[MARINES]- MARINE CORPS NEWS SUMMARY 20-98 [1/1]

[Christian Wilson]

MARINE CORPS NEWS SUMMARY 20-98
You can access these stories and view selected high quality imagery at:
http://www.usmc.mil/news

MARINES, SOLDIERS TEAM UP TO FEE 05/20/98
FSSG (FWD) MARINES, SAILORS SHAR 05/20/98
FROM SHIP TO SHORE: MARINES HEL 05/20/98
U.S., THAI ENGINEERS BUILD BONDS 05/20/98
ANNUAL YUKO DAY CELEBRATION BEGI 05/20/98
BATTERY T 'WEATHERS' ARTILLERY R 05/19/98
12th MARINES CONTINUES CARING TR 05/19/98
31ST MEU SETS SAIL FOR THAILAND 05/19/98
LOCAL MARINES SET SAIL WITH LF C 05/18/98
CORPS LAUNCHES SECOND, IMPROVED 05/18/98
U.S., THAI FORCES PREPARE TO KIC 05/18/98
DIVISION TAKES COMPETITION TO 'T 05/18/98
CHERRY POINT MARINES GIVE LOCAL 05/15/98
LEADERSHIP TRADEMARKS HELD FIRML 05/15/98
FROM PHILIPPINES TO AMERICA, MAR 05/15/98
LIEUTENANT GENERAL VICTOR "BRUTE 05/14/99
-USMC-

MARINES, SOLDIERS TEAM UP TO FEED FSSG (FWD)
By LCpl. Abigail B. LaBin
CAMP SAMAESAN, Thailand (May 15) -- "It's said that armies travel
on
their stomachs, and it's certainly true for the Marine Corps as well.
However, the Army and Marine Corps have combined into an unusual team
here to feed the Marines, Sailors and soldiers here during Cobra Gold
'98.
Army cooks from Headquarters and Headquarters Co. 520 (HHC520), 1st
Brigade Fort Lewis, Wash., arrived here May 5 and served hot meals and
distributed MREs through May 8.
The soldiers weren't working alone to feed hungry devil dogs,
though.
They have Marine messmen helping them. The chance for soldiers and
Marines to work together doesn't come along every day, and both are
making the most of it.
"I've learned a lot. Rank structure, for one. It's a little
different," said Sgt. Scott Burnett, an Army cook. "It's a little
different, but a person's got to be flexible."
"We've both adapted pretty well," said Staff Sgt. Michael Savoy,
Headquarters and Service Battalion , 3rd Force Service Support Group,
Camp Samaesan chow hall.
Master Sgt. Silas Lake, Samaesan messhall chief, agreed.
"They take as much pride as the Marine Corps does in providing a
wholesome meal," he said.
The soldiers left Samaesan to journey north to Kanchanaburi May 8.
-USMC-

FSSG (FWD) MARINES, SAILORS SHARE TIME WITH PATTAYA ORPHANAGE
By Cpl. Brannen Parrish
FSSG (FWD) (May 15) -- Some might marvel at how easy it is to get
children with little more than the clothes on their backs to smile. When
Marines and Sailors from 3rd Force Service Support Group (FSSG) visited
the Pattaya Orphanage recently, they realized all it takes to make an
orphaned child's day is a little time, a smile and a lot of energy.
Thirty-seven Marines and Sailors deployed to Camp Samaesan for
Cobra
Gold '98 spent the morning and afternoon at the orphanage. Throughout
the day they held the infants and played games with the children.
The orphanage is operated by the Roman Catholic Church in Thailand
and
is home to more than 400 children, ranging in age from newborn to teen.
It is nearly self sufficient. The children even help raise crops which
provide food for the orphanage.
"Trips to the orphanage have become a sort of tradition for Cobra
Gold
exercises. The chaplain I replaced told me about the Pattaya
Orphanage," said Navy Lt. Walter R. Steele, chaplain, 3rd FSSG (FWD).
"It's really fun to see the Marines and Sailors play with the children
and give of themselves."
Perhaps the most heart-wrenching experience was when the group
visited
the infants section. As soon as visitors opened the door to the infants
room, small, brown eyes looked up at them longing to be held.
"When they look at you, it's as if they are saying, 'Take me home,'
and you really want to take them home," said Petty Officer 3rd Class
Gloradean Rue, a dental technician, assigned to 3rd FSSG (FWD).
Despite the sadness many felt at saying goodbye to their newfound
friends, visiting the orphanage was a rewarding experience for Marines
and Sailors as well as the children.
"Since we arrived at the orphanage, all we've seen is smiling
faces,"
said Lance Cpl. DaLaute Buchan, a combat engineer. "It makes coming
down here all worthwhile." -USMC-

