Mom. Marine. Survivor.

Gunnery Sgt. Barbara Brown in Afghanistan prior to her diagnosis.

Gunnery Sgt. Barbra Brown joined the Marine Corps in 1994. She spent the next 16 years dedicating her life to her family and the Corps. What she didn’t know was those experiences were preparing her to face the biggest challenge of her life.

In February 2011, Brown, an aircraft maintenance administration specialist from Jermyn, Penn., made a life-changing discovery.

“The lump started out small and within a short time frame, it grew from the size of a grape to about the size of a lemon,” said Brown. “There were about three lymph nodes that were also swollen under my left arm. At that point, I was more than concerned that something was wrong – I was sure.”

Brown was medically evacuated from Kandahar, Afghanistan to Germany, where medical personnel had the equipment to conduct a mammogram and a core needle biopsy.

“When I initially found out that I had to leave my Marines, I was more distraught with that than the cancer,” said Brown. “I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving them. I felt like I let them down and abandoned them.”

The single mom, used to putting her own needs aside to ensure the wellbeing of others, now had a new mission, to survive for her son.

“I was mostly worried about the outcome,” she said. “All I wanted was to be able to see him graduate high school. At that point, I know he will be able to stand on his own and not depend on me.”

Once the biopsy confirmed that it was cancer, Brown was immediately sent to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., to undergo further tests and scans. Despite her situation, the Marine refused to let cancer get the best of her.

She began four months of chemotherapy in March 2011; then went on to have a bilateral mastectomy , the removal of both breasts, and 11 lymph nodes removed from her left arm in August.  During the six weeks of radiation that followed, Brown, an avid runner, completed the Marine Corps Marathon.

“I started doing marathons seven years ago, on my 30th birthday,” she said. “During treatment, I decided to continue running because it was the only thing I could control in my life. The doctors and cancer dictated everything else.”

Although it took her more than seven hours to complete the 26.2-mile trek, and she came in last of 30,000 participants, Brown refused to give up.

“My body is constantly giving up, but in my mind, I could never quit. It is not in my nature to give up; I need to finish what I start no matter how much time it takes or how difficult it is.”

In January 2012, Brown had her ovaries removed to prevent ovarian cancer from developing.

“Although the cancer has taken my breasts and my ovaries, I still feel feminine,” said Brown. “My body didn’t betray me. Once I knew it was cancer, my breasts became alien to me. I wanted them removed immediately.”

Coping with the loss of one of the most prominent signs of womanhood hasn’t been easy for Brown.

“I am not sure if I have completely coped with it,” she said. “It is different to not look like a typical woman, but I don’t feel like any less of a woman.

“It becomes more visible when I have to dress up or put on my uniforms,” she added. “All my uniforms are tailored for the old me. I have to adjust my whole closet now to conform to the new me.”

Although very uncomfortable, Brown chooses to wear breast prosthesis in uniform since the shirts are pleated.

After her sister’s diagnosis, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Tammy Perkins was tested or the Breast Cancer Gene (BRCA2) that predisposes an individual to breast and ovarian cancer.
Perkins received a positive result and chose to undergo the recommended preventative surgeries to reduce her chances of getting breast or ovarian cancer.

Brown accepts the challenges life throws her way in true Marine fashion.

“You have to have a sick sense of humor to deal with certain things that come with cancer,” she said. “I don’t feel very brave and strong. I have been doing whatever I need to do in order to beat this. I think that is why I might look strong. It is important not to stress out or be negative. There is nothing I can do about the cancer so I might as well make the best of it.”

“In a way, her cancer diagnosis saved my life.”

Brown’s diagnosis was not only disbelief for her, but her family as well.

“My initial reaction was shock,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Tammy Perkins, Brown’s younger sister, an ordnance maintenance officer at Ordnance Maintenance Section, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. “Why her?  She was a marathon runner and very healthy.  How could this happen to her?”

The sisters, who joined the Corps two months apart, tried to be stationed near each other as much as possible throughout their service.

“When she was first diagnosed, I was stationed in Okinawa,” said Perkins. “The hardest part was not being able to be there for her in Maryland. It’s difficult when I think about what (my sister) has been through.

“Sometimes I wonder, why not me?” she added.  “In a way, her cancer diagnosis saved my life.”

After Brown was diagnosed, Perkins and their sister Brenda were tested for the Breast Cancer Gene (BRCA2) that predisposes an individual to breast and ovarian cancer.

Perkins received a positive result and chose to undergo the recommended preventative surgeries and remove her breasts and ovaries to reduce her chances of getting breast or ovarian cancer. Brenda, like other women in their high-risk category, opted to undergo screening every six months.

Today, Brown continues to deal with pain, numbness in her hands and feet, fatigue, weakness, hot flashes, depression, anxiety and insomnia. She also struggles with the fear of recurrence and her early departure from Afghanistan.

“I still haven’t been able to unpack my bags,” she said.  “All of my stuff from Afghanistan including my uniform and boots remain untouched. Cancer has only been in my life for the last year. The Marines have been my life for 18 years. Dealing with the Marine part is harder than any treatment I have been through.”

Brown  is on a daily hormone therapy for the next five to 10 years to mitigate the risk of recurrence. She receives physical therapy twice a week to get her muscle strength back in her left arm, and she also has to pump lymphatic fluid out of her arm daily.

“Most times I don’t have the energy to train; I often have to force myself to get out of bed, and if I can’t run, I walk.”

As Brown recovers, she’s determined to keep her son’s life as normal as possible. He was living with his aunt while Brown was deployed and remained in Okinawa until the school year was over.

“I waited until June to explain to him what I was going through,” said Brown. “He was in Japan so it was easy to hide my treatments and my bald head.”

Since their reunion, Brown has tried to find a balance between her treatments and responsibilities at home.

“Having my son around isn’t always as easy as it seems,” she said. “But he does take my mind off a lot of things. I want to ensure that my cancer experience aren’t his only childhood memories.”

In September, Brown participated in the Young Survival Coalition’s Tour de Pink from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. It was her first cycling event and the longest ride she’s completed. “I am proud to be a survivor participating with other survivors,” she said. “It is important for me to let other young women know that it can happen to them and it is often very aggressive.”

While preparing for the MCM, Brown was introduced to Genna Giammatteo, the director of the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, an athletic-focused program that strives to bring hope, inspiration and the joys of achievement to people with disabilities.

She joined the team and began participating in races with other wounded warriors across the U.S.“I could never give up when there are single, double and triple amputees right along side of me completing marathons,” said Brown. “Being around my fellow wounded warriors has motivated me to keep moving forward in my recovery.”

Be it with the team or individually, Brown sets personal goals to participate in races frequently to stay positive.“Running and riding have given me an outlet to express myself, remain active, gain control and feel a great sense of accomplishment,” she said. “It makes me feel like I have my life back, which in turn gives me strength.”

Brown’s perseverance is no surprise to Marines she has worked with throughout her career.

“It surprised me how passionate she was about marathons when I met her before she was diagnosed,” said Sgt. Michael Lopez, a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, who was deployed with Brown and has known her for more than two years.. “Now I’m in disbelief because (despite her condition) she has participated in every run she could enter.”Lopez said he’s learned a lot from observing how Brown lives her life.“Circumstance has nothing to do with attitude,” said Lopez. “She handled cancer with a stoic approach and let the rest of herself continue enjoying life and leading by example.”

With her Marines, mother and sisters by her side, the young mom said she also looks forward to participating in more sporting events with her son as he gets older. The 10-year-old recently ran a 5-mile event with her in Central Park in New York City.

“I am not ready to die. Yet each day, I have to plan my life as well as my death,” said Brown. “The difficult part is trying to get back to the person, Marine and mother I was before; and knowing that person doesn’t exist anymore.

“I have a new life and a new normal that I have to accept and adjust to it accordingly. Every day is a challenge.”

An Aviation Boatswains Mate maneuvers BF-04 (front), a variant of the Joint Strike Fighter F-35B Lighting II, after a vertical landing, as BF-02 (back), the other variant, approaches the flight deck for landing on the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp Oct. 15, 2011. The F-35 B was designed to perform STOs and Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing operations on STOVL capable ships and austere airfields. For the Marine Corps, the F-35B will provide air power for the Marine Air Ground Task Force (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tommy Lamkin)

Hometown: Pittston, Penn.

Commissioned in the Corps: May 1998

MOS: 7518 F-35 Pilot

Why did you join the Marine Corps?

I was extremely impressed with the caliber of the Marine Officers and staff noncommissioned officers I interacted with as a midshipman at the Naval Academy.  I also believed that as an institution the Marine Corps had it right from the Marine Air Ground Task Force concept to the warfighting ethos, and I wanted to be a part of that group.

How long have you been flying? 

Since August 1999 – approaching 13 years.

How does flying the F-35B Lightning II compare to other jets flown?

The F-35 is incredibly easy to fly which is a testament to the personnel who conceived and built the flight control system.  The F-35B in STOVL mode is unmatched in stability and raw power.  There are two primary benefits to this level of stability.  The obvious one is safety.  The aircraft does everything it can to protect the pilot and itself from exceeding an aerodynamic or structural limit.  The second benefit is that the less a pilot needs to concentrate on basic stick and rudder skills, the more he/she can devote to fighting the aircraft and fulfilling the MAGTF commander’s intent.

