Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class D. Michael Ross | Col. Peter C. Reddy, Marine Air Control Group 38 commanding officer, talks to Marines...... read more read more
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By Marine Sgt. Alec Kleinsmith
3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti – Marine Col. Peter C. Reddy, Marine Air Control Group 38 commanding officer and Sgt. Maj. Anthony E. Jenkins, MACG 38 sergeant major, visited the Marines and Sailors of 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion Jan. 12-16.
During the visit, Reddy and Jenkins spoke to the leathernecks aboard camp, toured the U.S. Embassy and visited the Port of Djibouti, where the Camp Pendleton-based Marines routinely provide security.
Though 3rd LAAD's primary role is the security force for Camp Lemonier, the Marines also conduct civil affairs engagements throughout Djibouti. Whether it's playing a friendly game of soccer in Nagad or donating school supplies to children in Damerjog, their hard work is rewarded by the smiles and laughter that greet them with each engagement.
"The only way we're going to win the GWOT (Global War on Terrorism) is if we engage with the Islamic world by promoting democracy, stability, economic growth and having a peaceful coexistence with that world," said Reddy, from Norfolk, Va. "A Marine with a bottle of water or a paintbrush is equally, if not more so over time, more effective than even the trained Marine with his rifle."
"We care about this country, we care about their aspirations to become a Democratic society, and we want to assist in the process of doing that," added Jenkins, a native of Charleston, S.C. "So even though we have a local mission of security, we have a larger mission in the world, and that's promoting democracy."
Yet with each patrol and each civil affairs engagement, the Marines continue to support the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission, which is to prevent conflict, promote regional stability and protect coalition interests in order to prevail against extremism.
"Djibouti is an apex in this region where a lot of countries come together, therefore a military presence here is very important," said Jenkins. "Who better to be that presence than the United States Marines?"
With their deployment more than halfway over, 3rd LAAD Marines are thinking of the future and what deployments are on the horizon.
"We can't make any promises, but I would say that I don't see another deployment for 3rd LAAD in 2008," said Reddy. "Given the tempo they've had and what they're doing, I think they'll be given a break."
Overall, Reddy and Jenkins left impressed with the performance of their Marines.
"Given the complexity of the mission, with the civil affairs piece and providing security, I'm tremendously impressed with the job they are doing," said Reddy.
"The Marines are motivated about what they're doing, even though they're tired, they're worn down and they miss their families," said Jenkins. "Some of them are on their fourth or fifth deployment, but they're showing the enthusiasm of someone on their first deployment, and I think that's pretty amazing."
3rd LAAD is tentatively scheduled to return to Camp Pendleton by April 2008.
| Date Taken: | 01.20.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 01.20.2008 08:16 |
| Story ID: | 15599 |
| Location: | CAMP LEMONNIER, DJ |
| Web Views: | 441 |
| Downloads: | 384 |
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