Photo By Cpl. David Walters | Lt. Col. Bruce D. Gordon, left, and Lt. Col. Shawn M. Basco salute colors during the...... read more read more
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IWAKUNI, Japan - Lt. Col. Bruce D. Gordon relinquished command of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 to Lt. Col. Shawn M. Basco aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, May 23, 2014.
Service members and station residents gathered to welcome the new commanding officer at Hangar 6030 aboard station.
Gordon described his time in Iwakuni as “extremely rewarding.” He accredited this feeling to the Marines in his squadron. He spoke of seeing the amount of effort they put in each day to accomplish the mission and that it was inspiring to him.
“Teamwork and work ethic are probably the biggest things I’ve learned from my Marines here,” said Gordon. “There are ups and downs to everything, but the Marines show positive attitudes and come ready to work every single day. We ask more of the Marines here, especially in Iwakuni, than your average (continental United States) based squadron. They work more, there is more expected of them, and yet they do it with a smile on their face because they are a team and they like to be together.”
VMFA(AW)-242’s new commanding officer, Basco, came to Iwakuni three different times as both enlisted and as a commissioned officer, although this is his first time in Iwakuni in a command position.
“It’s an honor to be in a command role here,” said Basco. “My number one priority is being prepared for combat and there is no close second. The reason the Marine Corps has us here is to be prepared to fight tonight if there is an adversary nearby that has a strategic misstep. If that does happen, our entire mission will be to prevent that adversary from moving any further and defeat them across every front until the rest of the Marine Corps can clear the benches and join us.”
In order to support his first priority, Basco expressed the ways to make sure that mission gets accomplished.
“That mission is the only reason I’ve been slated to come out here; to ensure this squadron, these men and women and their families understand and are prepared to execute,” said Basco. “In order to go to war, we have to ensure the families and all their basics are taken care of. That’s the last thing I want my Marines to worry about, and I won’t allow it.”
“Lieutenant Colonel Gordon left some big shoes to fill,” said Basco. “He did a great job. He had an incredible task and he turned that squadron into the legacy that it is. I’ve been out here for six months and I’ve had the opportunity to observe and learn and it’s humbling.”
Basco’s personal awards include: the Bronze Star with a Combat “V,” Purple Heart and Air Medal with Combat “V.” In 2003, he received the Defender of Freedom award in Washington D.C.
| Date Taken: | 05.23.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.01.2014 22:27 |
| Story ID: | 131772 |
| Location: | IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JP |
| Web Views: | 529 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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