Maj. Richard Rusnok, F-35 test pilot, prepares for take off from the USS Wasp. Rusnok, who has been flying for nearly 13 years, finds the F-35 incredibly easy to fly. (Photo by Michael D. Jackson)

How did you become a test pilot? 

I attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River in 2009.  All military developmental test pilots must attend either that school, the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, or an accredited foreign military test pilot school.  One of the primary reasons that I became a test pilot was that I wanted to ensure that the next generation of Marines have the best TACAIR platform that this nation could develop.

Why do you think the F-35B is better for the Marine Corps than other models like the F-35A?

The F-35B offers incredible basing flexibility to the Marine Corps – from ships at sea, to small forward operating bases, to main air bases.  Most importantly, the three variants of the F-35 share the same mission systems components and software.  In conventional flight, the three variants have essentially the same flight characteristics with some minor exceptions.  The cockpits are virtually identical and there are only a few things that would clue you off that you are in one variant or the other if you did not already know.  The transition between different variants is pretty seamless.  Because of this similarity, the three services flying this jet are already working to develop common tactics which will only benefit the MAGTF and the joint commander in the long run.

Did you have any doubts on the success of the project?

No.  That is not to say that we have not had stumbles along the way.  Our aircraft are continually being upgraded with new hardware and software to test the fixes to the problems that are uncovered during testing.  This is what developmental test is all about.  That being said, our sortie and reliability rates continue to improve and there are now production aircraft at Eglin AFB.  Those are huge measures of success.

Do you have any success stories in the Marine Corps?

Well, I think that what we have collectively done over the past two years here at the Patuxent River F-35 Integrated Test Force is probably the best example.  After only completing 10 vertical landings in 2010, we completed 268 vertical landings in 2011 and put the aircraft into a representative operational environment for the first time aboard USS Wasp.

How is the F-35B going to change future MAGTF operations?

The biggest change will be putting a 5th Generation stealthy fighter on the flight decks of the LHA/LHD class amphibious assault ships.  That makes those ships and the accompanying MEU(SOC)s an even more potent and relevant strategic asset for the nation.  Across all size MAGTFs, F-35s will allow the Marine Corps to gain access to increasingly hostile airspace in which current generation aircraft would be unable to fight.  At the same time F-35s can also operate on the lower end of the spectrum across the six functions of Marine Corps aviation.

What is your favorite aircraft to fly?

I have been fortunate to fly many different aircraft in my career.  I grew up in the Harrier community and currently fly F-35B/C as well as F/A-18.  I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the AV-8B.  It’s certainly a pilot’s airplane and requires you to be in the loop from takeoff to landing.  Testing the F-35, however, has allowed me to take an airplane to areas that it has never been before and, at times, to areas beyond where the fleet will ever go to.  That is really exciting to do and it’s an amazing to see the aircraft mature every day.

Do you ever take snacks with you on the really long flights?

Most of the time we are too busy on our test flights to even consider snacking.  I always have a water bottle with me, however, since it is very easy to get dehydrated while pulling G’s and while breathing oxygen.  Even then I only drink when I have an extended break in the action or we are refueling on the ground.

Capt. Jeffrey Croniser, logistics officer, and Capt. Darby Mee, communications officer, Coordination, Liaison and Assesment Team U.S. Southern Command perform tire flips during Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group’s monthly unit physical training event. MCTAG is a unique organization created to address increasing requirements for security cooperation activities in support of regional Marine Force headquarters. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Alexis R. Mulero)

Endurance is an important aspect for the Marine warrior athlete to consider. It is the side of physical training that prepares a Marine for everything that’s needed of him, from carrying a pack and rifle, to moving equipment and ordnance around the battlefield.

For the Marine Corps Physical Fitness and Combat Fitness Tests, endurance plays a key role in attaining the coveted score of 300. Endurance is what allows Marines to push themselves to the limit to excel.

“Endurance plays a very important role in preparation for the PFT and CFT,” said Ryan Massimo, Combat Fitness Program Manager, Semper Fit and Exchange Services Division. “Included in the PFT battery of events is the three-mile run which incorporates aerobic endurance with specificity towards cardiovascular testing. Muscular endurance also plays an important role in the PFT as the abdominal crunches and pull-ups incorporate strength and endurance testing.”

Students from Class 4-12, Sergeant’s Course, Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy Camp Pendleton, Calif., conduct a Combat Fitness Test during training June 1, 2012. The curriculum requires students to complete a Physical Fitness Test and CFT to graduate Sergeants Course. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Christopher O’Quin)

He added, “the CFT also utilizes both the muscular and aerobic endurance aspect in the 880 yard shuttle, maneuver under fire and ammo can lift.”

Like running, the only way to improve overall endurance is by consistently working at it and pushing past the pain to maximize the gain.

“If you want to work on improving endurance, the most important factor is consistency, because endurance comes from gradually increasing the amount of time for whatever activity you’re doing.” said Victor Plays, a track coach for the 2012 Warrior Games and former Olympic competitor. “For example, if you want to run a marathon you need to build up your endurance so you’re capable of completing that distance.”

In the end, Marines will improve their endurance through consistent strength training and aerobic exercises such as running, combining the two can produce a greater effect. This will ultimately result in more fit and combat-ready warfighters.

“Endurance is a key component to any sound strength and conditioning program, and should be balanced with other means of physical fitness training which include speed, agility, power, strength, flexibility and core stability,” Massimo said. “Incorporating endurance on a consistent basis with the inclusion of the (aforementioned) means of training will allow a Marine to recover from modalities of training and not over train to only one aspect of a sound strength and conditioning program.”

“A tactical athlete’s physical fitness should include endurance, speed, strength, agility and power in order to be successful in task specific situations.”

One shot, one kill. Every Marine strives to live by this creed while in combat, but the past ten years of war in the Middle East have challenged this mantra. The number of rounds per enemy kill is much higher than necessary.  Marines who have experienced combat acknowledge that a resolution needs to be found.

“We need to improve our accuracy in the Marine Corps,” said Staff Sgt. Miguel Angulo, an infantryman by trade and currently a member of the Marine Corps combat shooting team at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.

The Corps is constantly exploring ways to further develop operational tactics for Marines in combat. The development of the combat shooting team provides an avenue to improve accuracy and test new techniques.

Sgt. John R. Browning, an instructor and competitor with the Marine Corps Combat Shooting Team, times and instructs Sgt. Robert Messick, a Marine attached to Intel Support Battalion, Camp Upshur, as he runs through combat marksmanship drills at the High Risk Personnel Range at the Calvin A. Lloyd Range Complex at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. The combat team has only existed for a few years and is now finding its place in the Corps. “I greatly enjoy it on the team,” Browning said. “Every day I’m improving my shooting skills and get to promote better combat marksmanship.” (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga)

“Beginning with the establishment of the Marine Corps rifle and pistol team, there has been the spirit and intent of building the bridge between the world of competition and the world of combat,” said Col. Tim Armstrong, commanding officer of Weapons Training Battalion.

The combat shooting team is that bridge.

After a century of the rifle and pistol shooting teams, it was evident that mastering precision shooting was not enough to prepare a Marine for the stress of a combat situation.

“Marines need to have accuracy when their hearts are beating, when they’re moving, when there are unknown targets and transitions,” Angulo said. “That’s what we need to teach Marines so they can be more accurate in combat.”

The majority of the seven shooters on the Marine Corps combat shooting team are infantrymen with multiple deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan; two are wounded warriors. They have all seen combat. Now, they are sharing their experience and skills with the Corps to improve marksmanship.

“We’re here to pull together all our information and experiences to come up with different scenarios, different ways to train and make each other better,” said Sgt. Brandan Jansen, member of the combat shooting team.

Sgt. John R. Browning, an instructor and competitor with the Marine Corps Combat Shooting Team, fires a Benelli M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun at targets while running through a three-gun scenario, switching from pistol to rifle to shotgun, at the High Risk Personnel Range at the Calvin A. Lloyd Range Complex at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. The combat team has only existed for a few years and is now finding its place in the Corps. Seven Marines, all with an infantry background, serve on the team where they represent the Marine Corps in shooting competitions, as well as test combat techniques and instruct combat marksmanship. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga)

The Marines spend as much time as possible shooting and preparing for three-gun competitions. During the course, Marines use the rifle, shotgun and pistol in a scenario-based settings, maneuvering through buildings and multiple realistic targets and as they progress.  The competitions are open to both military and civilian shooting teams, and, occur in locations worldwide, including the course at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.

“What the Marine Corps combat shooting team gives us is more dynamic marksmanship: magazine changes, multiple targets, shooting on the move and moving targets,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thomas J. Layou, battalion gunner with the training battalion. “The combat marksman really completes the whole marksmanship program.”

Although a competitive team, the combat shooting team does not just compete to win.

