Camp Leatherneck

An artist in Afghanistan

By Dan Lamothe on June 4, 2010 Afghanistan, Camp Leatherneck, Embedded journalism

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan – This morning, I was escorted to this British base, which connects to Camp Leatherneck and serves as the home for nearly all things related to aviation on both sides of the base. I went to talk Ospreys with members of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 for a forthcoming story in Marine Corps Times. While I was there, however, I also met someone who appears to be an unofficial artist for I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). Cpl. John Coble, an aviation support mechanic with 3rd Marine Air Aircraft Wing (Fwd), was hard at work on a colorful sign…

Lots of questions unanswered with Camp Leatherneck fire

By Dan Lamothe on June 2, 2010 Afghanistan, Camp Leatherneck, Embedded journalism

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Two weeks ago, this base went up like the Fourth of July, with 14 acres of supplies and trailer-sized shipping containers essentially burning to the ground in a spectacular fire. As is common, rumors ran rampant for the next few days, eventually reaching families in the U.S. and combat outposts in locations like Marjah, where I was embedded at the time with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines. Rumors were spread that the fuel farm at Leatherneck exploded. It didn’t, although there was one nearby the Supply Maintenance Unit that burned. Rumors were spread that the dining hall…

A look inside combat zone furniture

By Dan Lamothe on June 1, 2010 Afghanistan, Camp Leatherneck, Embedded journalism

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — This forward operating base might have a chow hall and shower trailers, but no one will confuse it with Beverly Hills anytime soon. With some Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen all spending entire deployments here, however, it should come as no surprise that they’d do whatever they can to make things more comfortable. Take their furniture, for example. Camp Leatherneck has a mixture of cots and rickety old bunk beds to sleep on, but they didn’t exactly put lounge furniture on the list of needs when they started building this base from scratch in 2008. So,…

Now reporting live from Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan

By Dan Lamothe on May 29, 2010 Afghanistan, Camp Leatherneck, Embedded journalism, Marjah

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Good morning, friends. Photographer Tom Brown and I successfully hopped a CH-53 flight night last night from Camp Hanson in Marjah to Camp Leatherneck. While that means our time with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, has come to a close, we’ll be posting a variety of photographs and blog entries in the next few days in this space that shows what life is like for those Marines, who took great care of us while we were embedded with them. We’ll also be blogging about life here at Leatherneck again and pointing out some of the more serious…

Hello from Kilo Company 3/6’s area of operations

By Dan Lamothe on May 23, 2010 Afghanistan, Camp Leatherneck, Embedded journalism, Infantry

COMBAT OUTPOST REILLY, Afghanistan — Marine Corps Times was “Oscar Mike” again yesterday, moving by convoy from the headquarters of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, at Camp Hanson to this outpost, where Kilo Company 3/6 is based. The outpost is similar to Yazzie and several other patrol bases we’ve seen recently. Marines sleep mostly in air-conditioned tents, but there is no running water or an indoor chow hall, and few ways to know what is going on in the world outside Afghanistan. We are told that Kilo Company’s area of operations isn’t nearly as hot as India Company’s right now, but…

Check out the new ‘Battle Rattle’ logo

By Dan Lamothe on May 4, 2010 Afghanistan, Battle Rattle, Camp Leatherneck, Embedded journalism

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Just wanted to take a second to point out that the Military Times art department has put together a pretty sweet graphic to serve as Battle Rattle’s new logo. I’m a big fan, as you might expect. I’m heading down to the flightline at nearby Camp Bastion shortly to try and get down to Marjah once again. We’re flying space-available today, so keep your fingers crossed for us. There are about 15 things that could keep us grounded again, including if there are more pressing operational matters. In the meantime, consider following us on Facebook and/or Twitter,…

Dan Lamothe reflects on life at the Marine Corps' biggest forward operating base in Afghanistan.

Camp Leatherneck: A land that teaches humility

By Dan Lamothe on May 3, 2010 Afghanistan, Camp Leatherneck, Embedded journalism

Dan Lamothe reflects on life at the Marine Corps’ biggest forward operating base in Afghanistan.

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