FROM SHIP TO SHORE: MARINES HELP CARRY EQUIPMENT TO CG '98
By LCpl. Abigail B. LaBin
CHUK SA MET, Thailand (May 15) -- When America calls on its
forward-deployed III Marine Exeditionary Force (MEF), a vast support
network swings into action, not only to put Marines on beaches, but to
ensure those Marines have whatever supplies, equipment and support they
need for a successful mission.
For Cobra Gold '98, Marine Forces' mission success depends on
Marines,
Sailors, and merchant mariners to pull 186 vehicles from up to 11 decks
below the bridge of the Motor Vessel (MV) 1stLt. Baldomero Lopez and get
them ashore here to support the exercise The Lopez is part of Maritime
Prepositioning Squadron (MPSRON) 3, home ported off of Saipan and Guam,
as well as part of the larger fleet of Maritime Prepositioning Force
(MPF) ships.
The Lopez sails with a standard crew of 26 merchant mariners and
equipment maintenance personnel. For the Cobra Gold mission, they are
augmented by 83 Marines and Sailors who make up the Offload Preparation
Party (OPP). Marines came from Marine Corps Base (MCB) Kaneohe Bay,
Hawaii, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and Okinawa to take part in the
exercise. Navy personnel deployed from San Diego and Norfolk, Va.
The Lopez and a sister ship, the MV 1stLt. Jack Lummus, sailed from
Saipan to Okinawa, where the Marines and Naval Beach Group came aboard
April 27. The ships set out for Chuk Samet, Thailand, April 28.
While underway the OPP's mission was to conduct limited technical
inspections and startup checks on all vehicles and generators going
ashore. The ship's dimly-lit holds were packed tight with vehicles, and
the decks were crisscrossed with an elaborate network of chains to keep
equipment from moving when the ship went through rough water.
The Assault Amphibian Vehicles were the first pieces of equipment
off
the ship, and unlike the Humvees, trucks and engineer equipment, they
didn't go via cranes and lighterage. Just as they would in wartime, the
operators "splashed" the vehicles, driving them off the ship's rear ramp
into the ocean and made their way through three miles of water onto the
beach.
"We have to make sure they're able to splash in the water before we
take them off," Gruetzner said. "We've got to make sure they'll run and
last throughout the operation. We pretty much just prep and make sure
all the fluids are ready. Just like you would a normal car -- oil,
engine transmission, coolant, your radiator."
After all 186 pieces of equipment going ashore had passed their
readiness inspections and been declared "good to go," the real work
began when the Lopez reached its destination and dropped anchor May 5.
Navy boat crews and crane operators brought the lighterage off the
top
deck of the ship and used the ship's cranes to place it in the water.
The lighterage, which resembles a motorized ferry or barge, is where
vehicles and equipment are lowered to by the crane and ferried ashore.
Marines drove the vehicles into position directly below hatches opening
from the surface to the bowels of the ships, and Navy crane operators
raised them slowly up, then swung them over the side of the ship and
lowered them to the lighterage for the trip ashore.
According to Master Sgt. Rafael Diaz, engineer chief, Combat
Service
Support Group 3, MCB Kaneohe Bay, who's participated in several MPF
offloads, including one in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield/Desert
Storm, offloading MPF ships is "totally different than offloading a
military vessel. You never see so many different types of vehicles in
one place." The offload experience for his Marines, he says, is a
valuable one.
The ship retains a staff of mechanics to maintain the vehicles and
they watched over and lent a hand during preparations for the offload.
According to Merchant Marine Capt. Harry Bolton, commander of the
Lopez, working together to get the offload mission accomplished is what
it's all about.
"We work exceptionally well with the military and always have. I
think the Marine Corps and Merchant Marine team is almost as if we're a
brotherhood," Bolton said. "We actually have the same goals. We have
the same style of discipline and hierarchy, and we have the same types
of missions in that we go anywhere, we do anything and we're extremely
flexible."
The Maritime Prepositioning Force is nothing if not flexible. The
force is made up of three squadrons, one in the Mediterranean/Atlantic
supporting II MEF, one in the Indian Ocean supporting I MEF, and the
last in the Western Pacific supporting the operations of III MEF.
Each ship carries more than 700 vehicles, 500 tons of ammunition,
44
refrigerated containers of MRE's, and crew served weapons to mount on
the vehicles, according to Bolton. The 3rd MPSRON is capable of
using its four ships to support 15,000 Marines for a month.
MPF ships are capable of getting to wherever the Marine Corps needs
them rapidly, a necessity, according to Bolton, to adequately support
the Corps' missions.
"Seventeen knots is our service speed, so from Guam to the Persian
Gulf, we can get there in 16 to 17 days. We can get to Korea in four
and a half days, Okinawa in three. It depends on where we have to go
and how urgent it is to get there," Bolton said.
The equipment offload began May 9. After Cobra Gold '98 concludes,
they will backload all the vehicles and gear onto the Lopez, and clean
them until they return to Okinawa. -USMC-

U.S., THAI ENGINEERS BUILD BONDS
By Cpl. Brannen Parrish
BAN NONG KAW SCHOOL, Thailand (May 15) -- Cobra Gold '98 is more
than
a training exercise. The exercise provides both sides with the
opportunity to improve the lives of people in the exercise area. U.S.
Marines and Sailors joined forces with the Royal Thai Marines to improve
a school here by increasing its size and improving the quality of life
for the students and faculty.
Combat Engineers from Co. A, 9th Engineer Support Bn. (ESB), 3rd
Force
Service Support Group (FSSG), and Sailors from Naval Mobile Construction
Bn. (NMCB) 74 began working with combat engineers from the Royal Thai
Marine Corps May 1. The project will add a 10-by-20 meter building
which will house two classrooms and an indoor restroom. The creation of
a septic tank is part of the construction, which is scheduled to be
completed by the end of the month.
The project, known as Engineer Civic Action Program (ENCAP), is one
of
four engineering and construction ventures currently underway.
DoD is spending $32,000 for materials and construction on each site
and the Marine Corps is throwing in another $15,000 to support the
personnel working on those sites. The U.S. Army is supporting two
projects.
It takes one-and-a-half hours to reach the site by car from the
Marine
Forces' main camp at Samaesan. This means sea service personnel working
on the addition are also living together at the school construction
site, resulting in strong friendships between U.S. and Thai engineers.
Many evenings are spent at the nearby cafeteria where each side
entertains one another with karoake.
"The Thai people welcomed us from day one" said Senior Chief Petty
Officer Donald Galster, officer in charge of the site from the NMCB-74.
"It's just like living with your family."
Engineers and Seabees have encountered some obstacles in their
mission
to improve the school. The main problem has been the weather.
Thunderstorms have cut short the workdays on several occasions. Runoff
from the rain has reversed their work by filling in the holes they spent
the first few days digging. The teams are working hard to make up for
lost time.
"The most difficult part of any construction project is coming out
of
the ground," said Galston. "Once you've laid the foundation, finishing
the job gets much easier.
"Of all the projects I have participated in this one has been not
only
the most heartwarming but rewarding."
Communication has also been a challenge, but both sides enjoy
working
together.
"When we overcome the communication problems, we get more work
done,"
said Lance Cpl. Shaun Morris, a dump truck driver, with 9th ESB. "It's
a problem both sides have to overcome. After all, they are trying to
understand us as much as we are trying to understand them."
Thai Marines said they enjoyed working with the U.S. servicemen and
women. "It's nice to see that we are so much alike even though we are
from different countries," said Thai Pvt. Tawon Saysman, a combat
engineer from the Royal Thai Marine Corps. "Thai Marines, U.S. Marines,
Seabees -- We are all alike." -USMC-