“Our goal isn’t necessarily to win the competitions,” Angulo said. “It’s to gather all the information we can and bring it back to the Marine Corps marksmanship program.”

Many on the team like to think of themselves as spies, Jansen said.  Marines observe techniques and gear used by civilian competitors to see if it could translate into Marine Corps combat marksmanship.  Sometimes their intelligence results in gear changes for Marines in the force. One recent improvement in the works is the testing of a new rifle equipped with both Rifle Combat Optics and iron sights, Angulo said. The offset iron sights allow Marines to engage the enemy even if the RCO breaks or fogs up during combat.

The team passes along gear improvements, knowledge and shooting techniques to other Marines in the fleet. Team members regularly run training sessions at the range for units preparing for deployment to better educate them for combat environments.

“The Marines we train love it,” Jansen said. “Every single person says they have improved on the rifle and the pistol. They’ve learned new skill sets they can take to Afghanistan.”

In years to come, the team wants to establish three-gun competitions across the Corps, in order to share their knowledge and techniques with Marines in the fleet, Armstrong said.

“The more the Corps starts moving to combat shooting like we do here, the more effective it will be for Marines and ultimately it will save more lives,” Angulo said.

Sgt. John R. Browning, an instructor and competitor with the Marine Corps Combat Shooting Team, fires an M9 pistol at targets while running through a three-gun scenario, switching from pistol to rifle to shotgun, at the High Risk Personnel Range at the Calvin A. Lloyd Range Complex at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. The combat team has only existed for a few years and is now finding its place in the Corps. Seven Marines, all with an infantry background, serve on the team where they represent the Marine Corps in shooting competitions, as well as test combat techniques and instruct combat marksmanship. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga)

Marines set the standard for professionalism, courtesy, respect, discipline and integrity. We are trailblazers, decision-makers, and war fighters. Together we bear the weight of the nation on our shoulders. But on a smaller scale, we are equally responsible on the home front to help mold the next generation of great Americans.

Active-duty service members with children must master the art of juggling their military obligations and parental responsibilities daily. But whether we have children of our own or not, we are role models. A few hours of our time can make a huge difference in the lives of students across the country.

“For a school to be successful, the community has to have a role,” said Royston Lyttle, assistant principal, Eagle Academy Public Charter School in Washington. “Research shows, students learn more when the community is involved.”

According to Citizen Schools, 2.2 million students attend failing schools across the nation, and more than 1 million fail to graduate high school on time.

We can make a difference
By receiving a positive adult connection in their school, students achieve higher grades, test scores and graduation rates than their counterparts who do not.  They are also motivated, have higher self-esteem and positive attitudes.

Research suggests that active parental involvement is the key to improving schools.  Unfortunately, many parents cannot be as involved as they would like too.  And this is where we can fill that void and stress the importance of education to our youth.

What if I don’t have children?
Volunteer to

• Be a teacher’s aide for a day
• Coach a sports team
• Tutor
• Mentor a student
• Read a book to a classroom
• Supervise or judge a science fair
• Join the local Big Brothers, Big Sisters program

Recommendations for Parents
When parents are actively involved in their child’s education, it sends the message that school and home are connected and that education is important.

“Parent participation is the ingredient that makes a difference,” said LaKia Locket, social worker at Eagle Academy PCS. “Children with involved parents have great attendance, they do better academically from head start through high school, and they tend to behave better and go farther in school.”

Build a Bridge

• Two-way communication between parents and school is paramount. Parent-teacher collaboration benefits the entire class as you model behavior.

Get involved

• Join the parent-teacher organization, serve lunch, volunteer to help at the school library or your child’s class for a day, or send extra supplies to their class, if necessary.

Reinforce

• Read to your child(ren) every night and make sure he or she can explain the concept of the story. Also, check homework daily.
• Keep an eye out for class newsletters and use what you see being taught in class to emphasize at home.

Sgt. Sean Morris, member of the Marine Corps shooting team, sights in during practice at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Dec. 8. For the last 100 years, the Marine Corps shooting team has carried on the legacy of elite marksmanship in the Corps by scoring high in competitions as well as instructing other Marines in the fundamentals of marksmanship. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chelsea Flowers Anderson)

A Marine stares through the rifle combat optic of his weapon at a target just 200 yards away. His finger rests lightly on the trigger as he breathes in slowly and steadily. As the Marine exhales, he gently squeezes the trigger. Bang! The carefully aimed projectile twists out of the barrel and sails through the air — striking the target with flawless accuracy.

 The acutely honed marksmanship skills Marine marksmen strive to perfect will aid in destroying the enemy. And the dead-on accuracy of expert shooters helps ensure Marines win competition medals as members of the Marine Corps’ shooting team.

 Winning, or even ensuring every Marine is a rifleman, hasn’t always been the case for the Corps.

Sgt. Joshua Martin, member of the Marine Corps shooting team, evaluates another team member during rifle practice at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Dec. 8. The Marines on the team bring their skills to help each other become better marksmen and then pass that knowledge on to other Marines around the Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chelsea Flowers Anderson)

Before 1900, marksmanship in the Marine Corps was far from impressive – less than an estimated 100 Marines could meet basic marksmanship requirements. And when Marines on the Corps’ rifle team finished poorly in their first shooting match in 1901, they decided to take aim on becoming the best.

Born out of that very first Marine Corps Rifle Team were the drive and desire that developed into ensuring every Marine is a rifleman.

The Corps’ leadership instituted training and standards for marksmanship.  They also provided incentives, such as a three dollar per month pay bonus for those that qualified as rifle experts. Their hard work paid off –- by 1911, the Corps was winning competitions.  Better yet, the ethos of excellence was taking hold and by 1917 every Marine sent to the fight was a trained and qualified marksman.

This dedication to excellence no doubt played a pivotal role in Marines winning in battle as well.  The accounts from the fierce fighting at Belleau Wood bear evidence that the enemy could not advance, even with artillery and machine gun fire, against the accuracy and range of Marine riflemen.

“Marksmanship is something that’s in our roots,” said Capt. Nicholas J. Roberge, officer-in-charge of the Marine Corps rifle and pistol shooting teams at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. “Marines are good shooters. We should keep that tradition going as long as we can.”

Team members appreciate their unique experience to represent the Corps and are willing to put forth the effort and discipline required to maintain their expertise, said Cpl. Neil Sookdeo, small arms weapons instructor and a member of the 2011 Marine Corps shooting team.

Team members spend as much of their time as possible putting rounds down-range. They host mini competitions to keep training diverse and interesting.

“If you shoot the same thing over and over, you get bored with it,” Roberge said. “We try to shoot different weapons at rapid and slow fires just to change the training up.”

All the work that team members put forth gives them a sense of pride in what they do.

Two Marines on the Marine Corps Combat Shooting Team evaluate a target during pistol practice on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Dec. 8. Team members spend countless house practicing with both the pistol and the rifle in preparation for upcoming competitions. The team competes in competitions across the United States. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chelsea Flowers Anderson)

“It’s a big honor,” Sookdeo said. “There aren’t a lot of people in the Marine Corps that get to do it. It takes a lot of work to get here and the people that do get here recognize it. We don’t take it for granted, not for a second.”

Those with the top marksmanship skills to become members of the rifle and pistol teams join a rich history of elite marksmanship in the Corps, a history current members and future members will continue in coming years.

Honing Expertise, Sharing the Skills

Qualifying for one of the Corps’ shooting teams is tough.  Roughly a dozen Marines were chosen to compete on the Corps’ 2012 rifle and pistol teams.  Although team members represent various military occupational specialties, the Marines have two things in common: their skill in marksmanship and their eagerness to learn then share their knowledge with the rest of the Corps.

“The whole intent of the shooting program is to obtain and master as many advanced marksmanship skills as you can and then share those techniques with other Marines,” Roberge said.

One of the Marines chosen to share his expertise is Sgt. Louis Esparza.  He was selected to be head coach of the Marine Corps pistol team after racking up an impressive record for marksmanship competition at division matches on Okinawa and the Marine Corps Championship at MCB Quantico.  He furthered his record, advancing to third place out of more than a hundred competitors at the 2011 inter-service pistol competition – the first Marine to place in the top three in the past five years.

Espraza said experience on the teams ensures team members have more in-depth expertise on marksmanship, making them better teachers for other Marines.

“We take Marines and teach them how to digest all the little bits of fundamentals,” Esparza said. “They go out and teach other Marines. That’s why it’s really important.”

| Shooting Tips from the Pros |

The passing on of this knowledge begins with instruction on shooting. The Marines train and coach all 2nd lieutenants who attend The Basic School aboard MCB Quantico as well as Marines requalifying in and around the National Capital Region. Team members also pass their marksmanship knowledge on to more elite shooters and possible future Marine Corps team competitors during intramural competitions and the yearly division competitions at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., and Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan.

The best shooters from around the Marine Corps participate in these matches and the top competitors are often considered for the official shooting teams.

In addition to Marines, the shooting team members work with civilian groups and other service members at various matches and clinics around the country. This only further helps to diversify the team’s techniques.

