Photo By Lance Cpl. Jason Hernandez | Marines with Company C, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, take a moment's...... read more read more
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SAHL SINJAR, Iraq — They joke, they cheer and they laugh as they pack equipment into their light armored vehicle. They work like bees, moving here and there, checking and rechecking every radio and operating system.
The vehicle's engine roars to life and the steady humming gives way to stories of family, girlfriends and life at home. Suddenly, a figure manning the vehicle's turret calls them to mount-up; all game faces are on as they don their flak jackets and helmets.
This is life in Company C, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, which lives and breathes the desert. They roam like nomads, stopping only to rest and refit at large military installations.
"We share food, we occasionally have games of capture the flag, we live together out here," said Sgt. Jesse R. Walden, a machine gunner currently on his fourth deployment. "We share everything. We're all we've got out here."
Surprisingly, the bonds shared by the Marines and sailors of 3rd LAR Bn., also known as "Wolf Pack," are strengthened by their distance from others. Some might find ignoring sweat, bugs and dusty gusts of wind while trying to sleep under an open, star-filled Iraqi sky a little difficult. But, humor and shared hardships help them get through tough times.
"We train together as a unit — men, vehicles and all," said Cpl. Trevor R. Saderup, an LAV-25 gunner. "We all stay close, we all live out of the same vehicle, we all deploy together."
It's like night and day. They could be smiling and joking one minute, then putting their lives on the line the next. During their six months in Iraq, C Co. has participated in counter-smuggling and counter-insurgent operations.
"The Marines are doing a fantastic job," said 1st Lt. Luke A. Williamson, 1st Platoon commander. "They've done everything asked of them, and when operational tempos dropped, they strived to avoid complacency. Most importantly, they're getting the job done and taking care of each other."
As their deployment draws to a close, the Marines of C Co. find themselves reflecting on events of past months and noting the growth of their personal and professional relationships.
This is the life 3rd LAR Bn. Marines share with one another. For, when the engines shut off and the day's work is complete, the jokes begin once more and their bonds, as always, grow stronger.
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2009 05:14 |
| Story ID: | 38664 |
| Location: | SAHL SINJAR, IQ |
| Web Views: | 339 |
| Downloads: | 185 |
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