On Camp Fallujah: Your Marines are taking the Camp by storm, playing volleyball, foot ball, soccer, and basket ball. “Team America” a team made up from the S shops took a trophy for volley ball and continues to assault the playing field. In H&S Co. Marines received some medical classes given by Doc. Raymond. In the process Marines learned how to stick a robber tube called a “Nasal Pharyngeal Airway ” down the nostril. Capt. Savatt’s MCMAP classes are still in full stride teaching Marines the skills of hand to hand combat and more. The main chapel here (Hope Chapel) has started showing movies on the big screen, with surround sound and good chairs. Chaplain Song has been giving services to Marines in the Battalion area on Sundays and giving blessings before missions to your men as they leave the wire.
CO’s Message: Greetings once again from lovely Camp
Fallujah and thanks to all for the continued support. I’d
like to publicly thank Tammy Simpson and her efforts
to coordinate the Mother’s Day picnic that I hear was an
excellent event.
Some of you may be wondering about the picture here with me and the lovely Velvet Elvis painting. I picked up that high quality artwork in Tijuana a few years back and have
brought it with me to Afghanistan and to Iraq in previous tours. I guess it’s a bit of a good luck charm at this point, and I will add that it is signed by Wayne Newton which clearly makes it a priceless possession. Liz loves it so much that she told me it deserves a special place wherever my office is as long as my office is not in our house.
As always I would be remiss if I didn’t thank all the friends
and family back home that provide the Marines of 1st Recon Battalion with such fantastic support. I can never put into words how much it means to my Marines and I to know that the folks back home are in our corner. Letters and packages
provide all of us an escape from the reality of day to day
life out here if only for a few minutes. Let me add a special
thanks to Cathy Smith for getting 1stSgt Smith his Copenhagen.
If I had to hear about how hot it was out here and how much he
missed his Copenhagen anymore I would have gone crazy. He has
now retreated back to the ice box that is his room to dip away in
contented happiness.
Sgt. Major’s Message:
The Law dogs around the base camp are out in force. Warm weather I guess! We have had a few run-ins with the law. But for the most part we are doing a pretty good job steering clear of the local Jail. So as we continue to support the local Iraqi Government we’ll try our best to support the local Sherriff: Aka Grumpy old Guy AKA: The Bn SgtMaj and any other alias I have acquired over the years. Just in case you missed the weather report it is hot and will continue to get hotter. We have had several different styles and colors of hair, for some reason mine is turning white, I can’t figure it out?
In the words of the great Harry Carey! I’m a Bud man and a Cubs fan how bout a nice cold Budweiser. Cubs Win! Cubs Win!
Thanks for all the cards and packages! SgtMaj
Marine of the issue: Lance Corporal Boggs,
works in the S-4 section. His efforts to ensure that the Marines in the battalion are taken care of go far beyond the scope of the average logistics Marine. An example of this is his work with the “Soldier’s Angels” program. LCpl Boggs met his wife through Soldier’s Angels, a group that sends care packages and sends emails to deployed service members. The Soldier’s Angles have sent numerous care packages to the Marines in the battalion largely due to LCpl Boggs and his wife Heather’s efforts. Thanks for all that you do.
In Bravo Co.’s World:
I hope all the Mothers back in the States had a great Mother’s Day and enjoyed being Queen for a Day (that is suppose to be just one day, now back to the grind!) I would like to thank our Company Key Volunteer Network, particularly Cheri Brukardt, Stephanie Fitzgerald, and Tami Turner. The great support you have all been providing and your efforts are not unnoticed and truly appreciated!
The Marines and Sailors of Bravo Company continue to do great things and astound me on a daily basis…..they do all the work, I simply try to stay out of their way. They, all to a man, wanted me to express to you how very excited they are that the Boston Red Sox have the best record in baseball.
The temperature here is getting hotter and has been in the mid-nineties, and speaking of hot, I am happy to report that Sergeant Peter (Hot-Rod) Rodriguez made it back to his platoon. He is doing great and we are all glad he is back, and not just because he gets three boxes of mail a day. Corporal Ryan “Stitch” Beseke had an argument with his pocket knife and lost, but he is doing fine now, aside from every one asking him “hey can you show me how to use this knife?’ – it is a tough crowd and this is our way of showing him ‘tough-love.’
Please do not mail Lieutenant Glenn Baker any more products that contain an excessive amount of sugar (or silly string); he is already moving at mach speed as it is. Corporal Michael Lopez insists he did not know that Lieutenant Baker was in the platoon office when he ‘accidentally’ padlocked the door from the outside (that is his story and he is sticking to it!). Gunny Jimmy Stahl and Sergeant Jason Westerman are infatuated with a cartoon program here, it seems to hold their attention like Elmo does a three year old. I told them that my fourteen-year old nephew may still have some of his old Barney and Disney tapes from when he was six or so, and I could send for them if they want me to.
