LAR Photos Are Found at Defense Imagery

LAR Photos are from "the Department of Defense's premier imagery website,( Defense Imagery. Mil) the location to find all forms of still, motion and multimedia imagery from across the entire DoD enterprise. This includes imagery of operations and activities from throughout the DoD."

Jamie McIntyre: Against the Sanitation of War OK To Print AP Picture

Jamie McIntyre at "Line of Departure" has a post on the AP travesty and comes down on the side of AP justifying his analysis by: "It should again be noted that the AP did not violate the letter any of the rules imposed by the Pentagon for reporters embedding with U.S. troops."

Excuse me? What Part of "casualty can not be identified" did you not understand? Jamie?

"Casualties may be covered by embedded media as long as the service member's identity and unit identification is protected from disclosure until OASD-PA has officially released the name. Photography from a respectful distance or from angles at which a casualty cannot be identified is permissible; however, no recording of ramp ceremonies or remains transfers is permitted."

Jamies concluding money paragraph: "But the AP is also right to recoil against any effort to sanitizes war, or minimize its sacrifice or cruelty. And the picture is part of the history of that war. I’m sure the debate is still raging inside the AP."

Rich in irony. We are only doing for you.

On Alert

Bravo One Five Marines alert and ready to return fire somewhere in Helmand Province 8/14.USMC Photo Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

Take Cover

Bravo One Five Marines take cover after receiving enemy fire during a security patrol through Helmand province's Nawa district, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2009. USMC photo Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

On Your Six America

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Lionel Ortiz with Bravo Company, one five changes cover position during a firefight with the Taliban in the Nawa district of Helmand province, on Aug. 14, 2009. USMC photo Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

Tearing Down The Wall

1stLt Kurt Stahl,Marines with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines Regiment, exchanged fire with Taliban militants and drove them from a a giant wall on the outskirts of an area called Herati – one of the same positions used to fire the initial volley during the last major fight here.

“Every time we go down to that area, we take contact,” said 1st Lt. Josh Faucett, a forward observer and joint terminal attack controller.

The insurgents engaged the patrol with small arms and a few rocket propelled grenades as anticipated, and the Marines responded with a heavy volley of their own combined with 60mm and 81mm mortars lobbing onto the objective.

“We made the enemy react to us with our fires and maneuver,” said 2nd Lt. Pat Bragan of Abington, Mass., 3rd platoon commander.

The location the enemy fired from was a giant wall on the outskirts of an area called Herati – one of the same positions used to fire the initial volley during the last major fight here. Additionally, the wall has been one of the insurgents’ favorite places from which to launch attacks over the last month.

“They have used the wall since we’ve been here. They have fired at us from all corners,” said Faucett, who is from Elwood, Ind. “The whole mission was terrain denial, and the secondary mission was tearing down the wall so that it could not be used as a fighting position.”

The compound was nothing more than a sturdy wall surrounding a grape orchard in the shape of a rectangle. However, it also provided a temporary safe haven for insurgents to observe Marines and fire on them.

During the firefight two days prior, mortars and heavy ordnance from aircraft and high-mobility artillery rocket systems, or HIMARS as they are called, had been called in on the fortified position. The wall was hit with 81mm mortars and HIMARS again in this second firefight. Even with these explosives detonating along the wall, much of it still stood when the Marines finally made their way to it. Initially, they thought they might have to use explosives to demolish the wall because it was very thick and had withstood repeated shelling. However, it didn’t take long for them to figure out an easier way.

“I bet if we get a bunch of guys on it, we can push most of the wall down,” said Staff Sgt. James Simmons, a platoon sergeant from Winter Park, Fla. “I was just able to break off a small piece when I kicked it.”

Immediately, a group of Marines got up while the rest posted security and started pushing on the wall. Piece by piece, the wall fell, providing a direct line of sight through the compound. They were successful in taking down about 30 to 40 meters of it by hand.

The wall on the front side was stronger and could not be pushed down. Therefore, the company’s explosive ordnance technicians leveled the rest of that side with a series of controlled detonations.

By mid-afternoon, the majority of the wall was no longer a position the enemy could use to fire at Marines from. The patrol remained in position into the late evening in case the insurgents tried to move back into their comfort zone.

“We definitely denied the enemy freedom of movement in that area,” Bragan said. “I am sure they will have to think hard before trying to return.”

