Issue 6 May 2011

Combat Logistics Battalion 8

The Club 8 Chronicle

U S M C

From the Battalion Commander

MARINE
& CLB 8 Team,
FAMILY
SEVICES Another month has passed by quickly
and we are now well past the halfway point of
LINKS 451-1299
the deployment. Despite the fact that rede-
CREDO 450-1668 ployment is growing closer, your Marines and
New Parent Sup- Sailors have stayed motivated and continue to
port-449-9501
accomplish great things.
Children Youth & The Marines and Sailors of Transporta-
Teen— 449-9552 tion Support (TS) Company continue to im-
Counseling Ser-
press as they logged even more miles during
vices—451-2864 the month of May than they did in April –
over 28,000 miles! They also delivered a no-
FRO 450-6301
table 693 tons of cargo in support of our
infantry brethren spread out across the area
I N S I D E T H I S
of operations (AO). A CLB 8 convoy drives through the desert to the crash site of a French
I S S U E : fighter jet. The recovery mission was led by CLB 8’s Security Platoon.
Marines and Sailors from Engineer
CLB 8 CO 1 Company have continued work on different
CLB 8 SgtMaj 2 patrol bases and combat outposts throughout the AO. In addition, the Marines of Engineer Com-
pany have supplied more than 600,000 gallons of fuel and more than 15,000 gallons of water at sites
Chaplain 2
across the AO. Their work is much appreciated by the Marines and other Coalition Forces on the
Headquarters 3 front lines!
Support Company recently had the challenging task of coordinating and executing the recov-
Support 3 ery of a French fighter jet that had crashed in the desert. Our French counterparts joined Marines
from Support Company as well as Marines from Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Company, 2d
TS 4
MLG, Marines from MWSS-272, 2d Marine Air Wing’s Aircraft Recovery Fire Fighting team, and
th
Engineer 4 soldiers from an US Army’s 129 CSSB, who provided heavy equipment support. Italian soldiers
provided escort and security at the crash site. Needless to say, it was quite an operation and your
EPT 5 Marines and Sailors proved successful once again. In the following days and weeks since the mis-
sion, we have had the opportunity to interact and build camaraderie with the French soldiers on sev-
Family
8 eral occasions.
Readiness
Headquarters and Services Company continues to
provide support around the clock to our Marines and Sailors outside the wire.
Numerous H&S Marines and Sailors have embedded with Marines from other
companies on convoys for extra personnel support. Additionally, the Embedded
Partnering Team (EPT) continues to provide training for our ANA counterparts
and have completed several more joint missions. Yet another graduation will be
held in the coming days!
I’d like to thank all of you – the family members and friends of CLB 8 – for
being such an important part of our team. The steadfast support you have pro-
vided for the duration of the deployment has been key to our success out here in
Afghanistan. I have no doubt that you will continue to provide that support for
the rest of the time we’re here and long after our redeployment.
As always, our thoughts and prayers are with our family and friends back in LtCol McWilliams addresses members of a French recov-
the United States, and I ask that you keep the Marines and Sailors of CLB 8 in ery team, who recently worked with CLB 8 Marines in
yours. order to recover a downed French fighter jet.

