Video from 1 of our unique events

Here in Milwaukee, we're lucky enough to conduct a couple unique pool functions, and one of them is our annual "combat day" at a private paintball park.

More than 100 of our poolees from the Milwaukee, Racine, and Waukesha areas dedicated their Sept. 11 to learning basic squad patrolling techniques and formations, and then they put them into practical use during four scenarios on the paintball fields.

Each pool function I attend I'm reminded of the caliber of young men and women who enlist in our Corps, and this event was no exception.

One of the scenarios required a mock satchel charge to be placed within 1 meter of the other team's home base.

I stood on a ridge overlooking a valley to my left (the "blue" side) and the red team's base on my right. A protracted firefight ensued as blue players made their way through the valley and up the ridge toward the red base.

Once they established a foothold on the ridge, 5 blue players started formulating a plan to deliver the satchel charge to the red base located about 40 meters down a steep hill in front of them. With less than a minute left, the remaining two blue players finalized their plan of one running as fast as he could down the hill to draw fire while the other one ran behind and heaved the satchel charge toward the base.

After a quick count to 3, the pair leaped over the hill with puffs of smoke pouring from their paintball guns, bounded down the hill (ok, so the lead guy actually rolled a couple times down the hill but it still had the effect they were after), and delivered the satchel to the other team's base.

It took us a little bit of "encouragement" to get them going, but once this team put their heads together, they came up with a plan and effectively executed it to win the game. All of us who watched the action were incredibly impressed with their ability to perform under pressure.

Check out the video for some of the action:

Hopefully Marines' Iraq departure signals return to expeditionary roots

Now THIS is good news (First wave of Marines leave Iraq)! Our Marines have performed remarkably in Iraq, but it's time to get back to our roots: ship-based, expeditionary operations; deploying at a moment's notice with a Marine Air Ground Task Force capable of accomplishing nearly anything.

 I've heard it said that a Marine in combat fights not for country and not for Corps, but rather for the Marines to his left and right. Whether or not that’s true in every case, Master Sgt. Sewell’s recollection in this story is a poignant reminder of the often unspoken but always present commitment Marines have to each other:

As a severely wounded Marine was flown in by helicopter, "We'd go down there and stand in line, waiting to give blood," said [Master Sgt. Matthew] Sewell, 26, of N. Ft. Myers, Florida. "You'd see 200 people standing in line. We'd all stand there until the guy was stabilized or we gave blood." (AP)

Posted via web from Midwest Marines

Getting out of the cold soon with HS teachers seeing boot camp up close in San Diego with the first 2010 Midwest Marines Educators Workshop

Thoughts of the four upcoming Midwest Marines Educators Workshop trips to San Diego are helping us stay warm as temperatures plummet and snow piles up across America’s heartland. A few seats are still available for high school teachers and faculty (and a few members of the media) to experience Marine Corps recruit training first hand and free of charge between February and June. I’m glad I’ll be joining the firsts groups from Milwaukee and Saint Louis at the end of February – I’m ready to go right now (after shoveling my way out of the driveway, of course)!

 

While it’s no dog and pony show and the days are long, groups from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Western Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Northwestern Arkansas and parts of the Dakotas tour recruit training, a major Marine Corps base, and an air station.  Most importantly, no question is off limits, and educators can even speak to the actual recruits currently going through boot camp; it’s pretty awesome when teachers come across their former students in training!

 

Information, trip dates, past educator comments, and application instructions are available at the Midwest Marines’ official website, where you can also download memory books from past Midwest Marines Educators Workshops. Interested educators can also simply contact their local Marine Corps recruiter to find out about upcoming trips from their area.

 

The video below gives a nice overview of the program, and there are numerous news reports online from reporters who’ve joined us. Drop us a comment if you need help finding one of the reports from Midwestern media outlets.

 

Posted via web from Midwest Marines