MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO Sports fanatic puts service members first Co. G p. 8 finishes Phase II p. 4 AND THE WESTERN RECRUITING REGION Vol. 71 – Issue 31 “Where Marines Are Made” FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011 Operation New Dawn concludes, Marines leave Iraq by Cpl. Lucas Vega Leadership engagements and important as the end,” said Maj. Marine Forces Central communications. Monte Powell, commander, Prior to the team’s departure, IqMTT-03, discussing the UMM QSAR, Iraq — The last the Marine Corps did not have influence Marines have made 12 United States Marines safely any units left in Iraq, only this on the Iraqi military throughout departed Umm Qasr, Iraq to small training team. Operation New Dawn. “It’s Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Oct. 14, “This is officially the end of definitely a historic event to be ending the branches’ presence in our mission here in Iraq,” said a part of…to be the last Marine Iraq which began during March Col. Eric Thomas, the Marine team here and understanding 2003 in support of Operation Forces Central Command the sacrifice of those before us.” Iraqi Freedom. Marine Coordination Element- Powell, a Tulsa, Okla. native, Now Operation New Dawn, Kuwait officer in charge, as he was in charge of the last Marine the 13 members of Iraqi Marine addressed the Marines during operation in Iraq. He described Training Team – 03, 1st Marine an informal ceremony held at the footprint engraved not only Expeditionary Force, arrived in the forward operating base. on the nation of Iraq, but the Iraq mid-May with the mission “You should all be proud to be a skills and knowledge forever of training the Iraqi Marine part of this day in Marine Corps embedded in the Iraqi Marines Corps and Navy. IqMTT-03 also history.” and sailors. included a United States Navy Major operations in Iraq “The Marine Corps corpsman. for the Marine Corps ended in relationship with the Iraqi During the team’s five-month January 2010. The final Marines Marines will be an everlasting Cpl. Lucas Vega tour, they trained the Iraqi in Iraq were the third of, two bond,” Powell said in a media Sgt. Skyler Feller, training adviser assigned to Iraqi Marine Marines and sailors in vehicle teams prior to them who worked release from Third Army public Training Team Three, holsters his weapon in preparation for borne search and seizure, cooperatively, training the Iraqi affairs. “The Marine Corps the convoy’s departure from Umm Qasr, Iraq, Oct. 14. The 13 entry control point/vehicle navy and Marine Corps. The warrior ethos and spirit is members of the training team were the last Marines in Iraq in control point procedures, first team, IqMTT-01 arrived in cemented with the Iraqi Marines support of Operation New Dawn. Major operations in Iraq for the leadership development, 2009. Marine Corps ended in 2010. U.S. military forces entered Iraq Marine Corps Martial Arts, Key “The beginning is just as see IRAQ42 starting in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Riders for Semper Fi donate $320,000 by Lance Cpl. Eric lies immediate financial assis- Quintanilla tance to help with hospital bills Chevron staff and recovery assistance. The four-day bicycle ride Friends and family cheered included injured former Marines as their loved ones crossed the who have benefited from the finish line of the fourth annual organization in the past as well as Ride for Semper Fi at the Bay avid bicycle riders who wanted to View Restaurant aboard Marine help the cause. Riders completed Corps Recruit Depot San Diego between 89 and 112 miles per day. Oct. 15. On the third day, as riders were The 430-mile bicycle ride riding into Julian, Calif., they Lance Cpl. Eric Quintanilla began in Scottsdale, Ariz., and overcame temperatures of more Sixty-five riders participating in the Ride for Semper Fi cross the finish line at the Bay View helped raised money for the than 100 degrees with 34 of their Restaurant aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Oct. 15. The Riders spent five months in Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. daily miles taking them uphill. a rigorous training program that had them riding more than 2,000 miles to prepare for the 430-mile, The Semper Fi Fund provides four-day bicycle ride. service members and their fami- see RIDE42 Prevention, awareness Navy celebrates 236th birthday key to SoCal fire safety The youngest sailor aboard Marine Corps Re- by Lance Cpl. Katalynn year, but we don’t. We tend to cruit Depot San Diego, Rodgers have a few dry spell years.” Seaman Gage Farry, left, Chevron staff Dominguez added that those MCRD Branch Medical dry spells help make fuel for the Clinic hospital corpsman, Even though