Convoy The Delivering quality information on the 1st Marine Logistics Group NOV 28 2014 MEB Welcomes home Marines & Sailors 1st MLG celebrates 239th Marine Corps Birthday 1st Dental Battalion hosts annual diversity event
NOV f Get Social News 4. Welcome home MEB Marines & sailors 6. #MyFit1stMLG 8. Marines celebrate 239th Birthday Across the Globe 12. 1st Dental Bn. hosts annual diversity event 14. #My1stMLGveteran 16. MEU Exercise 14 18. Around the MEF 20. Q&A: Command Master Chief Harlan B. Patawaran COMMANDING GENERAL Maj. Gen. Vincent A. Coglianese SERGEANT MAJOR Sgt. Maj. Richard D. Thresher COMMAND MASTER CHIEF CMDCM Harlan B. Patawaran PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER 1st Lt. Thomas Gray PUBLIC AFFAIRS CHIEF Staff Sgt. Lynn Kinney COMBAT CORRESPONDENTS Sgt. Sarah Fiocco Sgt. Laura Gauna COMBAT CAMERA CHIEF Gunnery Sgt. Arthur Rainey Jr. COMBAT CAMERA Cpl. Rodion Zebolotniy Cpl. Alexander Quiles Lance Cpl. Lauren Falk Lance Cpl. Jordan Gilbert CONTACT US: 760-763-7795 1MLG_Public_Affairs@usmc.mil On the Cover Maj. Jason P. Quinter, Future Plans Officer with I Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan, reunites with his children after returning home from a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 6, 2014. FOLLOW US ON: THE CONVOY 3 THE CONVOY 3
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - The crowd cheered clapped and all camera shutters clicked and clacked as buses filled with loved ones came to a stop next to the 21 Area parade deck. Marines and Sailors with Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan returned home from a historic deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to their families at a homecoming ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Nov. 6, 2014. To bring this operation to a close, Regional Command (Southwest) held an End of Operations Ceremony this October during which Marine Corps personnel cased the RC(SW) battle colors for the final time and lowered the NATO, U.K, and U.S. flags, leaving only Afghanistan s flag waving outside the headquarters building in Helmand province. The homecoming signifies the closure of a sustained, nine-year Marine presence in Afghanistan. With the transfer of authority and handoff of Camp Leatherneck complete, the Afghan National Army gained a military base encompassing nearly 6,500 acres featuring a 11,500-footlong runway, providing them with the ability to coordinate ground and air operations in Helmand province. Brigadier Gen. Daniel D. Yoo, Commanding General of Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan, said he thinks the Marines should be proud of the things they accomplished. I think the pride that we can take as Marines as part of RC(SW) is being able to take an Afghan security force at its infancy and mature it to a professional organization that s very capable and credible with their people and which has done very well in securing that portion of Afghanistan, said Yoo. The Marines should be confident the skills they taught the ANA will be useful in their success in the months and years to come, said Yoo. It s a historical day for the Marine Corps, but more importantly, it s a historical day for the Afghan National Security Forces, said Yoo. The security of Helmand province is up to the ANSF, and I am confident in their abilities to continue to succeed. With the mission accomplished, the Marines are eager to return to their homes, said Lance Cpl. Donald Cheek, a Fixedwing Aircraft Mechanic with 3rd Marine Air Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force. I m pretty excited. I finally get to see my family again, spend time with my girlfriend, my dad and my grandma, said Cheek. I just want to sit home and relax with my family. After all the time away from their families, the Marines and Sailors eagerly gathered their belongings and prepared to head to their new mission location: home. Welcome home MEB Marines & Sailors Story and photo by: I MEF Public Affairs THE CONVOY 5 THE CONVOY 5
#MyFit1stMLG Photos by Sgt. Sarah Fiocco Try these exercises to help improve your Combat Fitness Test score and check out the 1st Marine Logistics Group Facebook page for our weekly #MuscleMonday workout! Hammer swings: Bring the hammer over your right shoulder and swing it toward a large tire. Once the hammer makes impact, repeat the movement for three sets of 15 on each side. Tire bombs: Lift the tire off the ground, making sure to enage your core. Once the tire is at about chin level, throw it firmly toward the ground. Be careful, as this will cause the tire to bounce around. Repeat this exercise for three sets of 20 repetitions. Battle ropes: Alternate whipping each rope up and down for 30 seconds in a squatting position. Repeat this exercise three times. THE CONVOY 7
Marines celebrate 239th Birthday across the Globe Southern California U.S. Central Command Area of Operations New Orleans Germany THE CONVOY 9
THE CONVOY 11 Guantanimo bay North Carolina DJIBOUTI