Firefight in Garmsir

U.S. Marines and Afghan national army soldiers return fire after insurgents ambushed their patrol in the Garmsir district in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 13, 2009.
USMC photo by 1st Lt. Kurt Stahl

by 1st Lt. Kurt Stahl
The Marines of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, waged an intense six-hour battle with Taliban insurgents who opened fire on the patrol just after 8 a.m.

After moving only about one mile from their combat outpost, the Marines received a heavy volley of enemy gunfire from multiple directions. Without hesitation, the Marines and ANA returned fire to suppress the enemy positions, began to maneuver on the insurgents and call for fire support.

“We sent out the combat patrol anticipating contact,” said Capt. E.A. Meador from Laurel, Miss., the company commander. “They always try to hit us in that area.”

Within minutes, an AH-1W Super Cobra and a UH-1N Huey were on station overhead to help suppress and engage enemy targets. The Cobra fired several five-inch Zuni rockets into one of the compounds from which the patrol was receiving sustained fire.

The friendly forces maneuvered through thick corn fields with slippery mud while enduring temperatures that exceeded 120 degrees in the afternoon. The muggy heat rose from the corn fields as if it were a sauna, and the Marines sunk into the mud with each step making it feel like weights were attached to their ankles.

“I didn’t think it was possible to move so fast through mud like that,” said Lance Cpl. Timothy Daughtry, a squad automatic weapon gunner.

In addition to those already challenging conditions, each Marine carried no less than a 60-pound combat load to include body armor, ammunition and water at a minimum. Despite the potential distractions offered by these extreme conditions while under fire, the Marines executed sound judgment calls and made rational decisions without hesitation.

“At the squad and platoon level, the Marines are out there every day and do a phenomenal job,” said Meador. “They come back beat and tired, but they are always ready to do it again the next day.”

During the engagement, the squad leaders were encouraging and directing their Marines to ensure they were doing everything they could to stay effective and in the fight. No matter how tired they became as time wore on, the voice of experience could be heard across the battlefield.

“Push forward. Keep your dispersion,” called out Sgt. Jonathon Delgado, a squad leader from Kissimmee, Fla., as his Marines pressed through the corn field to maneuver on one of the compounds hiding the enemy.

By 1 p.m. – five hours into the engagement – many of the Marines had run out of water. So, water and ammunition redistribution began from those who still had a reserve and continued throughout the remainder of the day as needed.

During the firefight, the Marines were successful in calling in several types of precision ordnance on the insurgent fighting positions, which included rockets fired by the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems based at Camp Dwyer 15 miles away; 81mm and 60mm mortars; and a 500-pound bomb from a U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber.

“We caught them by surprise with our indirect fire assets and inflicted heavier casualties than in the past,” said 1st Lt. Kyle Kurtz from Greensboro, N.C., the company’s executive officer.

The Marines and ANA eventually maneuvered up to and cleared the insurgent positions initially used to launch the ambush. One moment they were fighting in open fields, and the next they were clearing rooms the insurgents had used as fighting positions – two very different and challenging combat techniques. One squad, expecting to encounter some resistance, went to clear the western compound where the patrol had initially taken heavy fire. As they entered the compound, the only thing that was they found were brass casings and links from the enemy’s machine guns.

“It was tense going through the compound,” Daughtry commented. “You never know exactly what is coming around the corner.”

Between the sprints across the corn fields under fire to clearing compounds, the Marines felt lucky to have made it through the day unscathed.

“I definitely think I have had an angel watching out for me at times,” said Lance Cpl. Josh Vance, a team leader from Raleigh, N.C.

In past firefights here, insurgents have kept their distance when engaging the Marines, but things were different during this battle.

“This was the first time in a while that we were able to close with the enemy so effectively,” Kurtz said. “We were within 50-75 meters – right on top of them.”

The platoon-sized element that took the initial contact was only one surprise Company E had for the insurgents this day. When they started to run, a second platoon was sent out to meet them.

The Taliban militants displaced to another location they had used to launch attacks from in the past – a large wall. During the follow-on fight, the Marines were able to cut off the insurgents’ escape route and deny them the ability to use the wall for effective future attacks.

