CAMP HABBANIYAH, Iraq -- Marines of L Company have reunited with the rest of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in Habbaniyah, after spending six months operating near Fallujah.
There, they performed numerous raids and constant patrols, detaining dozens of insurgents and uncovering weapons caches in the process.
“We accomplished some good things, took down some bad people, pretty much did what we were asked to do,” said Cpl. Tyler Coppock, a team leader with the company.
The company turned the battle space over to a company of Marines from 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, after bringing the incoming Marines up to speed on the area of operations.
“We took them out, showed them the AO,” said Coppock a 22-year-old from Rapid River, Mich. “They pretty much relieved us.”
The company is now settling-in in their new living quarters aboard Camp Habbaniyah and learning their new area. The battalion is nearing completion of the deployment and is also making preparations to turn over its area with their relieving battalion.
“In the next couple of weeks we hope to accomplish setting the conditions for a good turnover,” said 1st Lt. Owen Boyce, a platoon commander with L Company. “We’ll also be working back here on Camp Habbaniyah to facilitate the transition.”
The 25-year-old from Hartford, Conn. explained the company will immediately begin raids and combat operations.
“We’ll hopefully nab the majority of bad dudes in the area,” he said.
The move spells a lot of adjustments for the Marines in L Company, who have been mostly isolated from the rest of the battalion during the deployment.
“Now we’re getting used to being back around all the higher ups and other companies,” said Cpl. Timothy Standridge, a mortar section leader from Yellville, Ark. “We have to get back in rotation with the battalion and not just the company.”
“I’ve got quite a few buddies scattered around the battalion,” Coppock added. “It’s good to be back around with everybody, we get to see all the faces we’re going home with after being away from them pretty much the whole deployment.”
The change of scenery has brought added challenges and benefits.
“It’s a bit of a hassle getting situated, knowing where to go,” said Lance Cpl. Mac McSperrit, a 20-year-old infantryman from Hanford, Calif.
He noted an upside to the move -- there are many miles of road on Camp Habbaniyah, suitable for proper physical training prior to returning home.
“I ran last night,” McSperrit said. “It felt good. I live in California, so I hit the beach a lot.”