Moral Side

Topics for "The Moral Side of the News" - April 15, 2012

TOPIC 1:  George Zimmerman to Be Charged in Trayvon Martin's Death

A Florida special prosecutor has decided to charge neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman in the shooting death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, sources told ABC News. The decision by Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey is expected to be announced at a 6 p.m. news conference in Jacksonville, Fla. The prosecutor's ruling is certain to provoke controversy in Sanford, Fla., where shooting took place and across the country.

Zimmerman, 28, an Hispanic neighborhood watch captain, shot and killed Martin, who was 17 and black, on Feb. 26 after following the teenager for several minutes.

The special prosecutor's ruling came one day after Zimmerman's legal team quit because they had lost contact with him, and suggested that the pressure of the case had "pushed him over the edge." His lawyers said that Zimmerman was no longer in Florida and ABC News has learned that prosecutors do not know his exact location.

Earlier this week, Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett said his city has become a "kindling box" due to the high emotions surrounding the case, and that he would "plan for the worst and hope for the best."

The case gained national prominence with rallies across the country demanding that Zimmerman be arrested and charged with murder. Zimmerman and his supporters say that the shooting had nothing to do with race and that he shot Martin in self-defense. The city of Sanford has been getting increasingly tense as the decision neared. Six shots were fired into an empty police cruiser earlier this week in the neighborhood where Martin was killed.

The New Black Panther Party offered a $10,000 bounty for Zimmerman and his lawyers said Zimmerman had received death threats. The New Socialist Movement, a white supremacy group, said they were patrol Sanford to protect whites and racists comments about the shooting have sprung up on social media sites. Debate over the shooting became so widespread that even President Obama commented, saying if he had a son he would have looked like Trayvon Martin.

On his website, Zimmerman released a statement about the shooting this week, calling the incident a "life-altering event." "As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately my entire life," he wrote.

CONTINUE READING: http://abcnews.go.com/US/george-zimmerman-charged-trayvon-martin-killing/story?id=16115469

Law enforcement source: Zimmerman will be charged 

(CNN) -- George Zimmerman, the Florida neighborhood watch volunteer who says he shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense, "will be (criminally) charged, if he hasn't been charged already," a senior law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN Wednesday. State Attorney Angela Corey said she will present new information about the case at 6 p.m. in Jacksonville. Martin, 17, was killed February 26 as he returned to his father's fiancee's house in Sanford after picking up candy and an iced tea at a nearby convenience store.

The news that Zimmerman will be charged came shortly after the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Martin family attorney called Wednesday for the public to remain peaceful, whatever the decision of the special prosecutor turns out to be. "We do not condone or support in any way acts or language of violence," Sharpton told his National Action Network's 14th annual convention in Washington. "Trayvon Martin's name must not be tarnished by those who are either for or against us with any reckless behavior, even verbally." He and Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump said Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, have conducted themselves with dignity and set an example for others. "Nobody can be hurting more than them," Crump said. "Nobody can be more outraged than them."

Corey said Tuesday she planned to release new information about the case within three days. The special prosecutor's announcement came the day that two lawyers who had been giving legal advice to Zimmerman, Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig, told reporters that they had lost contact with their client and no longer represent him.

Phyllis Kotey, a former prosecutor in Florida, told CNN's Brooke Baldwin that Corey may be considering a second-degree murder or manslaughter charge. "You really just want to weigh the evidence even though you all have all these very public things going on," Kotey said. "It really shouldn't be a political decision." A second-degree murder charge would look at whether the shooting was done with any kind of provocation and with possible reckless disregard for the safety of another human being. "When you look at manslaughter ... you are talking about an issue of culpable negligence," Kotey said. "One of the things you would look at would be the issue of how Zimmerman acted," she said, "whether there was anything unlawful about his actions, in terms of continuing to pursue, continuing to go after an individual in a lawful place... perhaps whether a gun was pulled on an individual in a lawful place."

Brad Conway, a defense attorney in Florida, told CNN that Zimmerman needs to hire a new attorney -- quickly. "One thing is of key concern to everybody is Mr. Zimmerman's safety," said Conway.

The case has sparked a nationwide debate about race in America and Florida's "stand your ground" law, which allows the use of deadly force by anyone who feels a reasonable threat of death or serious injury. Readings of the law are crucial to a prosecution, Conway said. Thousands of protesters have descended on Sanford to demand Zimmerman's arrest. But, Sharpton said Wednesday, "this is not anti-anybody," noting that white people, African-Americans, Latinos and Asian-Americans have joined what Martin supporters have described as a call for justice. "We're not talking about a conviction," Crump said. "He'll have his day in court. ... All we're asking for is an arrest."

CONTINUE READING: http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/11/justice/florida-teen-shooting/index.html

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on the Florida Prosecutor’s decision in the George Zimmerman case?

