Oct 8, 2011 Roundup

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Elite dog handler honored at Camp Leatherneck 

C AMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Marines and other coalitionservice members paused to honor the memory of Staff Sgt.

Christopher Diaz with a memorial service at the chapel aboard Camp

Leatherneck, Helmand province, Oct. 8. (more) B y Staff Sgt Jeremy Ross, Regional Command Southwest 

Precious moments of a golden hour: Alaska Marine directs

air ambulancesFORWARD OPERATING BASE DELARAM, Afghanistan - Marines in

 Afghanistan are not strangers to the danger they face when

patrolling the streets and fields of Northern Helmand province. The

threat from insurgent activity surrounds them as they move, ever

cautiously, from position to position. (more) 

By Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith, Regimental Combat Team 8 

 Virginia native dies three times, returns to Marjah

MARJAH DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — Some

Marines involved in the battle for Marjah in 2010 say they

stared death in the face. One Manassas, Va., native involved

in the intense fighting not only stared death in the face, but

shook its hand as well. (more) 

By Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes, 2 nd Marine Division  

Weekly Report, October 8, 2011

The following content summarizes a week’s worth of activity from Regional Command Southwest, commanded by Maj. Gen. John Toolan and coveringHelmand and Nimroz Provinces, Afghanistan. The content was created by Marine Corps Combat Correspondents, Navy Mass Communication SpecialistsCombat Camera and personnel with UK media operations under Task Force Helmand. Feel free to forward our stories to family, friends and loved onessupporting those who are deployed.

Featured Stories

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 Afghanistan: 10 years on  

 A decade after UK Forces began operations in Afghanistan, Tristan Kelly

reports from Helmand as all eyes look forward to the planned end of UK combat operations there in 2015. (more) 

 A UK Military Operations news article 

Helmand capital’s police training facility opens new accomm odations

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan - The Lashkar Gah Afghan Uniformed Police training

facility unveiled its new training buildings and living quarters Sept. 28, following

an AUP Basic Patrolman course graduation ceremony. (more)  (video) 

By MC2 Matthew Snodgrass, Regional Command Southwest  

Para honoured for saving woun ded colleague

 A soldier from 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) has been

recognised in the latest Operational Honours and Awards List for his bravery

in Afghanistan which saved the life of a wounded colleague. (more) 

 A UK History and Honour news article  

Coming of age through war: Cpl. Tyler Van Effen

SANGIN DISTRICT, Afghanistan - Camaraderie: it’s the crux of every great

action movie, the hinge upon which the scales are balanced between the

light and dark moments. In that classic scene, after the protagonist pulls

himself free from a metric ton of rubble, unscathed save for a few

fashionable scratches on his cheeks and chin, when he walks through the

wall of smoke and his brothers in arms welcome him back from the brink of death. (more) 

By Cpl. James Clark, Regimental Combat Team 8  

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Empathy & W ar: Fighting an enemy, fighting to understand

the ‘enemy’ 

SANGIN DISTRICT, Afghanistan - In fairy tales, it’s the wicked witch

who desperately wants a pair of shiny shoes or the brutish baron of 

some dark and spooky tower who really just needs a hug. In

romantic comedies, it’s the stuck up frat boy who belittles the

scrawny underdog and his goofy cadre of friends in front of the

dream girl. (more) 

By Cpl. James Clark, Regimental Combat Team 8  

Marines, coalition receive MRI m achine in Helmand province

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- Marines and their coalition

partners who suffer concussions, brain injuries, or joint and tissue

damage, are now able to be evaluated and diagnosed locally in

Helmand province since the arrival of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging

machine at Camp Leatherneck, Oct. 5. (more) 

By Cpl. Adam Leyendecker, Regional Command Southwest  

Follow the leader

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Afghanistan — Someone always has to go first. In

 Afghanistan, the Marine who goes first is the point man. He is the first to

 jump across a canal, enter a farm field and tread ground potentially lacedwith improvised explosive devices. (more) 

By Cpl. Colby Brown, Regimental Combat Team 5  

 Afghan National Army rocks desert in first artillery shoot

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Temperatures rose in the

desert as Afghan National Army soldiers with 4th Kandak, 1st

Brigade, 215th Corps, recently fired their first artillery rounds in

Helmand province since their unit was formed in May. (more) 

By Cpl. Jeff Drew, 2 nd Marine Division  

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Pinjadoo: another success story in Nawa district

PINJADOO, Afghanistan – The Pinjadoo Bazaar was already

buzzing – hundreds of Nawa district residents were out selling

and trading goods, conducting business on what seemed like a

normal day. The already energetic atmosphere became even

more excited when Nawa district’s governor, Haji Abdul Manaf,

arrived on scene. (more) 

By Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde, 2 nd Marine Division  

Wheat seed distribution gives hope to Helm and Afghans

KAJAKI, Afghanistan - For decades now, Afghan locals have been

relying on a crop cycle of poppy and cannabis to provide income and a

stable livelihood for their families. (more) 

By Cpl. Katherine Solano, 2 nd Marine Logistics Group  

Pentagon Press B riefing - Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John

Toolan, Jr. and M r. Michael O'Neill

Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John

Toolan, Jr., commanding general of Regional Command-

Southwest, and Mr. Michael O'Neill, head of mission for the

Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand Province, RegionalCommand Southwest, brief the media on current operations in

 Afghanistan and answer questions from the media. (video) 

By Regional Command Southwest Team  

 Apache pilot honoured for bravery in Afghanistan

 An Army officer is to receive the Air Force Cross for his 'selflessness

and extraordinary professionalism' in piloting his Apache helicopter in

dangerous situations to assist casualty rescue missions in Afghanistan.

(more) 

 A UK History and Honour news article  

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Marine brother serves wi th Air Force sister in Afghanistan

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Allen Rader’s service to the Air Force

took his family from their home in Charleston, W.Va., to Alaska, Arizona

and Florida. Even overseas. Years later, two of his children, Eric and

Rebecca, find themselves overseas. The siblings serve together at Camp

Leatherneck. (more) 

By Cpl. Justin Boling, 2 nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward)  

Marines bid farewell to fallen brother in Afghanistan

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan - In the wartime chapel here where Capt.

Ryan Iannelli once worshiped, his fellow Marines gathered to remember

him in a ceremony, Oct. 3. (more) 

By Cpl. Brian Adam Jones, 2 nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) 

RAF IED disposal operator honoured for work in Helman d

 An RAF improvised explosive device (IED) disposal operator who

saved numerous lives during his recent deployment to Afghanistanhas been awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal. (more) 

 A UK History and Honour news article 

Detection dogs lead the way for 3/ 6 Marines

CAMP HANSON, Afghanistan – “The enemy is always going to

adapt. They are always going to find new ways of setting off IEDs…

sometimes you will find something on a patrol and be blown out of 

the water wondering how they even thought to come up with this

device…”  (more) 

By Staff Sgt. Andrew Miller, Regimental Combat Team 5 

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For additional stories from RC(SW) visit:

Regional Command Southwest 

2nd Marine Division 

RCT-5 

RCT-8 

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing 2nd Marin e Logistics Group 

Task Force Helmand 

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