Semper Fidelis,
LtCol McWilliams
 P a g e 2 C o m b a t
CLB 8
Sergeant Major
Another month has passed and
it gives me great pleasure to say we
have surpassed the halfway point of
the deployment. The light at the end
of the tunnel is getting brighter! As
usual, the Marines and Sailors con-
tinue to move about the battlefield in
a very notable manner. The continu-
ous logistical support throughout the
Helmand Province builds morale
and, most importantly provides sus-
tainment for their fellow Marines and
Sailors. Your Marines and Sailors
continue to be true professionals and
have given nothing but 100% of their
effort and dedication to this mission.
Each time we visit and talk to
the Marines, I am amazed at their
energy level – it remains high. No
matter what the task and no matter
how much we ask of them, the job is
accomplished without complaint and
completed in a highly professional
manner. Though the Marines and
Sailors might be tired, and despite
the fact that the heat continues to rise
(100+ degrees), the gusting wind
presents additional challenges out-
side the wire, and the workload can
be taxing both mentally and physi-
cally, I have yet to hear or see defeat
in our Marines and Sailors.
I, along with the units CLB 8
supports, truly appreciate the effort
put forth by your Marines and Sail-
ors. That said, it takes a total team
effort on both ends of the spectrum
here in Afghanistan and back at
HOME! It goes without saying that
without your support, this job would
be much tougher. Your hard work
and effort in taking care of the home
front does not go unnoticed. Thanks
for being for such a great support
system, and we look forward to re-
uniting with our loved ones here in
the near future. Thanks for what you
do to keep us focused. Stay Safe!
Please contact our Family
Readiness Officer Mr. Drake if you
have questions or concerns.
Semper Fidelis!
SgtMaj Crutcher
CLB 8 is on Facebook! Search
“Combat Logistics Battalion 8” or
go to www.facebook.com/pages/
Comb at-Logistics-Battalion-
8/157215094313968. Become a fan of
CLB 8 on Facebook and become
better informed on Battalion and
family readiness issues!
Mail Announcement!
It’s hard to believe
that we’ve been here
over four months and
are starting to plan
our redeployment! This announce-
ment serves as a notice that mail will
be “shut off” on July 31st, 2011. This
means that any CLB 8 deployed
mail in the postal system after that
date will be re-routed to Camp Le-
jeune. Please aim to send your last
letters and packages by mid-July to
avoid the possibility of your package
being rerouted or possibly lost in the
system!
Above: Chaplain Barry prepares a Marine for baptism in the
baptismal pool built by Marines from Engineer Company.
Below: Chaplain Barry assists a Marine as he is baptized.
*photos taken by Cpl Michael Augusto, 2d MLG
L o g i s t ic s B a t t a l i o n 8
Chaplain’s
Corner
The Significance Of Baptism For The
Christian Believer
This has been a very busy month
for the Religious Ministry Team. One
very meaningful aspect of this month
were the Baptisms conducted. In the
early church, salvation was followed
by baptism. Just as baptism was cele-
brated by the early church, this same
tradition was celebrated here in Af-
ghanistan, and six CLB 8 Marines
were baptized. For each baptismal
candidate it was a personal act, yet
one rich in meaning. I would like to
take a moment and explain the signifi-
cance of baptism for the Christian
believer. According to the Evangeli-
cal Church Alliance (my faith tradi-
tion):
Water Baptism identifies the believer
with Christ in His death, burial and
resurrection (Colossians 2:11-12
and Romans 6:4)
Water Baptism is an act of obedience
for the believer. It should be pre-
ceded by repentance, which simply
means ―change.‖ It is turning from
our sin and making a commitment
to follow Christ. It is giving the
control of our lives over to Him
(Acts 2:38,41 and Matthew 28:16-
19)
Water Baptism is a public testimony -
the outward confession of an in-
ward experience. In baptism, we
stand before witnesses confessing
our identification with the Lord.
Water Baptism is an act of cleansing (I
Peter 3:21)
The celebration of baptisms was
made possible by two diligent Marines
who built the baptistery. These two
Marines are LCpl Smith and CPL Pey-
ton (CLB 8 Engineer Company). I
know many of you (family, friends,
and loved ones) celebrate with the
Marines who made a commitment to
follow Christ, and displayed their
commitment through water baptism.
May God Continue To Bless You,
Chaplain Barry
I s s u e4
H e a d q u a r t e r s
Greetings, families of H&S Marines
and Sailors,
I hope this news letter finds you
well. By the time you receive this,
you will already have celebrated the
unofficial start of summer—the long
Memorial Day weekend. Memorial
Day weekend heralds the opening of
the local ice cream parlor, the pool,
the flagging days of school before
summer break, and gives us a running
start into June.