“Whether Marine, other service member, or civilian, each type of shooter brings his individual experiences to the table,” Roberge said. “This exchange of ideas enhances each shooter, and furthers the development of marksmanship throughout the nation. Where we may be limited in certain areas or disciplines, civilians may have different techniques we were otherwise not aware of.”

These additional techniques enhance the Marines’ performance as they prepare for competitions later in the year.

A Marine with the Marine Corps pistol shooting team fires during practice at the ranges on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Dec. 8, 2011. Members of the shooting teams are chosen from the top shooters in division matches that occur around the Corps. The goal of the team is for the team to continue to learn and pass on marksmanship fundamentals to Marines in the fleet. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chelsea Flowers Anderson)

Competing Against the Best

The majority of the team’s competitions occur midyear, between April and August. They compete in inter-service competitions such as the Army inter-service pistol competition at Fort Benning, Ga., and the rifle inter-service match at MCB Quantico. The competitions, whether against the other United States military services or civilian teams, take place worldwide – with teams representing the Corps across the U.S. and abroad in locations such as Australia and England.  During these matches, Marines show off the skills they’ve perfected.

“Between both teams, we’ll fly over 25,000 miles, and drive another 7,500 over 200 days for about 20 different matches,” Roberge said.

At these competitions, the Marines have the opportunity to earn points toward becoming a Distinguished Marksman and a Distinguished Pistol Shot through up-to-four leg matches per year to include the Marine Corps Championships, the Inter-service Championships and the National Championships. Competitors can also win a Secretary of the Navy Trophy rifle, typically an M1 Garand, for winning a match or being the highest scoring new shooter, known as a ‘tyro.’

“The overall prize though is to increase a shooter’s confidence in the ability to accurately fire small arms, and bring back these advanced skills to their units for their Marines to learn and apply,” Roberge said.

Sgt. Joshua Martin, member of the Marine Corps shooting team, prepares to fire during rifle practice at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Dec. 8. The intent of the shooting team program is for the members to achieve advanced marksmanship techniques and then share those skills with toehr countries and other Marines. It is this passing of knowledge that makes the team so valuable to the Marine Corps mission. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chelsea Flowers Anderson)

Even though the mid-year competitions serve as an opportunity for prizes and awards, they are merely preparation for the most important competition: nationals.

“The U.S. Rifle National and Pistol National Championships are the most widely recognized shooting events in the United States,” Roberge said. “Nationals are the primary competitive event the Marine Corps Shooting Team trains for throughout the shooting season. The knowledge gained by competing amongst the best in the nation gives us more tools and techniques to teach marksmanship to others, and positively impacts our ability to shoot better.”

In 2012, the two Marine Corps Pistol Teams placed second and third out of six teams at the 53rd Annual Pistol Inter-service Championship in Fort Benning, Ga. The Marine Corps Rifle Team will head to the 51st Interservice Rifle

“The team has done well so far this year,” Roberge said. “We had a great showing at the Eastern Division Matches and Marine Corps Championships. We also had top placements at State and Regional matches for the Rifle and Pistol teams.”

Joining the Team

The best way for Marines who want to be considered for the rifle or pistol team to get started is with intramural or division matches on Marine Corps bases. They must then get permission from their command before submitting an application to the Weapons Training Battalion at MCB Quantico, Va. If selected, they will serve a normal two-to-three year tour with the team.  Prospective Marine shooters should understand up front that becoming a member of the team isn’t an easy commitment and requires more than the ability to put rounds in the black.

“We’re looking for a great shooter,” Roberge said. “But he or she absolutely must have the right attitude. We have developed chemistry on the current team, and we’d like to be able to maintain it. If they’re not a team player, I don’t care if they’re winning everything, we don’t want them.”

This mindset of unity and common purpose drives the members of the Marine Corps shooting teams to not just win competitions, but to hone their marksmanship skills so they are better equipped to bring those skills to Marines Corps-wide.  With every shot the members of the Marine Corps rifle and pistol shooting teams put down-range, with every clinic they coach and with every trophy they bring home, they are proving to other military branches and the world that Marines truly are known and feared for their marksmanship. They carry on the proud tradition that every Marine is a rifleman and serve as a call to excellence for all Marines.

Sgt. Cogen T. Nelson from Clermont, Fla., rides with the Marine Corps flag during cycling practice for the 2012 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 28. Nelson, a second-time participant in the games, competed for the Ultimate Champion title. The Warrior Games is a competition between wounded warriors from all military branches and includes swimming, track and field, cycling, shooting, archery, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair basketball. The 2012 Warrior Games ran from May 1 through May 5. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Daniel Wetzel)

As the battlefield settled and the medevac carried Cpl. Brad Fite to Germany, medical personnel didn’t think he would survive. The damage was so extensive, Fite had to be resuscitated three times before landing.

“They didn’t think I would survive, but I did,” Fite said. “ After I got to Germany, they said I wouldn’t walk again and I spent a lot of time in a wheelchair, but eventually I taught myself to walk again.”

Like Fite, there are many Marines who are knocked down, but get back up to compete, motivate others and live their lives to the fullest.

Fite still goes through therapy, but participates in wheelchair basketball as well as regular basketball and competed in swimming at the 2012 Marine Corps Trials.

Marine veteran Sgt. Robert "€œStrong Like Bull"€ Norman prepares to push off the wall for the backstroke during swimming practice for the 2012 Warrior Games at Colorado Springs, Colo., April 24. Norman, native of Shawnee, Okla., was injured in a motorcycle accident. He competed in both track and swimming events. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Daniel Wetzel)

Fite, an amphibious assault vehicle crewmember, was hit by an improvised explosive device in Marjah, Afghanistan, July 2010. He suffered a broken spine that tore open his stomach and punctured a lung. His other lung collapsed. His shoulder and jaw were dislocated, nine of his ribs were broken and his knee ligaments were torn. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and a hearing impairment.

Fite has come a long way, and said he has received a lot of support inside and outside the Marine Corps. He credits the recovery to his will power that pushed him to keep fighting and never stop.

One opportunity all wounded Marines have to rehabilitate themselves is the Warrior Athlete Reconditioning Program. As soon as Marines are cleared physically, they are required to start trying sports until they find one they like.

“Everyone is required to be part of the WAR-Program,” said Maj. Susan Stark, the officer in charge of the WAR-Program. “Our goal isn’t to get them competing; our goal is to get wounded warriors to complete a goal.”

The program is designed to help wounded warriors achieve something physically and get them back into a goal-oriented mindset, Stark said.

Cpl. Kionte Storey, native of Stockton, Calif., runs across the finish line in the men’s 100-meter lower impairment dash race during the track and field portion of the 2012 Warrior Games at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Colo., May 4. Storey took gold in the 100 and 200-meter races. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Daniel Wetzel)

“They need to have a goal,” Stark said. “It can be paddling down the Mississippi River, competing in the Marine Corps Trials or anything in between.”

Some wounded warriors set goals for themselves that aren’t just physical.

While deployed to Afghanistan in 2009, Sgt. Maj. Raymond Mackey lost both his legs from an IED blast. But this setback didn’t change Mackey’s desire to lead and mentor Marines.

He made it his goal to help every Marine he meets.

“Marines are Marines,” Mackey said. “Sometimes, they need help, and sometimes, they just need guidance.

“Life’s not over,” Mackey said. “You can motivate anybody. To inspire somebody is completely different. You can motivate them to come out and play wheelchair basketball, but you can inspire them for a lifetime.”

Though Mackey is set to retire soon, he hopes to continue working with Marines for years to come.

Wounded Marines receive a lot of support when it comes to recovery, though not all wounds are from combat.

At first glance, many assume Lance Cpl. Chuck Sketch received his injuries while serving in a combat zone. Sketch, however, never served overseas. Instead, while Sketch was on leave before heading to his first duty station, doctors discovered a benign tumor on the side of his head. In four and a half years, the tumor turned cancerous, claiming his sight and later both of his legs due to blood clots.

In a short time, things that had once been so easy for Sketch suddenly looked impossible. But Sketch couldn’t be kept down.

“I’ve definitely been able to overcome my injuries,” Sketch said. “In all honesty, people who have all their limbs are missing out. If I had all my limbs, I never would have had these opportunities.”

One such opportunity is competing in the Marine Corps Trials and Warrior Games. Sketch swam in the 50-meter and 100-meter

Marine veteran Cpl. Travis Greene takes a break to laugh with teammates during sitting volleyball practice for the 2012 Warrior Games at Colorado Springs, Colo., April 23, 2012. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chelsea Flowers)

freestyles and competed in the hand bike race as the only tandem cyclist.

Some Marines compete in track and field nationals, some compete in National Paralympics; one even rode his bike across the state, Stark said. Another wanted to shoot a moose; the WAR-program set him up with a hunting program to help him accomplish that goal.

“Being a wounded warrior put me in a worldwide group, not just Americans,” Fite said. “It’s our own community, and it’s an intense community. Whether we’ve lost limbs or not, we’ve all been through it, and we all choose to stick together.”

These wounded warriors are a few examples of the perseverance of fortunate Marines – Marines who have suffered but came out of it ahead. Their common experiences and difficulties as wounded warriors is a bond not shared by most other groups.