ANNUAL YUKO DAY CELEBRATION BEGINS
By SSgt. Yvonne A. Reed
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP S.D. BUTLER, Okinawa, Japan (May 15) -- This
year's "Yuko Day" celebration kicked off throughout Japan May 1 and will
last through July.
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni opened their gates in honor of
friendship day with 180,000 visitors flooding the station May 5,
Children's Day. Meanwhile, the scene here was a little less crowded when
children from the Misato Jidoen orphanage visited.
The children spent the morning at the Butler Bowling Center and the
afternoon interacting with other children at the Camp Foster Youth
Center. Marines from Camp Foster accompanied the children during the
various activities.
"It was a nice change of pace," said Lance Cpl. Julie K.
Weckwerith,
camp services, Headquarters and Service Battalion (H&S Bn.) here. "I
enjoyed sharing the children's excitement throughout the day. This was
a great way for them to see a little bit of our culture."
"The exchange was very beneficial," said Higa Yutaka, orphanage
supervisor. "Now, they can appreciate the important differences between
our cultures."
"Yuko" is the Japanese word for friendship and is observed to
enhance
the relationship with local communities and show appreciation for their
support.
Last year's events included a kite festival on Camp Kinser, an
anti-litter campaign by Camp Hansen and Kin Cho community, the first
"Friendship through Music" concert and several tree ceremonies,
signifying friendship between our nations and our people.
According to Chief Warrant Officer-2 James A Ford Jr., III Marine
Expeditionary Force Band officer in charge, one event already planned is
the "Friendship through Music" concert. The concert will be conducted
June 26 at the Butler Theater and is open to the public.
"This will be another excellent opportunity for our neighboring
communities to come together, and through entertainment, foster our
continuing friendship," Ford said.
According to Col. David P. Rann, assistant chief of staff G-5,
Marine
Corps Base, Marines and their families are being asked to open their
homes and share a unique bit of American culture with our Okinawa
neighbors, the barbecue.
"Nothing is more American than the summertime barbecue," said Rann.
"By inviting our neighbors to participate in a family barbecue, not only
are we sharing our culture, but we are strengthening our bonds of
friendship with our neighbors."
Camp Schwab will open its gates to the local community during their
annual Oura Wan Beach Splash June 13 and 14. Camp Kinser will host
Summer Fest June 27 and 28. -USMC-

BATTERY T 'WEATHERS' ARTILLERY RELOCATION SHOOT
By GySgt. Bill Paro
HIGASHI FUJI MANEUVER AREA, Camp Fuji, Japan (May 15) -- Some
people
have a metaphorical "clouds" that plague them whereever they go. For
one contengency of Marine artillerymen who deployed here recently, their
clouds were real, dark and heavy -- pouring down a cold, constant rain
which turned the ground into a muddy soup.
Battery (Btry.) T, 5th Battalion, 10th Marines (5/10), recently
completed its second artillery relocation exercise here.
"The rain and cold here is one of the intangibles that you can't
put
into a training schedule," said Capt. Curtis L. Williamson, commanding
officer, Btry. T. "It helps to make the Marines well-rounded
artillerymen who are able to operate in adverse conditions."
And adverse conditions they were. The battery deployed on March 3
and
had rainy conditions nine-out-of-10 days they conducted live-fire
training.
The approximately 120 Marines and Sailors deployed to Camp Fuji for
the fifth Marine artillery relocation shoot in accordance with the 1996
Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) agreement. The SACO Final
Report determined that artillery, live-fire training would end on
Okinawa, and training would be relocated to maneuver areas on the
mainland.
Btry. T also participated in the fourth relocation exercise at the
East Fuji Training Area in February.
The battery not only worked on its live-fire training but also on
its
survivability skills, such as patrolling, land navigation, local
security and convoy operations. "If we don't practice these skills, we
won't be there, for the infantry, because we won't survive," said
Williamson. The training areas terrain offered unique challenges to the
drivers. The muddy hills of this area are totally different to what the
battery is used to at their home-base of Camp Lejeune, N.C., where it is
flat and sandy. "A big thing when talking artillery is trafficability,"
explained Williamson. "Can I move my artillery from one place to
another. This training adds experience to the batteries drivers."
Btry. T also conducted a 24-hour operation on its last day in the
field. During the operation, the Marines not only continued receiving
artillery missions, but also dug fighting holes, manned machine gun
positions and conducted security patrols. This ensured that the battery
continued to maintain its high level of combat readiness. "The Marines
gained a greater level of self confidence in themselves and the battery
and the way we do business," explained Williamson.
The battery returned to Okinawa May 2 and began preparing to head
back
to Camp Lejeune. Their six-month unit deployment will end during June
when it will be replaced by Btry. R, 5/10. -USMC-