For those of us deployed, it
means we are getting ever closer to
coming home; and to the Marines and
Sailors of CLB 8, it is also more than
just the start of summer. This holiday
has meaning beyond the sparkling
blue pools of our home towns, or the
white sandy beaches of the Carolina
Coast. It’s a reminder of all those who
have gone before us in military ser-
vice. Before going on my first Memo-
rial Day 96 back during officer train-
ing, my platoon commander gathered
our platoon and read the names of all
who had died during combat for that
year. It is hard to be far from home;
S u p p o r t
Company Commander- Capt Sean Day
Company 1stSgt- 1stSgt Ramiro Olmos
To all the families and friends of
Support Company, another month has
passed, meaning we are one month
closer to the return of your Marines.
The pace has not slackened over the
past month as the temperature contin-
ues to rise, and if anything, the tempo
has intensified. Your Marines have
surely risen to the challenge and con-
tinue to make a name for themselves
and the battalion.
As in the past, Landing Support
Platoon and Heavy Equipment Platoon
continued operations at the outlying
airfields in the area of operations. With
large quantities of cargo and personnel
coming and going, these Marines han-
dle the burden with ease and ensure the
timely movement of anything coming
through their areas. In addition, they
began setup of a seventh airfield, firmly
establishing themselves throughout the
area of operations. Their reputation as
professionals continues to impress both
C o m p a n y
and the stresses and worries of a deployed
Marine are a far cry from the concerns of
your average college students. The trials
that you go through as family member are
far more difficult and harrowing than
those of a typical American family. I am
so proud of all my Marines and Sailors,
and sincerely grateful that they have their
families to depend on.
I’d like to acknowledge my S-3 sec-
tion this month. The S-3 is the operations
center for the entire battalion. It is a ro-
bust section that include our Combat Op-
The Headquarters Company 1stSgt and Company Com-
mander during a recent promotion and Fleet Marine
Force (FMF) pinning ceremony.
C o m p a n y
the leadership and Marines and leader-
ship outside the command.
Security Platoon continues to show
its flexibility and ability to succeed with
any mission tasked. They ran numerous
missions to outlying bases to resupply
units conducting combat operations,
providing them with much needed sup-
plies to stay in the fight. Two of these
missions included large convoys to es-
cort Army vehicles to outlying bases for
resupply and backhaul. They not only
succeeded in accomplishing these mis-
sions, but did so in a manner that earned
Security Platoon, Support Company conduct a convoy
through one Of the deserts in Helmand Province,
Afghanistan.
P a g e 3
erations Center (COC), Unit Move-
ment Control Center (UMCC), train-
ing, and operations section. When our
convoys are out on the road, it is our
COC that tracks their movement and
keeps up-to-date, accurate information
of their whereabouts and well-being.
When something happens, it is the
quick responses of those Marines in
the COC that ensure our guys and gals
outside the wire are getting the help
they need. The COC is broken into
two, twelve hour shifts. Our night
owls are headed by 2ndLt Dapra, who
decided to go to the fleet before head-
ing to flight school, which he will be
doing shortly after returning to the
States. SSgt Taylor, who just re-
enlisted, is the watch officer for the
afternoon shift. On their team, they
have a mixture of Marines to help
them monitor the radios and receive
other information that comes in. Sgt
Piscione, Cpl Brooks, Cpl Espaillat,
Cpl Martinez, Cpl Brier, LCpl
Justiano, Sgt Williams, and LCpl Cote
comprise our two teams .
(Continued on page 6)
them the appreciation and respect of
both the Army personnel they escorted
and the personnel at the outlying
bases. Security’s continued flexibility
and responsiveness have made them
the go-to platoon in the battalion when
difficult or short notice missions arise.
As the operational schedule and
tempo increased, Maintenance Sec-
tion’s efforts matched it step for step.
No matter how many missions the
battalion runs and how many pieces of
equipment break, the Maintenance
Section is constantly in support, re-
pairing everything from heavy equip-
ment and motor transport vehicles to
air conditioners and generators. As if
this work schedule was not enough,
they also continue to send teams out to
outlying bases to fix battalion and
supported unit gear in those areas.
Without their efforts, the battalion
surely would fail, and through their
hard work and dedication, they en-
sured that we do not.
Motor Transport Platoon contin-
ues its successful transition into the
(Continued on page 6)
 P a g e 4 C o m b a t
T r a n s p o r ta t i o n
Friends and Families of Transporta-
tion Company,
