I MEF (Fwd) Deploys to Afghanistan

Marines from I Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd) will be departing Camp Pendleton, California in January 2014 for a deployment to Afghanistan. They will serve in southern Afghanistan - a traditional area of operations for Marines. This unit will form the nucleus of Regional Command Southwest. The hqs element will be responsible for the closing and transferring of bases in RC SW and the movement of personnel home to the states. The retrograde from Afghanistan in RC SW should be complete by the end of 2014. Learn more in "I MEF (Fwd) deploys as last unit to command Marines in Afghanistan", Marine Times Battle Rattle, January 7, 2014.

Hagel to Name Woman as Next Marine Corps Commandant

Rumor has it that the Marines may soon be headed by a female Marine general. Read more in "Hagel Names Woman as Next Marine Commandant", The Duffel Bag, January 2, 2014.

Marines Train at 29 Palms for Afghan Deployment

Members of 1st Battalion 7th Marines have been training at a modern training facility located at Twentynine Palms in California. The use of the range set up as an Afghan town also includes a number of Afghan role players to provide realism to the training.
(Photo by CPL Joseph Scanlon, USMC)

Read more in "Infantrymen work hand in hand with Afghans during counterinsurgency exercise", DVIDS, December 19, 2013.

MG Mark Gurganus: What I meant to say!

Our general officers have brought the art of doublespeak to a high level of expertise.

An incident took place while Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's plane was landing at Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Camp Bastion is run by the British. An Afghan man stole a truck (Toyota Hi-Lux), drove it onto the runway while the plane was landing, and headed down the runway toward the reception party at a high rate of speed. He crashed the truck in a ditch. The truck either caught fire or the driver set the truck on fire. The end result is the driver caught fire as well and later died.

MG Mark Gurgnaus, the new head of Regional Command Southwest (RC Southwest) - where Helmand Province is located - was in the reception party as were other high ranking officers. The general said in a press conference shortly after the incident that there were no repercussions in his area of operations due to the Panjwai massacre - not even a two-man demonstration.

The real story? The Afghan man, an interpreter employed on the base, came close to running over the general and the reception party for the Secretary of Defense. The general and his party took evasive action to avoid the attack. Just 30 minutes prior to the attempt attack, the Afghan man drove over a British military member - who is now in stable condition. The plane carrying Panetta was diverted to another area. "See Top Marine targeted in vehicle runway crash", Fox News, March 16, 2012.

Later in the day Marines were assembled at Camp Bastion to listen to a speech by the Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta during his recent visit to Afghanistan. What was unusual about this appearance was that the Marines were instructed to leave the hall, go outside, stack their weapons, and then return to their seats. This is the first time that anyone has ever heard of this happening in any war. Seems the general in charge of RC Southwest - MG Mark Gurganus - gave the order. Looks like the general doesn't trust his own Marines. See "Marines told to disarm before Panetta speech", CNN, March 14, 2012.

Things that make you go "Hmmmmmm". For more behind the story news on this incident see "Afghan interpreter targeted top US Marine general, officers in Helmand", Threat Matrix, The Long War Journal, March 16, 2012.

The Fight In Helmand Province, Afghanistan

A war correspondent spent several weeks with the Marines in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.  Read a news article he wrote for The New York Times (February 1, 2012) entitled "The Hard Way Out of Afghanistan".

Marines Conduct "Advise and Assist" Role in Four-Man Elements with ANSF

The Marines have embraced the "Advise and Assist" role in Afghanistan - at least in Now Zad, Helmand Province.  The Marines are no longer taking a small element of the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) on their platoon-sized patrols to "Put an Afghan Face" on their missions.  It is now reversed.  Marines provide a four-man element to accompany a predominantly Afghan patrol on the ANSF mission. While many would say that the Marines are assuming some risk sending out four-man patrols with the ANSF; others would say that this is surely transition and the way we should have been operating several years back. I wonder if the Army "Advise and Assist" units scheduled to rotate in over the next year are ready to conduct four-man patrols with the Afghans.  Read more in "Marines in Helmand partner, mentor in Now Zad", DVIDS, February 9, 2012.

Marjah, Afghanistan: Lots of Money as a Stabilization Tool

The Marines are spending lots of money to secure the Marjah, Afghanistan area.  While the strategy seems to be working at the moment there is worry about what happens in Marjah when the Marines - and their money - leaves.  Read more in "More please, sir", The Economist, February 24, 2011.

Camp Leatherneck - Gretal Kovach Reports from Afghanistan

A reporter from the Sign On San Deigo News, Gretel C. Kovach, is visiting Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan and will be reporting on a regular basis.  Click here for her first two stories "Afghanistan war diary: the flight in", Sign On San Diego, February 19, 2011 and "Welcome back to Camp Leatherneck", Sign On San Diego, February 20, 2011.

2/9 Marines Depart Marjah, Afghanistan

"MARJAH, Afghanistan - Nearly one year ago, Marjah was the scene of some of the deadliest fighting since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom. Now, after the persistence of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, the area is lauded as proof that counterinsurgency operations can work."  Read the rest of the news article in "2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment leaves Northern Marjah a safer place", DVIDS, January 30, 2011.

Learn more about the battle for Marjah at the link below:
http://www.securityinfonet.com/afghanistan/battle-for-marja.htm

9th Marines Conduct Operation Integrity in Marjah, Afghanistan

The battle of Marjah may now be over but the coalition forces are still conducting operations searching for remnants of the Taliban. 

"On Jan. 15, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment launched Operation Integrity, in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan. The main purpose of the operation was to successfully cordon off a suspected hotspot for Taliban activity, search for weapon and IED caches, disrupt enemy logistical operations and gather census data on locals in the region of Sistani." 

Read the rest of the story in "Marines say insurgency weakening in northern Marjah", Marines.mil, January 18, 2011.

Marine Corps Female Engagement Teams

The Marine Corps has deployed Female Engagement Teams in their area of operations.  Read more on these unique Marines in "Female engagement team refreshes their training", DVIDS Net, January 14, 2011.

More Marines to be Sent to Afghanistan

There are plans to send an additional 1,400 Marines to Afghanistan to consolidate gains made on the ground in areas around Kandahar. Read more in "US sends in the marines to Afghanistan", The Australian, January 8, 2011.

Embedded Marines Assist Afghan Forces with Tough Love

Some Marines serving in Afghanistan are embedded with the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army to assist them to come up to speed so they can handle their own security in the future (2014?).  It isn't an easy mission and it requires "tough love" at times.  Read more in "Embedded Marines teaching Afghans to fend for themselves", Stars and Stripes, November 19, 2010.