HAWAII MARINE Voluntary Payment for Delivery Lo Mt:AS I Iiiii Sing/ $ I Per Four-R'an'k Period
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Beach assault Basketball Drill instructor Brigade Marines WESTPAC cagers Former Danish take take FMFPac DI serves as Bellows title SOMS Sgt Maj. See Page B-1 See Page B-2 See Page B-6 HAWAII MARINE Voluntary payment for delivery lo Mt:AS I iiiii sing/ $ I per four-r'an'k period. VOL. 13 NO. 5 KANEOHF.,11AV. BAWAILFEB. 1, 1984 TWENTY-FOUR PAGES ADVANCE - Leathernecks from 3d Battalion, 3d hours of intensive fighting found the Marines in resistance and substantial loses. (Photo by Sgt Greg Marines advance through the smoke of battle. Seven control of Barking Sands, Kauai, despite heavy Berry) Flexibility tested in Kernel Blitz pee flty 14int photos by Sgt Orel Berri Elements of let Battalion, 3d the scenario - an enemy Missile gmund.ft &fie confusion until the squad itgain4 Marines were originally planned hit the USS Belleau Wood, to call clo air support and leaders took control of the ). Three naval gunfire ON BOARD THE USS for the landing, with dd Battalion, knocking out communication with naval gun fire. We were facing an situation. The, we were pinned ships supported the landing force. BELLEAU WOOD, Jan. 29 - 3d Marines in reserve. But the the units ashore. Command and enemy reinforced company with down by machine gun fire from Close air support was provided Marines of the 1st Marine Brigade scenario had changed, so two control of the operation ashore superior assets " Whirledge the airfield tower. When we got the from the carrier USS Kitty Hawk added new emphasis to the companies from 1/3 and one was passed to the commander continued. "Our mission was to word from the umpires, we along with support from two meaning of the word "flexibility" company from 3/3 were helo- aboard the USS Okinawa. secure the tower and buildings maneuvered around it." squadrons of F-45 from Marine as amphibious operations begun inserted into three landing zones "This part of the exercise was to surrounding the complex just Company commanders were Aircraft Group=24. at Barking Sands, Kauai, at Barking Sands. see if the landing force could carry north of Landing Zone Canary." also facing decision - adjusting According to LtCol Earl, the Saturday. Shortly before reaching the on without control frog MAB While trying to take their to the situation. brigade Marines accomplished The Barking Sands landing, landing zones, the reality of Headquarters," said Liebtenant objective, Marines were desig- "A naval gunfire spotting team their mission, taking "objective which was one part of the combat began. Several helicopters Colonel Robert Earl, Brigade nated either killed or wounded and was sent out with the companies one" at Barking Sands, Kauai. multifaceted Marine Amphibious were knocked out of the sky by operations officer. taken out of action by the tactical to call for naval gunfire. It never The area was secured at Brigade exercise known a.i Kernel surface-to-air missiles. company C As the regimental commander exercise control group umpires. happened," said Earl. "The approximately 2:30 p.m., seven Blitz, began changing before it 1/3, the first to see action, suffered assumed control, the Marines Command and control from the spotters became casualties and hours after the operation began. actually began. 50 percent casualties while trying ashore were having problems. fire team to the company level was the company commander had to However, it was seven hours of A surface landing which was to to accomplish its objective. Comapny A Marines were rapidly changing. adjust to the situation and have tests, adjusting to the situation, occur at the same time as a Comapny A 1/3, also suffered strafed by enemy aircraft, hit by "By the end of the day, I ended someone else call for support." changing command and control, helicopter vertical assault, was heavy losses, along withh artillery fire and gassed. "We up being a platoon commander," Supporting arms were available and reacting to problems as a canceled because of high surf Company 13/3, which had joined sustained 59 casualties," said said Corporal Leighton Grattan, as 105 millimeter artillery rounds changing scenario developed. conditions. But the Marines still the 1/3 Marines from the USS Gunnery Sergeant Ray Whirl- squad leader, 2d Squad, 1st began knocking out enemy "This taught many Marines had a mission to accomplish- to Okinawa. Besides assaulting the edge, company gunnery sergeant, Platoon, Company A. "During the positions. An 81mm mortar what combat is really like," said destroy the enemy command and objective, mass casualty drills Company A. course of the day, we medivacced platoon also blasted the enemy, Whirledge. "They learned how to control facilities at the Barking occurred throughout the day. "communication was down for 17 Marines from the 1st Platoon. along with two squads of TOWS Cont. on Page