Greetings again from Camp
Leatherneck in the Helmand Province,
Afghanistan. We are at the midway
point of our deployment and the Ma-
rines have hit their rhythm. A lot of
the difficulties that we worked through
getting familiarized to the operational
environment have now become rou-
tine. However, the Marines are not
losing focus on the basics and what is
required of them to be successful.
As we head into the Afghan
summer, daily temperatures continue
to rise. Soon they will become consis-
tently hot and the average will be
above 110 degrees. The Marines have
toughened and acclimated well to this
demanding setting. Recently the wind
has picked up and has wreaked havoc
on the Battalion’s facilities. Regard-
less of the conditions though, your
loved ones continue to march in get-
ting their unique jobs done in an ex-
E n g i n e e r
Greetings from Engineer Company!
As the summer season
eclipses the all too brief spring, an-
other dangerous opponent has risen
besides the insurgency. It is HOT
folks! The temperatures are now top-
ping 100 degrees daily; and the daily
average is still climbing. For the re-
mainder of this deployment, your
young men and women will be operat-
ing in temperatures that will continue
to rise until we depart; so when you
get emails, letters or phone calls de-
scribing the blistering conditions, be-
lieve them. In order to combat this
unfortunate reality, our company and
the battalion have instituted several
measures to help keep our Marines
and Sailors as comfortable as possible,
and more importantly, free from heat
injuries. Huge sun screen nets called
solar shades have been distributed and
set up in as many work and living ar-
eas as possible, both on our main com-
L o g i s t ic s
S u p p o r t
cellent manner, whether driving, gun-
ning, fixing equipment, or doing the
planning required for the next mission.
When one considers the draining envi-
ronmental conditions and the unrelenting
tasks, the Marines are doing some truly
heavy lifting for the RCT. Each Marine
and Sailor is making a professional con-
tribution to the work of supporting
nearly 6,000 people spread across three
major logistics hubs that we routinely
supply and travel to. The sturdy profes-
A TS Company Gunner prepares for a recent convoy
mission in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
C o m p a n y
pound and at the various outlying bases
and outposts. We also have as many
military and commercial air conditioners
running in our work spaces and living
quarters as the power grid can handle.
We encourage (more like force) our Ma-
rines and Sailors to drink water continu-
ously throughout the day; and the battal-
ion has staged several room sized refrig-
erators around our compound to keep
bottled water chilled and continuously
Sgt Meade, Cpl Faust and LCpl Vanleiden take a
moment to relax after a busy mission.
B a t t a l i o n 8
C o m p a n y
sionalism displayed by all continues to
earn the respect and admiration of the
units and individuals we support daily.
Last month, the Company collec-
tively traveled over 28,300 miles
while delivering 693 tons of cargo and
445,000 gallons of fuel in support of
RCT-8. One of the Company’s high-
lights from last month was that we
were given the privilege of driving
over 500 miles one-way to Kabul to
escort a newly formed Afghan logis-
tics battalion back to Helmand Prov-
ince. The Marines of TS Company
stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our
Afghan counterparts during their
graduation ceremony and for a lot of
them it was a memory they will never
forget. As usual, your Marines ended
up writing the book on how to conduct
this type of security escort operation.
Even with unrelenting work, our
Marines and Sailors continue with
their professional development
through various education and physi-
(Continued on page 7)
available. Some individuals take
longer than others to make their way
out of the big ―reefers‖ with a bottle of
water; and who could blame them?
Our company leadership is even ex-
perimenting with modified work hours
to make the most of cooler parts of the
day while avoiding too much heavy
work during the harshest heat. Over-
all, I think these measures are keeping
our men and women operating in the
green, or at least light yellow.
At the conclusion of some
halfway point reset training, equip-
ment maintenance and a couple days
of relaxation time, both operational
platoons waved goodbye to Camp
Leatherneck and happily headed back
into the harsher conditions of life
―outside the wire.‖ Although we still
have a few months to go until we see
you again, we are well over the half-
way point, and despite the challenges
(Continued on page 7)
 I s s u e4
E m b e d d e d
Pa r t n e r i n g
T e a m ( E P T )
We are past the halfway mark and
it is officially HOT. Over 100 degrees
during the day but still very nice at night
and in the early mornings. There have
been a few small dust storms but nothing
serious. On clear nights it is amazing to
