II MEF News

Lance Cpl. Shawn Cole, a native of Cresskill, N.J., is a fire team leader with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment’s Guard Force Platoon. He is responsible for three other Marines during his seven-month deployment. This is Cole’s second deployment. He graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., in 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan for the first time in 2009.The battalion supports Regimental Combat Team 1, the Marine ground combat element in Southern Helmand province. The mission of the RCT is to partner with Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations to secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable Afghanistan to assume security responsibilities in the region. Ultimately, the partnered forces promote the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance. - Lance Cpl. Shawn Cole, a native of Cresskill, N.J., is a fire team leader with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment’s Guard Force Platoon. He is responsible for three other Marines during his seven-month deployment. This is Cole’s second deployment. He graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., in 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan for the first time in 2009.The battalion supports Regimental Combat Team 1, the Marine ground combat element in Southern Helmand province. The mission of the RCT is to partner with Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations to secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable Afghanistan to assume security responsibilities in the region. Ultimately, the partnered forces promote the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

From left to right Staff Sgt. Yobani Tejada, platoon sergeant for 3rd platoon, Company E, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Cpl. Samuel E. Sirman, combat engineer for 3rd platoon, Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua I. White, corpsman for 3rd platoon, Lance Cpl. Luis Maldonado-Santiago, Light Armored Vehicle 25 gunner for 3rd platoon, Pfc. Tyler A. Nikkel, LAV25 driver, Lance Cpl. Levi R. Hale, rifleman for 3rd platoon, and (center) Lance Cpl. Jesse K. Knerr, section leader for 3rd platoon, stand in front of their LAV25 at Forward Operating Base Payne, Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 26. This team engaged in a fire fight with insurgents, April 20. - From left to right Staff Sgt. Yobani Tejada, platoon sergeant for 3rd platoon, Company E, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Cpl. Samuel E. Sirman, combat engineer for 3rd platoon, Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua I. White, corpsman for 3rd platoon, Lance Cpl. Luis Maldonado-Santiago, Light Armored Vehicle 25 gunner for 3rd platoon, Pfc. Tyler A. Nikkel, LAV25 driver, Lance Cpl. Levi R. Hale, rifleman for 3rd platoon, and (center) Lance Cpl. Jesse K. Knerr, section leader for 3rd platoon, stand in front of their LAV25 at Forward Operating Base Payne, Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 26. This team engaged in a fire fight with insurgents, April 20.

Sgt. Steven Basham, a native of Hawesville, Ky., gathers with approximately 20 dog-handlers and improvised explosive device detection dogs throughout the RCT-1 battalions to conduct training at Camp Dwyer, Helmand province, Afghanistan, April. 13. Basham is the kennel supervisor with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. The dogs and their handlers received training in verbal and non-verbal commands, emergency and routine medical training, and the latest tactics for finding IEDS, said Maj. Michael Hays, the counter IED officer for RCT-1. "The [dogs and their handlers] play a valuable roll within the counter IED fight," said Hays, who is based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., along with the majority of the RCT-1 staff. The RCT serves as the ground combat element in southern Helmand province. The mission of the RCT is to partner with Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations that secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable the government to assume security responsibilities in the region. The partnered forces support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance. - Sgt. Steven Basham, a native of Hawesville, Ky., gathers with approximately 20 dog-handlers and improvised explosive device detection dogs throughout the RCT-1 battalions to conduct training at Camp Dwyer, Helmand province, Afghanistan, April. 13. Basham is the kennel supervisor with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. The dogs and their handlers received training in verbal and non-verbal commands, emergency and routine medical training, and the latest tactics for finding IEDS, said Maj. Michael Hays, the counter IED officer for RCT-1. "The [dogs and their handlers] play a valuable roll within the counter IED fight," said Hays, who is based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., along with the majority of the RCT-1 staff. The RCT serves as the ground combat element in southern Helmand province. The mission of the RCT is to partner with Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations that secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable the government to assume security responsibilities in the region. The partnered forces support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

Samd Mamhd, a student at the Joint Security Academy Southwest aboard Camp Leatherneck, lifts up his shirt to allow Petty Officer 1st Class Terry Gray, JSAS's Senior Medical Department Representative, to examine his stitches, April 27. JSAS corpsmen were able to quickly diagnose Mamhd with appendicitis and transport him to the nearest medical facility for treatment, essentially saving his life, April 16. - Samd Mamhd, a student at the Joint Security Academy Southwest aboard Camp Leatherneck, lifts up his shirt to allow Petty Officer 1st Class Terry Gray, JSAS's Senior Medical Department Representative, to examine his stitches, April 27. JSAS corpsmen were able to quickly diagnose Mamhd with appendicitis and transport him to the nearest medical facility for treatment, essentially saving his life, April 16.

Cpl. Jean Satune, a Motor Transport wrecker operator with 2nd Maintenance Battalion, prepares a disabled vehicle to be turned upright using the new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected recovery vehicle during a training simulation on Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 26. Satune, a Brooklyn, New York native, and another Marine received almost two weeks of classroom and practical application training to familiarize them with the MVR. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Katherine M. Solano) - Cpl. Jean Satune, a Motor Transport wrecker operator with 2nd Maintenance Battalion, prepares a disabled vehicle to be turned upright using the new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected recovery vehicle during a training simulation on Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 26. Satune, a Brooklyn, New York native, and another Marine received almost two weeks of classroom and practical application training to familiarize them with the MVR. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Katherine M. Solano)