Photo By Spc. Bryan Willis | U.S. Marine Major Felix Cano performs his duties as an intelligence officer at the...... read more read more
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BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — What do Marines and pirates have in common? This may sound like a jeopardy question, but there is a connection. Can you guess what it is?
Only history buffs might know that the Marines were sent to deal with the Barbary Coast Pirates in what would be the United States' armed forces' first ever battle on foreign soil in 1805. The pirates kidnapped the crew of the USS Philadelphia, and Thomas Jefferson answered the pirates by sending the Marines. The U.S. won, the pirates lost, the rest is history.
From the beginning the average American has envisioned a Marine as the service member who, after swimming from a boat, drags himself up the beach with a dagger between his teeth ready to take on the enemy.
There may be Marines who fit this bill, but in eastern Afghanistan one Marine is doing a different kind of job.
Maj. Felix Cano, from Rosenburg, Texas, is the night-shift officer-in-charge for intelligence operations at the Joint Operations Command Center here at Bagram.
"Without getting into too much detail, I can say that I work with airborne surveillance equipment and collect information," said Cano
Cano, who has served for 21 years at ten different installations throughout the United States, recently returned from a deployment in Iraq, where he also was an intelligence officer.
This has been a rewarding career. The men that make the big decisions come to me for answers, said Cano.
Some officers start their career as enlisted soldiers: Cano is one of those.
"Maj. Cano was an enlisted Marine before becoming an officer," said U.S. Army Sgt. Jackson Tom, A Mililani, Hawaii native, "This gives him a unique ability to see situations as we see them — I have learned a lot from him."
"When I was enlisted, I was an aircraft jet mechanic who worked on the vertical take-off and landing Harrier jet. I was in charge of a team to disassemble, inspect, and reassemble engines," said Cano. "As an enlisted Marine, I really enjoyed staying fit for competition in several sports activities like softball, football, and obstacle course competitions," Cano added.
Cano worked hard on his education in order to become a Marine Corps officer.
"I received my bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University and my Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix," said Cano.
The responsibility of becoming a Marine officer is something taken seriously by Cano.
"I was tested under pressure during the rigorous training at the Marine Corps. Officer Candidate School, and I can now better manage people and better relay information to higher headquarters with my improved communications skills," said Cano.
Veterans need support systems and interests outside their careers in order to cope with the demands of war-time service.
"I have four siblings, many aunts, uncles and cousins that I keep in touch with," said Cano, "I have also played guitar in a flamenco band, the music had a Spanish influence. Here at Bagram, I sing and play guitar the Enduring Faith Catholic Chapel Choir."
More than two decades of selfless service has yielded Cano a U.S. Navy Commendation Medal, two Navy Achievement Medals, a Good Conduct Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, an Iraqi Campaign Medal and a Armed Forces Service Medal.
| Date Taken: | 01.25.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.25.2010 17:33 |
| Story ID: | 44422 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 295 |
| Downloads: | 268 |
This work, One Marine on a mission in eastern Afghanistan, by SPC Bryan Willis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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