see all the stars. Delaram is far enough
out in the desert you feel like you are
surrounded by stars on clear nights. I
know I say this every month but the
team continues to make me proud. This
was another month of hard work and
progress made by your Marines and
Sailors.
We had another LONG mission to
Musa Qaleh this month. The missions to
Musa Qaleh are always adventures and
this one was no different. Nine days to
travel 237 miles. I think at one point we
were averaging 300 meters per hour…
As you can imagine this wears on every-
one but the team stayed calm and re-
mained vigilant even when we had to
―go firm‖ at night in the middle of the
desert. ―Going Firm‖ means we stop
where we are and wait until sunrise to
move. As you can imagine it’s not like
camping out, we have to stay inside the
vehicles and keep someone awake in the
gunner’s turret for security at all times.
Incidentally, when we get home several
of us will be contacting Oshkosh (the
company that makes our vehicles) to let
them know about the lack of comfort-
able seats for sleeping on long trips…
When we arrived at FOB Edi on day 5
we had time to relax. The Route Clear-
ance team that we were with had to wait
for some parts for their vehicles so we
set up cammie nets and relaxed under
the sun. LCpl Cessna even brought
some speakers for his laptop and we had
―Movie Night‖ under the stars. If you
haven’t seen ―Machete‖ don’t bother, it
was terrible.
In addition to missions and daily
training of the soldiers in the Kandak,
the team has been working on MCMAP
(Marine Corps Martial Arts Program).
We have three MCMAP instructors,
Gunny Buckson, SSgt Near and Sgt
Goolsby who have dedicated hours of
their off time to help the rest of the team.
Most of the team will be black belts by
the time we get home! It’s a great work-
out and a good stress reliever from long
days teaching classes in the sun. We
split the team up into small groups with
each instructor in the spirit of the UFC’s
―Ultimate Fighter‖ TV show. Though
the cameras are not rolling there is defi-
nitely hard training going on in each
―camp.‖ ―Team Goolsby‖ and ―Team
Near‖ just finished their Black Belt
course, with me, Lt. Booth, Doc Reilly,
Cpl Martin, Cpl Pope and Cpl Cessna all
earning their black belts. ―Team Buck-
son‖ is not far behind in their black belt
course and will earn their black belts
soon. Not sure if there will be a grudge
match at the end of the deployment be-
tween the teams but there has definitely
been some good hearted trash talking as
to whose course has been the hardest…
I can tell you I haven’t been that sore in
a very long time and commend the entire
team for the hard work in their off time.
They could have been relaxing in their
tent watching movies instead.
This month we also realized the
real war is not with the Taliban or Al
Qaida, in Helmand Province the war is
with the flies! There are ENDLESS
squadrons of these suckers and we are in
daily combat with them. The team has
found new and interesting ways to kill
the nasty creatures which of course has
led to competition. In a direct pull from
the movie ―Zombieland‖ we have
awarded several team members with
―Fly kill of the week.‖ No longer is it
good enough to use a simple fly swatter
to stalk and kill your prey unless you can
get a double kill with it! One of the
Major Mills, EPT OIC, presents an award to a Marine
during an EPT awards ceremony at FOB Delaram.
P a g e 5
most notable ―fly kills of the week‖
was Sgt. Goolsby’s ―inside the trouser
kill,‖ where an unsuspecting fly man-
aged to get inside his trousers and was
swiftly dealt with and shaken out of
his pant leg for kill confirmation. Lt
Booth has a ―kill board‖ on the wall in
his office which is a big piece of card-
board and if you are skilled enough to
get a kill on the board you can ―sign
your kill.‖ It’s a real crowd pleaser.
There is also a rumor of ―ninja stars‖
on the way and if someone can kill a
fly on the kill board with a ninja star I
believe the game is over. We will
keep you posted.
Last and most importantly I was
lucky enough to promote LCpl Cessna
to Corporal this month. A well de-
served promotion and an honor for me
to get the opportunity to do it. We
were also able to give out some long
overdue awards to Sgt. Goolsby, Cpl
Cessna, Cpl Love, Cpl Reynolds, and
LCpl Calhoun. These awards were
indicative of the effort the entire team
has put in since we formed last Au-
gust. I am constantly amazed at their
success and proud of their hard work.
As you can tell we are having a
pretty good time and are making the
most of the opportunities we have on
the deployment. There is still not a
day that goes by that we don’t miss
and want to be home with you. Thank
you for continuing to keep us in your
thoughts and prayers.
Semper Fidelis,
Major Mills
Some of the EPT’s Afghan National Army counter-
parts pose for a picture prior to a mission.
 P a g e 6 C o m b a t L o g i s t ic s B a t t a l i o n 8

