Marines

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1st Marine Division

I Marine Expeditionary Force

Archive: 2004

Navy hospital corpsman chooses between life and death

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Barry C. Gibson makes life and death decisions every day. As 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment's triage officer, he's the one charged with deciding which wounded Marines are treated first. "A Marine might be expected to die when he arrives, but it's my decision to judge whether he's capable of walking, whether he goes

LAPD lends a helping hand to Marines in Iraq

Marines in Iraq have a secret weapon when it comes to dealing with improved explosive devices. It comes with a badge from the Los Angeles Police Department. Ralph Morten knows just about all there is when it comes to bombs. He's got the credentials. Take for example 25 years as an LAPD detective and a post as a member of the city's special

Meritorious staff sergeant is man of many skills

The twang of guitar strings mixes with the hum of buzzing generators. It's the sound of one of the Corps' newest meritorious staff sergeants, strumming a tune of success: leadership and love of being a Marine. "I got my first guitar lessons while I was in prison," Staff Sgt. Mike R. Redding, meritoriously promoted April 2, said with a grin. Don't

Combat engineer memorialized in Ar Ramadi

The very device Lance Cpl. William J. Wiscowiche was looking for ended his life during a patrol March 30. Wiscowiche, a combat engineer with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, was conducting an improvised explosive device sweep one mile from the camp here when a buried IED detonated near him. The blast killed him instantly.

New café connects Marines to home

Talking home from the far reaches of the Iraqi desert is now just a push of a button away. That's because improvements to Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities are finally complete at the camp that's home to Regimental Combat Team 7. A new Internet café and phone bank opened April 1, giving Marines here a chance to call and e-mail home. "I'm

Band marches to different drumbeat in Iraq

One year ago Lance Cpl. Juan R. Galvez was deployed here as an electronics maintenance technician. This year he's back as a trombone player turned security guard with the 1st Marine Division Band. The Houston, Texan and 35 of his fellow musical Marines left Camp Pendleton, Calif., almost two months ago for this Iraq to assist in the division's

Regimental reserve force fills gap in western Iraq

Regimental Combat Team 7's reserve force added yet another task to its already growing resume in western Iraq. A platoon-sized force from 7th Marine Regiment's reserve conducted a 50-mile reconnaissance patrol in efforts to find information on those who participated in recent rocket attacks on U.S. forces at Al Asad. The patrol took Marines to

Regimental reserve force trains for on-call missions

Even America's 9-1-1 force needs someone to call in an emergency. Bring on Regimental Combat Team 7's reserve. It's a platoon dedicated to answering the "what-if" questions. They are the answer against incoming mortars, rockets and small-arms fire directed at the RCT-7 headquarters. "The reserve is primarily here to handle the small attacks,"

Marine Forces Central brass visits the Blue Diamond

Lt. Gen. Wallace C. Gregson, commander of Marine Forces Central, paid a visit to the Marines and sailors of 1st Marine Division here March 28. During his brief trip to the camp, Gregson spoke to nearly 200 members of the "Blue Diamond" about their role in the Global War on Terror. He explained that the war in Iraq was one slice of the fight to

Marines take the reins of Camp Al-Mahmudiyah

Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., took the reins of the operational area from the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment March 26. "Our goal is to stabilize the area by developing it economically, which will provide the jobs to give people skills," said Maj. Christopher G. Dixon, executive

1st Marine Division