 

TOPIC 2: Board recommends dismissal of anti-Obama Marine

(CNN) -- A Marine Corps board has recommended that a politically active Marine sergeant who questioned President Barack Obama's authority be dismissed from service with an "other than honorable" discharge. Sgt. Gary Stein, 26, who posted anti-Obama comments on his Facebook page, stands accused of violating a catch-all military justice provision against conduct endangering "good order and discipline." He is also accused of violating a Department of Defense policy limiting the political activities of service members. The case has raised First Amendment issues.

The recommendation for dismissal, made late Thursday after a 13-hour hearing, will now go to a separation authority headed by Brig. Gen. Daniel Yoo, commander of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, said Maj. Michael Armistead, the public affairs director for the installation. It could take two to three weeks for the authority to hand down a decision, Armistead said.

If he leaves the Marines with an other than honorable discharge, Stein will be demoted a rank to lance corporal. One of Stein's lawyers, Capt. James Baehr, said Stein would also lose benefits and his uniform. Baehr said his client was extremely disappointed. "I don't think any law was violated by Gary Stein," he said. "The reason we have this reticence in the military to get engaged in politics is that we were afraid a long time ago of military dictatorship," Baehr said. "We are so far from that in suggesting that on a private Facebook page, you can't say something about politics." Stein came under scrutiny from Marine officials after saying he would not obey Obama's orders.

In a January 26 post to the Armed Forces Tea Party Facebook page, Stein called Obama a liar. Two days later, he said the president is "the 'Domestic Enemy' our oath speaks about." In a March 4 posting, he questioned Obama's birth certificate. Another discussion on the site in March said he would refuse to obey orders given by Obama. He later clarified to say he meant illegal orders, which he has explained as orders such as sending the military to Syria without congressional approval. "The allegations drummed up against me are no more than an agenda by the Marine Corps to use me as an example," Stein said in a statement posted to his page. "If I am guilty of anything it would be that I am American, a freedom loving Conservative, hell bent on defending the constitution and preserving Americas greatness." He noted that the opinions he expressed were his own, saying, "I have never spoken on behalf of the Marine Corps or in uniform."

CONTINUE READING: http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/06/justice/marine-obama/index.html?iref=allsearch

Military Board Says Marine Should Be Dismissed

A Marine who criticized President Barack Obama on his Facebook page has committed misconduct and should be dismissed, a military board recommended late Thursday. The Marine Corps administrative board made the decision after a daylong hearing at Camp Pendleton for Sgt. Gary Stein. The board also recommended that Stein be given an other-than-honorable discharge. That would mean Stein would lose his benefits and would not be allowed on any military base. The board's recommendations go to a general who will either accept or deny them. If the general disagrees with the board, the case could go to the secretary of the Navy.

Stein's lawyers argued that the Marine, whose nine-year service was to end in four months, was expressing his personal views and exercising his First Amendment rights. "We're truly surprised and disappointed but it was an honor to fight for a hero like Sgt. Stein and every other Marine's right to speak freely," Stein's defense attorney Marine Capt. James Baehr said. Stein addressed board members during Thursday's hearing, tell them he loved the Marine Corps and wanted to re-enlist, Baehr said. During the hearing, the prosecutor, Capt. John Torresala, said Stein went as far as superimposing images of Obama's face on a poster for the movie "Jackass."

Torresala argued that Stein's behavior repeatedly violated Pentagon policy that limits the free speech rights of service members, and said he should be dismissed after ignoring warnings from his superiors about his postings. The government submitted screen grabs of Stein's postings on one Facebook page he created called Armed Forces Tea Party, which the prosecutor said included the image of Obama on the "Jackass" movie poster. Stein also superimposed Obama's image on a poster for "The Incredibles" movie that he changed to "The Horribles," the prosecutor said. Torresala also said anti-Obama comments by Stein that were posted on a Facebook page used by Marine meteorologists were prejudicial to good order and discipline, and could have influenced junior Marines.

Stein's security clearance was taken away and he has no future in the Marine Corps because he can't do his job without that clearance, Torresala said. "The Marine Corps community views the command's lack of action as some kind of knock on good order and discipline," Torresala said. "Our own people are questioning why this Marine is not being held accountable."

Baehr said during the hearing that prosecutors were trying to dredge up any damaging information they could against Stein. "There is no basis in this case," Baehr said. "Sgt. Stein has broken no law." Baehr expressed after the hearing that he hoped that the recommendation would be rejected by the general, saying the case will go forward. "The issues are too important for this to end today," he said.

The military has had a policy since the Civil War limiting the free speech of service members, including criticism of the commander-in-chief. Pentagon directives say military personnel in uniform cannot sponsor a political club; participate in any TV or radio program or group discussion that advocates for or against a political party, candidate or cause; or speak at any event promoting a political movement. Commissioned officers also may not use contemptuous words against senior officials.

CONTINUE READING: http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/06/justice/marine-obama/index.html?iref=allsearch

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on the Marine Corps administrative board’s decision to dismiss Sgt. Gary Stein for information posted on a Facebook page?

