrain. Marine Heavy Helicopter Sqdn 464 flight crews operated the dual CH-53E Super Stallions that supported the op. The initial lift inserted supporting elements from 1/5’s Scout Sniper Plt and Weapons Co into blocking positions across the Helmand River. The remaining 1st Plt Marines piled onto the helicopters, and took an unexpected detour to Camp Bastion’s flight line, where the Marine Corps Air Station New River-based helicopter sqdn. is deployed to. The 2-hour delay and refueling at Camp Bastion is just one part of the logistical side that gamers don’t experience. The Marines rolled with the last minute changes. “Going to Bastion first actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and was well worth the time,” said Hunt. He went on to explain that the pit stop enabled the helicopter pilots and small-unit leaders to talk face-to-face about the op, how the pilots and crew chiefs could best support the Marines of Bravo Co., and get them where they needed to go. Once inserted near the objective, the Marines hit the deck loaded down with enough water and meal rations to last them the 2 days they would be operating. A character in a video game will carry an endless supply of ammo and weapons, with no discernible effect on the character or video gamer effortlessly manipulating the controller. A video game does not replicate the more than 85-lbs of gear carried by Marines, when humping a full combat load and packs. There's no sprinting to the objective in real life. The Marines move swiftly, but methodically to the target compound, sweeping for IEDs as they go. When the Marines reached the compound they didn’t kick down doors, throw any grenades, shoot anything or anyone like depicted in the games. They posted security for the Afghan soldiers who cautiously walked into the compound. The Afghan soldiers had to enter the houses and conduct the searches, to observe and respect the socially accepted norms of the Islamic culture. “With clearing ops they're always the first ones in the buildings, but usually we're more involved,” said LCpl. Chase Vuchetich, a machine gunner. “It was more important for them to be searching the buildings and interacting with the people.” Fifteen compounds were searched during the op. First-person shooter style video games incorporate intel collection in the form of easily collected objects and tasks strewn throughout a level. For the Marines of Bravo Co. completing their tasks and collecting info wasn’t as simple. They followed in trace of their ANA counterparts to collect valuable biological data to help distinguish local residents from enemy fighters. Collecting fingerprints, iris scans and facial recognition data, bogged the partnered forces down, but was important to the Marine’s mission. “The biometric data was a big ticket success of this op,” said Hunt. The op took place during Ramadan, when most people are close to home, and spend time with their families. Ramadan is the Islamic religious month of fasting and reflection, to focus believers on the spiritual realm. It meant the Afghan people couldn't eat during the daylight hours, so more people tend to stay in their homes. The heat from the Afghan summer affected Marine and ANA soldier alike, and the Marines had to ensure the safety of their Afghan counterparts by looking for signs of heat illness. The Afghan soldiers combated the brutal heat by climbing into irrigation canals, allowing themselves to cool off during breaks. “Since it was Ramadan, the ANA being out with us showed to the Afghan people that we're not the only ones trying to help them,” said Vuchetich. “The ANA are still going to do their job regardless.”As Muslims the Afghan soldiers could've sat idle during the daylight hours, as fasting for a month saps strength and will quickly. They knew that it was important to press through the physical hardships, to build the trust and confidence of the Afghan people. The soldier’s example allowed the partnered Marines to demonstrate leadership and camaraderie, that no video game can portray. Marines supported and motivated the soldiers to keep pressing on to finish the mission. “We had to keep them motivated, which made us work harder to help them be the best they could be,” said Vuchetich. “It’s just like anything else, when you're trying to motivate someone else, you stay motivated yourself.” At the end of the op, it was a success. “This heli-borne op shows that we've the means to get anywhere, anytime we want to in this AO,” said Hunt. “The ANA toughed it out all the way, and sent a strong message that they can still operate with little food and water.”
Afghan soldiers enter a room of a local house.
Afghan men and children listen to an Afghan soldier talk about the importance of the Marines and ANA conducting a partnered heli-borne op.
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RC-East, Bagram Media Center
Of note, the Hyatt line of hotel chains was a main proprietor in establishing a luxury resort. Tom and Margot Pritzker visited Bamyan June 6-7 - a trip the TF for Business Stability, also known as The Brinkley Group, sponsored. Chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corp., and chief EO of Pritzker Org., whose holdings include Royal Caribbean Cruises and the Marmon Group, Mr. Pritzker is of Jewish heritage, and is a practicing Buddhist. An honorary prof. of history at Sichuan University in China, he's interested in Bamyan's Buddhism antiquity. Thus, the world's oldest oil paintings remaining in the Buddha niches are of particular interest. Bamyan’s Gov., Dr. Habiba Sarabi, greeted Pritzker for a lunch meeting. They discussed ideas for potential Bamyan philanthropy such as an Information & Tourism Center at the base of the largest Buddha niche, an endowed archaeological research seat at Bamyan University, or funding of the continued digging at the believed location of the "Sleeping Buddha," at the base of the East Buddha niche. The New Zealand PRT is largely responsible for many of the projects that have improved infrastructure in the area. They initiated and completed numerous projects from paving roads, ensuring safe travel for residents, building schools, promoting education, and building police stations and court houses to launch Rule of Law initiatives in the prov. “Bamyan has traditionally not received a great deal of resources in terms of aid from the int'l. community, on account of the peaceful state of the prov., and, as such, many projects are done on a shoestring budget,” said NZDF Maj. Michael Van Welie, the NZPRT EO. “The development that has occurred is a testament to the dedication of the int'l. staff of the NZPRT, and the commitment of the people of Bamyan to a future that is prosperous, self sustaining, and free of the Taliban. “The building blocks have been established and Bamyan Prov. has what's considered an effective provincial govt,” said Van Welie. “There's still work to be done, but it's progressing nicely. There's an effective structure in place for development projects, which flow from the villages through to their district centers, and into the provincial govt for consideration. “The people of Bamyan share a passion for education and self improvement and, ultimately, that desire for a better way will provide for a better future in Bamyan," continued Van Welie.
HELMAND PROVINCE – A combined Afghan and coalition SecFor killed several insurgents, and detained several more while searching for a senior Taliban leader in Musa Qal’ah District, yesterday.
The senior leader provides operational guidance, and coordinates Taliban organizational issues. Additionally, he receives reports from subordinate leaders about planned and executed attacks.
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Robert DeDeaux