Joint Task Force-Haiti/SOUTHCOM senior enlisted adviser visits Marines in Haiti

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Louis M. Espinal, U.S. Southern Command, and JTF-Haiti command sergeant major visits the 22nd and 24th Marine Expeditionary Units who are providing humanitarian relief to the Haitian people affected by the Jan. 12 earthquake at different food distribution points in the city of Carrefour Feb. 5. (U.S. Marine photo/Sgt. Richard Andrade)  

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI

02.06.2010

Courtesy Story

XVIII Airborne Corps Public Affairs

By Sgt. Richard Andrade

CARREFOUR, Haiti — Sgt. Maj. Louis M. Espinal, U.S. Southern Command, and JTF-Haiti senior enlisted adviser visited the 22nd and 24th Marine Expeditionary Units who provide humanitarian relief to the Haitian people at different food distribution points in the city Feb. 5.

Espinal, who has been a Marine for almost 31 years, is a qualified parachute rigger and jumpmaster. During his tenure in the Corps he has served as an infantryman, a logistician, and has served on recruiter and embassy duty as well. He has served in Iraq three different times. Today's mission is to visit his 'Devil Dogs' and boost the morale of the Marines in their areas of operations.

A Marine expeditionary unit is comprised of approximately 4,000 Marines and is made up of four elements; the command element, air combat element, ground combat element, and combat support element. The mission of the Marines deployed here is to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the Haitian people following the disastrous earthquake that destroyed much of the country.

Pfc. Caleb Patton, a mortarman from the Mortar Platoon, Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, has been in Haiti for five days. This March will mark his third year in the Marines. "This is a good deal," Patton said of the Haitian mission, "Marines are the 'tip of the spear' as usual. The people of Haiti need help and I am glad to be here."

"The MEU is a national asset," said Espinal, "they were on their way to sail out to a mission when the Haiti earthquake happened." The Marines will be in Haiti temporarily, and then continue on to their original mission soon, said Espinal.

Espina visited an Adventist Development and Relief Agency food distribution site in Carrefour where the United Nations element served by the army of Sri Lanka is conducting security alongside Marines.

Espinal shakes the hands of as many Marines as he can meet. "You are all part of history," Espinal tells his Marines. He tells the Marines that they are doing a very important thing for the Haitian people and that their efforts will not go unrecognized.

• Date Taken: 02.06.2010
• Date Posted: 02.06.2010 21:08
• Story ID: 45038
• Location: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HT