Headquarters and Service Company Marines conduct foot patrols around Patrol Base Jaker

PATROL BASE JAKER, AFGHANISTAN

07.15.2009

Story by Lance Cpl. John McCall 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

PATROL BASE JAKER, Afghanistan — Marines with Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment have been defending their position from enemy insurgents for more than a month since their arrival here in late June.

"When we first got here, it was really bad," said administrative clerk Cpl. Christopher Mullins, 23. "The night we got here we were being shot at. It was an everyday thing. There was always some type of enemy contact."

Headquarters and Service Company Marines conduct foot patrols daily, reminding locals that security is a priority. The Marines here have adapted by using every man possible for setting up a defense. Fortunately, every Marine is a trained rifleman in addition to their primary mission of infantry support.

"We're a group made up of mostly non-infantry personnel," explained Mullins who calls Modesto, Calif., his home. "So everybody has to do their part and sometimes that means being a rifleman."

Once their presence was known and the heavy fighting died down, Marines began assessing the damages to infrastructure and roads. Many of the locals have been reimbursed for damages caused by the fighting and have felt confident enough to start rebuilding.

"We are here to help these people," Mullins said. "We want them to feel safe and to know that if they have a problem, they can come to us for help."

After only a month, troops are seeing a big difference in the area. Locals are seen in public often and are more willing to approach Marines and talk to them.

"Things have changed a lot since we've been here. It's cool to see it first hand," said Cpl. Shawn Bartlett, 22, a radio operator and Los Angeles native. "As we pushed Taliban out of the area, we started seeing more people appear. A lot of kids and more shops started opening back up."

Many patrols incorporate Civil Affairs Group Marines, whose aim, among other things, is to survey the area by asking about people's opinions and concerns. Communicating with the populace about why there is a Marine presence in Nawa is also a high priority.

"Usually we'll have CAG on a patrol for meetings with key leaders, damage assessments and surveys," Mullins said. "We don't go out looking for a fight. We just sight survey and defend ourselves if we have to."

Going from intense firefights to no enemy contact for weeks, Marines must keep a watchful eye out for insurgents attempting to blend in with the local population.

"I think the Taliban realized they were outnumbered, and the ones that weren't killed either ran or are still here hiding," Bartlett said. "It's only a matter of time though. We're going to find them."

Local Afghans have been promised security from the Marines as they begin to build more durable positions in the Nawa District.

"We're here to help. I think we owe it to them. It's the decent thing to do," Bartlett said.

• Date Taken: 07.15.2009
• Date Posted: 07.30.2009 01:31
• Story ID: 36954
• Location: PATROL BASE JAKER, AF