December 2009

Combat camera icon Ralph Anderson passes

I have sad and unfortunate news to pass. An icon of Combat Camera passed away last night. Ralph Anderson, Director of Combat Camera Quantico passed yesterday evening after suffering a heart attack. I’m sure that there were few that did not know Mr. Anderson, he was well liked and respected. Many of us had grown up under his tutelage and direction as young Marines. He will be missed. Details on the services will be passed along when we get word.  -Michele A. Kurland, Deputy Director, CVIC, MCB Quantico

(Note: We will publish more details as we get them… below is a story about Anderson published in the January 15, 2009, Quantico Sentry)

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By Jason Fudge, ago

The Director’s Cut: DivPA’s Monthly Newsletter online

The Director’s Cut: DivPA’s Monthly Newsletter to the Marine Corps’ PA Community

The Director’s Cut: DivPA’s Monthly Newsletter to the Marine Corps’ PA Community

The Director’s Cut: DivPA’s Monthly Newsletter to the Marine Corps’ PA Community is now online you can download it here

Marines –
What a privilege it is to serve in our Corps at this historic time. The President’s announcement of his Afghanistan Strategy affects Marines across the Corps and has public affairs offices buzzing from coast to coast. The Chairman conducted a short-notice visit to the Carolina MAGTF, and our Marines did a good job hosting him and challenging him with great questions.

Good work keeping our communications coordinated and timely during this frenetic period. Continue to serve well our many audiences: the general public, Marines and their families, and our senior leaders. Continue to keep the information flowing with updates, and call if you need clarification on an issue.

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By Jason Fudge, ago

CC Turney works with Kiwanis club

Marietta, Ga. Kiwanis Club members, Sally Macaulay, left, and CC Victoria Turney place a smaller-scale copy of a statue called ‘Forever Remember’ to honor the families of Americas heroes at the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art. Macaulay, the museum’s executive director, and Turney, president of the Kiwanis Club of Marietta, are part of a club project to put a full-size version of the statue in a park on Roswell Street in downtown Marietta. (Photo by Staff/Mike Jacoby)

Marietta, Ga. Kiwanis Club members, Sally Macaulay, left, and CC Victoria Turney place a smaller-scale copy of a statue called ‘Forever Remember’ to honor the families of Americas heroes at the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art. Macaulay, the museum’s executive director, and Turney, president of the Kiwanis Club of Marietta, are part of a club project to put a full-size version of the statue in a park on Roswell Street in downtown Marietta. (Photo by Staff/Mike Jacoby)

by Joe Kirby
Marietta Daily Journal Columnist

Marietta, Ga. is the final resting place of thousands of dead from the country’s wars of the past 150 years, and the county also is home to a national park that preserves the scene of one of the Civil War’s bloodier battles. Smyrna and Acworth have veterans’ memorials. But Cobb’s uniformed heroes of past and present – as well as their loved ones who have waited, watched and worried – will soon be honored with a singular, central and highly visible memorial.

British poet John Milton wrote that “They also serve who only stand and wait.” His reference was to the wives and families of those who go to war, but his remarks are just as apt about those whose loved ones are serving as police officers, firefighters, EMTs or ambulance drivers. And they – the families of our military, past and present, and those whose family members are “first responders” – are those who will be honored by a memorial statue to be erected next year on Roswell Street by the Marietta Kiwanis Club.

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By Jason Fudge, ago

CC Eames seeks sponsors for half marathon

Caleb Eames will run for charity.

Caleb Eames will run for charity.

Dear Family, Friends and Co-workers:  
January 9th and 10th 2010 will be very special days for me and a little guy named Austin in Tennessee.

I am going to be running the Disney Goofy Race and a Half Challenge in Orlando, Florida as part of Team ASK (Athletes for Special Kids). For the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge, I’ll have to run a Half Marathon (13.1 miles) on Saturday, and then a Full Marathon (26.2 miles) on Sunday, for a total of 39.3 miles in two days.

I’m not running this just because I’m crazy. I’ve been training for and will complete this run to gain financial support for Special Kids.

Special Kids is a not-for-profit Christian organization located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that provides speech, physical, occupational, and recreation therapy and skilled-nursing for children with special needs. The services at Special Kids are offered to all participants regardless of the ability to pay. This is why children like Austin need our help.

Here is Austin’s story:

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By Jason Fudge, ago

Thanksgiving passes in war for this CC

SSgt. Luis Agostini with Afghan children while on patrol in an Afghan village.
(Photo by SSgt. Luis Agostini)

Staff Sgt. Luis Agostini of Haverstraw, a combat correspondent for the Marines, recently was deployed to Afghanistan and has been writing about his experiences for The Journal News and LoHud.com. He was deployed in August 2004 to Anbar province in Iraq, where he covered the battle of Fallujah. Agostini graduated from North Rockland High School in 1999. He and Marine Sgt. Heidi E. Loredo were married Sept. 11.

By SSgt Luis Agostini, LoHud.com

Marines throughout Afghanistan spent their Thanksgiving in different ways. Some spent it training and patrolling alongside the Afghan army and police. Others spent it enjoying a Thanksgiving meal with our commandant, Gen. James T. Conway, and our sergeant major, Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent. They are the top Marine leaders of the corps, and they came to visit their Marines throughout Afghanistan.

A few weeks after I came back from visiting the Marine I am supervising with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, I headed to another part of the country to see one of my younger guys, Lance Cpl. Dwight Henderson, a combat correspondent attached to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, at Forward Operating Base Delhi, Afghanistan.

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By Jason Fudge, ago