AL-ASAD, Iraq (July 10, 2008) – “I am an (noncommissioned officer) dedicated to training new Marines and influencing the old,” is the first line of the NCO creed which was recited by a class of eight corporals from Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 1st Marine Logistics Group, during their Corporals’ Leadership Course graduation here.
Throughout this two-week course, Marines learned to drill and call cadence. They were given classes on Marine Corps knowledge, customs and courtesies and necessary leadership traits to help them lead their Marines.
“It’s been a tremendous change from day one,” said Sgt. Arturo Garciacano, instructor, Supply Company, CLB-6. “We try to get these Marines to better understand what it means to be an NCO.”
Garciacano, from Aurora, Ill., said he wants the corporals to learn that they are no longer just troops, they are leaders of Marines.
“What we teach them here is only the basics,” Garciacano said. “We are giving them the tools to take back to their shop and lead their Marines.”
Gunnery Sgt. Claudia A. Fuller, company gunnery sergeant, Headquarters and Service Company, CLB-6, believes that the role of the corporal is to run the shop.
As the corporals attend the CLC, they will better prepare themselves for the rest of their Marine Corps career.
“They need to build on their leadership skills,” said Fuller, from Santa Ana, Calif. “It’s important they understand the rank they hold.”
The Marines attain those vital skills needed to lead their subordinates by attending the CLC.
“Know your job and act like the rank above you,” said Gunnery Sgt. Vincent F. Woodbury, training chief, CLB-6, as he spoke to the corporals during the course. “Do anything you can to stay ahead of your peers.”
Cpl. Roland W. Reedy, ammunition technician, H&S Co., CLB-6, took advantage of the opportunity to better himself by attending the CLC.
“This was something that I have wanted to do since I have been out here,” said Reedy, from Reed City, Mich. “This course teaches you how to apply some of the things you already knew.”
Reedy said he learned better ways to deal with Marines and how to adjust his leadership style to be more effective.
“This course built up my confidence in speaking in front of a large group of people,” Reedy added.
Sgt. Tresor Mbunker, a CLC instructor, CLB-6, was also pleased with the improvements the corporals made throughout the course.
“Their performance was outstanding during the course,” said Mbunker, from Dallas, Ga. “Any corporal that is coming out (to Iraq) should go to this course. It’s a unique opportunity.”
RRP MILWAUKEE, Iraq (July 4, 2008) – Marines from 1st Platoon, Transportation Support Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 1st Marine Logistics Group, made a special Independence Day combat logistics patrol to Marines at Refuel and Resupply Point Milwaukee.
This tactical-vehicle convoy delivered 20 thousand gallons of fuel, 20 pallets of food supplies, 40 pallets of water, mail, oil and Light Armored Vehicles parts to the Marines.
1st Lt. Justin A. Hooker, executive officer, TS Co., CLB-6, said this will give them a chance to flex the Motor Transportation muscle they have.
“The only way to get supplies out there is by ground or air,” said Hooker, from Winston-Salem, N.C. “Without these supplies, they wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
Resupplying the Marines at the RRP Milwaukee was something 1st Plt. had no regrets doing during the Independence Day holiday.
“I have had the past 18 years to have the 4th of July all to myself,” said Lance Cpl. Kory C. Frens, Logistics Vehicle System operator, TS Co., CLB-6. “Being out here gives me a better understanding of why this holiday is important.”
Frens, from Hesperia, Mich., said it doesn’t bother him delivering supplies on this special day, so people back in the U.S. can enjoy the freedoms they have. He said service members are all doing their part in the effort out here in Iraq.
“If I were back in the states, I would be watching fireworks with my family and hanging out with my girlfriend,” said Sgt. Gerhard C. Otero, gunner, TS Co., CLB-6. “Instead, we are out here doing our part.”
“I feel good about myself and what we are doing out here,” said Otero, from Miami, Fla. “It’s a good experience that I am glad to have had. Somebody has to do it.”
As the Marines of 1st Plt. spent the holiday away from their families, they continued to push forward to fight for the freedom their families enjoy.
“I’m here for a reason and I am doing my part to accomplish the mission,” concluded Otero. “Out of all my experiences as a Marine, I don’t have any regrets of what I have done in the Corps.”
AL-ASAD, Iraq (July 2, 2008) – A partnership formed here in April between Marines and Iraqi Soldiers, is thriving stronger than ever.
This partnership between the Intermediate Maintenance Activity section, Maintenance Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 1st Marine Logistics Group and Soldiers with Maintenance Company, 7th Iraqi Army Division, is designed to teach Iraqi Soldiers how to become more proficient mechanics for their vehicles.
The IA has recently received several humvees they are being trained to operate and repair. The ultimate goal with the training program is for the Iraqi Soldiers to be self sufficient and know as much as the Marines do about the vehicles.
Warrant Officer Todd D. Klink, officer in charge, Maintenance Co., CLB-6, has been furthering the partnership by visiting Camp Majed (an IA camp inside Camp Al-Asad). Klink and his Iraqi counterpart, Warrant Officer Ali Hamid Ibrahim, head of maintenance, Maintenance Co., 7th IA Div., discuss what repairs their vehicles need.
The IA takes their vehicles to CLB-6’s maintenance lot for repairs where the Marines assist the Iraqis with repairs.
“We teach them how to troubleshoot problems and assist them in repairing their vehicles,” Klink said. “My mechanics don’t do any of the repairs whatsoever.”
Klink said this hands-on training is more effective than just reading from a book or manual.
“I learned by getting out on the truck,” Klink said. By putting the Iraqi Soldiers through the same training, it gives the two groups a mutual experience they both share.
