Battle Rattle — Marine Corps Times Blog

Now reporting live from the Yellow School of hard knocks

By Dan Lamothe on May 16, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Infantry, Marjah, Vehicles

MARJAH, AFGHANISTAN — Hello from the ‘stan, friends. Tom and I have made another move, leaving Patrol Base Yazzie yesterday to spend some time with the Marines of the Yellow Schoolhouse, a deserted Afghan school for which Marine Corps leadership has high hopes. Third Platoon from India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines rotates squads through here on a revolving basis. As you can see, the school is rather, uh, rustic. There are no windows, numerous holes in the roof and a variety of birds and insects sharing the building with the Marines deployed there. I’ll have substantially more to a…

D.C. Memorial Day parade is for Marines

By Gina Cavallaro on May 14, 2010 Battle Rattle

Marines who plan to be in Washington, D.C. for Memorial Day weekend won’t want to miss the parade downtown on Monday, May 31. This year’s National Memorial Day Parade, touted by organizers as the largest Memorial Day parade in the nation, will pay special tribute to the Marine Corps. Retired Gen. Peter Pace, the only Marine to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will lead the tribute in his temporary role for the day as parade Grand Marshal. Pro-military dudes like Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna will be there, along with former Marine drill instructor and actor…

A walk on the green side

By Dan Lamothe on May 14, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Infantry, Marjah

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — As I mentioned earlier this week, it isn’t hard to find marijuana while traveling with Marine fire teams based here to patrol Marjah. Tom Brown captured just how easily this morning with this eye-opening photograph. For some of Tom’s work that doesn’t appear on Battle Rattle, check out the Military Times Line of Sight blog. All the fans of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, will probably get a kick out of this photo.

Introducing combat zone soda

By Dan Lamothe on May 14, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — It has been a relatively quiet day here on base, and for the first time in a few days, I actually had the combat cook-prepared dinner. Among the joys that came with it? The following: That’s right. Even the soda is different over here. It can be hard to find when you get this far downrange, but there was enough tonight for everyone to have one can. If having a “Coca-Cola Light” wasn’t weird enough, consider the other side of the beverage: For what it’s worth, it tasted the same, at least.

Chesty XIII becomes an NCO

By James Sanborn on May 13, 2010 Battle Rattle

Former Lance Cpl. Chesty XIII was promoted to the rank of corporal today by Col. Andrew H. Smith, the commanding officer of Marine Barracks Washington, during a ceremony at 8th and I. Cpl. Chesty XIII is the latest in a long line of English bulldogs that have served as the Marine Corps’ official Mascot. His predecessor, Chesty XII, ascended to the rank of sergeant during six years of service despite a spotty disciplinary record. He retired in July of 2008.

Newsflash: There are crabs in landlocked Afghanistan

By Dan Lamothe on May 13, 2010 Afghanistan, Animals, Embedded journalism, Marjah

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — So there I was, relaxing in my tent here after going outside the wire with Marines on a three-hour evening patrol of Marjah. There was a squeak in the corner, and I saw movement along the wall. What was it? Upon closer inspect, the fine specimen you see above. Landlocked country or not, Afghanistan apparently has a population of crabs. I’ll assume they usually hang out near the canals, because that’s the only body of water within miles. Marines, apparently, are used to the spiky little guys. One member of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, said…

Video: Marines, journalist caught under sniper fire

By Thomas Brown on May 13, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Marjah

MARJAH, Afghanistan — The tension was obvious even before leaving the wire on a 6 a.m. patrol. Everyone in the fire team I was traveling with knew that a sniper had ambushed a Marine patrol the previous day in the same area we were traveling. While making our way along one of the canals that cut through Marjah, everyone was nearly silent, on high alert. We made a turn onto small, dusty road, with only the sound of boots crunching against dry rock cutting the air. Then the sniper hit. There was an intense crack and impact. A rifle round…

Marines brave adventures in a world of military ‘wag bags’

By Dan Lamothe on May 13, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Gear

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — I’ve been meaning to do this blog entry for quite some time, but, well, I figured we should get to know each other a bit before diving in. In my newly educated estimation, one of the things Americans take for granted the most is their plumbing. Fresh, crisp running water is a beautiful thing, whether it’s used for bathing, drinking or flushing the toilet. Flushing the toilet, you ask? Oh, yes, compadres. This is a blog entry about what happens when you no longer have that option. And since this blog is devoted in part…

The view from the edge of the Sistani Desert

By Dan Lamothe on May 12, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Infantry, Marjah

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — We’re closing in on 10 p.m. here in Afghanistan, and I just realized we haven’t shared much new on the blog today. I’ve spent most of the day preparing a long magazine-style feature for next week’s Marine Corps Times that will cover Taliban tactics in Marjah, and how the Corps counteracts them. Above, a photograph I took last night while out with Marines from 2nd Platoon, 3rd Squad, of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, on patrol. I’m certainly not the photographer that Tom Brown is, but I jumped at the opportunity to show what the Sistani…

Roadshow arrives

By Thomas Brown on May 11, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism

For more photos of 3/6, you can also visit our Line of Sight blog.