Happy Birthday Marines!

HAPPY 235th BIRTHDAY OF THE CORPS.

 
Cpl. Lillian Stewart Slider, Lt. Col. John W. Slider

Crew Chiefs Draw on Training for Humanitarian Mission

Gunnery Sgt. Bryce Piper
26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Public Affairs

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Chance Trombetti, a 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit CH-46 Sea Knight pilot conducts post-flight inspections on a CH-46 Sea Knight at Pano Aqil Cantonment, Pakistan. The U.S. Marine Corps’ 15th and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units have been operating CH-46 Sea Knight and CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters in the Sindh province since early September bringing relief supplies to those in need. Since Aug. 5, U.S. military helicopters have transported more than 12 million pounds of supplies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kali Gradishar)

PANO AQIL CANTONMENT, Pakistan (October 27, 2010) — For more than a year, CH-46 Sea Knight crew chiefs are taught and tested on every aspect of their career field – from the mechanics of the Sea Knight to flight operations – before they actually enter into the world of being a crew chief. 

In training, scenarios are given to represent possible real-world situations. But until those real-world situations present themselves, training often involves preparing for the unexpected. Since the U.S. Marine Corps HMM-165-Reinforced, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived at Pano Aqil Cantonment, Pakistan, to support the Pakistan government and military flood relief operations, they have put that training to use.

“We did a lot of heavy preparation for this deployment so we could come out with no issues to fly to the fullest capability,” said Lance Cpl. Nicholas Zeigler, a 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit CH-46 Sea Knight crew chief with more than 600 flight hours. 

“We did a lot of [confined area landing] training when we were in Camp Pendleton, [Calif.]. In training we were required to land in a small area, clearing the pilots left and right as if we were landing 15 feet from power lines or near a wall,” said the lance corporal, who has been in the Marine Corps three years as of Sept. 11. “Operations here have been a true utilization of all that training.”

The first destination for the CH-46s and the 15th MEU to support relief operations was Ghazi Air Base in northern Pakistan. The Marines began making the transition south to Pano Aqil Cantonment in early September. Though the geography between the two areas is vastly different, there were still similarities in the missions the Marines encountered.

“Around Ghazi, the people were out in the hills where roads were cut off, bridges were destroyed, and a lot of houses near the river were taken out,” said Cpl. Dominic Camacho, a 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit CH-46 Sea Knight crew chief. “It’s different here because it’s mostly flat land, but it’s the same because there are a lot of people affected here, too, with fields and homes under water.”

The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s CH-46 aircrews and maintainers have been working around the clock alongside 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit CH-53 Super Stallion aircrew and maintainers, which arrived in October, as well as all the support functions required to maintain a steady flow of operations. 

Since early September, Marines at Pano Aqil Cantonment have been bringing relief supplies to people in need to sustain themselves now and hopefully through the winter. Transporting that many supplies means an intense pace for the 15th and 26th MEU's to try to reach as many people as possible.

“We were [initially] doing five runs, delivering over 10,000 pounds of food, or 20,000 pounds between the two [aircraft]. That was standard for the first three weeks we were here, and the tempo has remained very high, very fast-paced,” said Zeigler, a native of Olathe, Kan. “Of the places we’ve landed, some of the towns are intact, but they are completely surrounded by water and all the roads to that town are washed out. It’s like seeing 150 to 200 people on an island. So we were dropping off what we could to those people who were isolated.”

Whether it’s doing confined area landings or basic maintenance, the Marines are applying the vast training they receive to good use as they scour the submerged Sindh province for dry spots to land to deliver relief supplies. 

“We trained for quite some time before we deployed, and being here really changes the tone of what we’re doing – it’s more visceral and validates what we’ve gone through,” said Zeigler, “Plus we’re getting the opportunity to help people. 

“It’s rewarding to be helping Pakistan in the aftermath of this natural disaster – to be out here feeding people and putting out training to use,” he said.

Marines Make Most of Life at FOB Edinburgh

Cpl. Ryan Rholes
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

 Sgt. Christopher Schaefer, a heavy equipment operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron 274, takes a break from searching gravel trucks here, June 17, to joke with the interpreter working with the unit. Schaefer controlled the entry control point, directing four Marines and making sure the right amount of trucks arrived at the base. Schaefer and his Marines searched more than 100 vehicles throughout the day.

(June 21, 2010) — Life here is austere and Spartan at best. Howling winds coat everything with a talcum-like dust, there are few escapes from the searing heat, electricity is scarce, hot meals are a rarity yet the morale is probably the highest I have seen in southern Afghanistan.

Albeit a rough place to live and nestled in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country – Edinburgh is a haven for the warriors of Marine Wing Support Squadron 274. Salaam Bazaar, Musa Qal'eh, and Now Zad ring the small forward operating base and Taliban strongholds are visible on the imposing mountains looming just a few miles from the base.