They may have been injured but, as Fite said, “We’re still a part of the fight.”

Maj. Richard Rusnok was one of four test pilots hand-selected to demonstrate the Marines’ amphibious air power with the first short takeoffs and vertical landings of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.

In February 2012, the John H. Glenn squadron of the Marine Corps Aviation Association selected Rusnok as test pilot of the year for his role in the successful embarkation and deployment of more than 250 people and 140,000 pounds of supplies and equipment.

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Michael D. Jackson)

Why did you join the Marine Corps?

I was extremely impressed with the caliber of the Marine Officers and SNCOs that I interacted with as a midshipman at the Naval Academy.  I also believed that as an institution the Marine Corps had it right from the MAGTF concept to the warfighting ethos and I wanted to be a part of that group.

 How long have you been flying? 

Since August 1999 – approaching 13 years.

 How does flying the F-35B Lightning II compare to other jets flown?

F-35 is incredibly easy to fly which is a testament to the personnel who conceived and built the flight control system.  The F-35B in STOVL mode is unmatched in stability and raw power.  There are two primary benefits to this level of stability.  The obvious one is safety.  The aircraft does everything it can to protect the pilot and itself from exceeding an aerodynamic or structural limit.  The second benefit is that the less a pilot needs to concentrate on basic stick and rudder skills, the more he/she can devote to fighting the aircraft and fulfilling the MAGTF commander’s intent.

 How did you become the test pilot? 

I attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River in 2009.  All military developmental test pilots must attend either that school, the USAF Test Pilot School, or an accredited foreign military test pilot school.  One of the primary reasons that I became a test pilot was that I wanted to ensure that the next generation of Marines have the best TACAIR platform that this nation could develop.

 Why do you think the F-35B is better for the Marine Corps than other models like the F-35A?

The F-35B offers incredible basing flexibility to the Marine Corps – from ships at sea, to small forward operating bases, to main air bases.  Most importantly, the three variants of the F-35 share the same mission systems components and software.  In conventional flight, the three variants have essentially the same flight characteristics with some minor exceptions.  The cockpits are virtually identical and there are only a few things that would clue you off that you are in one variant or the other if you did not already know.  The transition between different variants is pretty seamless.  Because of this similarity, the three services flying this jet are already working to develop common tactics which will only benefit the MAGTF and the joint commander in the long run.

 Did you have any doubts on the success of the project?

No.  That is not to say that we have not had stumbles along the way.  Our aircraft are continually being upgraded with new hardware and software to test the fixes to the problems that are uncovered during testing.  This is what developmental test is all about.  That being said, our sortie and reliability rates continue to improve and there are now production aircraft at Eglin AFB.  Those are huge measures of success.

 Do you have any success stories in the Marine Corps?

Well, I think that what we have collectively done over the past two years here at the Patuxent River F-35 Integrated Test Force is probably the best example.  After only completing 10 vertical landings in 2010, we completed 268 vertical landings in 2011 and put the aircraft into a representative operational environment for the first time aboard USS Wasp.

 How is the F-35B going to change future MAGTF operations?

The biggest change will be putting a 5th Generation stealthy fighter on the flight decks of the LHA/LHD class amphibious assault ships.  That makes those ships and the accompanying MEU(SOC)s an even more potent and relevant strategic asset for the nation.  Across all size MAGTFs, F-35s will allow the Marine Corps to gain access to increasingly hostile airspace in which current generation aircraft would be unable to fight.  At the same time F-35s can also operate on the lower end of the spectrum across the six functions of Marine Corps aviation.

 What’s your favorite aircraft to fly?

I have been fortunate to fly many different aircraft in my career.  I grew up in the Harrier community and currently fly F-35B/C as well as F/A-18.  I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the AV-8B.  It’s certainly a pilot’s airplane and requires you to be in the loop from takeoff to landing.  Testing the F-35, however, has allowed me to take an airplane to areas that it has never been before and, at times, to areas beyond where the fleet will ever go to.  That is really exciting to do and it’s an amazing to see the aircraft mature every day.

Do you ever take snacks with you on the really long flights?

Most of the time we are too busy on our test flights to even consider snacking.  I always have a water bottle with me, however, since it is very easy to get dehydrated while pulling G’s and while breathing oxygen.  Even then I only drink when I have an extended break in the action or we are refueling on the ground.

BF-04 Flight 70. Ferry to LHD-1 (USS Wasp) for Initial Ship Trials on Oct. 6, 2011. Maj. Richard Rusnok was the pilot. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Andy Wolfe)

An airborne student parachutes down from a C-130 during the basic airborne course at Fort Benning, Ga. Airborne students complete five jumps prior to graduating the basic airborne course, including 30-pound, full-combat loads from varying altitudes between 800 to 1000 feet. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall)

Although today’s combat doesn’t require mass paratrooper jumps to enter the battle, learning how to get from the sky to the enemy by parachuting continues to be a valuable skill for the military, including Marines.

Many service members who attend the Army’s basic airborne course seek the thrill and adventure of leaping out of an airplane.

Those who get the chance to attend airborne training learn the techniques of static line parachute insertion. In this type of jump, hopeful paratroopers hook a line connected from their chute to a strongpoint in the aircraft and jump from varying altitudes between 800 to 1000 feet.  Their “static” line tugs against the aircraft, deploying their canopy and with some help from gravity, they glide down to a controlled landing on ground or water.

Simple or sexy?  Based on feedback from a seasoned jumpmaster, the second part may be the deciding factor.

“There’s a certain sexiness that goes along with parachuting,” said Gunnery Sgt. Brad Colbert, special operations chief of the basic airborne course in Fort Benning, Ga. “It has a bit of a mystique to it.”

Although there are plenty of Marines who may want to earn their jump wings by attending the Army’s basic airborne course in Fort Benning, it’s an opportunity afforded to only a few. In fact, Marines with the parachute rigger occupational specialty are the only Marine Corps personnel required to attend the course.

“Riggers are responsible for aerial delivery operations of both personnel and equipment into combat zones,” said Sgt. Jose Cono, an air delivery specialist and instructor for the Marine Corps parachute riggers course in Ft. Lee, Va.

As an early part of their initial training prior to being assigned to a unit, riggers attend the basic course to get an understanding of the static line parachute system. They are required to understand the ins and outs of their parachutes, including packing, repairing and maintenance.

A Marine practices landing during the basic airborne course in Fort Benning, Ga. Learning how to land is a vital aspect of airborne training. Week one, ground week, focuses on the proper landing fall techniques, emphasizing the importance of keeping feet and knees together during a landing to prevent injuries. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall)

“To be proficient at your job, you should be able to pack and jump your own shoot,” said Cono. “Becoming familiar with the equipment qualifies a Marine to do his job.”

Upon completion of the basic airborne course, riggers continue their school training then are assigned to reconnaissance platoons, combat logistics regiments, or special operations commands. Marines from these same units, who are not parachute riggers, are also regularly afforded the opportunity to complete the basic airborne course. The knowledge they gain can provide a stepping-stone to even more specialized Marine Corps training.

“It’s a basis for an insert platform in the recon community,” said Staff Sgt. Jacob Leask, an airborne instructor and Marine liaison at the BAC. “The real advantage for going to a basic airborne course is that you can then go to a free-fall course.”

Free-fall parachuting, also known as high altitude-high opening or high altitude-low opening parachute insertion, enables Marines to insert into an area of operation from altitudes between 15,000 to 35,000 feet — depending on the needs and danger that may or may not be present. Marines jump from an aircraft and fall to an altitude where they can safely deploy their parachutes and glide in for a safe landing.

Colbert says the capabilities of aerial deployment of troops in tactical combat zones are, and will continue to be, an invaluable asset to the Corps.

“The ability to insert into a particular target area, unbeknown to the enemy, is extremely important for the reconnaissance and Marine special operations community,” Colbert said. “This enables a team to be inserted behind enemy lines without detection — providing the most stealth for the team on its infill.”

The Basic Airborne Course

In order to successfully complete the basic course, Marines must complete three weeks of training aboard Fort Benning. “Ground week” starts off the training with a focus on the parachute

Students of the basic airborne course in Fort Benning, Ga., parachute from the side doors of a C-130 aircraft flying above the landing zone. The students static line deploy their parachutes just as they are pulled away from the aircraft. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall)

landing fall. PLF techniques teach jumpers how to properly transfer energy from the fall up the sides of their legs and knees to the upper body to prevent injuries. The repetition of body movement and keeping their knees and feet together at all times during training drills builds muscle memory. Students jump from platforms of varying heights, concentrating on proper body positions when they land.

During the second week of training, “tower week,” students get used to being strapped into a parachute harness. They use the mock door trainer, which simulates mass exits from an aircraft in flight. They also learn about “opening shock,” chute deployment, steering their chute, and refining their landing techniques.

The third and final week is jump week.  During this most crucial evolution in their training, students complete five static-line jumps in order to graduate. The first jump of the week is arguably the most anticipated event of the course.