A-4 Sands airfield. Another snag was thrown into the first two hours we were on the We were hit by gas and there was a (Tube Launched Optically Guided Staff NCO selection board eliminates 'Above Zone' HQMC, WASHINGTON, D.C. -Beginning "Selection boards do not make any with the 1984 Sergeant Major through Master differentiation between candidates in the Sergeant Selection Board in April, and Above Zone or Promotion Zone. They brief each continuing through all future staff case on its own merit and select the ones that noncommissioned officer selection boards, are best fitted in each occupational field." there will be only a promotion and an eligibility In order to more accurately reflect what zone when referring to Marines being selected actually happens on SNCO selection boards, to these ranks. references to the "Above Zone" have been In the past, Marines being considered for deleted. Marines not selected for promotion will promotion in the SNCO ranks were listed in one be listed in the Promotion Zone until they are of three zones. The Above Zone referred to released from active duty or selected to the next Marines who were in the Promotion Zone the higher grade. This will not in any way affect the previous year and were not selected for number of promotions each year. promotion. The Promotion Zone listed Marines "I think the elimination of the Above Zone who were eligible for promotion for the first will increase morale,", .Lee continued. "Our time, and the Eligibility Zone was a reflection of SNCOs will realize that we do have many what the Promotion Zone would look like the 'quality Marines; therefore, there is no reason to following year. segregate them because they were not selected." The biggest misconception Marines had Under another recent ALMAR (12-80 officers about the Above Zone was that it suggested that being promoted to the grades of captain these Marines were not qualified for promotion through colonel and enlisted personnel begin when, in fact, they may have been, but there promoted to all SNCO ranks will be notified of were not-enough allocations in their particular their promotion dates up to 30 days in advance. occupational field. Under ALMAR 14.84, the Beginning in February, HQMC will publish Above Zone is eliminated, an ALMAR at the first of each month hating "The quality of SNCOs going up for officer and enlisted promotions for that month promotion is outstanding," said Major Robert and those planned for the following month. In E. Lee, head of the Enlisted Promotion Section addition, the ALMAR will serve as the here. "Many quality Marines are not selected authority for commanders to promote their for promotion because we can only promote so Marines. many in each occupational field according to The announcement of planned promotions Marine Corps regulations. This results in some for the following month, however, is for Marines being 'passed over' and placed in the planning Prattles only, and for the information Aggressors wait for an attack by Marine spent six days preparing the defenses that hindered Above Zone the following year. of commanders and Marines concerned. It does WAITING landing force, and added realism to the "Just because a Marine does not get selected not constitute the authority landing forces. The aggressors, leathernecks from the attacking to promote. Marine Aircraft Group-24, combat scenario. (Photo by Sgt Grog Berry) one year doesn't mean he is not going to be For more information on these important various units including selected the following year," he explained. updates, see the apprtipriate ALMAR. Published by RFD Pubflositions, Inc., a private Arm in igrway connected with the Department of the Navy or the U.S. Marine Corps. Opinions expressed by publishers and writertt to be considered publication herein are their own and not an Akita ailfrnmeion of the. Department of the Navy or the U,S. Marine Corps. The appearance of advertisements in this including inserts, does not constitute an endorsement la, DePartMent of the Navy or the U.S. Marine Corps of the. firms, products or services advertised. Page A-2, Feb. 1. 1984 At- a- glance USS Strauss 338 enlisted members. USS Davidson (FF- a.m. Feb. 9 at the The Pearl Harbor Retired Affiars Office, Pacific Theater be- travel will not be Income 1045). Enlisted Club. Major tax visit Visitors should Navy Family Service Fleet Reserve Associa- tween Feb. 1 and April authorized on Team enter Pearl Harbor The other ships, all General Joseph J. Center will present a tion, and CAMPUS. 15. During this period, Spirit mission aircraft credit ship through Nimitz Gate, homeported on the Went, Deputy Com- Pre-retirement Sem- A clam chowder and the airlift system, to or from Korea. where visit instruc- West Coast, are oiler manding General, inar Feb. 22 from 8 chefs salad luncheon base facilities and air A $25 income tax The guided missile tions and directions Wabash (AOR5), Fleet Marine Force a.m.