12TH MARINES CONTINUES CARING TRADITION
By GySgt. Bill Paro
YAMANASHI-KEN, Japan (May 15) -- Nineteen Marines and Sailors from
Battery (Btry.) T, 5th Battalion (Bn.), 10th Marines, recently visited a
local children's home and continued a 45-year tradition established by a
12th Marines chaplain.
Twelfth Marines has supported the Seibi Children's Home, which is
located on the shore of Lake Yamanaka-ko in the shadow of Mount Fuji,
since the early 1950s.
The regimental chaplain visited the home back then, and, noting its
destitute condition, the Marines of the regiment took on the challenge
of helping to repair the facility and eventually raised money for and
built a new building for the home.
The tradition of taking care of the home has been carried on by the
artillerymen ever since. Btry. T, which is attached to 3rd Bn., 12th
Marines (3/12), as part of the Unit Deployment Program, is just the
latest group of Marines and Sailors to add their names to the list of
past visitors.
"The Marines are our friends," said Sister Giuseppina Zaninetti,
who
oversees the home.
"We enjoy the Marines' company. Although the children and the
Marines
don't always understand each other, they have a great time playing
together," Giuseppina added.
Approximately 25 children live at the home today. These children
range from preschool to junior high in age. The home is run by a group
of 16 Italian nuns. The atmosphere is that of a very large family where
all cooperate to make the home a better place to live.
The Marines and Sailors were in the area participating in the fifth
artillery relocation exercise at the nearby Camp Fuji training area.
Visiting the children was a break for the servicemembers after
having
just completed almost a month in the field. "The Marines and Sailors
get as much out of these visits as the children do," said Navy Lt. Karl
A. Linblad, chaplain 3/12. Most of the Marines are the farthest away
from home they have ever been explained the chaplain. "This is an
opportunity for them to go out and meet people from another country,"
said Linblad.
The children were given books and American flash cards by the
visiting
artillerymen. Sister Zaninetti served coffee and pastries as the
Marines looked through old photo albums of Marine visitors of the home.
They then went through the facility, though many of the children were
attending school, some of the younger children came outside to play with
the Marines. Plans were made for a future visit by 3/12, who is also
training at Camp Fuji, to visit the home and repair some bicycles and
perform general maintenance of the area.
After a couple of hours of playing catch and riding bicycles with
the
children the Marines loaded up the vans and headed back to Camp Fuji as
the children lined up along the driveway waving good-bye to their new
found friends. -USMC-

31ST MEU SETS SAIL FOR THAILAND
By Staff Sgt. Eric C. Tausch, 31st MEU
WHITE BEACH, OKINAWA, Japan (May 15) -- About 4,000 Marines and
Sailors departed here today for Thailand to participate in Exercise
Cobra Gold '98. The exercise will involve approximately 10,600
servicemembers from all four branches of the U.S. military and will
demonstrate the ability of those forces to deploy rapidly and conduct
training operations in conjuction with the hosting Thai armed forces.
This routine exercise is the largest strategic mobility exercise
involving U.S. Pacific Command Forces this year, and will demonstrate
U.S. resolve in maintaining security and stability in the region. In
addition to conducting operations with other U.S. forces, the deployment
will feature training operations involving about 6,250 servicemembers
from the Royal Thai Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
About 2,100 of the U.S. Marines and Sailors participating make up
the
Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), embarked aboard USS
Belleau Wood (LHA-3), USS Germantown (LSD-42) and USS Dubuque (LPD-8).
This marks their eleventh deployment cycle with Amphibious Squadron-11.
Of the Marine Corps? seven MEUs, the 31st MEU is the only one
permanently forward-deployed.
Composed of a command element, ground combat element, aviation
combat
element, and combat service support element, the 31st MEU, together with
Amphibious Squadron-11, is prepared to conduct operations across the
spectrum of conflict. Potential missions include noncombatant evacuation
operations, tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel,
humanitarian/civic assistance operations, amphibious raids, direct
action and security operations.
The 31st MEU deployed with a new ground combat element, Battalion
Landing Team 3/5, whose core infantry battalion is 3rd Battalion, 5th
Marines, from Camp Pendleton, Calif.
It also deployed with air assets from Marine Medium Helicopter
Squadron-262 (Reinforced), from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futemna,
Okinawa, reinforced with detachments from Marine Attack Squadron-311,
from MCAS Yuma, Ariz., and Marine Aircraft Group-36 detachments, from
MCAS Camp Pendleton and MCAS Tustin, Calif.
The MEU's combat service support comes from the standing MEU
Service
Support Group-31, based at Camp Kinser, Okinawa.
Participating U.S. forces will also include elements of the III
Marine
Expeditionary Force?s 3rd Force Service Support Group, 3rd Marine
Division, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, and 7th Communications Battalion; as
well as elements of U.S. Army Pacific; U.S. Pacific Air Forces; U.S.
Pacific Fleet; Special Operations Command Pacific; Air Mobility Command;
Military Sealift Command; and reserve units from the Army, Navy, Air
Force, and Marine Corps. -USMC-

LOCAL MARINES SET SAIL WITH LF CARAT
By Sgt. Raymond A. Szpara
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP S.D. BUTLER, Okinawa, Japan (May 15) --
Approximately 400 Marines from III Marine Expeditionary Force and the
3rd Marine Division will have the opportunity to showcase the capability
of the U.S. military and act as goodwill ambassadors during the fourth
annual Cooperation and Readiness Afloat Training (CARAT).
The exercise kicked off Tuesday to continue through August 5. CARAT
is a series of bilateral military training exercises between the United
States and various Southeast Asian countries.
"This exercise is our opportunity to show the world what it means
to
be Americans and United States Marines," said Lt. Col. Wade Yoffee,
commanding officer for the Marine element of Landing Force CARAT. "We
may be the only Americans that some of these people ever see. We need
to set an example and so far, the example has been met."
The Marines will be part of a force consisting of 1,700
servicemembers
whose objectives are to promote interoperability, build enduring
friendships between the armed forces of the U.S. and host nation
militaries, enhance regional stability, prosperity and security by
showcasing its operational readiness and capabilities while
demonstrating the United States commitment to the region. The Marines
will participate in live-fire exercises, amphibious assaults and medical
training.
According to Navy Capt. Frank Guest, commander of the U.S. Seventh
Fleet Task Group for CARAT 98, the training will offer benefits for
Sailors as well as the Marines involved.
"This is a good opportunity for them to operate in unfamiliar
terrain
and waters while working with other nations," Guest said. "We will gain
a whole range of benefits ranging from basic training and navigating in
unfamiliar waters to high speed drone training and helicopter training."
"The cruise will offer many mutually beneficial training
opportunities
while increasing interoperability between our militaries. This is our
opportunity to show our friends and allies that we feel they are
important," Yoffee said.
In addition to helping provide military training to the countries
visited, the United States will further show their concern by conducting
civil action projects including a medical civic action program in
Indonesia, the construction of an AIDS hospice in Thailand and the
construction of a mosque and a town meeting hall in Indonesia.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime great deal. We are all looking
forward
to this. It's an honor to be chosen for this great opportunity to
America and the Marine Corps," Yoffee said. -USMC-

