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VOLUME 75, EDITION 44
The
GL BE SERVING CAMP LEJEUNE AND SURROUNDING AREAS SINCE 1944
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THURSDAY OCTOBER 24, 2013
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They Came in Peace
Photo by Cpl. Charlie Clark
Service members, veterans and the local community gathered to pay tribute to the 241 service members who lost their lives in the Beirut bombing, Oct. 23, 1983. The ceremony was held at the Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville, N.C., Wednesday.
Community gathers to commemorate 30th anniversary of Beirut bombing
AMY BINKLEY
Lifestyles editor
H
undreds of veterans, military personnel and members of the community gathered to commemorate the anniversary of the Beirut barracks bombing during the Beirut Memorial Observance Ceremony hosted by the City of Jacksonville in cooperation with Marine Corps Installations East, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and the Beirut Memorial Advisory Board at the Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville, N.C., Wednesday. “We honor those who lost their lives in the name of peace,” said Abe Rosen, chairman of the Beirut Memorial Advisory Board. “Oct. 23, 1983, holds a special place in our community’s history
and the history of the Marine Corps.” Silence fell over the solemn crowd as Rosen called for a moment of quiet remembrance. Though the tragedy shook the nation, it brought together the people of Onslow County and the service members of Camp Lejeune. “I’m honored to renew the pledge that we as a city will never forget that day,” said Sammy Phillips, mayor of the City of Jacksonville. “We mourned the loss of life, grieved with the families and mourned together as one community, both civilian and military. We have and continue to offer our compassion, prayers and thoughts to the families of those who lost loved ones.” Phillips announced the trees first planted along Lejeune Boulevard are in memory of the service
members who died in Beirut and will continue to live on in the new Beirut Memorial Grove. Brig. Gen. Robert F. Castellvi, MCIEAST and Camp Lejeune commanding general, noted the tragedy became the bedrock between the military and the community that has continued to grow stronger each year. “Together we grieve over tragic losses and continue to carry the torch of remembrance,” he remarked. “Oct. 23 is etched in our memories. There are hundreds of stories for every Marine, sailor and soldier that were lost that day. Thirty years later, we still grieve over the events, but as a community we are more unified than ever before.” Retired Col. Tim Geraghty, commanding officer of the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit in Beirut, was welcomed to the
stage with resounding applause from the crowd. “Today we gather to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Geraghty. “It will be some time before the last chapter of this story is written. I recall the heartfelt support the city of Jacksonville provided without hesitation. A special bond was established and is more vibrant than ever.” The 2nd Marine Division Band followed Geraghty’s address with the original score, “Freedom’s Holy Breath,” written by retired Chief Warrant Officer 2 Forest Brown specifically for the observance. Gen. James F. Amos, 35th commandant of the Marine Corps, stood before the hundreds of guests to acknowledge the families of the fallen service members and the importance of honoring the 30th anniversary of the
events in Beirut. “I have no expectations that this morning’s remembrance is any less painful in 2013 than it was in 1983,” he said. “This is a heavyhearted day for the nation and its corps of Marines.” He explained the history and events leading up to the attacks and the fight against terrorism that continues today. “On a morning much like today, terror struck,” Amos said. “Two hundred and forty-one Marines, sailors and soldiers volunteered to make a difference and serve their country. We honor each of them.” He noted how the world we live in changed forever the morning of Oct. 23, 1983. “Across the globe, when extremists tested our resolve as a nation, the men who fell thirty years ago would be proud to know we’ve never backed down, and we never will,” Amos said. “The character and
Marines ready at a moment’s notice LANCE CPL. SCOTT WHITING 2nd Marine Division
Natural disasters and terrorist attacks are examples of the unfortunate reality we face in an uncertain world, but Marines are always ready to answer the call in the face of that reality. The Marine Corps prides itself as America’s “911 force,” and they have a Global Contingency Force to support that notion. The GCF’s job seems simple: be ready to deploy within 48 hours to a contingency. However, the job of quickly moving several hundred Marines and sailors from a small base in eastern North Carolina to a crisis zone across the globe is easier said than done. Global Contingency Force duty rotates through the various battalions within the 2nd Marine Division, based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Company I, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, conducted an activation and personnel movement drill to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Friday, in order to test readiness and incorporate lessons learned into their training packages and to improve efficiency for future training. The exercise was designed to demonstrate II Marine Expeditionary Force and 2nd Marine Division’s focus on providing
U.S. based alert forces capable of quickly responding to crisis around the globe. The GCF is a restoration of the Marine Corps’ business practices prior to operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Lt. Col. James Ryans, the battalion commander of 3rd Bn., 6th Marines, explained his battalion needs to be ready to deploy in a short period of time to handle any number of contingencies. “We’re going back to how the Marine Corps was when I joined,” Ryans said. “We advertised being able to get somewhere in a couple of days. That’s the thought pattern with the GCF. When (we’re notified), we want to make sure we get there in days, not weeks.” The GCF is a part of the Marine Corps’ philosophy of being most ready when the nation is least ready. As such, they prepare to execute the agility and flexibility expected of America’s principal crisis response force. “Think more than contingency,” Ryans said. “Think of it as (responding to) a crisis.” He listed off a number of reasons the GCF could be activated, including humanitarian relief, defense support to civil authorities, fixed-site security and embassy reinforcement. “The common denominator is the need for manpower,” Ryans said. “That’s what we need to be ready to provide. A Marine who is
well-trained and prepared to deploy should be able to flex between any of those tasks, as long as we provide the tools to execute.” Since the battalion needs to be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice, there are specific requirements the unit needs to maintain. Everything from legal paperwork to sustaining a high state of medical and dental readiness ensures the Marines can leave without any issues. “In my mind, the GCF defines the Marines being always ready,” said 2nd Lt. Michael Tipton, the adjutant for 3rd Bn., 6th Marines. “The Marine Corps has told the nation for years we are always the most ready.” The GCF demonstrates the Marine Corps’ commitment to the prevention of conflict and to responding to it. Nowadays, security challenges require expansion of global engagement to promote collective approaches to addressing common security concerns. Being part of the GCF is a unique experience for the Marines in the battalion. “The Marines and sailors are excited to be a part of this,” Tipton said. “We’re excited to be the contingency force focused on rapid deployment. We’ll go to work and do what we need to do to accomplish the mission. We don’t know what they’re going to ask us to do, but we’re excited and ready to do whatever they require.”
courage of the Marines has never wavered. They are as ready as ever to answer the clarion’s call.” Finally, retired Gen. Alfred M. Gray Jr., 29th commandant of the Marine Corps, took the stage to speak to the crowd, much like he did three decades ago when he made the announcement of what happened in Beirut. “The warriors did not die in vain, and we must remember that,” he said. “The legacy lives on.” Amos and Gray joined military and civilian leaders in a wreath laying ceremony in front of the memorial while the 8th Marine Regiment fired the rifle salute. As the lone bugler played the final farewell for the fallen service members, those in attendance vowed to continue forward with the mission to always remember the sacrifice of the men who came in peace.
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