First Flight To Combat

Every Marine Warrior wonders if he has what it takes to do what needs to be done in combat. There are few feelings like the one I will try and express in words in this blog.

My first duty station was Bangor, Washington at the Marine Corps Force Security Guard Barracks in Bangor. While I was there I guarded nuclear weapons in many different capacities. I ran patrols, helped loading and un-loading the nuclear weapon's onto submarines and trained.

Every Marine is a rifleman and that means even those who have an MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) have to train for combat and qualify with a rifle. It is a good thing as you never know when the administrative personnel or the cooks will need to pick up a rifle.

One of my duties at Bangor was as an instructor in what we called WKT or Warrior King Training. This training prepared our Marines for the possibility of having to clear a building or house in a hostage situation. We practice needle point take down with rifles, pistols and shotguns. We practice entry through window, doors and improvised openings.

One of the benefits of the instructor position was the opportunity to continue your training. I was fortunate enough to attend one of the Marine Corps best schools called CQB (Close Quarters Battle). The school started off with a hundred plus Marines. The first week was called "Hell" week and the purpose was to get rid of the weak. We dropped quite a few that week and the second weak was rifle and pistol qualification and trust week.

They tested our trust in our equipment by blindfolding us on the top of a rappel tower, spinning us around and having us jump. You did not know if you were attached or not attached. You lost your since of direction and did not know if you were jumping off the edge or simply jumping onto the platform. Of course they would fill your head with all kinds of trash while they were spinning you. Like "Holly &$^# he was not attached". By the end of the course there were 13 of us left. Two weeks before the end of the course 10 of the 13 were called away to go to Iraq for the pre-invasion exercises. That left three of us for graduation.

When I returned to Bangor I had put in a request to be shipped into combat. I figured it was my turn to see if I had what it takes. Knowing what I know now I would never have volunteered. I left Bangor on the 23rd of December in time to be with my family in Cleveland, OK for Christmas Eve. I can remember knowing I was going to combat and trying to in some way detach myself from my family without them knowing it. I was mentally preparing myself in the only way I knew how. I could never have been ready for the first flight to combat.

I had 45 days of leave but I left the day after Christmas to go to my unit. I did not want to miss the departure date. I had not seen my family in quite some time because of being assigned in Washington state, however I could not stay around the house because there was something so important that i had to do. I had to serve this GREAT country of ours, I had to do my part. I had to simply be a Marine.

After some training in Camp Lejeune I took my wedding ring off and put it in a box and sent it to my wife in Oklahoma. I did not want some Iraqi to end up with my wedding ring and the shine of a ring can be seen for miles in the desert.

I can remember the long flight to Saudi Arabia. Everyone on the plane was quite the whole way. For some reason the things that use to bother us know longer mattered. For some reason we were automatically closer that we ever had been. I remember once we landed you could see sand in all directions. There were other aircraft on the run way and there were these funny looking buses with frilly things in the windows waiting to pick us up. I can remember looking at my feet as I stepped onto the ground for the first time. A Marine said "welcome to Hell" and it felt like it was hot enough that we could be there. My thought was this is the last country these boots will ever touch. This is where I will die for my country. This is where we give our all. I will never see my family again. I had prepared myself to fight like nothing else mattered. It was a surreal feeling.

The buses had a stench which was the body odor of the Arabs that were driving us and those that had been on the buses. When we drove off of the airport into the desert I can remember seeing a sheep Herder just like you see in the bible. He had a staff with about 20 sheep standing around. He had on the Arab wrap and when he turned around I knew he was a modern sheep Herder by the Oakley Sunglasses he wore.

When the first Gulf War kicked off the military leaders were preparing all of us for the worst. We had heard that the first line of troops would be possibly wiped out in a few days and that heavy replacements would be necessary. Training became very intense at every level and at every position in the corps. Once we landed in Saudi we spent several weeks getting acclimated to the weather and training in our MOPP GEAR(Marine Oriented Protective Posture - Our biological suits.)

The feeling I had when I got off the plane is one that I hope no American has to feel. I know it is necessary and many others will feel the same way, but it is because 0f the men today that are willing to take that step that we have the ability to be free today. I thank them every time I see them.