CORPS LAUNCHES SECOND, IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE SURVEY
By PERSONNEL AND FAMILY READINESS DIVISION
QUANTICO, Va. (May 18) -- The second Marine Corps Quality of Life
Research Project is being launched this month. The study will provide
information about Marines perceptions of their jobs, family situations,
opportunities, fellow Marines, surroundings, and the various programs,
activities, and leisure pursuits which are open to them as members of
the Corps. The Marine Corps Recruiting Command will be included in the
study.
Since the original QOL Study was administered in 1993 to more than
10,000 Marines, $1 billion has been invested in quality of life
programs. The important information Marines provided enabled leaders to
focus funding where and when it would benefit Marines in the most
visible way. Most notably, the survey identified the investments needed
in barracks, fitness centers, and libraries.
The study is being conducted by the Navy Personnel Research and
Development Center. Planning and development has been a total Marine
Corps effort, involving extensive input from the Manpower Analysis and
Evaluation, Personnel and Family Readiness Division, Installation and
Logistics, Medical, and other agencies charged with maintaining quality
of life within the Marine Corps.
The necessity of attracting and retaining intelligent, motivated,
and
highly-trained Marines to operate complicated high tech equipment,
combined with the need to obtain effective mission results with
shrinking budget dollars, has made quality of life a critical issue for
the 1990s and into the new millennium.
These needs were made clear during the 1970s when the services
began
to examine the cost of recruiting and training new personnel to replace
experienced people leaving the armed forces. Not surprisingly, it was
discovered that it was more cost effective to retain skilled people than
to train replacements. This led to the research and development of
quality of life programs to assist in meeting retention and readiness
goals. Still, there was little systematic effort made to monitor quality
of life, and it was difficult to reach a consensus about how a member's
perception of life quality should or could be measured.
Because of the rising expectations of military members and their
families, and the continuing need to attract highly qualified
individuals, quality of life issues are likely to become increasingly
important in the next decade. The Marine Corps project is specifically
designed to provide data to measure, monitor, and predict the quality of
life needs of its members.
This research is expected to have a significant payoff for the
Marine
Corps as budget and force reductions combine to create a smaller Corps
whose mission will remain essentially unchanged. The assessment model
will allow commanders to selectively assign funds to programs likely to
have the greatest effect on increasing levels of life satisfaction,
resulting in significant cost savings, more efficient services, improved
motivation and personal readiness, improved performance and retention,
and ultimately improved quality of life for Marines and their families.
The survey, which will be administered to a random sampling of
active
duty Marines, will ask questions about residence, neighborhood, leisure
and recreation activities, health, marriage and intimate relationships,
relationships with children and other relatives, friends, income,
standard of living, work, and life as a whole.
This research and model is viewed as groundbreaking because it is
This research and model is viewed as groundbreaking because it is
the
first time that readiness has been statistically linked to an
individual's perception of quality of life. The data will be tracked
over time to provide a model for predicting future quality of life
perceptions and needs. -USMC-

U.S., THAI FORCES PREPARE TO KICK OFF COBRA GOLD '98
By 2ndLt. Jeffrey S. Pool
MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP S.D. BUTLER, Okinawa, Japan (May 15) --
The
Armed Forces of the United States and Thailand will conduct the 17th
Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand beginning Tuesday through June 2. Cobra
Gold is one of the largest exercises involving U.S. forces in the
Pacific Command this year.
Cobra Gold '98 is the latest in the continuing series of U.S.-Thai
military exercises designed to ensure regional peace through the U.S.
Pacific Command's strategy of cooperative engagement as well as
strengthen the ability of the Royal Thai Armed Forces to defend
Thailand.
As in all previous Cobra Gold exercises, this exercise will include
joint-combined land and air operations, combined naval operations,
amphibious operations and special operations. The exercise will also
provide constructive benefits to the people of Thailand through combined
Thai-U.S. medical and civil affairs projects in the kingdom.
Approximately 3,000 Marines will participate in Cobra Gold '98,
comprised of the command element of III Marine Expeditionary Force,
which will serve as the U.S.-Joint Task Force Headquarters. Other
operating forces will include elements of 3rd Force Service Support
Group, 3rd Marine Division, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and 3rd Reserve
Civil Affairs Group. In addition, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
will be embarked on the USS Belleau Wood Amphibious Assault Ship.
For more information about the upcoming Cobra Gold exercise, a
website
is available at www.iiimef.usmc.mil/cg98/cg98.htm.
-USMC-

