Stories - Tag 1st

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Marines

Tag: 1st

Scout Sniper Platoon mourns loss of fallen brother

Nearly four months into their combat deployment, Marines and sailors with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, experienced a heartbreaking loss.Sergeant Thomas Z. Spitzer, a team leader with Scout Sniper Platoon, 1st Bn., 7th Marines, was killed while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, June 25.Spitzer, a 23-year-old

Mother, Marine, more; one woman’s sacrifice while deployed

Staff Sgt. Maribel Valdez, the adjutant with 1st Marine Division (Forward), sits quietly at her desk. She sits straight with dark eyes, her M-9 pistol holstered tight to her uniform, and pictures of her family on the board behind her, showcasing the two different lives she lives. She’s a mother and a Marine. A balancing act that’s more difficult

Breaking bread key to building trust between Afghans, Marines

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan – “Shana ba shana” is a Dari saying that Sgt. Christopher Scott has heard since he arrived here in December 2011. The saying translates to shoulder-to-shoulder. Afghan forces say it’s a way to describe someone’s work ethic and shows the effort they put in with others.For Scott, a logistics advisor with

Afghans learn marksmanship from Scout Snipers

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan - Afghan soldiers will add a new weapon to their arsenal, when recent graduates from a marksmanship course return to their bases. The newly trained soldiers will carry a M24 sniper rifle, a weapon recently acquired by the local kandak.The weeklong marksmanship course, taught by a Marine scout sniper

Wisconsin native leads Marines through firefights during deployment

Leadership is a fundamental part of the Marine Corps. Leaders train new leaders: from a fire team of four, to Marines at the highest levels.Corporal Ryan Theis, a squad leader, carries a certain presence with him. He presents a formidable stature at more than 6 feet tall. This is his second deployment, but first as a squad leader. During his time

Future of Afghan village kindled by Marines

To a district in Afghanistan that was once overlooked by its government, 2nd Lt. Andrew McGann cares for it like a member of the community.Khan Nehsin, a district of no more than 20,000 people in sporadic villages across southern Helmand province, is undergoing an overhaul. There are currently 13 civil affairs projects supervised by the Marines of

1st Marine Division