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VoluMe 75, edition 51
Gl be The
Serving CAMp LejeUne And SUrroUnding AreAS SinCe 1944
Under Fire: Marines push forward against insurgents| 6A
Marines cook-off for Maj Gen WPT Hill Award| 3A
THursdAy, deCeMBer 19, 2013
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photo by Sanders Hall
the 2nd Marine division Band performs an arrangement of the nutcracker Suite during the Holiday Concert at the Base theater aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Sunday. the program featured a variety of traditional and modern Christmas and holiday music performed by the full concert band, jazz ensemble, party band and soloists.
‘the division’s own’ raises Christmas spirits LAnCe CpL. joSe Mendez jr. 2nd Marine division
Marines, sailors, families and friends grooved their way into the Christmas spirit at the 2nd Marine Division Holiday Concert, presented by the 2nd Marine Division Band at the Base Theater aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Sunday. The concert was also streamed live to Marines and sailors supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and around the world. “We have all heard ‘Tis the season to be jolly,’ so that’s what we did. We brought the spirit of Christmas to everybody,” said Cpl. Alberto Carrion, a clarinet player. The show consisted of continuous music played from different sections within the band, including the concert band, party band and jazz Ensemble. Each section was designed to ignite a spark of Christmas joy in the audience. The concert was family-oriented and presented skits with Marines dressed up as different holiday characters. Sgt. India M. Ward, a piccolo player with the band, dressed up as a hippopotamus and danced across stage as the band played their rendition of “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas,” drawing
laughter from the crowd. The ability to stream the concert live provided the band the opportunity to spread Christmas cheer to the Division’s deployed Marines. “I hope it means a lot to the deployed Marines, just so they know that we are still thinking about them, because I know they may feel as if sometimes the rest of the world forgets about them,” said Lance Cpl. Matthew Ramirez, a pianist. “So I hope it brought them some holiday cheer and made them feel a little bit closer to home.” Between songs, the audience was able to see pre-recorded holiday greetings from their loved ones, friends and fellow Marines in Afghanistan. The families of deployed service members were also afforded the opportunity to record messages for their loved ones overseas. After all the hard work put out by the band, they felt as if they accomplished their mission of raising Christmas spirit. “When you actually play in front of people and get a great response, it just brings so much joy and happiness to your heart and makes you realize that’s why you’re there in the first place,” Ramirez said.
photo by Sanders Hall
1st Lt. Barker Squire with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine regiment, sings an arrangement of the holiday favorite “jingle Bells” with the 2nd Marine division Band jazz ensemble during the Holiday Concert at the Base theater aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Sunday.
Mass casualty drills bring realism to homefront LAnCe CpL. SHAwn vALoSin 2nd Marine logistics Group
Agonizing cries of Marines and sailors were heard across Soiffert Field after simulated improvised explosive devices detonated aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Dec. 12. Sirens rang out, calling the quick reaction force to respond. While service members tried to rescue the simulated casualties, acting insurgents conducted a follow-on attack, detonating bombs strapped to their chests. The entire attack was a simulated mass casualty exercise conducted by 2nd Medical Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, to maintain mission readiness and prepare Marines and sailors for future deployments. “I’ve never been deployed, nor done any training like this,” said Pfc. Luke Dailey, a motor transportation operator with 2nd Medical Bn. “I’ve learned a lot about the medical side, as well as the security side for Marines from this.” Service members attended
classes and practiced various scenarios they could encounter in a deployed environment during the days leading up to the exercise. The sailors instructed Marines on what surgical teams do on the battlefield, and the Marines taught sailors about patrolling, evacuating casualties and detaining prisoners. “It’s been a challenge to create the type of tempo and scenarios that you face in a deployed environment,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Frankie Segura, an instructor with 2nd Medical Bn. “We try to emphasize to the participants that they each need to be a jack-of-all trades. Communications have to be constant and multiple casualties have to be treated and evacuated.” After experiencing simulated IED explosions and suicide bombers while rescuing their fallen comrades, the first responders treated the casualties’ wounds on the battlefield and then evacuated them out of the danger zone. Patients were then placed on a stretcher and brought into the forward resuscitative surgical system to receive further lifesaving treatment.
Inside
Hypoxic training prepares Marines 1B
photo by Lance Cpl. Shawn valosin
Sailors with 2nd Medical Battalion, Combat Logistics regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics group, treat a simulated casualty in the forward resuscitative surgical system during a mass casualty exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, dec. 12. prior to entering the FrSS, the casualty was rescued by service members, treated in the field and then safely lowered onto a stretcher and brought into the tent.
Santa, kids have pajama party 1C