(Supt Co, continued from page 3) (HQ Co, continued from page 3) assistants to Captain Horton, 1stLt
company, adding to the flexibility and The UMCC also operates in two Lyren and 1stLt Grayston. They are
responsiveness of the battalion. These twelve hour shifts. Cpl Kenna, Cpl responsible for planning future opera-
Marines say yes to any mission tasked Breeckner, LCpl Carroll, LCpl Homi- tions, making sure they are sustain-
das, and LCpl Gene work under SSgt able, coordinating with other units to
to them and accomplish it with ease, no Munna to track all air and ground provide needed support, and submit-
matter how many stops are needed on movements as well as the gear that ting the daily situational report. They
the run or how much gear and supplies will be carried to and from outlying are the final sanity check on every-
need to be hauled. The operational forward operating bases (FOB). thing that goes through the S-3.
tempo has made a definite impact on GySgt Hayes manages all our logisti- Although the jobs of the S-3 may
these Marines, who are conducting mis- cal statistics and monitors the fuel, not be glamorous, they are essential to
sions at a pace that would have many chow, and water levels at the outlying the continued success of the battalion
calling for a break. They continue to FOBs to ensure that our personnel and the infantry that we support. We
provide crucial support numerous units outside the wire have the basic support are lucky to have such a focused, dedi-
that they need. In the training section, cated team of individuals.
in a vital part of the area of operations, SSgt Montgomery coordinates all nec- As always, if you need to contact
and again, do so in a manner that has essary training to make sure that eve- me, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me
earned them the respect and apprecia- ryone stays current on their basic at kathleen.downs@afg.usmc.mil or
tion of everyone they support. training requirements. my First Sergeant at jacque-
Your Marines and their efforts Our current operations and for- line.henderson@afg.usmc.mil
have surpassed all expectations of suc- ward operations are run by our Opera-
cess. They continue to provide what- tions Chief, MSgt Johnson, the Opera- -1stLt Kathleen Downs
ever support is asked of them, always tions Officer, Captain Horton, and the
ready to work and do what is necessary
to accomplish the mission. The flexi- FRENCH JET RECOVERY MISSION
bility and responsiveness they provide
to supported units and the professional-
ism they exhibit in providing it has
garnered them the respect of countless
units. The battalion and company lead-
ership could not be more proud of your
Marines and their tireless efforts. With
the pace not slowing any, supported
units will continue to feel the impact of
the support provided by your Marines.
Please continue to support your Ma-
rines from home with letters, packages,
and e-mails, as they are an enormous
morale boost for the Marines. Thank
you all for your support and we look
forward to seeing you upon our return.

