OEF 10.

COMBAT LOGISTICS
REGIMENT-15 (FORWARD)

JUNE 2010
 INSIDE THIS MONTH...

COMMANDING OFFICER 3

SERGEANT MAJOR 4

HEADQUARTERS & SERVICE COMPANY 5

MAINTENANCE COMPANY 8

SUPPLY COMPANY 12

MOTOR TRANSPORT COMPANY 17

SECURITY COMPANY 19

BRAVO SURGICAL COMPANY 22

CHARLIE SURGICAL COMPANY 24

PROMOTIONS 26

AWARDS 27

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE CLR-15 (FWD) FAMILY 28

GREETINGS FROM THE CHAPLAIN 29

 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 3

COMMANDING OFFICER
Dear Families and Friends of CLR-15 (FWD),

We are rapidly approaching the half way point of our deployment and it is exciting to think
about our reunion with you. The Marines and Sailors of CLR-15 (FWD) continue to do amazing
things. This past month was quite challenging due to a fire that ripped through the Supply Management
Unit and the Repairable Issue Point. Fortunately, and most importantly, everyone is doing well and we
have fully recovered. It is a distant memory and we are on our way to rebuilding and making every-
thing better than before.

From a personal perspective, it was painful to watch the fire that night, but it has been the best
time of my Marine Corps career in the days after the incident. I had the distinct pleasure of watching
the unit’s response and observing their positive attitude was truly special. The resiliency demonstrated
by the Marines and Sailors of CLR-15 (FWD) was remarkable and is a testament to their character and
spirit. The entire Command came together to make a difference and ensure there were no interrup-
tions in supply support. We just took a short operational pause and things are now back to nor-
mal. With this behind us, we are clearly focused on looking ahead and continuing all the superb work
we started upon our arrival.

It is heating up and consistently over 100 degrees now, yet this does not even slow us down. We
drink a lot more water, but the mission remains and everyone perseveres. Your notes of encourage-
ment continue to help us stay motivated and we are so grateful for the continual support. We are ex-
tremely busy and we expect the pace to remain high until we turn over with our replacements in a few
months. I guarantee this, when the next group of Marines and Sailors show up in Afghanistan to turn-
over with CLR-15 (FWD), they are going to be in awe of what we have accomplished. I get to see it
every day and there is nothing that makes me so proud. It is an honor and privilege to serve with such
incredible Marines and Sailors. They probably don’t know this, but I get all of my motivation from
them.

As I write this, we know you all are enjoying summer, the beaches, cookouts, and other gather-
ings. I also hope you had a great Memorial Day. I know Memorial Day takes on an even more impor-
tant meaning when you have a loved one serving our Nation overseas. Rest assured, your Marines and
Sailors are doing heroic work and you can be very proud of them. No matter the mission or the task,
they respond. One must ask, “Where do we find such fine men and women?” The answer is simply –
they are a direct reflection of you. Thank you for all you do!

Semper Fi,
LtCol K.J. Stewart
 Page 4 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

SERGEANT MAJOR
Families and Friends of CLR-15 (FWD),

It is already the middle of June and the half way mark of the deployment is in sight.
With the hours that we are working our days seem to run together sometimes, which also
makes the days go by faster and before we know it the 10.2 Marines and Sailors will be on
deck. The Marines are also getting anxious to get home, but they know that we still have a
lot of work to do before our redeployment to the states and back to our families.

We had a busy month since our last newsletter and our Marines found how much
energy, unity and pride they have in their sections, Companies and Regiment. I am sure
everyone has heard by now about the Supply Management Unit fire last month. It could
have been a huge setback and most likely would have been for any other unit that was de-
ployed, but NOT for the Marines and Sailors of the “15”. They are the most impressive
bunch of men and women that I have ever served with in my career. It only took us five
days to get back to sending the outlining units supplies and operating as a functioning
SMU. I have never seen anything destroyed in one night and rebuilt so fast by such driven
Marines and Sailors. It was simply AMAZING!

I wrote in the last newsletter about the wind and heat that was heading our way and
it is now here. It is always over 100 degrees daily and the winds are blowing sand over the
base almost every morning and sometimes in the evening. We have had a few good sand
storms that cover everything we own and the sand is so fine that it gets everywhere. There
is nothing better than going to the shower and having to walk back to your room in a sand
storm. No matter what the temperature, the amount of hours or how much sand gets in our
work areas the Marines and Sailors are still doing a great job.