“When you’re jumping out, you’re taught to look out at the horizon,” said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Froio, a team leader with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, and recent honor graduate from the basic airborne course. “As soon as you step out, the blast from the (aircraft propeller) blows you away from the plane. You get pretty disoriented the first couple of times and really have no idea which way is up. Then the chute opens and jars you pretty hard. As soon as you realize you’re not falling anymore, it’s a good thing.”

Jumping with a variety of configurations from no load up to a 30-pound, full-combat load during the week gives the students the opportunity to become comfortable with the knowledge they have obtained during the course.

“The first jump was honestly slightly terrifying and a really big rush,” said Lance Cpl. John-Michael Pauze, a communications systems operator with 1st Radio Reconnaissance Battalion. “I just continued to build confidence from the first jump to the fifth.”

Marines who complete the course return to the fleet and use their knowledge to support the Marine Corps mission.

“I can now move on to do HAHO jumps and fulfill my billet as a team leader,” said Froio. “I have to be able to jump my team. As a Marine, it’s pretty special to complete the course. Not a lot of Marines get to go to jump school and as a reconnaissance Marine, it’s essential.”

Between 350 and 450 students graduate from each class. 15 to 20 of those students are Marines.

“Marine students tend to stand out among the other services, since we generally have a smaller population and come with an innate sense of initiative and leadership.” Colbert said.  “Marine students and instructors are very hard working and set a good example for all of the students.”

This leadership quality carries over to the Marine Corps instructors

Currently, there are three Marines on staff as instructors at the BAC. The number of Marine instructors can fluctuate from two to six, depending on how many school seats are allotted for the year. All of the instructors are pulled from the reconnaissance career field, since they are the preponderance of jumpers in the Marine Corps.

Students glide through the skies during jump week, the culmination of three weeks at the basic airborne course, where they put their knowledge and skills to practical use. The basic airborne course teaches the techniques of static line parachute insertion to Marines and soldiers at Fort Benning, Ga. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall)

Marines who complete the school are awarded basic parachutist wings – which are the Army standard bestowed upon graduation. Marines who serve in a parachuting billet for at least 90 days are issued the Navy-Marine Corps insignia, or gold jump wings, after they complete an additional 5 jumps. Marines are required to jump a minimum of once per quarter to maintain their proficiency (as per Marine Corps order 3120.11.)

“Most units train to a much higher standard than that,” Colbert said. “It’s based on the individual training requirements that a unit has, but the more times you jump, the better capabilities for the Corps there are going to be. Marines need to jump in adverse conditions, including night jumps and full combat equipment, to obtain as close to a realistic profile as possible and maintain proficiency.”

Marines who are interested in attending a basic airborne course must complete an airborne physical exam, perform a physical fitness test meeting army standards within 30 days prior to reporting for the course, and must be recommended by their commanding officer.

On average, the Marine Corps is allotted 750 school seats per year at the airborne school, which is the minimum to satisfy the requirements for Marine Corps parachuting according to Colbert. Marine Corps training and education command determines the school assignments that will be divided between operational units and provides many of the remaining training opportunities as reenlistment incentives for other Marines throughout the fleet.

“For a lot of Marines who may not be able to participate in this kind of training, it is exciting and outside of their normal daily routine,” Colbert said. “Marines tend to really enjoy it and those that wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to this type of activity, really get a lot out of it as well.”

During "morning turns," the ground crew inspects every inch of the F/A-18 to guarantee safety standards are met. The Blue Angel pilots fly the jets at speeds up to 700 miles per hour during aerial demonstrations performed throughout the world. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall)

“The feeling of flying at high speeds is incredible,” said Marine Capt. Brandon Cordill, number three pilot for the United States Navy Demonstration Squadron in Pensacola, Fla. “Take the scariest roller coaster you have ever been on and multiply it by 100, and that‘s close to the adrenaline rush I get to experience on a daily basis flying with the Blue Angels.”

NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA, Fla. - The team of elite Naval aviators performs stunts before more than 11 million people annually and the aircraft are an iconic image of Navy aerial precision.

What many may not know is that the Marine Corps plays a vital role in the success of the Blue Angels, not only in the air but on the ground.

Sgt. Kyle Storm, crew chief for the number seven jet, salutes Navy Lt. Mark Tedrow prior to take off. A team of enlisted Marines and sailors perform all maintenance, administrative and support functions for the Blue Angels Demonstration Squadron. Their knowledge and skills ensure the aircraft are in the best condition prior to each aerial demonstration. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall)

“This is my first year with the team, and it has really been an honor to serve with the Blue Angels,” said Cordill, one of two Marine F/A-18 pilots on the team. “I never saw myself flying one of these blue jets.”

By piloting F/A-18s in aerial acrobats at speeds just short of Mach 1 (that’s nearly 700 MPH to non-aviator types), the squadron serves two significant functions.  The first, and most recognizable is showcasing the capabilities of Navy-Marine Corps pilots, crew and aircraft for the American public.  Secondly, the team has the opportunity to represent the courtesy and professionalism instilled into every sailor and Marine.

As the second oldest formal flying aerobatic team in the world, the Blue Angels represent the proficiency of the blue-green team.

“The most important reason to have Marines on the Blue Angels team is that Marines and sailors work together in the fleet to accomplish a mission, and it’s the same for the Blue Angels team,” said Maj. Brent Stevens, number four pilot in the squadron.

Safety is always a concern while piloting a 30,000-pound aircraft, but years of experience, intense training and the familiarity developed between team members mitigates the risk.

“We fly as close as 18 inches from each other while in the diamond formation, really demonstrating the discipline instilled by the military,” said Stevens.

Without the trust in their teammate’s abilities the show would not be possible.

F/A-18s with the Blue Angels Demonstration Squadron torch the skies above Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The Blue Angels perform 70 air shows at 34 locations across the United States each year. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall)

“I feel safer flying with the Blue Angels than driving on the highway, because I trust the team with my life, and they trust me with theirs,” said Cordill.

The first Marine Blue Angel pilot, Capt. Chuck Hiett, took to the skies in 1954 when the team was flying swept-wing Grumman F9F-8 Cougars. The Blue Angels flew several other craft before 1954 as well as several more before settling on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet in 1986. Throughout the years and the various aircraft, Marines have been a continuous presence on the team.

A total of 16 officers voluntarily serve with the Blue Angels.

The officers who take to the skies are seven Blue Angel pilots, an aviator narrator who flies with the team and three C-130 pilots. The other officers in the squadron include a Naval flight officer, maintenance officer, administrative officer, public affairs officer and flight surgeon.

Each year, the team typically selects three tactical jet pilots, two support officers and one Marine Corps C-130 pilot to relieve departing members.

The Chief of Naval Air Training selects the Blue Angels’ commanding officer. The “Boss,” who pilots the number one jet, must have at least 3,000 tactical jet flight hours and have commanded a tactical jet squadron to even be considered for his role.

Navy and Marine Corps jet pilots with an aircraft carrier qualification that meet the minimum flight hours are eligible to fly jets two through seven.

“It takes a minimum of 1,250 tactical jet flight hours to become a Blue Angel pilot,” said Cordill. “It takes a fleet aviator roughly eight years to achieve that.”

Maj. Brent Stevens, number four pilot for the Blue Angels Demonstration Squadron, signs autographs for spectators at the Aviation Museum aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. "To be able to go to small towns and represent all the deployed Marines and sailors is a very special feeling, and I am honored to do it," Stevens said. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall)

Pilots who meet the basic requirements submit an application directly to the team. Those whose applications qualify visit the squadron at scheduled show sites early in the show season to observe the team firsthand. Finalists are chosen mid-season and interviewed at the Blue Angels’ squadron in Pensacola, Florida. The team then selects new demonstration pilots and support officers by unanimous vote.

Next, prospective aviators must complete a minimum of 120 practice flights at Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., where the team conducts annual winter training. During this time they fly as many as five flights per day, six days a week before final selection ultimately determines whether they make the team

Once on the team, pilots serve three-year tours. Their position assignments are made according to team needs, pilot experience and career considerations for members.

Aside from the two Marine F/A-18 pilots, there are several Marines on the ground crew.

Enlisted members must apply to join the team and go through a similar selection process as officer crew. The team accepts applications from all aviation and support ratings. All applicants are interviewed and spend five days with the team either in Pensacola or at a show site.  Each enlisted team member is then selected from a pool of applicants that are qualified to fill upcoming job vacancies.

Enlisted members range from E-4 through E-9 and perform all maintenance, administrative and support functions during their three- to four-year tour with the Blue Angels.

“The Marines on the ground inspire me with the amount of dedication and work they put into making sure the team accomplishes the mission safely,” said Stevens.

Every morning, before the pilots climb into their jets, a team of crew chiefs and mechanics inspect every moving part of the aircraft and refuel each jet. Ensuring safety and a thorough serving during this ritual is one of the most important tasks performed by the ground crew.

“When the pilots climb into their aircraft, they trust that we have made sure it is safe and ready to fly,” said Sgt. Kyle Storm, crew chief for the number seven jet. “The crew chief is responsible for the overall appearance and safety of the aircraft as well as the pilot’s gear.”