The support squadron, from Cherry Point, N.C., assumed responsibility for the FOB from the U.K. a few months ago and has since transformed the small compound into a functional and somewhat comfortable living space. The squadron introduced electricity provided by gas-fueled generators, set up laundry services, established a chow hall where Marines can eat two hot meals a day, built showers and began purifying water.

The squadron also expanded the borders of the small FOB, pushing the berm out hundreds of meters to accommodate an influx of Marines and to clear the way for its main project – an assault landing strip capable of hosting medical evacuation helicopters, assault support helicopters and attack helicopters. In addition to the assault strip, MWSS-274 has installed forward area refueling points capable of hot and cold refuels for all types of helicopters, including those used by other coalition forces.

Yet, even with these “amenities” and more than 200 inhabitants the base is quiet during the day, the silence occasionally split by an exploding improvised exploding device or the artillery battery here executing a fire mission. At night the place is almost serene. The view of the stars is entrancing and most nights you can find dozens of Marines sitting or laying outside star gazing, using one of the few satellite phones to make over-due calls to their families. The lack of light and the base’s seclusion provide a crisp, clear picture of the constellations.

The Marines and sailors have to use satellite phones because the other lines of communication on the FOB are somewhat unreliable. Although the morale center is receiving an upgrade that will allow Marines internet access, the only lines home now are two DSN phones in small, cage-like structures. But most of the Marines don't care-they talk to their families when they can and spend the rest of their time with their peers. The added element of seclusion bolsters the already strong camaraderie.

Mail for these warriors comes once a month if they are lucky. Convoys roll in with hundreds of packages that working parties separate into about a dozen different bins. Marines dig eagerly through the piles and often stagger off with their arms full of long-awaited packages. Sometimes they leave disappointed and empty-handed, but care packages here are often opened and left out so every Marine can take what they need. There is no hoarding or concept of excess here; the Marines share openly and willingly.

Every Marine on the FOB is expected to man guard posts or run entry control points in addition to their daily duties, which places many of the aviation Marines in unfamiliar roles. They trade their wrenches, cranials and heavy equipment for flares, night vision goggles and crew-served weapons to stand four-hour shifts at one of the crude security posts ringing the FOB. Although the base is not regularly attacked, there are constant signs that the Taliban is watching Edinburgh. Explosive ordnance technicians routinely dispose of IEDs placed within a few hundred yards of the FOB's perimeter.

The cooks aboard Edinburgh serve hot breakfast and dinner – lunch is always an MRE – dishing out about 400 meals every day. Although the food is heat-and-serve, it provides a great relief from the constant flow of MREs that were the main source of sustenance until about a month ago. The menus do not vary widely, but most of the Marines are thankful for hot food and a chance to relax in the air-conditioned dining tent, lit by plug-in lights hanging from the tent braces.

Supplies are scarce aboard the base. What Marines don't get from home in care packages they can purchase from a traveling post exchange that visits the FOB about every six weeks. It's like a holiday when the trucks arrive, laden with supplies. A line of dozens of Marines stretches away from the truck as shoppers scavenge the aisles for hygiene gear, energy drinks and tobacco. It usually takes several hours to get through the line.

Edinburgh is on the opposite end of the spectrum than sprawling combat metropolises like Kandahar Air Field. The life service members live at larger installations is vastly different than that aboard this barebones FOB. But the Marines here explained that comfort is relative; they feel they live a lavish life compared to their brothers sleeping in fighting holes outside the wire. These Marines love their little oasis, and most don't want to leave. Sacrificing running water, electricity, real food, sewage systems and other amenities is worth it to them if they can bring support a little closer to the fight.

Marines Volunteer at Afghan School

Sgt. Mark Fayloga

 

Wali Muhammad and other Afghan boys call out the letter their teacher points to during class at the Forward Operating Base Geronimo schoolhouse in Afghanistan, July 8. Most of the kids who attend school are younger than the current war. The children are taught by Marine, Navy and Afghan volunteers. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga)

OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan —Wali Muhammad doesn’t want to be a farmer.

This is a recent revelation for the eight-year-old Afghan boy. Wali’s father wished this for his son much earlier, which is why months ago he began ordering him to “go to school and learn something.”

At first Wali didn’t like it. The school is more than a mile away from where he lives in Helmand province. It’s not so bad in the morning, but in the afternoon the walk back home can occur in triple-digit heat. It could be worse though, some of the other kids travel from twice as far away.

Now Wali looks forward to school. Studying and learning are his favorite parts. He calls it school, all the kids do, but a more accurate description would be class. It’s only 90 minutes long, three days a week, but the children call it school because the volunteer-led program at Forward Operating Base Geronimo is the closest most of them have ever come to a formal education.

Some days as many as a dozen or more children join Wali on the walk to school. Other days as few as three walk with him. Wali almost never misses.

School doesn’t start until 10:30 in the morning, but the kids always show up early. They find shade where they can and wait for the teachers to arrive.