The morale of the unit is still very high and a lot of it has to do with the amount of
mail we receive on a daily basis. We definitely get more mail than any other unit here in
Afghanistan and we thank everyone for sending the packages from home. I know we have
missed some holidays with our families, so I would like to wish everyone a Happy Belated
Mothers Day and a Happy Fathers Day. We all wish we could have been there for those
holidays, but we will be home soon and until that day comes I wish you all the best. Again,
it is a great honor being the Sergeant Major of such a fine unit and working with great Ma-
rines and Sailors. We will keep you in our prayers and God bless.

SgtMaj J. S. Miller
CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 5

H&S COMPANY
 Page 6 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

H&S COMPANY
CO’s CORNER 1STSGT’S TWO CENTS
To the Family & Friends of CLR-15 (FWD), Three Months Down! As you can see I
The summer heat has hit and the Marines and Sailors have outstanding Marines and Sailors com-
continue to push hard. I can’t promise anyone your mitted to doing what ever it takes to get
loved ones won’t be ready for a nice long nap when things done. What a great team!
they get home, but I am confident each Marine and
Sailor will be able to look back and hold their head God Bless,
high knowing what has been accomplished in such a 1stSgt McEvoy
short period of time.
Semper Fi!
1st Lt Russell

Above: Major General Mills, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) presents a Command
Coin to Sergeant David R. White for his heroic action of saving a fellow Marine’s life.
 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 7

H&S COMPANY
S-6 TO THE RESCUE
This past month, the S-6 was faced with a huge challenge after having to relocate the Supply Man-
agement Unit (SMU) offices after the fire. In an unbelievable effort, the S-6 had the SMU operational
within 36 hours. They installed over 10,000 feet of Cat-5 cable, reconfigured over 42 computers to
provide critical connectivity to over 200 users, and provided radio support at a critical time. Nearly
all the Marines were rewarded for their hard work during this timeframe but it was their fearless
leader, Master Sergeant Schanz, who stood out the most! During the fire he ran into the direction of
the flames without pause. He came to the assistance of the firefighters and corpsmen, joining in the
effort to keep to keep the fire at bay. When a dust storm caused the evacuation of all firefighters, a
third country national abandoned his water truck and fled the approaching fire. Master Sergeant
Schanz reacted without hesitation to recover the vehicle and drive it a safe distance away from the
flames. He then proceeded to conduct a series of water resupply runs to the fire trucks actively bat-
tling the blaze. During each run, he exposed himself to danger in order to provide the fire trucks
with water. He repeatedly placed himself within yards of open flames and explosive hazardous mate-
rial in order to pump water into the fire trucks. Master Sergeant Schanz tirelessly conducted 12 water
re-supplies during the course of eight hours until 0400 the next morning. Master Sergeant Schanz
was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for his heroic efforts.

“After the evacuation, me and another guy

went back in. I didn’t want to lose the ca-
pability of this water truck to refill the fire
trucks. I knew if I didn’t take the truck out,
it would be lost to the flames. The fire had
already spread and would be lost in a few
minutes. Since I just finished the “Troops to
Truckers” program, I thought I could figure
out how to drive it. The biggest challenge
was all the levers and knobs were labeled
in Arabic. I found the parking brake and
first gear and that’s all I needed. I was able
to continue to support the resupply of the
fire trucks until the wee hours of the morn-
ing.” -Master Sergeant Schanz

Birthday Shout Outs!

LCpl Rhoads’ Mom, Linda Welz (June 3)

1stSgt McEvoy’s Daughter, Catherine Hanby (June 8)
GySgt Cooks’ Daughter, Ariah Cook (June 16)
LCpl Rocha’s Father, Manuel Rocha (June 17)
LCpl Rhoads’ Sister, Nikki Engstrom (June 21)
LCpl Kalkstein’s Mother, Letty Kalkstein (June 30)
 Page 8 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

MAINTENANCE COMPANY
 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 9
COMPANY COMMANDER
Another month has passed, which means we are another month closer to bringing the Marines
of Maintenance Company back home. This past month has been particularly busy, as we coped
with the after effects of the SMU/RIP fire. There is no doubt that Maintenance Company is the
best Company in the Regiment, which was never more evident as everyone in Maintenance
Company pulled together to ensure the RIP was moved into the IMA Compound and operational
within 72 hours of the fire. We continue to support Marine Expeditionary Forces throughout Af-
ghanistan by sending detachments of Marines spanning the entire I MEF (FWD) Area of Opera-
tions to repair and maintain equipment for forward operating forces. You should be extremely
proud of your Marines and their accomplishments thus far, as the reports pouring in from the
units at the Combat Outposts and Patrol Bases is nothing but favorable. Without your loved ones
making the sacrifices they are making these units would be hard pressed to accomplish their ob-
jectives. Thank you for the continued support of your Marines we would be hard pressed to keep
our operational tempo without it, and Happy Father’s Day.

