No complacency for 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines as operations continue strong in Marjah

Photo By Cpl. Andrew Johnston | Lance Cpl. Zackery Haglund, a gunner with Combined Anti-Armored Team, Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, grabs a metal detector from Sgt. Nicholas A. Collins, a squad leader for CAAT, so he can search for contraband on a local’s rooftop, Dec. 7, in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Collins said that although his deployment is almost over his Marines continue to run daily patrols and fight insurgents. With their homecoming quickly approaching, he said daily operations continue strong with no signs of complacency, laying the ground work for a smooth turnover.  

MARJAH, AFGHANISTAN

12.05.2010

Story by Pfc. Andrew Johnston 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

MARJAH, Afghanistan - The thought of running full speed through a battlefield, jumping canals, dodging bullets while taking well aimed shots at moving targets can be daunting.

Add 60 to 150 pounds of protective gear, ammunition, food, water, medical supplies, various weapons and equipment to the equation, and most likely the average person would call it quits before they even got out of bed.

For infantrymen with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, this undertaking happens practically every day in Marjah. After months of burdening this combat routine, most people would think these guys would have packed their bags and purchased a plane ticket to a sunny tropical paradise.

In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Although the Marines homecoming is in the near future, their mindsets are far from going home, and they understand the importance of carrying their mission out all the way up to their last day here.

“You really have to keep your mind off of home,” said Lance Cpl. Zackery Haglund, a gunner with Combined Anti-Armored Team, Weapons Company, 2/9. “You can’t let yourself go in a downward spiral where you stop caring and focus on leaving. You just have to suck it up and keep your head in the game, watch your step and keep your eye on the main mission.”

Sgt. Nicholas A. Collins, a squad leader for CAAT, Weapons Company, 2/9, said his team works around the clock, and will not stop until they’re on leave back at home. He explained they have done a lot of work up to this point, and he isn’t going to let thoughts of going home interfere with their mission or having a smooth turnover.

“We keep the operations tempo pretty high out here,” said
Collins. “After prior patrolling and gaining knowledge of the area, we started to notice trends as to where the Taliban egress to and where they ingress from. We examined a lot of their firing points and key terrain that we maintain observation on. We implemented a constant patrolling effort to maintain security and prevent the Taliban from using the area as a stronghold. We put in a lot of hard work and our mission isn’t over yet.”

Collins said the Taliban are constantly watching them. If the Taliban were to sense any indication of complacency, they would seize the opportunity and strike.

“For one, I think the Taliban has a good idea of when we turnover operations,” said Collins. “I think it’s safe to speculate that some things happen when you least expect it. The worst thing you can do is have your guard down. The Taliban chooses the time and the place and we have to always be ready for it.”

On patrols, locals often come running up to the squads and welcome them as if they’re old childhood friends. For 2/9, Marjah has become their second home. Patrolling back to base, Marines can often times be heard saying, ‘I can’t wait to get home,’ referring to their tent.

Collins compared patrolling in Marjah, to protecting his own block back home. He said there is no chance his Marines wouldn’t be prepared for a fight at any time, regardless of how close their homecoming was.

“Marines are a force in readiness and over here if we’re not ready, that’s just unacceptable,” said Collins.

• Date Taken: 12.05.2010
• Date Posted: 12.16.2010 01:13
• Story ID: 62053
• Location: MARJAH, AF