Excitement begins to creep up on Cpl. Mary Warren the nights before school. The 22-year-old water support technician with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 is stationed at Geronimo as support. She’s responsible for the base’s water and says the job is important, but not difficult. She spends most of her free time volunteering at the school. When she’s not teaching, she’s preparing lesson plans or organizing the many donations the school has received since her sergeant major and chaplain have begun helping support her efforts.

When Warren wakes up on school days her excitement has only grown from the night before. She does what she can to make time pass as quickly as possible until she can begin the walk toward the schoolhouse, which is no more than a few hundred yards outside of the base’s front gate.

As Warren makes her way down the dirt road tiny heads begin poking out of the shade and the kids run to meet her and the other teachers at the school’s entrance. It’s not clear who’s more excited.

“Seeing them makes my week,” said Warren, from Chicago Heights, Ill.

The children line up and welcome the teachers and the security detail, Marines from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, with handshakes and ask at least twice, “How are you?” The greeting is more a proud display of English skills than an inquiry.

After the security detail sweeps the schoolhouse the students and teachers file in. Two classes take place in the school, one for adults and one for children. There is a local national day laborer program at the base and as part of the program the men must attend school.

Chief Petty Officer Tyrek Alanos teaches the adult class. When he first started teaching in the last week of May, the children and adults were taught together. Splitting the students up made more sense. The children learn the basics — ABCs and 123s. Alanos teaches the adults more practical English, things they can use in conversation with coalition forces. Many of the adults say they enjoy the class and learning is helping them, but nobody is there who isn’t required to be.

With the exception of one or two kids whose parents make them go, the children are at school because they want to be.

When Warren teaches, she speaks about half English and half Pashtu. When she first started teaching she didn’t know any Pashtu. Now she feels comfortable enough to lead the class without an interpreter if need be, thanks to Waheed Mohammed.

Waheed, like Warren and Alanos, is a volunteer at the schoolhouse. He works with Information Operations on base as a radio DJ. The 28-year-old claims Philadelphia as his hometown, but he was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

When Waheed was four his family sent him to America because he said, “there was war all over.” His mother wanted him to get an education in America. Waheed lived with his uncles and went on to become a citizen and start a family.

When Waheed first heard about the schoolhouse he knew he wanted to be involved. Education played a huge role in changing his life and he thinks it’s important to his home country.

“Afghanistan will only change with education, not with a weapon,” Waheed said. “If it was going to change with a weapon, 30 years would have changed it.”

Every night Waheed teaches Pashtu to Warren and Alanos. They’re all volunteers. None of them need to teach at the school, yet they all feel compelled to. Since they’ve started teaching together they worked to make school happen three days a week as opposed to two. The kids began to retain the information easier after that. They hope to make school five days a week and maybe get actual teachers, but for now they’re doing as much as they can.

Alanos wants his students to be able to speak with and understand the Marines they work with. Waheed and Warren want the kids to realize the power of knowledge.

“I just want them to understand the importance of school, of education period,” Warren said. “I want them to be able to read and count so they don’t get cheated in life.”

Waheed has already seen a shift by some parents.

“They’re realizing there’s supposed to be school in a kid’s life,” Waheed said.

And the children’s attitudes have changed as well. Many would show up at first for the free stuff — pens, notebooks, snacks … But now students like Wali proudly rattle off half the alphabet and count to 13 with vigor before skipping ahead to 19.

Waheed is realistic with his goals. He said he sees a lot of potential in the kids and they’re quickly memorizing the alphabet, but they still don’t know what the letters are used for. He will be happy if the children remember that they enjoyed school and learning, and when they have children of their own they put an emphasis on education.

“It can change, but not overnight,” he said.

He’s having an impact already. When Waheed asks Wali what he wants to be when he grows up the young boy looks at him with wide eyes and without hesitation answers him.

“I want to be a teacher like you.”

Marines Provide Care to Villagers in Naw Abad, Afghanistan

by Lance Cpl. Megan Sindelar, I MEF

NAW ABAD, Afghanistan (May 19, 2010) — Marines and medical officers from Brigade Headquarters Group and 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD) and an Afghan national army medic from Camp Shorabak, Afghanistan, set up a village medical outreach, May 15, outside the village of Naw Abad, to provide medical care to the people of that area.  The Marines and Sailors set up a medical tent and aided over 35 men and children who traveled from their homes down to the medical site.

Lt. Cmdr. Aaron R. Huber, 3rd LAAD Bn. medical officer said his team provided excellent health care and worked to their limits.  Huber, from Southaven, Miss., also said most illnesses were acute and were treated by the medical staff.  Locals were also given a short class on preventative medicine to encourage district well-being.  Before the villagers left to return home, they were given hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and lotion to take back to their families. Solar powered radios were also handed out so the villagers would be able to listen to their local radio station for information on upcoming village medial outreaches.  The Naw Abad village men have little access to health care, but as the women very rarely leave their compounds, most of them have never seen a physician.