For more than 200 years, the Navy-Marine team has upheld America’s values worldwide. With thousands of Marines and sailors currently deployed, the Blue Angels take pride in honoring their service and sacrifice though their performances.

“To be able to go to small towns and represent all the deployed Marines and sailors is a very special feeling, and I am honored to do it,” Stevens said.

Throughout the 70 air shows at 34 locations across the United States each year, the team’s pilots still employ many of the same practices and techniques used in their aerial displays back in 1946. Since that time, the Blue Angels have flown for more than 260 million spectators.

For the estimated 11 million spectators who get the chance to view the squadron during air shows each year, maybe just a few will dream of and eventually become one of the few who fly as a Marine Blue Angel, getting the adrenaline rush of the fastest roller coaster imaginable, multiplied by 100.

Ground crewman inspects the F/A-18 during "morning turns" to guarantee safety standards are met. The Blue Angel pilots fly the jets at speeds up to 700 miles per hour during aerial demonstrations performed throughout the world, so safety is of the utmost importance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kuande Hall).

Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 return from familiarizing themselves with the downward thrust of a Kaman K1200, or "K-MAX," unmanned helicopter during initial testing in Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 22. Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 pioneered the first unmanned, mid-flight external cargo hookups, and delivered approximately 6,000 pounds of gear in their first day of testing. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot)

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2, the “Night Owls,” made history in May when they completed the first “hot hookups” between landing support Marines on the ground and a hovering Kaman K1200, “K-MAX,” unmanned helicopter in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

In the nearly 20 years of its commercial and military use, no organization had ever attempted to hook cargo to the K-MAX while it was in unmanned flight.

A Kaman K1200, "K-MAX," unmanned helicopter with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 hovers over a cargo load in Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 22. The squadron broke new ground with the platform by performing the first mid-flight, unmanned cargo hookups with landing support team Marines from Combat Logistics Battalion 5. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot)

“This was particularly important because it was a milestone in unmanned aviation,” said Maj. John Norton, the officer in charge of Cargo Resupply Unmanned Aircraft Systems with the Night Owls. “It’s a stepping stone to increasing our capabilities in the unmanned aviation spectrum.”

The K-MAX system has been in use largely in the Pacific Northwest logging industry and most recently, in testing with the Marine Corps. While its purpose has been external cargo movements, users relied on a pilot to bring the aircraft to an idle mode while on the ground, hook up the cargo and then take off unmanned, explained Norton.

“[The traditional method of external lifting] takes time and requires more personnel to operate,” said Norton. “With a hot hookup from the hover, we’re able to come into the zone more expeditiously, which gives us more time to go forward with the fuel supply on the aircraft.”

The landing support team Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 who participated in the groundbreaking training were no strangers to external cargo hookups, but working with an unmanned helicopter provided unfamiliar working conditions.

“Working with unmanned is a lot different,” said Sgt. Brianna Conte, a landing support team leader with CLB-5. “Usually when we’re working with a manned aircraft we have pilots and crew chiefs to look up to when we’re underneath the helicopter. With unmanned it’s not like that. We have the [air vehicle operator] and a spotter who are our eyes when we’re getting it all hooked up.”

The team of Marines broke ground for CLB-5, as well, being the first Marines to execute a hot hookup with a hovering unmanned helicopter.

“This is probably one of the best experiences I’ve had in the Marine Corps thus far,” said Conte. “I speak for my Marines when I say we were extremely excited. Not everyone can say they were the first ones to do something.”

The K-MAX is still in trials for use in the Marine Corps, but the platform has already moved more than one million pounds of cargo in six months of tests. On the first night of hot hookups, the squadron was able to move nearly 6,000 pounds of gear to Marines in remote locations.

“The possibilities this opens up for the Marine Corps is increasing our capabilities,” said Norton.

The Marine Corps has high hopes for the system, which moves cargo quicker and safer than a vehicle convoy on improvised explosive device-ridden roads.

Landing support team Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 prepare to hook cargo to a hovering Kaman K1200, "K-MAX," unmanned helicopter in Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 23. Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 made history by being the first organization to test the K-MAX's ability to perform mid-flight, unmanned cargo hookups with Marines on the ground. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot)

The next evolution in firepower has arrived.

For 27 years the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon has served as the Corps automatic rifle standard. In December 2010 initial fielding of the M249 SAW’s replacement, the Heckler and Koch M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, was fielded and is now set for implementation throughout the Corps.

The M27 IAR is less than half the weight of the M249 and allows the automatic rifleman to carry fewer rounds because of its improved accuracy. With a lighter load to carry, enemy combatants will now face a more lethal and mobile Marine with better firepower to boot, allowing the Marine to move faster and engage his enemy in record time.

The Corps plans to purchase more than four thousand M27s – replacing nearly all the existing Squad Automatic Weapons. By the end of 2013, the Marine Corps intends to supply M27s to every infantry and light armored reconnaissance battalion in the Corps.

Click here to read about more gear that could be in store for Marines.

America’s Battalion Completes Final Helmand Tour

Cpl. Mark Jensen, team leader with 4th Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Nyssa, Ore., jokes with Afghan National Police patrolmen and local children while providing security at a vehicle checkpoint outside the Hazar Joft Bazaar in Garmsir district, Afghanistan, April 8, 2012. In November 2011, the Marines and sailors of 'America's Battalion' began their final Afghanistan deployment to Helmand province's Garmsir district. After six combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2004, they're finally coming home. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Afghanistan — In the fall of 2004, the Marines and sailors of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment began a challenging  journey that took them to the Middle East and central Asia.

They served on six combat deployments in the years since then — three each to Afghanistan and Iraq. They fought, sacrificed and honored their 16 fallen brothers.

Seven months ago, the men of ‘America’s Battalion’ began their final Afghanistan deployment to Helmand province’s Garmsir district. Now they’re finally coming home.

The battalion replaced fellow Hawaii-based 1st Bn., 3rd Marines in Garmsir last November. They inherited an 80-kilometer long battlespace surrounding the Helmand River, previously the scene of intense fighting between insurgents and coalition forces.

Afghan National Army Sgt. Fasil Rahim, a machine gunner with 2nd Kandak (Battalion), 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, smiles while repeating preparatory commands and readying his weapon for firing during a machine gun range led by Marines with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Embedded Training Team here, Feb. 21, 2012. During their seven months in Garmsir, 'America's Battalion' advised and developed Afghan forces preparing to take the lead in providing security for the district. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

In 2008, insurgents began heavily engaging British forces based in Garmsir in an attempt to gain control of the district. With a surge of Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, they stabilized the district and returned its control to coalition forces. In May 2009, the British transferred Garmsir to 2nd Bn., 8th Marines, beginning the line of seven Marine battalions to serve here.

Fighting was minimal when ‘America’s Battalion’ arrived in Garmsir. Despite persisting in surrounding districts, insurgent activity in Garmsir had largely been quelled by Marines and Afghan forces.

But their work was far from done in light of the nearing transition of lead security responsibility in Garmsir from Marines to Afghan forces.

Major Sean Carroll, the 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines executive officer, said ‘America’s Battalion’ arrived in Garmsir during a critical phase in the 10-year Afghan campaign. While past battalions had focused on clearing and stabilizing Garmsir, their role was to help build its future.

“We needed to expand our battlespace, retrograde gear, and build, transfer and close positions while verifying the Afghan forces were ready to defend Garmsir as a whole,” said Carroll, a San Diego native.

Carroll said the battalion demilitarized or transferred 39 of its 42 positions to Afghan forces, and retrograded and redeployed more than $140 million dollars of gear from Afghanistan to the U.S.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Marcus Martin, a squad leader with Guard Force Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 32-year-old native of Charlottesville, Va., practices Pashto with Afghan boys while providing security outside the Garmsir district center here, Nov. 28, 2011. 'America's Battalion' transferred control of coalition positions in Garmsir to Kilo Co., 3rd Bn., 8th Marines, May 14. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

While the future of Garmsir lay in the growth of Afghan-led security, its forces were simply “holding fast,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Palma, the 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines commanding officer.

Afghan forces augmented Marine patrols but insufficient manpower prevented them from holding positions on their own and conducting unpartnered operations. The Afghan National Army maintained a single kandak, or battalion, spread thinly throughout the large district. The Afghan National Police force, approximately 300 strong yet understaffed, was “immature, corrupt and filled with insurgents,” said Palma, a native of Bristol, R.I.

He said the Marines identified the Afghan police as Garmsir’s “bid for success,” and replaced the previous 25-man Police Mentoring Team with 210 infantrymen from Kilo Company, 3rd Bn., 3rd Marines.

Together, they identified and attacked corruption in the existing police force and partnered on operations and security patrols. Two Marine-led police academies grew the Afghan Local Police from 120 to 369 patrolmen, said Sgt. Phillip Kilgore, a PMT advisor and 29-year-old native of Cincinnati. In total, Garmsir’s police force doubled to more than 600.

A second ANA battalion — 6th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps — moved to Garmsir from Helmand’s Marjah district in February. They began operating in southern Garmsir, augmenting 2/1/215 based in the northern portion of the district.

