Mechanized Marines as strong as elephants
September 28, 2000 — When Captain Darrel Benfield and his Marines come to a fight, they come with weapons weighing more than a high school football stadium full of elephants. The Marines looked like those elephants Sept. 15, when Benfield commanded a mechanized raid that charged against the Tunisian Military's mechanical assets. The raid was a training package for both MORE
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Atlas Hinge uses friendly competition to teach valuable combat lessons
September 23, 2000 — The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) introduced themselves to their Tunisian allies in Marine Corps fashion: they attacked them. However, the attack was more than welcomed by the Tunisian Military; it was invited. An amphibious assault against the Tunisian forces marked the beginning of Exercise Atlas Hinge, a bilateral MORE
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Amphibious Assault brings back thoughts of Inchon, Korea
September 15, 2000 — TUNISIA, Africa (September 15, 2000) - It was no accident that on the 50th anniversary of the Marine amphibious assault that changed everything, Capt. Kenneth Kassner and his men floated off the African coast in combat rubber reconnaissance rafts only slightly larger than queen-size mattresses. In minutes the Golf Company Commander with Battalion MORE
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The climb is worth the top
September 13, 2000 — My ability to tie two figure-eight knots in the quarter-thick nylon rope was the only safety measure keeping me from death via the ground 4,000 feet below. As I reached up to climb that section of the mountain, I noticed my bootlace had come untied. This was not comforting. As a combat cameraman for the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special MORE
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Marines invade USS La Salle;
September 13, 2000 — Twenty-two crewmembers of the motor vessel La Salle learned a valuable lesson Wednesday night: if queried about compliance with United Nations sanctions and then told to stop for inspection, do as you're told. The consequences of not complying weren't pleasant, with four dozen U.S. Marines landing on the vessel's flight deck to carry out the MORE
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Adventure Training fun, challenging for 26th MEU(SOC)
September 13, 2000 — Though they were there to have a good time, the sweat that poured down Sgt. Michael Sistrunk's determined face told a truer story. His team was there to win. However, Sistrunk's four-man fire team quickly discovered they were not the only service members vying for the top prize in Battalion Landing Team 2/2's Adventure Training: four duty-free MORE
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Maintaining the spear, Part II: Mechanics, crew chiefs meet high expectations
September 13, 2000 — Editor's Note: Maintaining the spear is a two-part series focusing on the various preventive maintenance conducted by members of the 26th MEU(SOC) in order to keep their vehicles, equipment and aircraft up and running.If CH-46E Sea Knights and AH-1W Super Cobras could talk, they'd probably say thank you after their stay here."I think the MORE
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Maintaining the spear, Part I: Keeping the MEU rolling
September 12, 2000 — Editor's Note: Maintaining the spear is a two-part series focusing on the various preventive maintenance conducted by members of the 26th MEU(SOC) in order to keep their vehicles, equipment and aircraft up and running.Without vehicles, it is unlikely the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) would be able to get equipment MORE
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Olympiad makes fun, excitement serious business
September 12, 2000 — If you could throw it, kick it, run it, cast it, dunk it, shoot it or pull it, Battalion Landing Team 2/2 did it as part of their Warlord Olympics here. With more than 25 events, the games sponsored by the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)'s ground combat element featured everything from wrestling to football to fishing. MORE
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Been there, done that
September 9, 2000 — Having just visited our fourth country during this deployment, I'm finally realizing locals do not understand English better when you speak louder.Try as I might, repeating the phrase "Do you sell little spoons?" in a loud and slow voice only makes the shopkeeper change her expression from confused, to mean and confused. Making an eating motion MORE
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