1st Dental Bn. hosts diversity event Photos By: Sgt. Laura Gauna Major Gen. Vincent A. Coglianese, 1st Marine Logistics Group Commanding General, jokes with a Sailor from 1st Dental Battalion, 1st MLG, during a diversity event held aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 20, 2014. Petty Officer 2nd Class Ana Douglas, a Dental Technician with 1st Dental Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, and a native of Lima, Peru, spoke during a diversity event held aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 20, 2014. The event honored Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month and National Disablity Month. Major Gen. Vincent A. Coglianese, 1st Marine Logsitics Group Commanding General, and various 1st Dental Battalion service members pose for a picture during a diversity event held aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 20, 2014. THE CONVOY 13
#My1stMLGveteran Photos by: Sgt. Laura Gauna W hile I was in the Marines I ran into some terrific people - I mean tremendous people. They inspired me. - Jim Burke I Retired Lt. Col. James Burke, the 1st Marine Logistics Group Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned Representative, holds a photo of he and his wife while he was still active duty. Burke holds a photo of a fellow Marine he served with while he was an active duty Marine. Burke served from 1968-1992 and returned to the defense industry after the 9/11 attack. Burke served with the 1st MLG, formerly known as FSSG, for several decades and continues to do so. Burke recalls on Dec. 14, 1968, 11 of his Marines and Sailors lost their lives during the Vietnam War. THE CONVOY 15
MEU Exercise 14 Photo by: Cpl. Elize N. McKelvey Illustration by Cpl. Elize McKelvey depicting U.S. Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit standing outside the combat operations center during MEU Exercise 14 aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 19, 2014. The purpose of MEUEX is to train the different elements of the 15th MEU to work together to complete a wide variety of missions. THE CONVOY 15 THE CONVOY 17
AROUND photo by: Cpl. Carlos Hurtado THE MEF (Top right) Lance Cpl. Wolfgang Barron-Haggarty, with 1st Radio Battalion, 1st Marine Headquarters Group, explains the disassembly procedures of the Steyr AUG assault rifle to U.S. Army Sgt. Kealii Chung, a soldier from 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment during weapons familiarization lessons hosted by members of the New Zealand Defence Force aboard Linton Military Camp during Exercise Kiwi Koru 2014 on Oct. 29, 2014. (Left) Lance Cpl. George Moreno, left, an Electrooptical Ordnance repairman from San Antonio, and Sgt. Mike Saephanh, a Field Radio Operator from Sacramento, Calif., both with Headquarters Battery, 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, begin to take cover after Moreno throws an M-69 practice grenade during a hand grenade training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 18, 2014. photo by: Sgt. Paris Capers (Right) A Marine with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (Reinforced)(VMM-163 [REIN]), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), secures the blades of an AH-1Z Super Cobra after flight quarters on the flight deck of amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22), Nov. 20, 2014. The 11th MEU is a forward-deployed, flexible sea-based Marine Air-Ground Task Force embarked with the San Diego as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Rome Lazarus photo by: Cpl. Joshua Murray photo by: Cpl. Elize McKelvey photo by: Lance Cpl. John Baker (Middle left) Marines with Force Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division hike with 50-pound packs and carry a 60-pound container full of sand during a physical training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 7, 2014. (Middle right) Master Sgt. Anthony Greene, the Operations Chief for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, and Queens, N.Y. native, surveys a map before a rehearsal of concept drill aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Nov. 7, 2014. (Bottom left) Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit tear down a portion of their combat operations center during MEU Exercise 14 aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 19, 2014. The purpose of MEUEX is to train the different elements of the 15th MEU to work together to complete a wide variety of missions. THE CONVOY 19
VOICES OF THE GROUP Voices of the Group is a monthly interview that features 1st MLG Marines and Sailors Command Master Chief Harlan B. Patawaran, with 1st Marine Logistics Group and a native of Pampanga, Philippines, expresses how important it is to take advantage of all the opportunities available in the military. I am just very appreciative of everything that the Navy has given me. Every single military member needs to take advantage of all the opportunities they can to succeed, he says. Everything is available to you, you just need to take the time to take advantage of it. Q A& With Command Master Chief Q: When and why did you decide to enlist in the Navy? A: I enlisted in 1991 when they still had a base in the Philippines. I joined to better myself and to be a part of the most powerful military in the world. It wasn t that easy to get in. It was actually like winning the lottery. The day I took my test, there were about 400 candidates and out of those 400 they only picked the top ten. The way the selection process worked was you submitted a picture of yourself, and if you were selected then you took the test, and if you scored high enough, then you had several interviews to do. It was a yearlong process. Q: How was it growing up in the Philippines? A: I had six siblings - four boys