Navy Lt. Michelle M. Lynch, medical officer with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, took a female engagement team and traveled inside each compound to give the village women needed health care.  "They are kept away from mainstream culture," said Lynch. "Their needs are easily overlooked."

Lynch noticed a lack of nutrition of pregnant and breast-feeding women while she was out on the last VMO, so this time she was able to bring and pass out Carnation Instant Breakfast to the women when she visited to help keep them and their children healthy.  She was able to look at 17 women, 18 children and two men while she traveled the compounds. The FET entertained the children and interacted with the women while they were waiting to be treated.  Lynch and members of the FET handed out toys, hygiene items and lotion to the children before leaving each compound.

After completing the medical outreach, Marines and members of the ANA distributed corn seed and fertilizer throughout the district.  Huber said that distributing the corn seed and fertilizer shows the local people that the International Security Assistance Force has an interest in what they do.  ISAF plans to provide medical help around Helmand province and continues to build good relations with the people of Afghanistan.

Dale Peterson - He Has My Vote

Marine Corps Commandant Expresses Concern over Homosexuals in Barracks

by Bryant Jordan, Military.com  

The Marine Corps' top officer said March 25 that even if the ban on openly-serving gays in the services is lifted, he would draw the line at forcing heterosexual Marines to bunk with gays on base.

"We want to continue [two-person rooms], but I would not ask our Marines to live with someone who is homosexual if we can possibly avoid it," Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway told Military.com during an exclusive interview at the Pentagon.  "And to me that means we have to build BEQs [bachelor enlisted quarters] and have single rooms."

Conway's comments came the same day that Defense Secretary Robert Gates reprimanded the Army's Pacific commander for publicly exhorting servicemembers and civilians to write to Congress to oppose repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Army Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon made his views known in a letter published in Stars and Stripes on March 8.

Listen to Gen. Conway’s Exclusive Comments on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Article and Audio

"If those of us who are in favor of retaining the current policy do not speak up, there is no chance to retain the current policy," Mixon said in his letter. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said Mixon should consider resigning over the comments, which fly in the face of President Obama's stated intent to end the ban on gays serving openly. Mullen is an advocate of repeal.

Also on March 25, Pentagon chief Robert Gates announced new guidelines intended to make it more difficult to boot someone from the service under DADT, including elevating the grade of officers able to separate gay servicemembers to flag and general officers only. Previously, O-6s could separate members determined to have committed homosexual conduct, according to a Defense Department statement.

Conway is already on the record opposing repeal of the current law, but his comments to Military.com fall far short of Mixon's call for petitioning Congress. Conway said that if the law is changed, the Corps will have to find ways to mitigate the disruption he believes would ensue. Billeting will represent one of the problems, he believes.

"In this case, I would want to reserve the right of a Marine that thinks he or she wouldn't want to [share a room with a homosexual]. And again that's the overwhelming … number of people that say that they wouldn't like to do so." Conway said the Corps billets two-to-a-room -- unique today among the services -- because it believes it's good for unit cohesion. But if a gay Marine sharing a room with a straight one has the opposite effect, the Corps will adopt the single-room standard of the other services.

Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness said the question is whether the military, without a ban on gays serving openly, will opt for mixing gays and heterosexual troops in the same facilities or have "separate but equal" facilities.

"That's what [Conway] seems to be advocating here," she said. This is something the working group established by Gates to look at repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell should address up front, Donnelly said.

"I think that, in itself, is why Congress will vote to retain the law and not repeal it," she said.

Larry Korb, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, said concerns such as those voiced by Conway have not been borne out by services that have already lifted bans on gays serving openly.

"We went into the British and French experience and looked at separate facilities and separate showers, and they don't have a problem," Korb told Military.com. "They've not changed their policies from before."

Conway said he expects the working group established by Gates to look at repealing DADT will provide the services "with more data than ever before about how our people think and what the impact of the change might be." But after conducting numerous town hall-style meetings around the Corps with Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlton Kent, Conway believes most Marines have real concerns about gays serving openly.

He said they routinely ask the Marines three questions: Do they believe repealing Don't Ask will adversely impact good order and discipline?  Will repeal have an adverse impact on unit cohesion?  And would they be willing to share a room with a Marine who has declared himself or herself a homosexual?

"An overwhelming number of Marines have significant concerns about those issues," Conway said. "If perception is reality, we just think our Corps would not want to see a change."

Marine Corps Body Bearers

Six gloved hands grip the flag-draped casket bearing one of their own. With ramrod posture and synchronized steps, the Marine Corps Body Bearers ceremoniously carry the Marine veteran to his final resting place. At the grave site, the body bearers stand perfectly still, holding the flag taut above the casket while the chaplain speaks, sometimes for more than an hour. Then silently the six Marines begin to fold the flag. Their slow, deliberate motion magnifies the honor and appreciation reflected in this final act for a fellow Marine.