The bolstered ANA force expanded to positions throughout Garmsir and operated under the watch of Marine mentors. They progressed toward independent operations, Carroll said, “building their confidence and beginning to take the lead under our watch.”

As the Afghan forces grew, citizens of Garmsir saw their impact on security. Their confidence in the abilities of their forces manifested in the numerous tips leading to the location and removal of 32 improvised explosive devices and 10 caches of weapons and other insurgent materiel.

Far south in Garmsir’s eastern desert bordering Pakistan, Afghan Border Police teamed with Marines to disrupt the movement of drugs and insurgent material into Garmsir using targeted helicopter insertions.

“We had some successes and some misses, but this disruption enabled the seed of Afghan governance to germinate,” Palma said. “The people of Garmsir have known nothing but war their entire lives. The presence of their forces in ungoverned places allowed them to see freedom and democracy … a better life.”

Afghan National Policeman Sher Agha (left) searches an Afghan elder before clearing him to enter the Garmsir Agricultural High School to vote in district community council elections here, April 17, 2012. As the Afghan forces grew in number and capability, commerce expanded and successful district community council elections were held in April 2012. 'America's Battalion' transferred control of coalition positions in Garmsir to Kilo Co., 3rd Bn., 8th Marines, May 14. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

On April 17, the people of Garmsir helped strengthen their own government by voting in free, Afghan-led district community council elections. More than 2,200 votes were cast to fill all 35 DCC seats, including six new seats in the Safar and Banadar regions, areas of southern Garmsir that previously lacked representation by Afghan government. The elections were held without incident.

“Before the elections, the people of southern Garmsir didn’t see the benefits of government,” Palma said. “They had water problems and a stagnant economy. Education and health issues weren’t addressed. Now, the government works for them. They have a voice and better access to the resources they need.”

As security and governance increased, Garmsir’s economy grew. In past years, its economic infrastructure had struggled to develop due to the people’s dependence on subsistence agriculture as their main source of income, Palma said. Safely protected by their forces, local shoppers and business owners returned to commerce centers like Safar Bazaar, which grew from approximately 200 to 400 shops since November 2011.

“When we walked through any of Garmsir’s bazaars on patrol, all of the shops were open,” Palma said. “The people weren’t intimidated by insurgents; they were free to shop or do business.”

The shift is radically different from Garmsir in 2008, when the district was still run by insurgents. Under their relentless rule, schools were closed, commerce was controlled, and the people were oppressed.

Today, Garmsir is on the cusp of freedom. Twelve schools have been constructed and opened in the past seven months. Citizens safely travel to their bazaars to purchase and sell goods. District security forces are ready to provide the people of Garmsir the security they’ve long desired.

“It took the entirety of our deployment, but the Afghan forces are completely capable of conducting operations independent from Marines,” Palma said. “Now they’re telling us we’re simply slowing them down.”

For the past seven months, the Marines and sailors of ‘America’s Battalion’ have labored to improve Garmsir’s future. As they return home to safety and the embraces of loved ones, their replacements with Kilo Co., 3rd Bn., 8th Marines are at the beginning of their mission.

Afghan National Army soldier Taza Khan enters a local elder's compound to search for insurgent materiel with Marines from 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) here, Jan. 4, 2012. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

The Kilo Co. Marines haven’t started from scratch in Garmsir. The work of their predecessors has produced an Afghan force willing and able to provide security for their district –
which was included in the recent announcement by President Hamid Karzai marking the next phase of transition across Afghanistan.

Kilo Co. looks to build on the progress made by thousands of Afghan and coalition forces. Their sacrifices will help the people of Garmsir determine their own future.

“This is the best opportunity the Afghan people have had in 30 years to choose the life they want for the next 30,” Palma said. “This is their chance to shape their future in the way they desire, rather than in the way someone else tells them it needs to be. They can take the freedom they’ve received and run with it, or they can regress.”

Editor’s Note: Third Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, 1st Marine Division (Forward), which works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling the ANSF assumption of security responsibility within its operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

A local elder watches Afghan National Army soldiers and U.S. Marines with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment search his compound during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) in Garmsir District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 4. Over the past five years, coalition forces have operated with Afghan National Security Forces to defeat the insurgency in the central Helmand River valley. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan - The heart of Garmsir district is safe.

For the past five years, coalition forces have operated with Afghan National Security Forces to defeat the insurgency in the central Helmand River valley. Driven from the green zones, or populated areas, of districts in southern Helmand, enemy fighters have sought refuge in locations west of the Helmand River. This area on the outskirts of Garmsir district has been, until now, nearly untouched by Afghan and coalition forces and the Afghan government.

Afghan National Army soldier Abdul Karim searches two local men while patrolling with U.S. Marines from 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) in Garmsir district, Afghanistan, Jan. 5. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

During Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds), Afghan forces and Marines with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, cleared the area of insurgent activity, weapons and improvised explosive device-making materials.

Marines are transitioning the lead for security responsibility of Garmsir to Afghan forces and the district government. Together, the partnered forces increased security and the ANSF presence on the east side of the Helmand River, but there are few signs of Afghan government to the west, said Lt. Col. Matthew Palma, the commanding officer of 3rd Bn.

Palma said the operation brought Afghan forces to this largely untouched area, enabling them to promote legitimate governance and remove remnants of insurgency.

“When the people see Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, they see governance,” Palma said.

Col. Roger Turner, the commanding officer of Regimental Combat Team 5, said the increased ability of Afghan forces to secure the population centers of Garmsir has given the ANA and Marines the opportunity to conduct operations on the periphery of the district.

“We’re going to operate deeper into the west bank of the Helmand River,” Turner said. “Together, we can operate in areas the enemy has rarely seen us. By removing enemy safe havens, we’ll prevent him from being able to insert himself into the district center and attack the population.”

Long before sunrise on the first morning of the operation, lines of shadowy figures treaded through frozen fields toward the rhythmic whir of helicopter blades. Shrouded by the black of night, Marines and ANA soldiers filed into the steel birds to begin their assault.

An interpreter explains the concerns of local elders to U.S. Marine Col. Roger Turner (left) and Lt. Col. Matthew Palma (right), the commanding officers of Regimental Combat Team 5 and 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, in a shura held at a school here during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) in Garmsir district, Afghanistan, Jan. 5. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

The packed helicopters lifted off amidst the roar of their spinning rotors and vanished into the darkness. After traversing the barren desert, the birds soon touched down, their noise echoing over a landscape pocked with rocks.

In three interlocking positions, ANA soldiers and Marines with Weapons Company and Co. I and L, ran down the ramps, emerging from screens of dust to move on their objectives.

Further west, Marines with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion stood ready to block enemy movement toward the desert. Simultaneously, the Marines of Co. K, teamed with the Afghan National Police to screen traffic on the eastern side of the Helmand River.

Greeting Afghan homeowners in their native tongue, ANA soldiers led the Marines in searching compounds for illegal drugs, weapons and materials used to make improvised explosive devices.

“We’ve learned a lot from the Marines – searching, patrolling, and sweeping for IEDs,” said ANA Sgt. Khal Mohammad, an infantryman with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps. “Now, I’m proud to lead them during this operation.”

Their thorough searches yielded IED components and several hundred pounds of illegal poppy seed, but the partnered forces came across little insurgent activity.

“We’re making progress in Garmsir every day,” Mohammad said. “Ten years ago, the insurgents were stronger than us, but today they are weak. We’re stronger than them because we’ve been trained by professionals.”

While the compounds were cleared, Marines collected census information, logging names, number of residents and taking photos of household elders. Identifying these local leaders allowed ANA and Marine commanders to set up shuras (consultations) with the elders and bring local issues to the Garmsir district government, Palma said.

A V-22B Osprey transport aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 soars into the air after conducting an extract mission in support of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) in Garmsir district, Afghanistan, Jan. 8. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder)

During the shuras, Afghan and Marine leaders discussed the operation, strength and capability of Afghan forces, development of the local infrastructure and community involvement in the ANP. In the village of Kartaka, an elder thanked Palma for his visit, saying he was the first coalition forces commander to visit the village over the last decade of conflict.

The operation aimed to reach areas of Garmsir untouched by the Afghan government and the partnered forces and is only the first step in a campaign extending throughout southern Helmand.

Palma said this phase was a demonstration of what ‘right’ looked like for a battalion-level operation, including its conception, planning, rehearsals and execution. Afghan forces will now be tested on their ability to replicate this process.

“This will be an opportunity to turn over control to our ANSF partners and allow them to take the lead,” Palma said. “By nature, we’re problem-solvers, so this will be a difficult transition for us. It will be a big step to command and control an operation at their level, and logistically sustain their own force in Garmsir.”

Despite the daunting challenge, ANA Capt. Sayed Akbar, the commanding officer of Weapons Tolay, remained positive ahead of the transition of lead security responsibility to Afghan forces in Garmsir.

“As we fortify ourselves and get more logistical support, we will be able to do operations like this on our own,” Akbar said. “Even when there are less Marines here, we will be capable of bringing security to Garmsir.”