DIVISION TAKES COMPETITION TO 'TOWN' FOR SUPER SQUAD '98
By Cpl. Brannen Parrish
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP S.D. BUTLER, Okinawa, Japan (May 8) -- It
all
began when the country of "Pug," a small, mountainous region located in
Southeast Asia, became engulfed in a civil war that threatened Americans
and American interests there. United Nations relief and charity
organizations working in the area came under attack by a group calling
themselves the New Peoples' Liberation Army (NPLA). To curb the threat
posed by the NPLA the United States sent Marines into the village of "Tu
Phat," the base of United Nations operations recently.
Upon locating the village, Marines were greeted by armed aggressors
posted throughout the town. After reconnoitering the perimeter, a squad
of Marines made its assault on enemy positions. Smoke grenades ignited,
and the sound of small arms fire echoed through the village.
Silhouettes moved quickly in and out of the buildings like apparitions
in a haunted ghost town seeking shelter in the shadows. When the smoke
cleared, the positions once held by NPLA were in the hands of Marines.
This scenario was not real-world, but it served as the backdrop to
one
of the many assaults and defenses Marines from 1st Battalion (Bn.), 3rd
Marines (1/3); 2nd Bn., 6th Marines; 1st Bn., 7th Marines; and 3rd Bn.,
3rd Marines, conducted in the Military Operations in Urban Terrain
(MOUT) facility and the landing zones here, as part of the 1998 3rd
Marine Division (MarDiv.) Super Squad Competition, which began April 25
and concluded May 1.
For six days, 13-man squads from each battalion made their way
through
more than 70 checkpoints conducting assaults, defenses, land navigation
and first aid along the way. Evaluators and controllers from Division
Schools and 4th Marines graded the squads on their planning, speed and
aggressiveness. "The purpose of the competition is to find out what
Marines are lacking throughout the division and correct it at this
level," said Staff Sgt. Cecil Goodloe, a coordinator with Division
Schools, 3rd MarDiv. "The competition is healthy. It brings out the
best in the Marines."
The Marines wear Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System
(MILES)
gear. The gear is connected to the weapons. When a Marine fires his
rifle, the MILES gear emits a laser. If it connects with the receptacle
on another Marine, a beeping sound notifies him that he has been hit.
When a Marine is injured, corpsmen must react immediately and are
evaluated on their treatment of the injured Marine. When a Marine is
killed or too injured to continue on his own, his comrades must carry
him. After he dies or receives treatment, he is reintroduced to the
game.
Threats never cease.
"We train like we fight -- hard," said Sgt. Michael Cannon, a squad
leader from Co. C, 1/3, after his squad conquered the MOUT facility.
"We train for these situations all the time. Going for days with little
or no sleep is nothing new to us. If you sleep in combat, you're going
to get shot. This is what it's all about. You get dirty. You don't
eat right. You don't sleep. It's a lot of fun."
"We made the course exciting and challenging," said Master Sgt.
Michael Z. Brown, director of Division Schools, 3rd MarDiv. "This is
going to be a learning experience for the Marines. They're checked on
every facet of infantry skills. By separating the squad from the larger
units, every Marine is tested. There is no way for him to hide, slip or
slide and go unnoticed."
Brown said although the course is challenging, it could be improved
by
moving it to the Jungle Warfare Training Center (JWTC).
"The terrain and location make the JWTC an excellent place for the
Super Squad Competition," said Brown. "There aren't any distractions up
there. It would really test the Marines."
The squad that won the competition was 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, from
Co. C, 1/3. Winners from various Marine divisions will be guests of
honor at the ceremonial Sunset Parade at Marine Barracks, 8th and I, in
Washington in August. -USMC-

CHERRY POINT MARINES GIVE LOCAL REPORTER TASTE OF MARINE LIFE
By SSgt. Kristine Wilbanks
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT N.C. (May 15) -- Marines
from
Crash, Fire and Rescue got the chance to "strut their stuff" for a local
television news crew who was here recently to spend a day with the
Marines.
Shaniqua Manning, WCTI Channel 12 news anchor, and Jason Roscoe,
cameraman, spent the day with the CFR Marines to film a feature in the
news station's week-long series "We do what you do."
"When I got the assignment to do this, I picked the Marine Corps,"
Manning said of her decision to do the piece. "I was really curious and
the Marines are such a large part of the community here in Eastern North
Carolina."
Manning was quickly introduced to life on the air station as she
was
issued a flight suit and safety boots and was told to get ready for an
early-morning FOD walk.
"FOD walk?" she asked, puzzled by the vernacular commonly used
among
the flightline Marines. She was given an explanation of the weekly
Foreign Object Damage walk by SSgt. Jonathon Rushton, CFR section
leader, who explained that "FOD" is something found along the flightline
that could potentially cause damage to an aircraft.
Enthusiastic about not only being able to help keep Cherry Point
aircraft and pilots safe, but also being a part of the action, Manning
quickly got on line and scoured the ground for hazards.
The next order of business for Manning brought yet another acronym
to
her growing familiarization with Marine life -- PM. Preventive
maintenance of the CFR trucks and equipment is daily occurrence for the
Marines, but for Manning, getting dirty under the P-19 fire truck was a
new experience.
"I've never really done anything like that before," she said of
what
some might consider a mundane task. However, she continued to help
check the on-board life saving equipment used by the CFR Marines.
Manning next helped PFC Lamar Howell and Lance Cpl. Rodney Rivers
perform a "wet check" of P-19. Using a hand line nozzle and hose
attached to the fire truck, she practiced extinguishing a fire.
After her experience on the hose, Manning donned her tennis shoes
for
some old-fashioned Marine Corps physical training. The reporter made
her way through the "daily-seven," before beginning a short run.
Carrying the CFR guidon, Manning led the formation for more than half of
the run.
"I knew I wasn't that fit, but I thought I was in shape," Manning
said. "I never knew you had to be so in shape to be a Marine. The sad
part about it is that the crash crew folks were taking it easy on me. I
was ready to keel over."
Eager to have the whole experience of being a Marine, Manning
visited
the mess hall for lunch. Although she received puzzled looks from
Marines and employees who seemed to be saying to themselves, "I know her
from somewhere," the TV news personality interviewed Marines during the
noon-time break.
"The mess hall was not what I had expected. I had always heard
rumors
about military food, but it was great. The mess hall was like a
restaurant."
Before she was able to leave the facility and dressed in the flight
suit issued to her, Manning was approached by a master sergeant who
asked why she was wearing earrings in "uniform." The on-the-spot
discipline by a staff noncommissioned officer surprised Manning, who
didn't seem to understand why she was being questioned.
"It's just a part of being a Marine," another SNCO explained.
"Discipline is everyone's responsibility, even if the Marine doesn't
work for you."
"That kind of correction just reinforced to me that the small
things
are important," Manning said.
With a greater appreciation for the discipline required to be a
Marine, Manning was eager to begin the second half of her day with CFR.
This was the part she said she was looking forward to all day -- the
chance to battle a fire.
Sgt. Daniel Sable gave Manning an in-depth class on the Self
Contained
Breathing Apparatus, a back pack-like oxygen bottle and face mask system
used by firefighters to ensure they have adequate air to breathe while
fighting fires. She was also given a set of proximity gear, a silver
suit that is designed protect firefighters and reflect the heat of the
fire.
After a last-minute pep talk, Manning readied herself to fight the
training fire. Led by experienced CFR Marines, she assumed the role as
the number three person on the hose, meaning she was the third person in
line from the nozzle. Within minutes, the 2,000 degree fire was out.
"That was the most awesome experience I've ever had," Manning said.
"I was a little nervous at first because I've never been in a fire
before and didn't know what to expect. Once I got in (the pit) I felt
safe. It was amazing to see how the CFR Marines worked together. It
was all about team work."
Manning said she now has a greater understanding and appreciation
for
what it takes to be a Marine. "Just to know that you're doing something
that is so important ... what an amazing feeling," she said. "I'm so
grateful to CFR for putting up with me and giving me the opportunity to
experience and take part in their work day." -USMC-

