18 Oct 2017 Battalion Commander s Comments Lava Dog Ohana, The team continues to perform at an extremely high level despite being geographically separated over five different areas and three countries. Your Lava Dogs have represented our Corps and Nation extremely well. We ve participated in planning and training exercises in Japan, South Korea and Singapore over this period of extremely high operational tempo. I have been thoroughly impressed with our Marines and Sailors focus and commitment to the mission. Most of the battalion (H&S Company, Company A, Company B, Weapons Company) participated in Exercise Northern Viper, a bilateral exercise in Hokkaido, Japan with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF). We were reinforced by personnel from 3d Marine Division, Combat Assault Battalion, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, Combat Logistics Battalion 4 and 1st Marine Air Wing. This was the largest bilateral training exercise in Northern Japan. The event was highly publicized by 170 international news outlets to include MSNBC, Reuters, Stars and Stripes, CNN and others. The exercise focused on parachute operations, motorized operations, helicopter assaults, combined arms attacks and staff planning. The exercise was a huge success and one of the most rewarding experiences I ve had in the military. Company C, augmented by H&S Co and Weapons Co, participated in two separate Korean Marine Exchange Programs (KMEP) in the North West and Southern portions of Korea. The Marines conducted a wide range of operations with their Korean counterparts and made a tremendous impact on their readiness. The KMEP was covered by national level media to include MSNBC, Fox News and CNN. Most of Company B embarked aboard shipping and conducted Exercise Valiant Mark in Singapore. The exercise ranged from individual skills training to a company reinforced helicopter assault. The remainder of the company participated in Northern Viper and Fuji Viper. Weapons Company conducted a combined arms exercise in Fuji, Japan before reinforcing the remainder of the battalion in Korea and Northern Japan. H&S Company was intimately involved in all aspects of operations. We could not have been nearly as successful without the support from home. It s an honor to serve alongside these men. Fortes Fortuna Juvat (Fortune Favors the Bold), Lava 6
Important Family Readiness Contact Information Family Readiness Officer: orin.lucas@usmc.mil or (808) 257-1433 Military Family Life Coordinator: lavadogshawaii@gmail.com or (808) 285-8407 Remain Behind Element Officer in Charge sean.dix@usmc.mil or (808) 291-9156 Chaplain Update Konnichiwa Lava Families! August was an extremely busy and rewarding month for your Lava Dogs. We simultaneously conducted exercises in multiple geographic areas including Hokkaido, Japan; Pohang, South Korea, Singapore; and North West Islands, South Korea. Your Religious Ministry Team accompanied the bulk of the battalion to Hokkaido to train with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force. During the exercise, Northern Viper 2017, we increased our capabilities to work alongside a foreign military force to complete similar objectives and to share our techniques for war fighting. There are multiple videos detailing those events on our Facebook site (First Battalion, Third Marines) as well as photos and videos on the official DVIDS site (https://www.dvidshub.net/auth/login - then type in Lava Dogs in the search box to pull up current photos and videos). While at Northern Viper we had several recreational activities which included bilateral Sports Days, movie nights, and a viewing of the McGregor vs Mayweather boxing match. Want to see your Lava Dog in action? Facebook.com/LavaDogsUSMC For hi-res photo downloads of your Marines, use the link provided below https://www/dvidshub.net/portfo lio/1191761/aaron-patterson --or-- search your Marine s full unit on the DVIDS main page Company, 1 st Battalion, 3 rd Marine Regiment Mailing Address (Rank, Full Name) 1/3 Unit 89012 Boxes 1202-2000 FPO AP 96610 Finally, as a word of advice please remember that texting is the least preferred form of communication with your loved one. While texting may be effective for a short conversation it is not nearly as good as writing letters, cards, voice conversations or video calls. Some things written in text messages can be misconstrued or taken the wrong way which leads to stress in a relationship. Work with your loved one to schedule opportunities for quality communication you ll be glad you did! Your support and prayers are greatly appreciated as we continue to train and develop our warfighting acumen. Thank you for all that you do so that we can do what we do! Chaplain Maruszewski
Head Hunter (H&S Co) From the Commanding Officer: Konnichiwa to our H&S Ohana! Marines and Sailors of Head Hunter Nation are staying busy and the time is flying by. Everyone is contributing to the team in a major way and ensuring this battalion s success now and over the next few months as we head into the execution phase. Your loved ones will soon be applying their skills in a distant and foreign land alongside our Nation s allied partners. They will sleep in the same patch of dirt, eat the same cold rations, experience the same humid and hot jungle, and struggle to communicate, but most importantly, they will each learn from one another. Through shared experiences and a common ground of Honor, Courage and Commitment they will strengthen the bond between two warfighting organizations and their countries. As expected on any deployment, communication with your loved one will be limited; however, rest assured we will keep you updated on the latest accomplishments and milestones. From the First Sergeant: The last two months have flown by. We are proud of the accomplishments the company has achieved. Many are experiencing many things for the first time as we explore the Pacific Area of Operation. We continue to better ourselves and our unit, and with your support we will be successful in all that we do. Head Hunter Nation is on tracker for a very successful deployment. Warhammer (Weapons Co) From the Commanding Officer: The past month went by extremely fast for the Marines and Sailors of Weapons Company. The