Finding the Spirit
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III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Bases Japan December 15, 2006 www.okinawa.usmc.mil Marines, sailors jump through Ie Shima sky Lance Cpl. Terence L. Yancey OKINAWA MARINE STAFF IE SHIMA — Marines and sailors from 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion joined Combat Logistics Regiment 3’s Air Delivery Platoon to take advantage of one of the last parachute oppor- tunities of the year, jumping onto Ie Shima Dec. 5. Both units have missions that re- quire parachute training throughout the year, and they used the training Finding to familiarize new Marines with the SF-10A parachute, the parachute fielded by most special operations units and the entire Marine Corps. the spirit At the U.S. Army Airborne School, Marines train with the older model Holiday parade lights up Kinser T-10 parachute. Two-year-old William Figueroa holds up a piece of candy thrown out by Marines on a float in the Camp For many of the Marines, the jump Kinser Christmas Parade Dec. 8. SEE STORY ON PAGE 10. Photo by Lance Cpl. David Rogers was their first with the SF-10A, ac- cording to 1st Lt. Dan Hinkson, the platoon’s officer-in-charge. The jump- ers are required to have three training jumps with it before being able to use Marines provide ‘Goodwill’ to Philippines it in an operational capacity. “The amount of time it takes Lance Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso to complete the transition varies OKINAWA MARINE STAFF depending on the opportunities,” Hinkson said. “Sometimes all three CAMP HANSEN — Though the event has been jumps can be completed in one day, planned for months, after four typhoons hammered but these jumpers might not get their the Republic of the Philippines recently, III Marine next jump until (Exercise) Balikatan Expeditionary Brigade’s Operation Goodwill comes (in February).” at an opportune time to provide support to the dam- All jump-status units in the mili- aged country, organizers of the effort said Dec. 9. tary must jump at least once every Marines will distribute more than 6,600 toys as quarter to maintain proficiency, part of 22,000 pounds of items that also include and Hinkson said he tries to get his Navy Lt. Bruce Vaughan (right) and Pfc. Richard Akta clothes, sporting goods, and health care and food platoon out to jump once a month. Ie sort through toys on Camp Hansen for Operation items to several communities throughout the Phil- Shima jumps only happen for Hink- Goodwill Dec. 9. Photo by Lance Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso ippines Dec. 13-19. The delivery is the first part of son’s platoon about two or three times the annual “Operation Goodwill.” The second part Volunteers have worked each year since to gather a year, however. The majority of the will take place in January 2007. donations and deliver toys and supplies to Filipino unit’s airborne exercises take place Marines, service members and their families children over the holiday season. during bilateral training exercises in Okinawa created this program in 2003 to show Volunteers gathered on Camp Hansen Dec. 9, throughout the Pacific Rim. appreciation to the children and families of the dedicating their Saturday morning to preparing the During the Ie Shima jump, Ma- Philippines for welcoming them during annual gifts for shipment. rines who used the SF-10A for the bilateral exercises. SEE GOODWILL ON PAGE 6 SEE JUMP ON PAGE 9 CSI OKINAWA GAS! GAS! GAS! MEMORABLE BOOT Crime scene investigators with DoD MWSS-172 Marines train to survive Corona mid-fielder,r, andand newnew dad,dad, law enforcement organizations in the a CBRN attack during the Individual helps lifts his team to victorytory inin thethe Pacifi c converge on Okinawa for an Protective Equipment Exercise on championshipchampionship gamegame ofof thethe “Northern“Northern advanced training course. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. Clash” Soccer Tournament. INSIDE pg. 7 pg. 13 pg. 17 2 OKINAWA MARINE | NEWS | DECEMBER 15, 2006 Around the MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. | The Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James. T. Conway listens to a question during a town hall For more Marine Corps stories and photos, meeting Nov. 30. Photo by Sgt. Clinton Cvisit http://www.orpmarines.mil S Firstbrook PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii | Marines assigned to Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, position for a rifle salute during a joint U.S. Navy/National Park Service ceremony commemorating the 65th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7. More than 1,500 Pearl Harbor survivors, their families and friends from around the nation joined more than 2,000 distinguished guests and the general public for the annual observance. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class James E. Foehl MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. Maj. Kevin Murray, a pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251, pauses for a moment to kiss his wife Maria while holding his son Kyle after returning to the air station Nov. 17 after completing a seven-month deployment aboard the USS Enterprise. Photo by Lance Cpl. Jenn HABBANIYAH, Iraq | Sgt. Kristopher Battles, a combat illustrator for the I Marine Expeditionary Farr Force, draws a sketch of his commanding officer Nov. 18. Photo by Sgt. Adaecus G. Brooks OKINAWA MARINE | OPINION & EDITORIAL | DECEMBER 15, 2006 3 ‘Active Duty Alerts’ guard against identity theft Federal Trade Commission Your credit report can be a tool verify your identity before issuing companies to place an alert. The to help you guard against identity you credit. The business may try to company you call is required to he last thing you want to theft, which occurs when someone contact you directly, but if you’re contact the other two, which will worry about while you’re on uses your personal information on deployment, that may be impos- place an alert on their versions of Tdeployment is someone as- – like your name, your Social Secu- sible. As a result, the law allows your report, as well. If your con- suming your identity to commit rity number, or your credit card you to use a personal representa- tact information changes before financial fraud. Now, you don’t number – to commit fraud. Identity tive to place or remove an alert. your alert expires, remember to have to. Amendments to the Fair thieves may use your information Active duty alerts on your update it. Credit Reporting Act allow you to open a new credit card account report are effective for one When you place an to place an “Active Duty Alert” in in your name. Then, when they year, unless you request EQUIFAX alert, your name will be your credit report. According to don’t pay the bills, the delinquent that the alert be removed 1-800-525-6285 removed from the nation- the Federal Trade Commission, one account is reported on your credit sooner. If your deploy- EXPERIAN wide consumer reporting of the agencies that enforces the report. Inaccurate or fraudulent in- ment lasts longer, you may 1-888-397-3742 companies’ marketing FCRA, the alert requires creditors formation could affect your ability place another alert on TRANS UNION lists for prescreened offers to verify your identity before grant- to get credit, insurance, or housing, your report. 1-800-680-7289 of credit and insurance ing credit in your name. now or in the future. People whose To place an “active for two years – unless you Your credit report contains in- identities have been stolen can duty” alert, or to have it ask that your name be formation on where you live, how spend months or years cleaning up removed, call the toll-free fraud placed on the lists before then. Pre- you pay your bills, and whether the mess the thieves have made of number of one of the three nation- screened offers – sometimes called you’ve been sued, arrested, or filed their names and credit records. wide consumer reporting compa- “preapproved” offers – are based on for bankruptcy. Nationwide con- If you are a member of the nies: Equifax, Experian or Trans information in your credit report sumer reporting companies sell the military and away from your usual Union. The company will require that indicates you meet certain information to creditors, insurers, duty station, you may place an you to provide appropriate proof of criteria set by the offeror. employers, and other businesses “active duty alert” on your credit your identity, which may include To learn more about identity that use it to evaluate applications report to help minimize the risk of your Social Security number, your theft and your credit rights under for credit, and a host of other activi- identity theft while you are de- name, address and other personal the FCRA and the Fair and Accu- ties, including insurance, employ- ployed. When a business sees the information. rate Credit Transactions Act, visit ment, or renting a home. alert on your credit report, it must Contact only one of the three http://ftc.gov/credit. Simple measures could help you stay healthy this fl u season Maj. Ivette Sterling Regular soap can be used; antibacterial and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. soap is not necessary and may contribute to Germs can live for two hours or more on sur- accination is not the only way to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. faces such as doorknobs, desks and tables. help prevent the flu. There are many When soap and water are not available, Viruses that infect the nose, throat and precautionary steps available to stay use alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or lungs cause flu-like illnesses. The flu usu- Vhealthy this winter. gel sanitizers. If using a gel, rub the gel in ally spreads from person to person.