This ceremony will be executed with the same degree of dignity and expertise more than 500 times a year by the U.S. Marine Body Bearer Section. This small but vital group of Marines, called the "World Famous Body Bearers," currently is composed of 16 Marines within "Bravo" Company, one of the ceremonial drill companies at Marine Barracks (8th and "I"), Washington, D.C.

Their mission is to conduct funerals for Marines, Marine veterans and Marine dependents at Arlington National Cemetery and other cemeteries in the Washington, D.C., area. They also are called upon to perform funerals for senators, members of Congress, heads of state and Presidents. They have earned their reputation, and as all Marines do, they set high standards and train hard to exceed them.

"Funerals are the most important thing we do here, and you have to put that in the context of Presidential Support Duty, Evening Parades, and many other highly visible ceremonial and security missions," proclaimed Colonel Daniel P. O'Brien, Commanding Officer, Marine Barracks, Washington. "This is a very visible symbol of Marines taking care of Marines. We are bringing someone's hero to his or her grave."

Funerals are just one of the duties assigned to the Body Bearer Section. It also is responsible for firing salutes with the 40 mm cannons on the parade deck at 8th and "I" to render honors to visiting dignitaries and foreign military personnel. Every year on the Marine Corps Birthday, body bearers lay wreaths on the Arlington National Cemetery grave sites of former Commandants of the Marine Corps and former Sergeants Major of the Marine Corps. Between the funerals, cannon firing and wreath laying, the body bearers, who are all infantrymen, must maintain their military occupational specialty proficiency by attending classes and going to the field for training.

Sergeant Aaron V. Williamson, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Body Bearer Section, has participated in nearly 600 funerals since joining the section in 2000. Bearing both the physical and emotional weight of the funerals results in a teamwork and brotherhood that Williamson, a native of Daytona Beach, Fla., said is "unparalleled in anything I've ever experienced. It's so honorable, what we do."

In the four years that Williamson has served as a body bearer, he has experienced history in an intensely personal way—through the lives that have been lost. Now just 24 years old, he already has buried many Operation Iraqi Freedom Marines, two with whom he previously had served. In 2001 his unit participated in a two-day ceremony burying the remains of 13 "Makin Island Raiders" of the 2d Marine Raider Battalion, who were killed during a raid on Butaritari Island in 1942. When Central Intelligence Agency agent and former Marine officer Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann was killed in Afghanistan at the hands of pro-Taliban prisoners in late November 2001, the body bearers escorted his body in a full honors burial at Arlington National Cemetery in December.

Also in 2001 the body bearers traveled to New York City to participate in a memorial service for Sergeant Major Michael S. Curtin, USMCR (Ret), a member of the New York City Police Department who perished in the World Trade Center terrorist attack. In 2003 the unit provided the funeral detail for Felix de Weldon, the creator of the iconic Marine Corps War Memorial sculpture. Sgt Williamson's own family history was touched by his Marine Corps duty when he served as a body bearer at the burial of his grandfather, former Sgt Alex T. Bullinger, USMC.

Every Marine is handpicked for body bearer duty because of the unusual standards he must meet. Co B First Sergeant Leon S. Thornton and Sgt Williamson go on quarterly recruiting trips to Marine Corps bases to conduct a selective screening process for potential candidates. Since the training is intensive, the ideal candidate is one who is early in his enlistment so he can perform the job and teach others before it is time to leave. Marines with experience in the operating forces also are recruited for leadership positions.

There are three initial criteria for candidates: they must be infantrymen (0311), they must pass an initial strength test, and they must have a recommendation from their command. Once these qualifications are met, 1stSgt Thornton said he looks at the Marine's character. Does he have a good attitude? Is he financially fit? Can he think on his feet? Is he morally sound?

These young Marines shoulder an enormous responsibility to represent the Marine Corps in an atmosphere of respect and honor. Being able to maintain ceremonial composure is critical to their success. Captain Torey S. Hinkson, Commanding Officer, Bravo Co, emphasized, "Their job has virtually no room for error, so there has to be an extra level of scrutiny. They must be able to show due respect."

Since the body bearers must carry caskets ranging in weight from 350 to 700 pounds with precision, physical strength is critically important in performing their mission. The initial strength test requires that Marines can bench press 225 pounds for 10 repetitions, do a military press (behind-the-neck seated shoulder press with a barbell) of 135 pounds for 10 repetitions, and do 10 barbell curls with 115 pounds. These are the minimum strength requirements. Once the Marine passes the test, he is expected to continue to progress. There also is a height range requirement, between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 2 inches, to enable the body bearers to carry the casket level.

Once a Marine has been accepted into the unit, he attends Body Bearer Ceremonial Drill School for four months. According to Corporal Benjamin J. Watrous, the Ceremonial Drill School instructor, the training targets the three main aspects of being a body bearer: learning the proper techniques necessary to conduct a funeral, working as a team and weight training. By the end of the third month, a new body bearer is ready to participate in funerals. At the completion of the school, he is issued the "black and gold" official training uniform of the body bearers: black shorts and a black tank top emblazoned in gold with the words "World Famous Body Bearers, The Last to Let You Down."