Major Jerry R. Copley

REPARABLE ISSUE POINT

The Reparable Issue Point had a month to remember. On May 16th, the lot which we shared
with the Supply Management Unit was destroyed by fire. However, Maintenance Company
pulled together, and was able to save over 80% of the inventory. I would like to take time to
thank all of those family and friends who wished us well during this period. The Marines of the
RIP performed their duties admirably and continued the mission without a building, ware-
house, or usual day to day office equipment. A testament to their determination was evident as
we did our first transaction the morning following the fire. Never has my pride in a group been
more than it was that day.
As this current month roles on and we are now comfortably moved into our new facility we
continue to support I MEF (FWD)’s efforts in Afghanistan. Until next month…

CWO2 Johnson
RIP Platoon Commander
 Page 10 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

MAINTENANCE COMPANY
ENGINEER MAINTENANCE PLATOON
Another month has passed by and your Marines continue to excel beyond my expectations. The weather is
reaching extreme summer temperatures as we encounter each new day. Nearing the halfway point in our de-
ployment to Afghanistan, the Marines of Engineer Maintenance Platoon push on and are continuing their mis-
sion, repairing all equipment that comes their way. I must say, they are doing an outstanding job.

Though the work has not slowed down, we were able to take a few hours out of a Sunday afternoon and have
a barbeque, play volleyball, horse shoes, cards and just relax for a bit.

The Marines of the Metal Shop have been doing an outstanding job. The Metal Shop has fabricated numerous
protective barriers to enhance security for Marines manning Entry Control Points throughout our base. The
Metal Shop has also fabricated racks, ladders, and steps for many Marine Corps tactical vehicles. They have
also made bolts and plugs for many different types of vehicles and equipment. To date, our Metal Shop Marines
have fabricated and completed repairs on over 200 pieces of equipment which is about three times as much
work normally completed by the same Marines at Camp Pendleton.

Our platoon’s Maintenance Management Section is run by a single Marine; Corporal Manuel Montelongo Jr.
He processes all equipment repair orders and parts requisition for Engineer Equipment Platoon. So far, Cpl
Montelongo has opened and closed over 1,200 Equipment Repair Orders for our platoon.

The Tool Room and Calibrations Marines continue to be busy as always conducting inventories, re-arranging
the Tool Room and trying to provide the best tools for the hard working Marines that are on the lot fixing the
gear. This is the reason we recently re-located our Common #30 Tool Kit. It was placed in a more accessible
spot and now the Marines will be able to use the Material Handling Crane to lift generators, engines and other
heavy components when needed.

It’s been another busy month for the Marines of the Utilities section. Our refrigeration mechanics continue to
do great work despite the seemingly endless flow of request for air conditioner repairs; they continue to keep
their customers comfortable and cool. The generator section is staying busy as well remaining on call 24/7,
completing repairs as complex as replacing engines and as simple as instructing someone to add fuel to their
generator.

Equipment issues have plagued us since our arrival in Afghanistan but the Marines in Heavy Equipment sec-
tion have continued to do great work. They have repaired roughly 50 heavy equipment items so far and as fast
as they fix them…more broken ones roll in. There’s no shortage of work for this section either.

We have a number of acknowledgements for the month of June. Sergeant James McCormick and his wife
Amanda welcomed their baby girl, Arianna Elizabeth, into the world on May 16, 2010. Aaron Lungmus was
meritoriously promoted to the rank of Corporal. Lance Corporals Felisha Franklin and Taylor Smith were each
awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Lance Corporal Justin Grizzle received the Good
Conduct Medal.

We would like to send a sincere Happy Father’s Day to all the parents, spouses, friends, and families of the
Marines of Engineer Maintenance Platoon.

Semper Fidelis,
CWO3 Keith Earhart
 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 11

MAINTENANCE COMPANY

Above: Corporal Thompson

wiring up a generator. Above: TRAM halfway
through an axle replace-
ment.
Center: Machinists hard at
work.
Below: Lance Corporal Phan
contemplating his next
Below: The utilities section weld...
replacing an engine.
Page 12 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

