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PATROL BASE BOLDAK, Afghanistan – Marines and sailors with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, completed the turnover with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, and took control over Patrol Base Boldak and its area of operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 20, 2014.
“Charlie Company is tasked with disrupting insurgent forces in our assigned area of operations to prevent the enemy from interfering with operations aboard the Bastion-Leatherneck complex,” said Capt. Jared Reddinger, Charlie company commander and native of Chewelah, Washington.
The patrol base is utilized as a center of operations for 1st Bn., 2nd Marines, placed between Camp Leatherneck to the north and the heaviest insurgent presence to the south.
“We are that last buffer from the insurgents before they (try to) get to the Leatherneck and Bastion area,” said 1st Sgt. Carlos Aguilera, the company first sergeant and native of Los Angeles.
The company conducts daily security patrols to disrupt any enemy activity and interact with the Afghan populace, providing them with security from the Taliban forces.
“From the time we got here I was surprised with how well the Afghan population has accepted us and treated us,” said Aguilera. “The Afghan people want their freedom and they have given us their support.”
Building and maintaining relationships with the local Afghans is a huge priority for the Marines and sailors of Co. C., as they have proven to be a vital source of intelligence.
“The Afghan people have provided us with a tremendous amount of intelligence on the Taliban. They have told us about improvised explosive device locations, where enemy movements are and things that help save Marines’ lives before ever even leaving the wire,” said Aguilera.
The company has learned many things during their first month in Afghanistan and will continue to grow as they carry out their mission aboard PB Boldak.
The Marines and sailors with Co. C. have taken on the great task of protecting the Leatherneck area, and they will continue to fight the Taliban in order to enable safe and uninterrupted retrograde operations aboard the Bastion-Leatherneck complex.
“Basically what we are doing is taking the fight to the Taliban in this area so they don’t have the capability to bring the fight to us on their terms,” said Reddinger.
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.27.2014 23:46 |
| Story ID: | 131246 |
| Location: | PATROL BASE BOLDAK, AF |
| Hometown: | CHEWELAH, WASHINGTON, US |
| Hometown: | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 3,499 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Marines of 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines take control of the fight in southern Helmand province, by Cpl Michael Dye, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