Kudos Lance Corporal Scott Denney on his combat meritorious promotion to Lance Corporal! Congratulations are also in order to Sergeants Cody Cowin, Stephen Geiger, Peter Rodriguez, Garrett Scharffer, and Nathaniel Templin for recently being awarded the Good Conduct Medal! This Good Conduct Medal is a testament to their selfless service, exceptional character, high degree of honor, courage of their convictions, and faithful adherence to the Corps’ high standards (rest assured, their conduct wasn’t all that ‘good’, all of them more than likely did something wrong, they just didn’t get caught!).
Sergeant King Ritchie has been keeping us all in stitches with his jokes and charming personality (he told me to write this, and I complied), we still don’t know what his job is, but every one seems to like having him around. Thanks again for the mail and Moto-Mail they are definitely well received and welcomed here. Please feel to contact me, First Sergeant Carlo Gaita, at if you need anything at our end.
In Charlie Co.’s Corner:
The warm weather has finally arrived! Despite the rising temperatures and adverse effects it has on operations, the Marines of Charlie Company are up to the task at hand. Working closely with the people of Karmah, they have made significant positive impacts with the local populace. The demanding work-up cycle and training regimen is paying off as the Marines continue to excel in a harsh climate and an ever changing dynamic environment. Their performance has been extraordinary to date and is truly inspiring.
Although they are working hard while in the field, back at Camp Fallujah they enjoy a high quality of life with numerous workout facilities and a superlative chow hall (especially the cakes and ice cream). These amenities coupled with a little hard work serve to engender a high level of morale and camaraderie among the Marines. As always packages and mail from home help tremendously and is ever appreciated. The Marines also understand that despite working hard and enduring numerous hardships, they are not the only ones making sacrifices as families back home adapt to the difficulty of having loved ones deployed.
In spite of the continual mental and physical stressors of combat operations, the Marines of Charlie Company have not lost their sense of humor, specifically MSgt Joe Castillo, Charlie Company Operations Chief and motivator extraordinaire, as he prepares for a celebratory ride on his favorite burro to put a capstone on a memorable Cinco De Mayo celebration in zone.
In addition to working and playing hard aboard Camp Fallujah, several Marines also re-enlisted. Looking forward to spending a sizable bonus are Sgt Russell, Cpl Gomez and Cpl Marquass. Congratulations to them and their reaffirmed commitment to the Marine Corps. Re-enlisting in a combat zone, while currently enduring the adversity of combat is a testament to their dedication.
Standing tall in H&S Co.:
The men of Headquarters and Service Company are staying busy with all of their daily tasks to ensure that the Marines in B and C Companies are taken care of, and have conducted several training exercises to include shooting the heavy machine guns on the ranges here in Iraq.
Some of the other things that keep us busy are physical training, meetings, chow, meetings, emailing loved ones, and more meetings. After the occasional meeting I enjoy playing video games such as NCAA 2007 football on the PS2. Master Gunnery Sergeant Giger claims to be the master at this game, but met his match playing the SgtMaj and myself. Once, he left before the game was complete due to a severe whooping he was on the receiving end of. Good thing he is the most diligent (and grumpy, I think this is a pre-requisite for his current rank) man I have ever met when it comes to operations.
Captains Kalafatis and Rounds (aka Biscuit) find most of their off time filled with kettle bells, large tires, and I think they may even be looking for some large rocks to throw. I guess they want to join the tough man contest or something, Biscuit better try putting on some weight before that happens, though.
We are still waiting to see the photo’s of Capt Kalafatis from his football days in college when he was a 300 pounder. Kathleen, if you could help us out with this it would be greatly appreciated.
The weather is heating up now and high 90’s-low 100’s is the norm. The battalion commander says it isn’t hot enough yet for him though. The sun is shining from 0600 to 2000 and it is taking its toll. Many Marines have gone to the shaved head look, and although some have chosen to keep some hair, in a few cases it seems to have gotten lighter, in some cases even blonde. I guess the sun is brighter and has more of an effect on this side of the world.
Thanks for all of the emails, packages and moto-mail, keep them coming. Your Marines appreciate it.
--1st Sgt Smith
Reenlistments:
1. Cpl. Marquass
2. Sgt. Gomez
3. Sgt. Mattamal
4. Sgt. Russell
Promotions:
1. LCpl. Denney ( combat meritorious promotion)
Awards:
1. Cpl. Weise (Good Conduct)
2. Sgt. Cowin (Good Conduct)
3. Sgt. Geiger (Good Conduct)
4. Sgt. Rodriguez (Good Conduct)
5. Sgt. Scharffer (Good Conduct)
6. Sgt. Stanley (Purple Heart)
7. Sgt. Templin (Good Conduct)
8. GySgt. Belcher (Good Conduct)