SUPPLY COMPANY
 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 13
COMPANY COMMANDER
Dear Friends and Family,
On the 16th of May the Company suffered a minor setback in the form of a fire that consumed
the lot we were located on. As it was being contained the 100 Days of Wind Afghanistan is
known for contributed a massive sand storm which took the fire to new heights. It tore through
the Supply Management Unit reducing it to scrap and ashes. The Marines witnessed as their
hard work from the last six weeks went up in smoke.
What would cause me to say that this was only a minor setback? With the superb support of
all in CLR-15 (FWD) we were re-located into a new lot within 24 hours. Everyone pitched in
from Communication Marines working overnight to set up phone lines and computers, Mainte-
nance Marines setting up generators and Motor Transportation Marines moving gear and con-
tainers to the new location. The list could go on as every Company and Section within the CLR
assisted with the move and set up. Supply Company Marines and Sailors went to work the fol-
lowing day to set up tents and salvage inventory to begin rebuilding. With the leadership of the
Officers and SNCOs and the hard work and ingenuity of the Marines and Sailors we were issu-
ing supplies in support of I MEF (FWD) within 96 hours. It still astounds me that we recovered
and were operational within four days. The Marines rebounded quickly and decided that this
would be their SMU and it would be better than before.

The new lot improves every day. New buildings are being constructed and inventory comes
in waves. The Marines are constantly engaged in ensuring that I MEF (FWD) continues to get
supported with everything it needs to continue the fight. I have never been more proud to
serve with any unit than I have been with this Company.
Without your continued support to your Marines and Sailors none of this is possible. You
have my sincerest appreciation for what you do for us. As we get closer to the half way mark we
are looking forward to finishing strong and coming home to our loved ones.

Best Regards,
Major Doug Burke
 Page 14 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

SUPPLY COMPANY
COMPANY FIRST SERGEANT
Family and Friends,

We have almost hit our 90 mark in theater, close to the half way mark of this deployment. The Ma-
rines and Sailors continue to make positive contributions to their Unit and MEF. I remain extremely
proud to serve along side of them. In my dealings with our young warriors, I can tell you each of you is
missed. The 90 day mark can be a difficult time for both you at home and your Marines and Sailors
here. A few letters or a small care package goes a long way during this time. Please make every effort
to remain in contact and supportive. Morale remains high and we haven’t had any problems, together
we can finish strong together. After the half way point of the deployment, new goals are usually estab-
lished and the light at the end of the tunnel begins to become brighter. The closer to our redeploy the
brighter this light gets.

As many of you already know, the Supply Management Unit sustained a fire during the month of May.
I am sure you already know enough about this incident, but what can’t be expressed enough was the
manner in which Supply Company overcame this hurdle. While the fire was still being extinguished, the
company staff went into planning our next set of moves. Having a solid plan and with the help from 200
of the Nation’s Finest, Supply Company was up and running in just under 5 days. We far exceeded the
expectations of those at the higher headquarters. So much so the fire was no longer referred to as an
incident but instead an unscheduled “Operational Pause.”

While the conduct of the company as a whole has been noteworthy, we were able to recognize a few
of Marines whose contributions set them apart. Sergeant’s Vila and Dessart received the Navy and Ma-
rine Corps Achievement Medal for their actions during and after the fire. While Sergeant Lemke and
Corporals Etter and Delarosa received the impact Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals for
their extreme hard work since arriving in theater. Despite internal hurdles, as a testament to their indi-
vidual character, Supply Company participated at the 1st Marine Logistics Group board and walked
away with two Marines combat meritoriously promoted to the rank of Corporal. My hat is off to Corpo-
ral Flores and Corporal Clearman who were selected over some keen competition. We continue to be
impressed with the hard work from the Marines and Sailors, we see it every day and you can be proud.
I would also like to take the time to thank you for the support you are providing to us here. It makes our
job that much easier.
1stSgt Ray Stephens
 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 15

SUPPLY COMPANY
GENERAL ACCOUNT
Greetings family and friends of the General Account. It has been an exciting and opportunity filled month. Although
the fire caused destruction to property, it only served to make our will and cohesiveness stronger. Every member of
GA stood out from the crowd at some point during the month because of their extraordinary effort. Special thanks go
out to Master Sergeant Grounds who provided outstanding leadership during this difficult time.

Corporal Trevino is running a tight ship. Within five days of losing our entire office and equipment, the section was
back doing business as usual. As always, Corporal Berry amazes us with his ability to manipulate information in the
database. His skill in this area proved to be invaluable when we were replacing equipment lost in the fire.

Corporal Flores became the first member of Supply Company to receive a Combat Meritorious Promotion. She is
now a proud member of our NCO Corps. We are extremely fortunate to have a Marine of her caliber in our ranks.

Lance Corporal Maldonado and Lance Corporal Kerkau continue to be the workhorses of GA. They are involved in
almost everything the section does. Even with the long work hours, Lance Corporal Kerkau decided to use what little off
time she had to earn her Grey MCMAP belt this month.

