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Welcome Home, Marines, and Good Work!
By Lt Col P
I just returned from taking Son & Heir to see the official welcome home for a Marine reserve artillery battery in Richmond, Virginia. Battery H, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines returned stateside some weeks ago but got back home only about ten days ago. Today is the big gathering for family, friends and supporters, and today they will be released from active duty.
They served about eight months on the ground in Iraq, not as cannon cockers but as provisional military police. By all accounts they acquitted themselves very well indeed. They did suffer some casualties. More than a few, who no longer had any obligation whatsoever, gave up very good jobs to rejoin just for this deployment. Again-- they rejoined to go to war, rather than stay safe at home and avoid it.
I went down there because I spent a long time in that battery-- I joined as a first lieutenant and left as a major-- and many of the Marines, both young and old, are good friends and comrades. Their CO and I were lieutenants and captains together there; this was his third trip overseas as a reservist. I went down to welcome them home safe and sound, and to congratulate them on a job well done.
Since my time with them is past, and the privilege of serving with them overseas was not granted to me, I won't relate the details of their deployment. That's not my place. I will say this, for them and for all who are reading this, that they did their bit, when they were called upon to do it, to the best of their considerable abilities and in keeping with the highest standards of the Corps and the great history of their unit. In a war of nine steps backward and ten steps forward, their deployment was one of the forward steps. I'm proud to know them.
Update: their article in the Rchmond Times-Dispatch.
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Comments
Welcome home, gents. I assume there were cadets among this unit, being it's based in Richmond... if I'm not mistaken, when I was a cadet, I believe some of the Marine Reservists drilled with these guys.
I believe you're right Joel.
I don't know if there are any cadets in the battery, but I do know of at least two alumni, one of whom might be the next CO. that woul make 3 out of the last 4 COs VMI grads.
As a matter of fact, there are 2 current VMI cadets in the battery, Corporal (meritoriously promoted) Patrick Grey and his younger brother Lance Corporal David Grey. They are from Delaware. Grey the Elder was a vehicle commander in 2nd Platoon and The Younger was a gunner in 1st Platoon. They are excellent Marines. Yes, the battery commander lineage seems to be VMI heavy but despite that, the battery continues to perform well.
dear sir, how can i contact you via e-mail. i have a friend whose is in 3/14 out of richmond. she would like to contact you for a homecoming april 21. i/she would be extremely appreciative if you would reply to this comment
thank you
chris
oorah
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Welcome home brothers.