Over Watch on the Helmand River

Cpl. David Sperling, a military policeman attached to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, provides security while other Marines attempt to rescue a stranded Humvee from the Helmand River during a resupply mission8/7/2009 in the Nawa district of Helmand province photo Staff Sgt. William Greeson

On Your Six, America

Sgt. William McLean, with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, passes a mosque during a security patrol through the Nawa district of Afghanistan' Helmand province Aug. 6, 2009 photo Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

On Your Six, America.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Sean Simmonds, with Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, checking the tree line for vampire orcs during a patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan, July 27, 2009.photo Sgt. Pete Thibodeau

War Pigs On Alert 24/7 Syrian border

LAR Marines with Delta, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, monitor Syrian border for smugglers on a screen line operation north of the Sinjar Mountain range in Iraq.photo Cpl. Robert S. Morgan

Convoy:58 Marines, 19 vehicles and cargo

First Lt. Charles Lamb, convoy commander, waits to brief the quick reaction force arriving from Camp Dwyer after one of the vehicles in his convoy struck an IED on the way to Combat Outpost Geronimo, July 28.photo by Gunnery Sgt. Chris W. Cox

Story by Gunnery Sgt. Chris W. Cox

The sky starts getting light here shortly after 4:30 a.m., so they made their way to the chow hall in the dark for their pre-convoy brief.

Roll call, convoy brief, a prayer by the chaplain, grab some quick chow and they were on their way back in the pre-dawn light to the 19 vehicles staged a half mile away. One late addition to the cargo was a 73,000-pound, John Deere combat excavator that needed to be loaded onto a flatbed trailer and hauled to Combat Outpost Geronimo – the day's destination. This particular route was new for this platoon, and dangerous, as rumor had it – rumors spread by Marines in other sections who had made this trip. The rumors were true.

"I didn't know if it was a tire or an IED. These tires make a big boom when they go," said Cpl. Baldemar Flores, who was driving the logistics vehicle system, towing the excavator. "Then I looked back and saw the trailer got hit and a little bit farther was the hole."

After only 90 minutes on the road – and a distance of less than five miles – Combat Logistics Battalion 8's Transportation Support Platoon had triggered an IED and delayed the convoy for a short time. Fortunately, no one was injured.

TSP hauls almost all of the cargo carried from Camp Dwyer to all of Regimental Combat Team 3's combat outposts and forward operating bases throughout Helmand province. Unlike civilian truckers on highways in the States, part of the work involved in ferrying passengers, equipment and supplies around this country is simply maintaining situational awareness. From the turret gunners who man .50 caliber, 7.62mm and 40mm machine guns to the drivers themselves who follow in the tracks of the vehicle in front of them, being able to tell when something is not right is a very important ability.

"You never know what to expect," said 1st Lt. Charles Lamb, the convoy commander on this route. "I knew on this one there was a good chance we'd get blown up. This is a dangerous route."

Since Lamb's Marines were on this route for the first time, he and they had spoken with others who had made this trip before. The information that they received painted a clear enough picture of what might happen.

In a unit that faces potential danger regularly – even the danger of the unknown – they develop a bond that goes beyond professional requirements. The younger Marines become little brothers and sisters, and the lieutenant becomes dad.

"When they hit the IED, I was a nervous wreck," Lamb recalled. "I've been with these guys for a year. Our platoon is very much like a family."

Meanwhile, Flores's feelings after experiencing the blast from inside the cab were much different. For a few critical moments, his radio wouldn't work. Oblivious to the fact that the rest of the convoy was waiting for any news about him, he was focused on the inconvenience of being slowed down by an irritating explosion.

"The whole day – the whole truck issue – I was mad," he said. "We'd been working on that truck all day long. I was just hoping it didn't get blown up."

Waiting to hear from his potentially injured Marine, Lamb wrestled with his own feelings in his vehicle farther ahead in the convoy. After a few tense moments listening to the radio, good news put the Colorado City, Texan back into action.

"When I heard Cpl. Flores's voice over the radio, that shifted my gears from 'they're ok' to 'how do I get us out of this mess? I gotta get these guys out of here,'" said Lamb. "I was worried about secondary IEDs. Usually where there's one, there's two."

While the convoy was moving to a safe stand-off distance, one of Flores's best friends was moving to assist him from his vehicle immediately behind.

"All I remember was a huge cloud of smoke and dirt, like four or five stories high," explained Lance Cpl. Eric Valdez from Houston. "My job is security/sweeper. As I was sweeping up to the vic [vehicle], that's when our Doc, Doc Brawner [Petty Officer 3rd Class Donnell Brawner, hospital corpsman], came up. I was sweeping up and he was close behind. We were about 10 feet behind the trailer when I heard my first solid ping."