We think about our families every day and look forward to the time when we are reunited. But, until then, we will ful-
fill Customer Service’s tag line. We will “Support the Warfighter”.

Sincerely,
CWO3 Jose I. Torres III
 Page 16 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

SUPPLY COMPANY
CAMP DWYER SUPPLY DETACHMENT
Greetings family and friends of CLR-15 (FWD),

I’m the Detachment Staff Non-commissioned Officer in charge of your Marines deployed aboard Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan. As you
are more than well aware, we are just about to touch down on the half way point of this deployment. I must say the men of this detach-
ment are still hard at it without displaying any signs of slowing down. The Marines of this detachment have been busy planning, design-
ing and building future operational procedures for supply and distribution operations in support of future war fighters. In addition your
Marines have managed to maintain daily tasks to support commands and detachments within the Camp Dwyer area which comprises of
more than 13 using units. There is still quite a bit of work ahead of us.

In the past few weeks the weather has started to change and seems to be getting hotter every week. We have endured dozens of sand
and dust storms which your Marines so dearly love. This is a true indicator of the hot months to come. You should see leaner Marines by
the time we arrive home. The base in which we are embedded in has all the amenities within its barriers. There is great dining facility,
air conditioned living spaces with full restroom facilities, fitness gyms and a recreational center with TV, free internet/SKYPE and tele-
phone services.

I would like to congratulate the Cpl McCarver and LCpl Juarez family for the new blessings in their families. Cpl McCarver’s wife gave
birth to a baby boy and LCpl Juarez’s wife gave birth to a baby girl. We have 3 other Marines who are expecting new borns here shortly.
Their names are Cpls’ Ferry & Davis and LCpl Amesquita, may their wives have a healthy and successful birth.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve and work with this fine group of Marines. I know that they and you look forward to getting
home, and I can promise that it will be a well deserved welcome home. I look forward to meeting you all when we arrive on that parade
deck. I speak on behalf of all the Marines when I say we appreciate the sacrifice and support you have provided us. Because of you, we
are able to complete our tasks and stay focused on the mission. Last but not least, I would like to say hello to my lovely wife Jennifer and
my kids. I love you guys and miss you and look forward to seeing Sushi on the football field. See you in a few months.
SEMPER FIDELIS!
Gunnery Sergeant Felton
CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 17

GSMT COMPANY
 Page 18 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

GSMT COMPANY
COMPANY COMMANDER COMPANY FIRST SERGEANT
All, Hello Family and Friends!

It’s been a great month for GSMT Com-
pany. We have pushed ourselves beyond
what we thought were our limits, and have
only seen success. Your sons, daughters,
siblings, spouses and significant others con-
tinue get the job done day after day, week
after week. Their dedication, persistence,
creativity and discipline personally inspire
me on a daily basis. You all have great rea-
son to be extremely proud. Until next
month….SEMPER FI!
Sincerely,
Capt Hines
Previous Page (Top): LCpl Depina, LCpl Peckham,
LCpl Marchand, Cpl Jones, LCpl Oliveira (Standing)
and LCpl Graves (Kneeling) getting ready to offload
cargo.
General Support Motor Transport Com-
pany continues to conduct Motor Transport
Operations. Our operational pace has been
particularly fast during the previous month.
However, our Marines continue to stand up to
the challenges in front of them. They solve
problems and overcome obstacles as they
arise. It is what Marines do best, they adapt
and overcome! The summer is upon us and
the heat is on, the wind is blowing and the
sand is in the air. Our focus continues to be
on mission accomplishment and safety. We
appreciate your continued support of our
Marines. Mail call is big every day and thank
you for the generous letters and packages.
Semper Fidelis,
1stSgt Miller

Previous Page (Bottom): Staff Sergeants Avila, Gray, and Cunanan strike a pose.

Below: Lance Corporal Kirchner receives a Meritorious Mast from the Commanding
Officer after being selected as the Road Warrior of the Month.
 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 19

SECURITY COMPANY
 Page 20 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

SECURITY COMPANY
COMPANY COMMANDER
This month’s Security Company submission for the newsletter was written by Corporal Nathaniel Drahota from
2nd Platoon. Corporal Drahota is from Minnesota by way of Edmonton, Washington. He is currently serving as a
Vehicle Commander and Fire Team Leader for his platoon. Most notable about Corporal Drahota is his quiet but
forceful leadership. He is a genuine Marine and a leader by example. He has been on numerous extensive mis-
sions across Helmand Province, conducting convoy, recovery, or security escort missions in support of fellow
Marines and Afghan National Army. He is currently participating in Corporal’s Course; a course designed to in-
struct Marine Corporals on Non-Commissioned Officer leadership. It arms Corporals with the tools to be suc-
cessful leaders in the Marine Corps. We hope you will enjoy what he had to say about his experiences with
Security Company.