and two girls. Growing up, we were a middle class family and my dad had his own business. We were always helping out. I would deliver goods while in high school. We all went to a Catholic school. We worked hard and were very fortunate growing up. I enjoyed my life in the Philippines. I was there 24 years. Along the way, some of my family migrated here and others stayed home. Q: Do you think sometimes service members take the military for granted? A: I do. I feel very privileged. I got a degree in healthcare management and it was free. I just had to make time to do it. There are opportunities in the military that I think we always take for granted. I think where we fail sometimes is when we don t take the initiative to go and do it. I could have a very good mentor tell me to do this and to do that, to be successful, but if I don t get up and say You know what, I m going to go do that because I have the initiative and determination, then you are never going to succeed. Q: Do you have any advice for Marines and sailors that are just starting out? A: I always tell people to seek out a mentor. Ask around and talk to a lot of folks, because everyone has a different experience. They have a lot of knowledge, and if I was a young person just coming in the military, I d be open to all the opportunities. You need to make sure to plan your career. Give yourself some deadlines, because you are in charge of Story and photos by: Sgt. Laura Gauna THE CONVOY 21
your career. It s your life. You don t want to waste your time waiting four, six and eight years... you basically just kept yourself stagnant. Q: What is your biggest achievement? A: I think for me, my personal achievement, is seeing young Sailors and young Marines progress in their careers, especially if I had an opportunity to affect a change in them or their way of thinking toward success. Q: Have you had the opportunity to deploy? A: I participated in a few Western Pacific deployments aboard ships. I also supported the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003 and deployed to Iraq again in 2004 with 1st Marine Division. In 2012, I was part of an embedded training team with the Afghan National Army. It was what they called a global support activity. Q: What would you say was the most important moment of your career? A: I would say deploying for Operation Iraqi Freedom 1 and motivating those young Sailors and Marines in a difficult time. You did not have a timeline of when you would be back; everything was unknown. I would say it was an important and scary part of my career because now you have those young Marines and Sailors asking all these questions and I don t have the answers. What I did at the time was tell them that it s important to understand that we are all here for a reason and as a military man and woman you will be deployed and at one time or another you will be in harm s way and we just need to face that. I d tell them your family will be okay and they will understand. I was just enforcing and giving them positive attitudes. They needed it, they needed that motivation. They were not scared to deploy but it was having those unknowns. Q: What do you think defines good leadership? A: A good leader is someone who would influence his people to achieve a certain goal. I always tell them a good leader is someone who is accessible, approachable and does not intimidate. Also, a good leader is a role model and someone who is doing the right thing at all times. It is someone who influences people to do and achieve a certain mission. Q: What is your leadership style? A: I am an intrusive leader. I like to know my Sailors and my Marines because every single person has their own needs. Every person has their own motivational factor. I need to know their motivating factor and needs or else I m not going to be able to help them. When things come up I know exactly what to do and what they need. So for me it is intrusive leadership. I like walking around and seeing folks. It s not just about seeing them when they are in trouble it s about making myself visible to the troops. Q: Do you have anything to add? A: I am just very appreciative of everything that the Navy has given me. Every single military member needs to take advantage of all the opportunities they can to succeed. Everything is available to you, you just need to take the time to take advantage of it. AROUND THE GROUP Dec 5 - Trees for Troops Where: Paige Fieldhouse and San Onofre The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx will once again deliver free fresh Christmas trees to Camp Pendleton. This holiday expo will be filled with fun events and more. Dec 6 - Monarchs for Marines: Free Holiday Lunch with Santa Where: Paige Fieldhouse When: 12 p.m. Registration begins at 11am for the first 200 children ages 3 to 13. Enjoy lunch, a visit with Santa and stocking gifts for each child. Dec 10 - Family Readiness Resource Fair Where: Stuart Mesa Housing Area When: 1pm-5pm For more information, call (760) 725-9052 Dec 1-31 - Lincoln Military Housing December Giveaway MCCS and Lincoln Military Housing want to make your holidays even brighter. Enter to win MCX Gift Cards every day in December for a chance to be one of two daily winners!
PARTING SHOT By: Lance Cpl. Jordan Gilbert Marines with 1st Marine Logistics Group escort the Marine Corps Birthday Cake during the 1st MLG Officers ball, Nov. 9, 2014.