'First of the First' Return Home

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'First of the First' Return Home
Marine Corps News | Sgt. M. Trent Lowry | February 21, 2008

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, and other friends were among the excited greeters waiting for the return of Marines from 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, and Feb. 12 at the battalion's home at 53 Area, Camp Horno. Flags waved and children played on the parade deck behind the headquarters building for 1/1 - the "First of the First" - who were drawing to a close their seven-month deployment to Iraq.

"We're very proud of him and every Marine in the battalion," said Robin Smith, mother of Cpl. Nelson L. Smith, a Company B squad leader from Winter Springs, Fla. "We did a lot of praying, like we've done for the past seven months." "We're relieved to see him, touch him, hold him and have him back with us," added Neal Smith, Cpl. Smith's father, who served in the Navy. Multiple flights of 1/1 Marines arrived at different times, each wave met by scores of loved ones excited to be reunited with their warriors.

The battalion augmented Regimental Combat Team 6 in support of the Marine Corps' mission of stability and security in Al Anbar province, the large area west of Baghdad that includes the formerly restive cities of Fallujah and Ramadi. "I saw great improvements in the capabilities of the Iraqi forces," said Capt. Stefan R. Barr, commanding officer of Company B, 1/1. "We gained the trust of the locals and won the hearts and minds of the Iraqis. The Marines performed phenomenally in attaining our mission goals."

Though the battalion motto is "Ready to Fight," the Marines, for the most part, did not have to focus on going to battle. Instead, 1/1 added their expertise to the training and support of Iraqi troops and expanded their abilities.

"We were training them so they could become a better force," said Barr, from Lynchburg, Va., who said previous units in the area had laid a successful groundwork on which 1/1 capitalized. "It's an ongoing process with the Iraqis. We were able to maintain security, improve the Iraqi's capabilities and start the local governance." Seeing the effects of their hard work paying off was a motivating factor for the battalion's Marines. "At first, it didn't seem like we were doing much, but after seeing the progress of the seven months, it seems like we accomplished more than what we set out to do," said Lance Cpl. Mike E. Young, 22, a fire team leader with Company B, 1/1. "I'm proud of what we've done.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,162568,00.html