Last night we lost 2 more of our brethren. 

Marines from Combat Logistics Battalion 1 (CLB-1) were traveling just north of Karmah when one of their MRAPs rolled into a canal.

Two Marines died at the scene and another was Air CASEVAC’d here to TQ in hopes that the surgeons can save his life.

The surgeons are good men and completely trust in their commitment and desire to help Marines.  I say that because I personally know them.  I am with them in maybe 6 to 7 briefs a week and have helped them research many a subject.  Whoever this wounded Marine is he is with good men.

Often in the Marine Corps we say that success is our own worst enemy.  There has yet been a mission in Afghanistan or Iraq we have not successfully completed.  Because of this, the lack of men and vehicles mixed with a short timeline do not prevent us from rogering up.

Marines are for fighting.  Marines are expeditionary by nature.  It is the Army that is designed to be the land-based sustainment force.  It is not in the Marine Corps doctrine or mindset but here we are fulfilling what should be the Army’s job because of their inability to do so.  Marines need to be in Afghanistan and the Army to assume overwatch and logistics for all of Iraq.

Last night these warriors rogered up for yet another mission.  They helped keep this country from being taken over by Al Qaeda and the insurgents.  They did what they liked doing and that is of course being Marines.

It’s horrible what their family and friends are now dealing with.  Being parents and siblings to Marines I am sure that though grieving they understand and respect the decision their love one made in coming to this place.

In respect of the Marines we have lost, its time to let the Army take full responsibility for Iraq and then let the Jarheads have card blanch in Afghanistan to kill or capture the remaining remnants of Al Qaeda and Taliban so we can call this war won and go home.

Pray for the family and loved ones so that they can more quickly cope.

Pray for the safe return of the other Marines.

Pray for those who just left us.

Semper Fi brothers,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

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Just went rolling through a few towns the other day but when getting to Ramadi I was surprised how trashed that place still is.  Actually worse then what I saw of Baghdad.

Ramadi was a key location for the Ba’ath party and assorted other loyal Saddam goofs so the coalition forces did some re-decorating via at the outset of the war.  But still, it’s been how many years now?  Clean it up already as you and your children live there.

I was up there to take a look at a few places that we suspected as potential problem areas for movement.  In hindsight I think the whole place is a problem area.

Getting out of the MRAP I certainly gained a better understanding of their hardship but was also trying to reason why they didn’t rise up against Saddam.  Knowing that they are above pre-war levels in all the basic needs (water, sewage, communication, electricity, health, etc…) and recognizing it to still be a complete dump one can only imagine how bad it was under that yahoo.

Trash in the street.  Wires running like spider webs barely over the streets.  Metal objects sticking out of the ground everywhere.  Other then one soccer field I didn’t see anywhere the kids can play safely.

The populace is certainly much more used to use rolling through certain cities and areas and that showed the other day.  As soon as I got out to take pictures people to start coming out of their “homes” and seeing what was going on.  This is a pain because not only do you have to scan the area for IEDs as you walk and all the vantage points for possible yahoos but now you have to continually scan the crowd as you try to do your job.  Basically, you are looking for anyone in the crowd with a possible weapon, cell phone, camera, or just watching too intently to what we are doing.

All in all it was a success. I got the information I needed and the engineers got the information they needed to collect.

Below is a picture of an MRAP in case you didn’t know what they look like as well as some pictures from one of the streets we rolled down.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 89% [?]

Bottom Line Up Front: I don’t like the Beretta M9 pistol compared to the Glock 19 I carry at back in Pennsylvania.

When I got into theater I wasn’t that comfortable with the M9 because I probably only threw 200 rounds down range vice my Glock where I have no idea how many thousands I shot.

However, yesterday morning I went to shoot what I guess you can call a modified Quick Fire course and from the 25 yard line all the way down to the 7 yard line felt much more comfortable with it.  Normally, most Marines just need to shoot once a quarter out here but think I am going to be able to hook up with a unit that shoots every month.  At least until I feel almost as comfortable as the Glock.

Speaking of being comfortable, when I came out here I was hoping to get the M4 Carbine Rifle along with the M9 because of going outside the wire.  Just in case I need it, I would much rather be able to reach out and say hello to a knucklehead from a few hundred yards vice 25 yards with the M9 pistol.

While I don’t have my own M4 out here there are a few spares in the armory and I have a few officers that have offered to lend me theirs when I get off TQ so that’s cool.

Marines and their weapons.  Boys with their toys.

About the M4: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4_carbine.

About the M9: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M9_pistol.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 50% [?]

Tonight I find myself writing and re-writing this blog entry as I just don’t know where to start.

We lost 4 Marines due to an IED just outside of Camp Fallujah (FP) on 2 May.  The 4 warriors were with Combat Logistics Battalion 1 (CLB-1) which is under the 1st Marine Logistical Group (1st MLG) like me. 

I just left CF a little over a week ago and met a number of Marines while there.  I am not sure if I meet any of four as the Marine Corps has yet to publicly release the names. 

The Marine Corps recognizes the great individual tragedies that occur from time to time and work diligently to meet with all the families before the press gets word of the tragedy.  To ensure families find out in the most respectful way possible the Marine Corps shuts down all but the most essential communication (no phone calls home, no general Internet access, etc…).

It’s a sobering experience waiting for Internet access again.  You have work to do and need the Internet up but once its up you can picture in your mind the spouse, parents and siblings crying.  I don’t know how to explain it but for me it’s a bit of an eerie feeling.

Shortly, I will be heading back to CF to speak with a number of Marines in CLB-1 for business matters.  Hopefully, I will also have time to seek out friends of these 4 to see if you all can do anything for their families.

Semper Fi,
GySgt Jonathon Jenkins

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