Lejeune Marines proudly stand post

Photo By Chief Warrant Officer Joseph DiGirolamo | Lance Cpl. Dux A. Lopez, an Administrative Clerk for Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, watches closely at traffic for possible threats to the base. Twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week, the Marines of guard force keep a watchful eye on everything that goes on in the city around them, constantly on the lookout for any suspicious activity.  

RAMADI, IRAQ

04.03.2006

Courtesy Story

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Cpl. Joseph DiGirolamo, I MEF

AR RAMADI, IRAQ - At Hurricane Point, the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment work around the clock planning, executing, and refining operations in western Ramadi.

Day and night, a select group of Marines fortify positions surrounding the camp allowing fellow warriors to work, live and rest in relative security as they accomplish their missions.

These special set of Marines have a mixture of different jobs in the Marine Corps for regular duties; however, today they are united together to carryout one job in particular -- the interior guard force.

"We are called the guardian angles of the camp," said Lance Cpl. Dux A. Lopez, an Administrative Clerk for Headquarters and Service Company, 3/8.
The battalion deployed last year to Fallujah from January 2005 to August 2005. Now the Marines and sailors have returned to Iraq to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom, but this time they are conducting operations in western Ramadi.

The Marines of the guard force keep a watchful eye on everything that goes on in the city around them, constantly on the lookout for suspicious activity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

But before they could stand post, the new sentries went through a rigorous five-day training evolution.

Their training covered areas such as escalation of force procedures, weapons conditions, the purpose of each post, and how to use the new Multi-Functional Agile Remote Control Robot.

"The main challenge is making sure the Marines learn and understand the knowledge taught to them," said Sgt. Antoine M. Beasley, the Sergeant of the Guard, responsible for the Marines on post. "The other challenge is getting the guys familiar with their post and surrounding area."

Unit cohesion is also important. Since the Marines come from all different sections of the battalion, they must quickly learn how to operate as a team, said Beasley, the 27-year-old from Augusta, Ga.

"The purpose of guard is to provide a constant over watch of Hurricane Point to ensure the safety of the Marines and Sailors inside," said Cpl. Joshua C. Myers, a 23-year-old motor transport operator with the guard force. "We are the main line of defense between the insurgents and the Marines."

Each Marine is proud of their duties on post despite inherent dangers such as sniper fire or rocket attacks.

"Being involved in operations is a new position for me in the Marine Corps; it's more tied to the infantry side," said Lopez, a 22-year-old from Rowland Heights, Calif. "It definitely feels good to do something other than being in an office."

Standing post for hours at a time can be challenging; however, the Marines know with certainty that staying sharp could be a matter of life or death.

"They have to be observant and pay attention to every detail, they can't get complacent," said Lance Cpl. Richard R. Ricketts, a mortar man for the company.

The battalion lives by the motto "everyday is day one." This is especially true for the guard.

As they take charge of their posts, the Marines put into effect the same General Orders which were drilled into them during recruit training.

Observing everything within sight or hearing is one of the 11.

The Marines observe everyone and keep an eye out for anything suspicious, such as people leaving bags or trash in the roads - it could be an IED or other kinds of explosives explained Lance Cpl. Joel J. Fuller, a Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defense Specialist with the guard. "We also watch the traffic and look out for people observing the posts."

To some, this job can seem monotonous, but for the Marines here, this duty is anything but ordinary.

"This is why you join the Marine Corps. There are enemies with weapons all around, ready to attack," said Fuller, a 19-year-old from Batavia, N.Y. "Knowing that what you do matters is quite the adrenaline rush."

The sentries keep a continuous watch for their fellow Marines and hopefully, everyone inside camp can conduct their missions with a little peace of mind.

"Without the guard force, Marines simply couldn't sleep at night," added Beasley.

• Date Taken: 04.03.2006
• Date Posted: 04.03.2006 09:44
• Story ID: 5928
• Location: RAMADI, IQ