Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Michele Hunt | Lance Cpl. Derrick A. Simms, a warehouse clerk with Marine Air-Ground Task Force,...... read more read more
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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Some Marines may remember the stately man walking tall through their high school hallways; an array of colorful medals and ribbons on his chest highlighting his successes; a white belt around his waist held by a distinctive gold buckle; a blood-red stripe down his perfectly pressed blue pants; and black shoes so shiny they could see their reflection.
For Lance Cpl. Derrick A. Simms this sight was the beginning of an experience that only the few and the proud can claim.
“A recruiter came up to me in the Bronx wearing his blues and I was sold,” said Simms, 22, a Neptune Township, N.J. native.
Following high school, Simms attended college on a partial basketball scholarship. Without a full scholarship he looked to the military as an alternative means to gain an education, as well as an opportunity to see the world. Two and a half years after shipping off to Marine Corps Recruit Training, Simms wakes daily to the brisk cold of an Afghan winter.
Since September 2011, Simms has been supporting coalition forces working as a warehouse supply clerk with Marine Air-Ground Task Force Support Battalion 11.2, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), in Afghanistan.
“The Marine Corps is built around supply,” said Simms, who works at the Supply Management Unit lot in Camp Leatherneck. “The warfighter needs gear and we’re the ones they come to for whatever it is they need.”
The Supply Management Unit is the largest supply point in Regional Command Southwest, covering all of Helmand and Nimroz provinces in Afghanistan. The lot holds more than 20,000 line items of supply and supports Marines and sailors conducting operations outside the wire.
Simms said the deployment has strengthened his relationships with the troops he works alongside daily.
“You spend 24 hours together; you eat together; you work together; you live together,” said Simms. “It really brings us closer.”
Experiencing Afghanistan has brought Simms a newfound appreciation for the simple things many take for granted. Simms said it’s shown him a different culture and made him more grateful for what he has in the states.
Despite the number of troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade, the support of those back home can still be seen through letters from elementary school children and care packages from citizens who have no relation to the military.
“I’m thankful for the American people who support the troops,” said Simms. “It’s a relief to know that strangers are thinking of us and praying for us. It’s motivational and gives me a reason to keep going every day.”
With just a couple months left in Afghanistan, Simms is anxious to get home to his 13-month-old daughter. He said he understands the importance of his role here, but is also excited to see his friends and family. To his mother, Simms says to “keep the faith.”
| Date Taken: | 02.15.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.16.2012 02:36 |
| Story ID: | 83917 |
| Location: | CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF |
| Web Views: | 722 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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