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Battle Rattle

Attack of the killer grasshopper?

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By on Afghanistan, Embedded journalism

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — So, perhaps my friend in the photograph got your attention. I took this photo while wandering at Camp Dwyer last week, but really, it could have been taken anywhere I’ve been in Helmand province. The insects are large here, larger than just about anything I’ve seen in my 28 years of life. It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking bees, spiders or mosquitoes, the creepy crawlies here all look like they’ve been taking steroids. The mosquitoes, in particular, wowed me, since they flock to my computer screen late at night. Anyway, another day. After four months…

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Marijuana, fleas and shell casings: A morning in Marjah

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By on Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Infantry, Marjah

MARJAH, Afghanistan – It was a moment I was simultaneously dreading and seeking: My first time on foot outside the wire. This morning, I went on a four-hour foot patrol with members of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines. Half of 2nd Platoon’s 3rd squad took me along with them on a routine, early morning security patrol, which can drag on monotonously boring for hours at a time, only to shift into a blood-pumping engagement with the enemy at a moment’s notice. Today’s stayed quiet, but it showed the dynamics Marines deal with on a daily basis. They set out on foot…

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Happy Mother’s Day from Afghanistan

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By on Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Marjah

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — Good afternoon, friends. Tom Brown and I have made another move, jumping from Camp Hanson, home of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, to Patrol Base Yazzie, a smaller outpost in northwestern Marjah that is home to India Company, 3/6. The drive over from Hanson was certainly an eye-opener for me. While I expected to see poverty, I didn’t expect to see a wasteland. There is obviously no electricity, and modern farming tools are nowhere to be found. Even we and the Marines sleeping on the ground in tents here at Yazzie have far more comforts of…

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He’s got some explaining to do

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By on Battle Rattle, Camp Pendleton

Kenneth “The Machine” Alexander, a professional mixed martial arts fighter who headlined a free event for Marines Friday night at Camp Pendleton, Calif., has been less than sincere with the media about the details of his military background. Multiple reports documenting Alexander’s rise in the MMA world (here’s one and here’s another) have suggested the former Marine staff sergeant was a real stud when he served — a sniper with a Special Forces affiliation and multiple combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Um … not exactly, he told Marine Corps Times this week. Acting on a tip from an alert reader, we…

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Apocalypse Yea!

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By on Aviation, Camp Pendleton, Miramar

Crank up “Ride of the Valkyries.” Nearly two dozen Marine helicopters – including new four-bladed UH-1Y “Yankee” Hueys and AH-1Z “Zulu” helicopters – took to the air over north San Diego County on May 4, flying in a chevron formation above Interstate 5 as they flew between Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Miramar Marine Corps Base in San Diego. Check out a video and report by the local CBS affiliate here. It was a sight that, in the pre-9/11 world, would have drawn numerous complaints of vibrating walls and interrupted conversations from residents in the hilly communities along the freeway. Still,…

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Marine mail call in Marjah

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By on Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Marjah

CAMP HANSON, Afghanistan — We’re waiting for a ride to one of the infantry companies that falls under 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines. In the meantime, photographer Tom Brown and I watched a heartwarming part of Marine life today: Mail call. I’ll be honest: From my tent, all I could hear at first was “Meatloaf!” “Meatloaf!” “Meatloaf!” I assumed they were distributing Meals Ready to Eat. Turns out, the Marines in the back of a 7-ton truck were actually yelling “Kilo!” “Kilo!” “Kilo!” as boxes headed for Kilo Company were pulled off the truck. As the process started to wind down, I…

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When the weather gets hot, Marines get creative

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By on Afghanistan, Embedded journalism

CAMP HANSON, Afghanistan — I’m still at Camp Hanson in a tent without air-conditioning, but before I get any farther into this trip, I thought I’d point out some old-fashioned Marine ingenuity.   While I was at Camp Dwyer, I shared temporary quarters with an embarker from Okinawa.  He shared his interesting way of getting ice-cold water.   While Marines obviously don’t have refrigerators in their tents, the lucky ones do sleep in Alaska Environmental Control Units, or ECUs. As you can see from this photo to the right, they include a long tube that starts on one wall, then makes…

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A view of Helmand province, Afghanistan, by air

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By on Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Marjah

CAMP HANSON, Afghanistan — Marine Corps Times has reached its destination. Photographer Tom Brown and I caught a few of the last seats available this afternoon on a CH-53E helicopter from Camp Dwyer to Camp Hanson, home of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines — the Teufelhunden, as they call themselves. The base in northern Marjah, and the unit is spread throughout the region. So far, we’ve met with Lt. Col. Brian Christmas, the battalion commander, and Maj. Billy Ray Moore, the executive officer. I also chatted up several Marines about guns, ammo and not taking showers — all thing relevant to a combat environment.…

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Lady Gaga and Afghanistan

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By on Afghanistan, Battle Rattle

OK, I know that this is supposed to be a blog about Marines, but I just can’t resist posting this video of soldiers with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan. If you haven’t seen it already, check it out. It’s already had more than 3.5 million hits and is bound to be an instant classic. Of course, we are always interested in funny pictures or videos of Marines down range. So if you have any, feel free to send them our way. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haHXgFU7qNI[/youtube]

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