Although the school lasts four months, the training never ends. The body bearers drill for 15 hours a week in humble surroundings in the lower level of the Marine Barracks parking garage. Overhead, amber lights cast a dull glow on suspended industrial pipes. In a corner there is an assortment of caskets and a caisson used for practice. A wooden platform, which simulates the area around the grave site, is placed in the center amidst the parked cars.

The Marines practice funeral scenarios as they carry the casket and fold the flag. The training is "hard and heavy," Williamson said, explaining that discipline and bearing in practice are critical to success during an actual funeral. The Marines maintain ceremonial composure during the drill from beginning to end despite any complications that might arise.

During a funeral Marines often have to adjust to unexpected circumstances. They may need to navigate around a large gravestone, be wary of uneven surfaces around the grave site, or adjust to a flag that a funeral home has placed on the casket incorrectly. All six Marines must react to these anomalies in a heartbeat, often without commands. The training is designed to hone their situational awareness so they can inconspicuously adjust to these challenges while maintaining their military bearing.

Flag folding is a very precise and poignant procedure occurring at the end of the funeral ceremony, and it is a "tedious and time-consuming task to learn," according to Williamson. It requires many complicated movements that must be executed in tandem with the Marine on the opposite side of the flag. The slow, exaggerated movement must be fluid from the first fold to the final triangular-shaped flag that is presented to the next of kin.

In the large mirror mounted on the cinder-block garage wall, two Marines practiced "hand waves," gestures used in the flag-folding process. In perfect unison the Marines pantomimed the motions, critiqued each other and began again. The movement is an example of "phasing" or doing the exact same movement at the exact same time, usually without the benefit of watching the other Marines. It relies on counting and a lot of practice, according to Lance Corporal Todd J. Fox of Chicago, who said that phasing is the hardest part of the drill.

Teamwork and dedication to drill are common among Marines, but the third aspect of body bearer training, intense weightlifting, is an additional requirement critical to the success of their mission. Unlike the other services that mostly use eight men to carry a casket, the Marine Corps always uses only six men to bear the weight of a casket, which can be as much as 700 pounds. Additionally, Marines honor the deceased by lifting the casket head-high, a move no other service does, which requires great strength.  This symbolic act raises the deceased brother Marine above others.  Consequently, weightlifting is an integral part of these Marines' training, averaging 10 hours a week.

As in everything the body bearers do, they train as a team. When the lifting gets tough, fellow Marines holler motivating words of encouragement—"Go, Man! It's all you!"—and stand by to spot the lifter. Using mirrors and fellow Marines' advice, the body bearers scrutinize their form and work to maximize each exertion.

The average body weight of a Marine body bearer is 230 pounds. This necessitates specially altered uniforms that are tailored to fit, yet flexible enough to allow for the range of motion necessary to lift the caskets. Marines must monitor their weight training to meet the strength requirements, but still present the smart appearance required of every Marine. Strength training is coupled with health and nutrition classes to help the body bearers achieve their weightlifting goals safely.

While weightlifting is a very large part of the Marines' training, Williamson emphasized, "We are not just a bunch of big guys who lift weights all day. We are a professional group of Marines who honor fallen Marines with respect and dignity." To meet their mission of upholding the history and traditions of the Body Bearer Section and the Marine Corps as a whole, they train hard every day and execute their duties with precision and perfection in honor of all who have served the Marine Corps.

From the letters received from grateful families, the World Famous Marine Body Bearers do indeed uphold the Marine Corps traditions of honor and excellence. David S. Wininger penned these words in appreciation to the body bearers who laid to rest his father-in-law, Robert K. Dore:  "A former Marine myself, I cannot express the pride and honor I felt as the funeral procession pulled into the cemetery and the Body Bearer Detail came into view. ... I know the last thing these Marines wanted to do on Christmas weekend was to stand in cold wind and bury an old man. Express to them that they gave this old Marine the greatest farewell he could have asked for."

 

Where Is Code Pink in Haiti?

As a US Navy Carrier Group with a Marine Expeditionary Unit on board heads toward Haiti, I could not help but wonder:  "Where is Code Pink?"

Code Pink is an anti-military group that describes itself as a grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect government resources into health care, education,and other "life affirming" activities.

Its notable activities include a protest outside the US Marine Corps recruting office in Berkley, California, and continuing protests outside of Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC.

At one of the Code Pink protests a Code Pink member, Cynthia Papermaster, said, "We're not against the Marines, we are just against what they are recruited to do."

Well, what 2,000+ Marines are doing right now is landing in Haiti to help restore order and relieve suffering after the tragic earthquake in that nation.

It is easy and safe to protest in the United States.  It is more inconvenient to actually do something.

Some people like to talk about "affirming life."  The Marines do it.

Again:  "Where is Code Pink?"  Lead, follow, or get out of the way.