Ali and his Soldiers appreciate the relationship they have with their Marine counterparts and the direct approach to learning how to repair their machines.
“That is one of the most important things for us to do,” Ali said. “To work with the Marines and learn from them.”
Marines with IMA have accomplished a lot during the partnership. Transmissions, differentials, flywheels and power steering pumps are just a few of the many repairs that Marines have assisted the Soldiers with.
“That is the best way to learn anything, to just do it,” said Lance Cpl. Michael D. Herring, mechanic, Maintenance Co., CLB-6.
Herring, from Fairfax, Va., said it has been a new experience using an interpreter to communicate with the IA. But even with the language barrier, the mechanics are all the same.
“We hope to keep this relationship with the IA,” said Sgt. Christopher L. Vanhoose, from Louisa, Ky., maintenance chief, IMA, Maintenance Co., CBL-6. “They are all great guys just trying to learn something new.”
Pfc. Balal Qdoray Asood, mechanic, Maintenance Co., 7th IA Division, is one of the Iraqi Soldiers working with IMA Marines.
“When I was a civilian, I was a driver,” said Asood, from Baghdad. “I used to know how to do some things on trucks, but here we get to perfect our skills.”
Asood said the Soldiers love to work as a team, to share the knowledge that both services have.
The experience the Iraqi Soldiers gain will save them valuable time when one of their vehicles needs to be repaired.
“Before, when a vehicle was down, it would have to sit in my shop for two-to-four weeks,” Ali said. “We would have to send it out for repairs if we didn’t have the tools. Now, we can fix our trucks within a week.”
As the partnership continues, Iraqi Soldiers will continue to learn new skills from the Marines they have learned to trust.
AL-ASAD, Iraq (June 25, 2008) – Combat Logistics Battalion 6’s top leaders visited seven of the locations across al-Anbar province that they support for Multi-National Force-West, June 25-27.
The purpose of the various visits was to meet face-to-face with CLB-6 Marines and see the progress made on numerous construction projects in the area. The battalion commander and battalion sergeant major visited with the troops and checked the serviceability of equipment vital to mission accomplishment. The visit included stops at Forward Operating Base Korean Village, al-Qaim, Haditha Dam and Combat Outposts Gannon, Tripoli, Rawah and Anah.
During the convoy’s stop at COP Gannon, CLB-6 engineers prepared the ground for the new, and much larger, location for a Future Operations facility.
“This is a perfect example of how engineers take a piece of ground and transform it,” said Lt. Col. David J. Eskelund, battalion commander, CLB-6, 1st Marine Logistics Group.
The new site (next to the original COP) will be twice the original size, according to Warrant Officer David D. Clerk, support platoon commander, Engineer Company, CLB-6. Engineers with 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 22nd Naval Construction Regiment, will be building the Southwest Asia huts for service members to use as living quarters and common areas.
“It doesn’t matter what unit is out here,” said Sgt. Maj. Wayne O. Gallman, battalion sergeant major, CBL-6. “We will support them.”
During the stop at COP Rawah, Eskelund and Gallman spoke with Marines at the chow hall and inspected the new medical facilities that were completed a few weeks ago.
“Due to the increasing size of the COP, the medical facilities needed to expand,” explained Eskelund. “This will provide better sanitary working conditions for the medical personnel.”
CLB-6 Marines at Haditha Dam are doing their part by running the exchange, postal, disbursing and the chow hall for the service members there. The purification of drinking water is another vital role that CLB-6 accomplishes at the dam.
Providing security throughout the convoy was Security Company, CLB-6. This company is comprised of Marines from an array of occupations stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.
“We have been doing these kinds of escorts a lot this deployment,” said Lance Cpl. Jeff Stromberg, driver, Security Co., CLB-6. “The battalion CO likes to get out and see first hand what his sections are doing.”
Gallman explained that it’s important as leaders to get out and see all the Marines in the battalion, wherever they are.
“You can’t have leadership from behind the desk,” continued Gallman.
Prior to the deployment, CLB-6 had only three months to assemble the Marines they needed.
“It’s unbelievable the things these Marines are doing,” Gallman said. “I’m definitely impressed. That gives you a snapshot of the caliber of Marines we have out there.”
AL-ASAD, Iraq – The chilled supplies provided the Marines a welcome break from the blistering Iraqi sun. Loading bags of ice, the Marines worked under the cover of the cool night to pack the supplies needed.
The ice, along with other supplies, was being loaded by the Marines of Air Delivery section, Landing Support Platoon, Transportation Support Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 1st Marine Logistics Group, as part of a re-supply mission to Rest and Re-supply Point Milwaukee. It also helps ensure the safety of those involved.
“By dropping these supplies out of the plane, it takes vehicles off the road,” said Sgt. David S. Cascio, mission commander, AD section.
During the three drops throughout the night, classes I through IX supplies were delivered. These supplies include anything from food and water, to fuel and building materials. This particular load had ice, Gatorade, food and batteries for the Marines on the ground.
“We had the opportunity to meet the Marines we were dropping supplies to,” said Cpl. Josiah S. Selby, air delivery specialist, with LS Platoon. “They were thankful for all our hard work,” said Selby, from Ellicott City, Md.
Selby was one of the many Marines that worked to get supplies loaded and rigged with parachutes, ensuring them a safe drop to the Marines in need.
Once it was loaded onto the C-130 Hercules aircraft, it was in the capable hands of the Marines of Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, 3rd Marine Aircraft Group, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, to take it the rest of the way.
The joint effort of both groups provided supplies to make life a little easier for the Marines at Milwaukee.