Capt Carper.

COMPANY FIRST SERGEANT

Greetings to all our lovely families,

We are now approaching the half way point of a very busy and fast paced deployment and I want you to know
that your Marines and Sailors are looking forward to the day they will see your smiling faces and feel your warm-
ing embraces. As mentioned above the pace has been fast, but safe. The Regimental Commander, Company
Commander, and everyone who falls underneath keeps safety in the forefront of everything we do, to include mis-
sions. So do not worry as I’ve stated in other newsletters, not only is safety a priority for me as the First Sergeant,
Prayer is as well. We have been blessed and I personally believe that Prayer in conjunction with your profes-
sional Marines and Sailors attention to detail has allowed for Security Company to be successful thus far. We’ve
suffered no serious injuries and I believe God is going to make this be the case for the rest of the deployment. I
also want you to know your Marines are well feed and have plenty of everything they need, to include mail, but
don’t stop sending the care packages yet, it is still yet one of the most important things that keeps the morale ele-
vated.

Your Marines have been doing some great things out here, such as getting promoted, graduating from courses,
and recognized for their actions in combat, and they deserve to be recognized here.

Frank Cruz: Combat Meritoriously Promoted to the rank of Sergeant

Heather Nejame: Combat Meritoriously Promoted to the Rank of Corporal
Jeremy Floyd: Combat Meritoriously Promoted to the Rank of Lance Corporal
Oliver Persons: Promoted to the Rank of Corporal
Anthony Floresca: Promoted to the Rank of Corporal
LCpl Charles Center: Certificate of Commendation for Actions In Combat
LCpl William Johnson: Certificate of Commendation for Actions In Combat
Cpl Sean Johnson: Graduated from Martial Arts Instructors Course, “Gung Ho Award”
Cpl Justin Hudnall: Graduated from Martial Arts Instructors Course
Congratulations to you, our family, for all that you are doing back home!

I want to thank you for all your mail which keeps coming in, it really keeps morale up, but more importantly, I
thank you for your Prayers that you send up for us. Don’t stop sending the mail yet, and please don’t stop praying.
Remember, if have any concerns, please feel free to contact me on the e-mail listed below.

May God Bless You All in my Prayers

GySgt, Alvin T. Dupree Jr
Security Company First Sergeant
Alvin.dupree@afg.usmc.mil
 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 21

SECURITY COMPANY
DIVERSE SECURITY
When I was asked to describe my experience of the deployment thus far I had trouble deciding on
what particular subject I should base this description. There are certainly a plethora of topics that would
fulfill the requirements of my assignment. I finally decided that the actual operations of the company,
while exciting, would be better left to description
by your loved ones. The subject that I would pre-
fer to set before you is the overall spirit and deter-
mination of the Marines of Security Company.

The Marines that work together out here

every day come from a wide variety of places.
Some come from an infantry background and have an
incredible amount of de- ployment and opera-
tional experience. Others are activated Reservists,
many of whom are working well outside of their mili-
tary occupational special- ties. Still others come
from the original Military Police Company, from
which Security Company was mainly derived, and
have their own unique ex- periences. All of these
Marines have come to- gether with the common
goal of mission accomplish- ment and, despite their
differences, have worked together effectively and
admirably.

Whenever a task has been given, the Marines

of Security Company have risen to the occasion with
zeal and vigor. Everyone has had to work long
hours under varying levels of stress and have all
proven their worth time and time again. This deploy-
ment is still far from over, but I for one am proud to
be a part of such a diverse group performing such
an important mission so masterfully.

"Some people live an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference in the world, Marines don't
have that problem." ~ President Ronald Regan.

The Marines of Security Company certainly fall in to the category of individuals who make a differ-
ence every day.

Nathaniel Drahota
Corporal USMC
 Page 22 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

BRAVO SURGICAL COMPANY

CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 23
 Page 24 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010

CHARLIE SURGICAL COMPANY

 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 25
Making a Difference, One Patient at a Time
Frightened, injured, and apprehensive are words to describe
Sarah (patient name fictitious due to privacy matters) upon
arrival to the Charlie Surgical STP. Sarah, a 14 year old Local
National (LN) female who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg,
was the innocent victim of a firefight that took place near her
home. Just like in Sarah’s case, many of the patients received
by Charlie Surgical Company happen to be LN’s who are inno-
cent victims of firefights. For Sarah, as is the case for the major-
ity of the LN patients, this was her first interaction with a group
of people whose culture, religion, and language was far differ-
ent from her own. Terrified and in disarray, what Sarah didn’t
know upon arrival was that she would be departing with a new
friend. That new friend would end up to be STP member HM3
Michelle Etsitty.