training at Combined Arms Training Center in Fuji, Japan concluded for CAAT-1 and 2 and 81mm Mortar 1st Section. It was an unbelievable opportunity that the Marines will thoroughly remember. Upon training concluding in Camp Fuji, the Company boarded a High Speed Vessel (HSV) to begin their movement to Pohang, South Korea to prepare for Korean Marine Exchange Program (KMEP) 17-13. During KMEP 17-13, the Company will partake in bilateral training with the Republic of Korean Marines to enhance each other s combat effectiveness. The Marines and Sailors are looking forward to beginning this brotherhood and learning from one another. The rest of the Company, 81mm Mortar Platoon 2nd Section and Team 1 from Scout Sniper Platoon, conducted training operations in support of Northern Viper; a training exercise on the northern part of mainland Japan. They worked extremely hard and their due diligence afforded the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) a valuable training opportunity. Scout Sniper Team 2 continues to support Company B during their diverse training opportunities and Scout Sniper Team 3 continues to support Company C during their KMEP training evolution. Warhammer Company continues to work extremely hard. The Company has been an integral part to the bilateral training experiences of both the Japanese and South Korean militaries. The Marines and Sailors are not only improving upon their individual skill sets, but learning about their counterpart s abilities and enjoying the diverse cultural experiences. We would like to congratulate PFC Dumas, Estrada, Estrella, Galeano, Hall, and Ledesma on being promoted to Lance Corporal, Lance Corporal Ortega on being promoted to Corporal, and Corporal s Sarmento and Wood on being promoted to Sergeant. We are very pleased to see the Marines continue to develop into great leaders.
We cannot be more proud of the Marines and Sailors of Warhammer Company. They have continued to display the utmost professionalism and strive to achieve the IT factor in everything they do. Thank you for all your continued support. Ares (Co A) From the Commanding Officer: Greatings Ares Families, it seems like only yesterday since the submission of the last edition of our newsletter. Once again, the past month has flown by. The company has returned from Exercise Northern Viper. You should be very proud of your loved ones. The patience and dedication displayed during our three weeks in Hokkaido while working with a partner force was inspirational. The three week exercise involved, patrolling, squad and platoon live fire, air assault training, and culminated in a combined regimental attack integrating armor, mechanized assets, and Ares company as an air assault element. Special congratulations are in order for Sergeant Peeler and Sergeant Latham on receiving Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals for their hard work leading up to and during the exercise. Additional congratulations go out to our new Corporals: Corporal Allison, Corporal Blanchard, Corporal Imm, Corporal Camposvilla, and Corporal Wade. Congradulations also goes out to our newest Gunnery Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant Fargas. Last but not least, Corporal Neuman reenlisted 1533 on 11 Aug 2017 at 11,000 over the main island of Japan (54S UH 5122 2892). The ceremony took place from three different MV-22s with a lateral separation of 100 miles!! It was a highly motivating experience, with special thanks to VMM-262 for making it possible. Berserker (Co B) Berserker family and friends, I hope this letter fills you with joy knowing that we have officially surpassed the halfway mark in our deployment. This has been the most hectic month yet for Bravo Company as we have Marines spread throughout Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia and Japan. The Marines in Singapore conducted exercise Valiant Mark which ranged from individual live fire scenarios to a Battalion level air assault with the 7th Singaporean Infantry Brigade. A platoon is in South Korean supporting Korean Marine Exchange Program (KMEP) 17-14 which increases the interoperability with the Republic of
Korea (ROK) Marines. Weapons Platoon attached to the Battalion in support of Northern Viper in Hokkaido, Japan. More than 2,000 Marines formed the MAGTF that executed the first ever iteration of this bilateral training exercise. As we transition into September, we want to thank you for all of the love and support you have provided us throughout this entire deployment. Chaos (Co C) Konnichiwa Chaos Families- August was a huge success for the company, and you should be very proud of the work that your Marines and Sailors have done so far. Over the course of our first exercise, we executed both live-fire and non-live fire training, working handin-hand with our Korean partners, and built friendships that will improve our ability to respond to any contingency. Marines and Sailors tried local food, including a specialty called naengmyeon - a cold buckwheat noodle soup served with kimchee and pork - though most of the company preferred the local fried chicken. Much of the training was very well documented by our embedded combat camera and shared extensively via multiple social media outlets. At the end of the exercise, both US and Republic of Korea (ROK) Marines celebrated the conclusion of training and camaraderie built with a Victory Party. After some delays, the ROK Navy transported the company back to mainland Korea so it could partner with a different ROK Marine battalion. This training package will again focus on small unit level fundamentals, such as combat marksmanship, patrolling, and operations in urban terrain. We will also participate in a bilateral company reinforced Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX) which will be supported by ROK Marine artillery, aviation, and Amphibious Assault Vehicles. We have done a lot of work over the past few months, and there are several more training events upcoming, but your Marines and Sailors are doing extremely well and are excited about the opportunities to train in and explore South Korea. Please continue to send your Marines and Sailors your support by any means available. Komsa-hamnida (Thank you), Capt David Rooks, Chaos 6