7/11/2012 By Cpl. Jeff Drew , 2nd Marine Division Marine Corps Base Camp - He watched as five Marines beside him dropped, struck by the sheer force of insurgent machine gun fire. Within seconds, Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cole joined his brothers as a three-round burst lifted his 200-pound frame and 80 pounds of gear completely off the ground, moved him five feet in the air, and … [Read more...]
A Battle: Fifty Marines Against a Brigade
July 9, 2012 By Cpl. Jonathan Wright, 31st MEU SHOALWATER BAY TRAINING AREA, Queensland, Australia - As dawn approached the quiet town, a harsh voice cut through the silence. “Stand to!” it called, “Enemy sighted at 200 meters!” After two weeks of preparing defenses inside the fortified town of Raspberry Creek, elements of Company G., Battalion … [Read more...]
U.S.-Afghanistan Alliance Important to DOD, Spokesman Says
July 9, 2012 By Karen Parrish WASHINGTON (American Forces Press Service) – The U.S. government’s designation of Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally is “extremely important” to the Defense Department, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the designation July 7 after meeting with Afghan … [Read more...]
NFL Coaches visit Afghanistan
July 9, 2012 Story by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terrance D. Rhodes RC-East PAO BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – The NFL and the USO teamed up for its annual NFL-USO Coaches tour July 2-5. The tour visited servicemembers throughout Regional Command East. The tour began in 1966, when then NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle conceived of the idea of sending NFL players on "goodwill" … [Read more...]
2012 Marine Veteran of the Year Announced
7/6/2012 By Sgt. Heather Golden, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms One local retiree stood out among the other 680,000 residents of the 65th Assembly District of the California Legislative Assembly when he was recognized as the area’s Veteran of the Year 2012 June 29, during a ceremony at the Officers’ Club. Retired Col. Philip C. Cisneros … [Read more...]