HM3 Etsitty, notorious for passionately interacting with and

taking care of the Local National Pa-tients, saw the fear in
Sarah’s eyes when she came in and decided to take action.
When asked to talk about her personal experience with Sarah,
HM3 Etsitty said: “At first I saw that she was extremely scared,
so after she awoke from surgery I started trying to interact
with her as an attempt to calm her nerves and comfort her .
After talking with her, the interpreter told me that she ex-
plained to him that she had never seen an American before,
and that she was frightened because she had been taught that
all Americans are bad. During the three days she was here, I
kept trying to interact with her until she finally became com-
fortable with me. The language and communication barrier
with Sarah and all of the LN patients makes efforts very diffi-
cult, but there are still things we can do to interact with them.
With Sarah, I showed her the pictures on my computer of my
friends and family. She loved it. She had never been exposed
to a computer due to the lack of technology they have here, so
she was amused. The funniest moment that happened while
she was here occurred when she started pointing to her
mouth as if she was in pain. Naturally, I went and got the inter-
preter just to clarify that her mouth hurt so that we could tell
the Doctor. After the interpreter talked to her, he told that me
that her mouth didn’t hurt, she just wanted another piece of
gum. I thought it was hilarious, and her and I both started
laughing. We ended up forming a friendship and special
bond. Before she left, she gave me her bracelet and told the
interpreter to tell me that she will always remember me.” HM3
Etsitty concluded by saying : “Our goal is to ultimately make a
difference, one patient at a time.”
The purpose of the FRSS is to perform what is
known as damage control surgery. What this
means in the most basic sense is that the FRSS is a
surgical team whose job it is to stop bleeding and
give blood in order to stabilize severely injured
patients for transport to a larger hospital.
The team is composed of two surgeons, one to
two anesthesiologists/nurse anesthetists, two
critical care nurses, two surgical techs, one gen-
eral duty corpsman, and a Chief Petty Officer.
Our cases consist primarily of gunshot wounds,
fragmentation wounds, blast injuries, and pa-
tients who are more often than not, very sick.
We usually get word that a patient is coming in
about 15 minutes before they arrive. During this
time,we prepare for the case based on the infor-
mation provided.
Once the patient arrives, we quickly assess the
patient’s status then decide if resuscitation will
begin in the Shock Trauma Platoon (STP), or if
they will be sent straight to the FRSS. The sickest
patients go to the FRSS directly, as it is capable of
intervening surgically to stop bleeding. The sick-
est patients often require massive blood transfu-
sions and require major surgery to save their
lives. The Corpsman, Nurses, and Doctors work
very closely as a team to render these life saving
interventions in as quick a manner as possible.

Once patients leave the FRSS, they are usually

moved directly to an awaiting helicopter and sent
to what is known as a level III facility. This is sim-
ply a hospital with higher level capabilities than a
FRSS/STP (a level II facility) combination. The
team enjoys its work and there is a great feeling
of camaraderie, however, we are counting down
the days until we get back home to our families.
Page 26 PROMOTIONS
COMBAT MERITORIOUS JUNE
Master Sergeant
Sergeant Wayne Bosley
Frank Cruz Alvaro Medina
Rogelio Sanchez

Corporal Staff Sergeant

Timothy Blodgett
Matthew Clearman Robert Shuman
Amy Flores Sergeant
Aaron Lungmus Mychael Checky
Heather Nejame Joshua Cook
Vincent Lemke
Lionel Smith
Corporal
Jorge Carillo
Dominick Chiurco
Lance Corporal Daniel Delangel
Anthony Floresca
Jeremy Floyd Jorge Floresguttierez
Nikolas Rivera Efrain Hernandez
Jason Huang
Diana Valdez Ian Jones
Adam Luttio
Erandi Martinez
Justin McCarver
MERITORIOUS Joaquin Perez
Oliver Persons
Guadalupe Ramirez
Corporal
Lance Corporal
Patrick Clark Paul Cantino
Raymond Sullivan Berrie McCormick
Bradley McDonald
Jeffrey Mejia
Carlos Ramos
Joseph Teague
Joshua Willinsky
 AWARDS Page 27

NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL OUTSTANDING

Sgt Dessart; Supply Company VOLUNTEER
Sgt Vila; Supply Company SERVICE MEDAL
Sgt White; Headquarters and Service Company Cpl Diggins
Cpl Delarosa; Supply Company Cpl Jensen
Cpl Eggleston; GSMT Company
Cpl Etter; Supply Company
Cpl Henson; GSMT Company MERTIORIOUS MAST
Cpl Oldaker; GSMT Company GySgt Cook
LCpl Curran; GSMT Company SSgt Deleon
LCpl Franklin; Maintenance Company Sgt Carroll
LCpl Hays; GSMT Company Sgt Checky
LCpl Medlin; Maintenance Company Sgt Cheney
LCpl Smith, Taylor; Maintenance Company Sgt Reynolds
LCpl Staritz; Maintenance Company Sgt Sgt Salazar
Sgt Schwartz
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION Sgt Stanley
MSgt Schanz; Headquarters and Service Company Cpl Grey
Cpl Center; Security Company Cpl Hankison
Cpl Savoie; GSMT Company Cpl Hayden
Cpl Soriano; GSMT Company Cpl Karhoff
LCpl Barbera; GSMT Company Cpl Kuiper
LCpl Johnson, William; Security Company Cpl Paz
LCpl Olveira; GSMT Company Cpl Simmons
LCpl Devrou
LCpl Kalkstein
LCpl Maxwell
LCpl Ramirezherrera
LCpl Rocha
LCpl Tanner
PFC Holcomb
Page 28 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010
New Arrivals to the CLR-15 (FWD) Family
Maintenance Company
Joseph Brooks
GySgt Joseph and Susan Miciotto

Arianna Elizabeth
Sgt James and Amanda McCormick

Olivia Finley
Cpl Franklin and Suzanna Alvarado

GSMT Company
Lennox Noah
Cpl Raul and Crystal Sandoval

Benjamin Clark
LCpl Daniel and Kathrine Reed

Security Company
Zoie Lynn
HM3 Addison and Shelby Bradford

Headquarters and Service Company

Ejay
Sgt Emmanuel and Allison Boyd
 CLR-15 (FWD) JUNE 2010 Page 29
Greetings from the Chaplain

Being in Afghanistan is like traveling back in time. Camp Leatherneck isn’t ancient;
since there is so much new construction going on, this is a modern base. However, the ac-
tual place where we live and work has a very ancient history. Most of us are only aware of
Afghanistan’s recent history: the Taliban movement, 9-11, and the subsequent American
and NATO conflict which is now the longest in America’s history. Some of you may re-
member the old Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, and America’s
“shadow” involvement then, dramatized in movies like Charlie Wilson’s War or The Kite
Runner. Many people think of Afghanistan as only a backwards and intolerant Islamic
country, hostile to foreigners, but it was not always violent or inhospitable.

North of our location is part of the remains of the Silk Road, a famous caravan route
which once stretched from the Mediterranean to China and Asia, which was used from an-
tiquity up until the Middle Ages. Many ideas about religion, as well as goods and works of
art, were transmitted to various populations among the countries on the Silk Road. During
this time-period, both Buddhism and Christianity flourished Afghanistan (known in ancient
times as Bactria), brought there by missionary monks. Invasions and wars by different
tribes eventually closed this route forever. The most famous relics of Buddhism in Af-
ghanistan were the 8200-feet-tall, 1,000-year-old Bamiyan Buddhas, which were destroyed
by the Taliban in 2001. Yet even today, archaeologists are hoping to discover what may
be an even bigger statue, hidden under the sands in Bamiyan Province.

Even in modern times, Afghanistan was once a popular tourist destination on what was
known as the “Hippie Trail.” During the 1960s and 1970s, young Europeans and Ameri-
cans would travel from Europe, through the Middle East, and to Afghanistan and India,
mostly by hitchhiking on cars and buses. You can imagine why hippies wanted to visit Af-
ghanistan! There are many accounts by travelers of how hospitable and friendly the Af-
ghans were. This kind of adventure travel also declined with war, following the Soviet in-
vasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s and the resultant civil wars and rise of Islamist violence.
I believe some of the old buses here at Camp Leatherneck that are used to shuttle Marines
from one side of the base to the other, must date from this time!

Afghanistan was not always a battleground, although many times in its history it has
been fought over by Greeks, Mongols, British and Americans. Perhaps one day, peace
will be restored and the people of this country can benefit again from visitors from all
parts of the world, as it used to be.

Namaste! (Peace!)

LT Jeanette Shin