LEADERSHIP TRADEMARKS HELD FIRMLY BY SERGEANT
By LCpl. Jason Angel
MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, Calif. (May 15) --
The
annals of Marine Corps history are filled with stories of Leathernecks
who arose from humble beginnings to assume great courage and
responsibilities when duty called. While they came from every walk of
life, they all shared one common characteristic -- they looked out for
their Marines.
The Marine Corps has a word for this caliber of warrior -- leader.
Leaders get the ball rolling and ensure the mission is
accomplished.
They never allow their Marines to fall by the way side, and are willing
to help Marines regardless of the task at hand. Their ingenuity are the
flames that spark the "dragon of change" many Marines are unwilling to
ride. They are the Marine Corps.
One Marine doing his part is Sgt. Christopher M. Tressler, a combat
engineer with Camp Pendleton's 7th Engineer Bn. As a noncommissioned
officer with 7th Engineers, Tressler ensures his Marines are taken care
of, yet he never lets them slack on a job. He's what many would call a
Marine's Marine, one who leads by example and is not afraid to get down
and dirty with them. He is the epitome of the word leader.
Born in Kelso, Wash., Tressler recalls having a strong family
background.
"My parents were heavy on education and my school work," Tressler
said. He excelled in high school. The 5-foot-10-inch, 185 pound Marine
also excelled in sports, making All-Conference in his senior year of
high school. This was also the year that Tressler decided to join the
Marine Corps.
"My dad was a firefighter and many of his friends were policemen,"
Tressler said. "Even my neighbor was a state trooper." This state
trooper would be the catalyst that would encourage him to join the
"world's most elite fighting force."
"When I was younger, the state trooper would take me on routine
street
rides," he recalled. "One day we were talking and he brought the Marine
Corps to my attention. I really hadn't thought about the military that
much, but I decided I'd give it a shot."
On Dec. 27, 1994, the brown-haired, light blue-eyed 19-year-old
joined
the Marine Corps.
"It was kind of hard going from being with my family to standing on
the yellow footprints," he recalled. Still, Tressler successfully made
it through boot camp and MCT, and was sent to Camp Pendleton where he
was attached to 7th Engineer's Bn.
"They really took me under their wing," said Tressler of the 7th
Engineer Marines. He especially recalls the NCO leadership he received.
"They always gave us guidance and taught us to always do our best,"
Tressler said. "Our platoon was really tight."
In September 1995, Tressler picked up lance corporal. He would
later
go on to pick up corporal and sergeant meritoriously.
NCO leadership was the reason for the promotions, according to
Tressler. "They just put so much knowledge and discipline into us as
lance corporals," he recalls. As an NCO, Tressler continues to pass on
the same knowledge and discipline that was passed to him.
"I just want to give back to them all the things that I was taught
as
a PFC and lance corporal," Tressler said.
And he has been, according to LCpl. Paul M. Swann.
"He taught me to look out for my Marines," said the 20-year-old
Cincinnati native and engineer with "C" Co, 7th Engineer Bn. "He's never
too good for us, and if need be he'll get down in the trenches with us.
He's an outstanding leader."
Tressler's future goals are re-enlisting into Marine Security
Forces
and joining the Washington State Patrol.
"The Marine Corps helped me to grow up and stand on my own two
feet,"
Tressler said. "I want to do the same thing for other people, especially
misguided juveniles."
"Sgt. Tressler is a very smart and conscientious Marine who gets
the
job done," said Capt. William J. Bowers, Combat Service Support
Detachment-17 executive officer. "He's the type of Marine every
commander wants in his company." -USMC-