California’s fire fires. Shrubs and trees dry out, takes a bite of cake in season is winding down, people making it easier for them to catch honor of the Navy’s 236th should remain prepared for the fire. When it rains lightly in San birthday during a celebra- possibility of a fire in or near Diego, it allows for more plants to tion at Duncan Hall Oct. their homes and workplaces. grow, which adds more fuel for a 13. According to naval tra- Families can be prepared for fire. dition, the oldest sailor, an emergency by knowing pos- Families need to be prepared Capt. Penny Heisler, sible fire threats and measures to to keep themselves safe, not just MCRD BMC officer-in- be taken to prevent fires. their homes. charge, right, is supposed “Fires in California are harder “It’s important to know about to cut the cake, take a bite to contain,” said Jerry P. Domin- fire safety so that you know where and announce whether or guez, intelligence analyst, Mis- to go to get information and what not it is edible. The oldest sion Assurance Branch. “We have you should do in an emergency,” sailor then cuts a slice for a lot of dry areas to the east. With said Dominguez. the youngest sailor who southern California being mostly According to Dominguez, the also declares whether or coastal towns you’d figure we’d not the cake is edible. see FIRE get a lot of rain throughout the 48 Lance Cpl. Katalynn Rodgers 2 CHEVRON NEWS OCTOBER 21, 2011 Lady GaGa impersonator entertains at MCCS Ball Gown Giveaway Make a Difference Day Walk and Wellness Expo Semper Fit Health Promotions hosts a Make a Difference Day Walk and Wellness Expo tomorrow, giving participants the opportunity to honor mothers, wives, girlfriends and sisters who have been affected by breast cancer and/or domestic violence. The event will be held at the MCRD Exchange Mall. • Registration/Check-in – 8 to 9 a.m. • 1.5-mile Walk – 9 to 10 a.m. • Wellness Expo – 8 to 11:30 a.m. Register online at mccsmcrd. com. The event is free and the first 300 women and 100 men to register receive a free gift. For more information, call Andrea Callahan, Semper Fit Health Promotions at (619) 524-8913 or via e-mail at CallahanAL@usmc-mccs. org. Volunteers needed The Single Marine Program Lance Cpl. Crystal Druery is looking for volunteers to help Men and women participate in a fashion show as part of the Marine Corps Community Services Ball Gown Giveaway beautify the Center for Living in sing and dance along with a Lady GaGa impersonator at the Bay View Restaurant aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Harmony tomorrow. Volunteers will San Diego Oct. 14. Volunteers modeled several of 1,500 ball gowns donated by San Diego women as participants be weeding, planting and creating enjoyed a complimentary dinner. All women who attended took home a free dress, a pair of shoes and an accessory. decorative landscaping. The center “We want the younger spouses to be able to come here (to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball) and not feel intimidated is at Valley Center, Calif., and while taking pressure off finding a gown for the ball,” said Natalie Francisco, MCCS Marine Corps Family Team Building volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to noon. Round-trip transportation is provided. For information and to in, still have those who have definition of heroes, every Ride for Semper Fi started RIDE31 volunteer, call Diana Vuong, Semper become critically ill during rider out here is a hero -- the with 21 riders in 2008 after Fit Administrative Assistant, at (619) this conflict and we need amount of time, effort and Greenway attended his neph- 524-8083 or via e-mail at vuongd@ “We had injured Marines with to take care of them,” said commitment they put into ew’s Marine Corps boot camp usmc-mccs.org. us who made those same climbs. Wendy Lethin, Semper Fi this ride is unbelievable,” graduation. They have raised These are people who have come Fund. “The wonderful thing said Maj. Tres Smith, Ride for more than half a million dol- back from catastrophic injuries,” is that we have community Semper Fi rider. lars in their first three years. Knott’s Scary Farm trip said John Greenway, founder and organizations and people like Last year, Ride for Semper “Each one of these kids The Single Marine Program chairman of Ride for Semper Fi. the ride for Semper Fi that’s Fi donated a portion of its was going to make a bigger is sponsoring a trip to Knott’s “The amount of inspiration that going towards efforts to take fundraising efforts to Smith’s sacrifice than anything I’ve Scary Farm tomorrow. The cost gives the other riders is just unbe- care of our injured.” recovery from injuries he ever done in my life,” said is $15 per person with round-trip lievable.