Marine mine sweepers use modified metal detectors to identify unexploded IEDs. Usually when the detector lets out a certain tone, it's time to be careful. Valdez calmly continued to thoroughly sweep the area and proceeded to the vehicle's cab.

"At the time I was very nervous. I knew I might get hurt myself, but I just had to get it done to get to my corporal," he said. "Finally after me and the doc swept up there safely, we got to the vehicle doors and found them safe."

All of this took place before 10 a.m. Later, the quick reaction force arrived to provide additional security and investigate a white van that had been acting suspiciously until it got stuck in the sand within sight of the convoy. The QRF arrived with a retrieval vehicle, a new trailer and a heavy equipment operator to transfer the combat excavator and help the convoy roll on to its destination – still three hours away.

In addition to transferring the heavy equipment to the new trailer, it also took several hours to make repairs to the LVS' hydraulics system so the new trailer could be coupled to it.

Even with the delay in the middle of nowhere, the convoy still made it to a safe place just as night was falling. The Marines stopped at a weigh point – Fire Base Fiddler's Green – in order to get some rest and push the rest of the way with the next day's early light.

The next morning, Flores received plenty of friendly comments and remarks about his adventure – another sign of a family taking care of its own.

"These guys are giving Cpl. Flores a hard time, and he's joking back with them, which is good," Lamb said shortly before the convoy rolled out of COP Geronimo on its way back to Camp Dwyer. "They're making sure he's ok, and they're coming together to protect him."

"One good thing about this is no one got hurt," he said. "This just re-affirms IEDs are out there and they're dangerous, but chances are in these vehicles, you're going to walk away from it."

Confidence is another thing that is required in this job. When service members are driving nearly every day in an environment where the enemy's primary tactic is to mine the roads and supply routes, being good at one's job is only half of it. Marines have to have faith in themselves and those around them, but, like the lieutenant says, they also have to be a family.

On Your Six, America.

Marines from the One-Five on patrol in the Helmand River valley doing the meet and greet with villagers while shaking the brushes for possible orcs. Photo Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Artur Shvartsberg

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Andrew Schoenmaker, with Bravo Company, one five meets and greets the tribal elders. Captain would have done well to run for officer stateside for that is, for the most part, what he is and will be doing. The job of a ward boss. An elected official. Seeking a second term. Need a new well? School. We are better than the vampire orcs. We represent your government. Trouble is. See. Them elders could be like us. You see. The yankee govt. is a pain in the ass and being from the yankee govt. is not REPEAT NOT a recommendation. For all your trouble they might just want to be let alone. Like us.

America, Who's Got Your Six?

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jeremy Hodys, with my old one-five in the Helmand Province doing the traditional meet and greet song and dance routine for the middle ground against the evil blood sucking orcs. photo by Staff Sgt. William Greeson

America, Who's Got Your Six?

That's right--America's Six is covered. You got a problem with that? Tell it to the Marines or U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Octavio Campuzano, with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. photo by Staff Sgt. William Greeson

America, Who's Got Your Six?

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Marquez w/2/8 keeping a keen eye out for possible Orcs sneaking up for a quick lethal bite near Lakari Bazaar in the Garmsir district of the Helmand province of Afghanistan on July 19, 2009. photo by Gunnery Sgt. James A. Burks, a gunny on patrol, humm not your old man's green machine. Forty four years ago, I don't recall ever going out in the bush with a gunny in the Queson Valley. Ever.

America, Who's Got Your Six?

USMC Captain Jason Condon 1/5 battalion air officer leading a Civil Affairs Group patrol with some Afghan soldiers wherein everyone does the basic meet and greet, shake some hands, drink some tea, getting to know you in preparation for paving the long road to victory with strands of legitimacy for the Afghan government. Thank you Capt. Condon. photo by SSGT William Greeson

On your six, America

Lance Cpl. Kirk on security during a Civil Affairs Group patrol at the Nawa district center bazaar in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. The locals blame the Taliban for destroying their bazaar. The Marines are at Patrol Base Jaker. USMC photo SSGT. William Greeson

America, Who's Got Your Six?

Sgt. Raphi J. Mercado, a gun 4 chief with 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment. Sgt. Mercado is working a metal detector to search the tall grass at an overwatch position near Fire Base Fiddler's Green, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. USMC photo by Sgt. Christopher R. Rye