Photo By Sgt. Rachael Moore | Sgt. Maj. Mario A. Marquez, the sergeant major of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central...... read more read more
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CAMP TITIN, Jordan – From the chiseled-stone structures in Petra to the salty waters of the Dead Sea, the Kingdom of Jordan’s many of landmarks appear on Bucket Lists.
But, not all visitors get a chance to see are the strong cultural traditions of Jordanians; Marines of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command, luckily, get the chance to build a bilateral bond throughout Exercise Eager Lion 2013.
Several senior staff noncommissioned officers with MARCENT (Forward) accepted an invitation to dinner with some of their Royal Jordanian Armed Forces counterparts aboard Royal Jordanian Naval Base, Aqaba, Jordan, June 12.
As the Marines waited in front of the dining facility at Camp Titin, Jordan, for their ride to dinner, a Jordanian man dressed in a royal blue camouflage uniform, carrying a wooden stick, excitedly greeted them.
He was Wakeel Khalaf Almarayeh, a command chief petty officer in the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces, and he was their escort to the naval base.
“When I invited the sergeant major over, and he said he’d bring some Marines with him, I was so happy,” said Almarayeh. “I came back and told my [noncommissioned officers] that some of our American friends were coming to the base. We were all very happy.”
Upon arrival to the base, Marines of the ranks of first sergeant, sergeant major and master gunnery sergeants filed into a den where Jordanian service members of equal ranks met them. A young man kindly delivered glasses of tea to the Americans as conversations sparked.
“So, what is the wooden stick?” one Marine asked.
Almarayeh proudly held up the stick and began explaining the history. The wooden stick is known as the “assa wakil alquah,” and translated as the sergeant major stick. Traditionally, when a Jordanian service member assumes the command position, he is given one of these Jordanian-made sticks.
“To them, sharing a cup of tea and simple conversation is more important in the relationship-building process than immediately getting to work,” said Sgt. Maj. Mario A. Marquez, the sergeant major of MARCENT (Fwd). “Getting that personal face time and knowing what type of person you’re working with before moving forward makes a big difference.”
The conversation continued with the explanation of the Jordanian rank structure, military history, and possible future projects like language and cultural classes.
“Not only as Americans, but as Marines, we’re a diversified force,” said Marquez. “It is very important that culture is understood by all Marines because not only are we internally from many different cultures but internationally, culture drives the respect of others.”
As the cups of tea emptied, the conversation moved into the dining area where a table was set with Jordanian food.
The Marines took their seats where plates of chicken and rice were perfectly aligned, with a bowl of soup on the side. Flat bread sat in the middle of the table, and red watermelon brightened up the scene.
“The meal was something universal that all tastes could relate to with a touch of a native dish to complete the setting,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Brett Coney, the intelligence chief with MARCENT (Fwd).
After dinner, the two militaries formed one group and began touring the naval base. Almarayeh guided them through the bay, where the Jordanian naval vessels were, as well as through the different operations and headquarters buildings.
“[We] got to see the Jordanian naval capabilities here, and the regional impact that the JAF really makes on a daily basis,” said Marquez.
Almarayeh did not stop the tour with only business-related locations. He led the Marines through recreational areas like a game room, where they stopped to watch American professional wrestling on television. They also toured the gym and living accommodations – or barracks – for the privates and noncommissioned officers in the JAF.
“It gives people the opportunity to become familiar with [their] counterparts on a more personal level and sets the tone for a more relaxed atmosphere that would help facilitate a more open dialog,” said Coney.
As the night drew to an end, Almarayeh presented Marquez with a plaque to show the navy’s appreciation.
“Not only did they have the opportunity to see how much appreciation the Jordanian Armed Forces have for the United States Marine Corps, but they also got an understanding of the JAF limitations and challenges and how we can help be better Marines to train and work with them,” said Marquez. “That benefits both of us.”
While to some, this may seem like just a night away from the normal chow hall dinner, but the visit benefited in more ways than one can see.
The U.S. has partnered with Jordan for approximately 60 years, and for the last few, Marines have come to Jordan for Exercise Eager Lion and worked hand-in-hand JAF personnel. Most of the time, it’s different Marines than the years before.
“It helps mission accomplishment,” said Marquez.
“Understanding culture, language barriers and what makes one another tick – on both sides of the armed forces here – is what drives getting things done and makes lifelong relationships possible.”
During the exercise, JAF and U.S. forces work together to respond to crisis scenarios such as improvised explosive device explosions and mass causality situations, as well as enhance both technical and tactical skills.
“We have to build the trust and confidence in both militaries before we can press on in situations where service members’ lives are on the line,” said Marquez.
Exercise Eager Lion 2013 is approximately two weeks long, but the friendships established will last much longer.
“We would like to say thank you to the American people for the support here in Jordan,” said Almarayeh. “We are so happy to have you here. Thank you for the time and the experiences you give us. They help our NCOs continue to do good work.”
MARCENT (Fwd) has other military-to-military relationship building events planned like hosting meals at Camp Titin as well as a soccer tournament.
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2013 06:49 |
| Story ID: | 109275 |
| Location: | AQABA, JO |
| Web Views: | 275 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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