FROM PHILIPPINES TO AMERICA, MARINE CONTINUES DREAMS
By LCpl. Eric Furniss
MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, Calif. (May 15) --
"Messiah,
come enlighten these recruits how to do some flutter kicks," a drill
instructor with Plt. 1149, "D" Co., 1st Bn., MCRD Parris Island
commanded. His orders were directed to LCpl. Lennard Urgena Misajon, now
an administrative clerk with "A" Co., Headquarters Bn.
Misajon's drill instructor wasn't mocking his name, he just
couldn't
pronounce it. However, he wasn't far off with the biblical term. The
20-year-old Philippines-born Marine was assigned as the Chaplains'
Assistant with the Religious Ministries Directorate upon arrival aboard
MCAGCC.
Misajon has played a major role in getting the Village Center off
the
ground, according to RPC (SW/FMF) Joseph Price, leading chief petty
officer at RMD.
"I've been with the Marine Corps 10 years," Price said.
"[Misajon's]
one of the best Marines I've been associated with. For a 20-year-old
kid, all he's done for the Village Center is just outstanding."
Perhaps Misajon's upbringing in an other-than-ordinary environment
has
something to do with his other-than-ordinary proficiency.
Misajon was born in Manila, Philippines, on Nov. 5, 1977. He lived
in
the Philippines until the age of 10.
"As far back as I can remember, I lived on a university campus
where
my parents worked," Misajon recalled. "I had eight classes a day, and
you had to speak English in six of them or the teacher wouldn't talk to
you."
The only classes he didn't have to speak English in were history
and
Tagalog, the native language of Filipinos.
Misajon said the Philippines isn't much different from America.
"They
have everything over there in a lesser scale," he said. "Everything
over here is so much bigger."
He first placed his feet on American soil in July 1988 in San
Francisco.
"It was really foggy," Misajon said. "I remember we went to the
Golden Gate Bridge, but we couldn't see it. San Francisco was so
diverse. It made me feel like a small fish in a big pond."
The small fish, however, knew others in the pond: he already had
family in San Diego; San Jose; Connecticut; Maryland and New York. From
San Francisco, Misajon, his parents and two sisters moved to Queens, a
New York City borough, to live with family for a month.
"It was overwhelming," Misajon said. "There are so many people,
and
so many tall buildings."
Misajon and his family didn't stray too far from New York to settle
down. He spent his first year in an American school in East Orange,
N.J., not far from Newark. Misajon and his two sisters, Minelli and
Lillie, were the only Asian students in the elementary school. It took
him two years to fit in, when he began middle school in Bloomfield, N.J.
Misajon remembers feeling "Americanized" by the time he graduated
high
school. Part of that "Americanization" was thinking of the U.S.
military as an option.
"About the middle of my senior year I wasn't sure what I wanted to
do," Misajon said. "I was thinking about the future. I weighed up my
options, and the Marine Corps was one of them. I got a call from a
recruiter named Sgt. Hall in Montclair, N.J. He asked me, 'what are the
most important things to you?' Then he started playing with those
magnets on his desk. I picked challenge as number one."
Boot camp was physically and mentally challenging, according to
Misajon. He overcame those challenges and earned the respect of his
peers and superiors.
Misajon is moving on from RMD, but staying aboard the Combat
Center.
PFC Mercy Lozano, from East Los Angeles, is currently taking over as the
Chaplains' Assistant.
"His shoes are going to be hard to fill," Price said. "He does a
lot
around here. He's our computer guru. He's revamped all our files to
Marine Corps standards."
Misajon plans to visit his homeland in August.
"The majority of my famliy, like 80 or 90 percent, live there,"
Misajon said. He's returning to visit, but also to become godfather to
a recent addition to the family. "Filipinos in general are very family
oriented."
One of several funny moments Misajon recalled is a time when his
family bought a pet monkey on the side of the road for 100 pesos. He
said his family's uncommon pet selection isn't exactly common in the
Philippines.
"We were just weirdos who happened to have goats, chickens and a
monkey for pets," Misajon said.
Humor is definitely a part of Misajon's life. His future plans
are:
To be happy, well off, have 2.5 kids and a dog.
-USMC-

LIEUTENANT GENERAL VICTOR "BRUTE" KRULAK HONORED FOR ACQUISITION
INNOVATION By Maj. Elizabeth A. Arends, HQMC
WASHINGTON (May 13) -- Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Victor H. "Brute"
Krulak was inducted today into "The Department of the Navy Acquisition
Hall of Fame" as a 1998 Acquisition Pioneer. Citing his dedication and
determination in the face of daunting bureaucracy, Krulak was honored
for breaking through a deadlocked process to develop the amphibious
assault craft which eventually spelled victory for American forces in
the Pacific War.
In 1937, the Marine Corps was grappling with the dilemma of how to
transport Marines from ship to shore during an amphibious assault.
Krulak, then serving in Shanghai, heard the Japanese were developing
amphibious doctrine and equipment. Using a borrowed tug boat, he
maneuvered in the midst of an actual Japanese landing and photographed a
boat with a square bow ramp that could be dropped onto the shore
allowing men and vehicles to disembark directly onto the beach. These
photographs and an accompanying report were forwarded to Washington for
review. In actuality, they were filed away with a marginal note, "the
work of some nut out in China."
Krulak returned from China in 1939 and retrieved his report,
constructed a model of this new kind of craft, and presented them to
then Brig. Gen. Holland M. "Howling Mad" Smith. Smith dispatched the
young Krulak to Andrew Higgins, a boat maker in New Orleans. In just
three days and working without plans, Krulak and Higgins fitted an
existing boat with a ramped bow and created the LCVP (Landing Craft,
Vehicle and Personnel), more commonly know as the "Mike" boat."
Eventually 20,000 Mike boats were built as a result of Krulak's
perseverance. According to Smith, who would go on to command all the
Marine forces in the Pacific in World War II, "(the design) contributed
more to our common victory than any other piece of equipment in the
war."
General Krulak went on to serve in World War II, Korea, and
Vietnam.
Upon retiring from the Marine Corps, he became vice president of La
Jolla-based Copley Newspaper Corporation and president of it's
newservice. Today, he resides in San Diego with his wife Amy.
"Lieutenant General Krulak had unrelenting determination to know
what
his Marine Corps needed and see it through," said Secretary of the Navy
John H. Dalton, as he talked of Krulak's achievement.
"In his own right, a great warrior," commented the John W. Douglas,
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and
Acquisition, reflecting on the importance of Krulak's contribution. "He
took his warrior spirit and turned it inward . . . he allowed us to win
the war in the Pacific."
General Charles C. Krulak, Commandant of the Marine Corps, accepted
the award on behalf of his father. -USMC-

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