God Bless and Semper Fidelis

-Captain Day

Congratulations to the following Ma-

rines promoted in April: 1stLt Betti-
nelli, Sgt Sauer-Jones (Meritorious),
Cpl Gaccione (Meritorious), Cpl
Schell, LCpl Ralston.
Congratulations to Cpl Amber Pate for
her selection as the II Marine Logistics
Group (Fwd) NCO of the Quarter
Welcome to Tyler James Wayne and
congratulations to the Wayne family on
the birth of their son.
 P a g e 7 C o m b a t L o g i s t ic s B a t t a l i o n 8

(Eng Co, continued from page 4) us abroad. Thank you for the support, (TS Co, continued from page 4)
in the next months, we are on the and thank you for giving us a multi- cal conditioning endeavors. Right now
downhill! tude of reasons to look forward to we have two Marines attending the
For those of you who love sending coming home. Please feel free to con- Corporal’s Course at Camp Leather-
care packages to your Marine or Sailor, tact us at any time. neck, six Marines taking college
here are a couple of tips if you’re not classes, and many others taking Marine
Corps courses online. Last month we
sure what they may need or want. First, Semper Fidelis,
did take an opportunity to take a short
it’s well over 100 degrees every day break from our mission with a Battalion
now, so chocolate, gummy bears or Captain Seth E. Dewey barbecue and talent show. The high-
sticks of margarine are probably not Seth.dewey@afg.usmc.mil light of the event was LCpl Ahlfeld’s
going to make it intact to your loved stirring guitar solo that had everyone
one. Sunflower seeds, gum, beef jerky jamming along with him.
and almonds or mixed nuts are still Time has bestowed another year
great ideas. If you want to help your of ―wisdom‖ on the following Marines
special someone beat the heat a little, who we would like to wish a Happy
see if you can find one of the small Birthday to:
spray bottles with the motorized mist-
ing fan. That’s sure to be a hit! Of Sgt Joshua Woolridge
course, pictures of family and friends Cpl Charles Arnold
Cpl Tomas Ruybal
are always great to receive. Our Ma-
Cpl Joshua Sanders
rines and Sailors are carrying them into LCpl Travis Pearson
some pretty rough conditions; so try not LCpl Daniel Patterson
to send original copies that can’t be LCpl Veneziani prepares HESCO barriers for a re- LCpl Aaron Harding
reproduced. cent mission in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. LCpl Robert Allen
A hearty congratulations go to the fol- LCpl Dusty Smith
lowing Marines:
MCFTB LCpl Eric Peabody
LCpl George Gonzalez
May Promotions:
From Private to Private First Class: Marine Corps Family Team Also congratulations to PFC Ryan
Private First Class Ian Anderson Building has a lot of classes to Avery, LCpl Roger Lopez, Corporal
From Lance Corporal to Corporal: Cor- Zachary Scholl, Corporal Alex Sib-
offer and assist you in many bach, Corporal Joseph Pederson, and
porals Dustin Gill, Jeremy Leal, and ways. Take a look at their web- Corporal Neil Rettedal for their promo-
Ray VigilSpecial recognition goes to
site. tions during the months of May.
Corporal Ramon Esparza who earned Lastly, know that the Marines and
his promotion to Corporal meritori- https://mccslejeune.com on
the top tab click on family ser- Sailors miss you, their friends and
ously! families, and are continuing to make
vices then on Marine Corps you proud through their superb profes-
New Addition to the Engineer Com- Family Team Building. If you sionalism, dedication and discipline in
pany Family: would like to receive MCCS performing a vital and demanding mis-
Teigan Mea Laflamme was born on 24 weekly updates via your email, sion.
April to Corporal Joseph Laflamme and please sign up by selecting the
Shawna Laflamme! Semper Fidelis,
“sign up for MCCS Weekly”
As always, we send special thanks link on the website. Jarrad Caola
to the families and friends of our Ma- Captain, USMC
rines and Sailors. We understand that
Steven Battista
often times during deployment, those
First Sergeant, USMC
left behind to worry and wait have a
more difficult experience than those of
Hello CLB 8 Family and Friends,

I hope your spring is going well. Although the first day of summer is not until June 21st, most of us will begin our summer
when school lets out. I would like to congratulate all the CLB 8 High School and college family members who will be
Graduating this year. Your schooling may be over, but remember that your education still continues. I wish you all the very
best!

I have scheduled a Kids & Reunion Workshop and a Return & Reunion Workshop for the spouses.

The Kids & Reunion Workshop will be 28 June 2011 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in Bldg 40 on Camp LeJeune for kid’s ages 4
years-18 years. Child care will be provided for kids under 4 years. The Kids-N-Reunion workshop is two workshops in one,
a parents’ and a children's workshop, parents on one side and children on the other. It's designed to offer the parents as well
as the children resources and coping skills needed to assist them with family reintegration. The parent's side of the work-
shop focuses on the children's emotional and behavioral challenges as well as coping strategies and resources to utilize dur-
ing the homecoming and reintegration process. The children's side of the workshop provides the children activities and tools
needed to cope with Family reintegration.

The Return & Reunion Workshop for spouses will be Thursday, 14 July 2011 in Bldg 40 on Camp LeJeune from 6:30pm -
8:00pm. Child care will be provided for kids. This workshop is designed to explain, through interactive activities, what can
be expected with homecoming and the reunion process. During the workshop tips are provided that will help spouses during
this time. Topics covered include Communication, Deployment Stress, Re-Integration, Expectations and the Return of Inti-
macy. I would encourage ALL of you to participate in these classes as there is a lot of good information being passed here!!

I look forward to seeing you at the classes. Please plan to join us and use these classes as a means to make new friends and
find out what is going on in the battalion.

As always, if I can be of assistance, please call or e-mail me.

Thank you,

Henry Drake
CLB 8 FRO
W 910 450-6301
BB 910 554-7914
Henry.b.drake@usmc.mil