Washington

Senator stirs pot by suggesting closure of Marine Corps recruit depot possible

By Dan Lamothe on June 5, 2012 Boot camp, budget, Washington

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s recent assertion that the Marine Corps could be forced to shutter one of its recruit depots has added a new cultural dynamic to the gloomy forecast about sequestration, the series of federal budget cuts looming if the U.S. government doesn’t find another way to reduce its deficit. Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told constituents in his home state recently that the Corps may have to consolidate the recruit depots in San Diego and Parris Island, S.C., if sequestration goes through. His comments resulted in media coverage like this, and have raised some eyebrows in Washington. Kevin…

Military advisory teams to play key role in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen says

By Dan Lamothe on May 24, 2012 Afghanistan, General officers, Infantry, Washington

Gen. John Allen met with the media at the Pentagon yesterday, wrapping up a whirlwind week in the U.S. highlighted by the NATO summit in Chicago. To say he took some hardball questions would be an understatement. With the drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan underway, Allen was asked how troops will be withdrawn, whether he was concerned about force protection as troops are pulled and if the U.S.’s thorny relationship with Pakistan could undermine the war effort. Allen countered by saying he’s confident progress has been, but acknowledged the relationship with Pakistan needs serious work, especially after miscommunication and…

If Gen. John Allen is leaving Afghanistan, what’s next?

By Dan Lamothe on May 16, 2012 Afghanistan, General officers, Washington

The Washington Post ran a long-form story on Gen. John Allen on Sunday, highlighting his efforts as a “triage commander” while leading the war in Afghanistan. The general has a “pragmatic focus,” the piece said. He’s “more professor and Southern gentleman than hard-bitten Marine general,” and closely studying the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989 during a complicated withdrawal of 23,000 U.S. troops there this summer. Yesterday, we got a striking revelation about that same general: The supposedly indispensable leader of the war in Afghanistan is in line to become top commander of U.S. European Command, according to another story…

Pentagon portrait of Navy captain a prank

By James Sanborn on April 17, 2012 Battle Rattle, History and heritage, Pentagon, Washington

The Pentagon’s halls are adorned with artifacts, paintings and portraits that herald each of the service’s illustrious histories. Walking from one wing to another visitors and staff pass portraits of military greats like Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune, Gen. George S. Patton, and Adm. Chester Nimitz. One portrait, however, was a mystery that turned out to be a prank of epic proportions. Check out this story by the Wall Street Journal on how Capt. Eldridge Hord III, now 53, has had his portrait hanging in the nation’s seat of military power for nearly a year with a plaque claiming it…

Marine paints his way into history

By Gina Cavallaro on January 3, 2012 History and heritage, The CMC, Washington

The Home of the Commandants at Marine Barracks Washington is a living museum where all who enter or are fortunate enough to live there are surrounded by artists’ renditions of some of the most famous faces, places and battles in the Marine Corps’ history. Completed in 1806, the historic landmark is the oldest continuously occupied home in Washington and the names of many of the artists whose works adorn the walls have long since faded into the past. So, when Staff Sgt. Kristopher Battles was chosen to create the home’s newest painting, he knew it would be one for the…

Video: The 236th Marine Corps Birthday Message

By Dan Lamothe on October 20, 2011 Afghanistan, History and heritage, Marjah, The CMC, The Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps, Washington, World War II, Wounded warriors

The Marine Corps Birthday is still a few weeks away, but the service extended one tradition tonight by posting its annual birthday video message. Featuring narration by Commandant Gen. Jim Amos and Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett, the Corps’ top enlisted Marine, it honors Marines everywhere, with special appreciation set aside for those who served in World War II and since the attacks on 9/11. Watch it here: [HTML1] The commandant and sergeant major filmed pieces of the message in New York City and in the Washington, D.C., area at both the World War II Memorial and the Pentagon. They also…

Thoughts on the ’60 Minutes’ piece with Dakota Meyer

By Dan Lamothe on September 19, 2011 Afghanistan, Awards, Ganjgal, Washington

Last night, the messy background behind Sgt. Dakota Meyer’s Medal of Honor was reintroduced to the nation. In a 15-minute piece on “60 Minutes,” CBS reporter David Martin outlined what went wrong in the six-hour battle in Ganjgal, Afghanistan, that led to Meyer taking his life in his hands on Sept. 8, 2009, in an attempt to save as many Afghan and American forces as he could from the teeth of a well planned ambush. The clip is up here: [HTML1] Some of the details reported last night will be common knowledge to those who have tracked Ganjgal, but there…

More on Dakota Meyer’s beer summit with Obama

By Dan Lamothe on September 15, 2011 Awards, Ganjgal, Washington

UPDATED: A White House spokesman tells Marine Corps Times that the beer shared by Obama and Meyer was home-brewed there. It’s called White House Honey Blonde Ale. That’s pretty sweet. By now, you’ve seen the photo above. It’s President Obama having a beer yesterday with Dakota Meyer, who will become today the first living Marine in 38 years to receive the Medal of Honor. The idea was reportedly Dakota’s. When the president’s staff called Meyer over the weekend in advance of today’s ceremony, the Marine asked if he could have a beer with Obama, White House press secretary Jay Carney…

Where were you during the D.C. earthquake of 2011?

By Dan Lamothe on August 23, 2011 Washington

So, here we are: Earthquake-experienced veterans. As essentially anyone with connectivity to reality now knows, Virginia was rocked with an earthquake this afternoon. Measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale, it led to brief evacuations of the Pentagon, Capitol Hill facilities and other prominent government buildings in the area surrounding Washington, D.C. Like most other staff members of Marine Corps Times and the Military Times newspaper chain, I was sitting at my desk when the quake struck at 1:51 p.m. If it had lasted another 10 seconds, I may have taken cover under my desk, but I just sat there like…

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