Marine Corps top leaders visit Marines in Marjah Christmas Eve

Photo By Cpl. Andrew Johnston | Gen. James Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, speak to Marines with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, at Camp Hanson in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 24. During the visit Amos wished the Marines a Merry Christmas and commended them for their hard work and dedication toward operations in Marjah over the past months.  

CAMP HANSON, AFGHANISTAN

12.24.2010

Story by Pfc. Andrew Johnston 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

CAMP HANSON, Afghanistan— Gen. James Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps and Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, sergeant major of the Marine Corps, visited Marines with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, at Camp Hanson in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 24.

During the visit the top leaders wished the Marines a Merry Christmas and commended them for their hard work and dedication toward operations in Marjah over the past months.

“We decided that some time ago, that we wanted to spend Christmas in Afghanistan,” Amos explained to the crowd. “If you’re going to be here, then we wanted to be here. We know you’re here and we’re aware it’s Christmas. You’re going to miss New Years and we know that you missed Thanksgiving. We know that you’ve been in a hell of a fight for that last, almost five months, and we wanted to come out here with you.”

Amos explained to the Marines that he understood the difficulties they faced while being away from family during the holidays. He said that on his trip over here he received a heartwarming phone call from President Obama who had a special message for the Marines.

“When I told the president I was coming over here to spend the holidays with you guys it got quiet on the other end of the line,” said Amos. “He said, ‘Will you do two things for me? Will you tell the Marines I said thank you. Thank you for serving and thank you for being in Afghanistan during Christmas,’ and the second thing he told me was, ‘Tell the Marines I said Merry Christmas.’”

“On behalf of your commander and chief: Merry Christmas and thank you for what you’re doing, thank you for your sacrifice!”, Amos said.

After the holiday greetings, Amos explained to the Marines how important their mission here was. He compared their successes to the victories in Fallujah and Ramadi and said it was easy to forget the significance of their mission during the day-to-day grind of combat operations.

“I want you to think about what you just did in Marjah,” said Amos. “In the words of Gen. Mills, ‘You have snowplowed the enemy out of the northern part of Marjah,’ you have pushed them out. You have made history in the Marine Corps and you should be proud of that.”

Kent said that the Marines’ mission not only impacted the people of Afghanistan, but the Marines who served before them as well. He said that no matter where he goes, he is constantly bombarded by veterans who ask him to thank the deployed Marines for their service and to let them know how proud they are for carrying on the legacy of the fiercest fighting force in the world.

“We are extremely proud of what you do for our Corps. You truly are continuing the great war fighting legacy of the Corps,” Kent said.

“Marjah is going to go down in the history books,” Kent said to the crowd. “Some recruit in the near future is going to be on the yellow footprints learning about what you did in Marjah, and that is a fact.
You have created your own war fighting legacy. The eagle globe and anchor is branded in your heart forever and no one will ever take that away from you.”

Amos turned the floor over to the Marines who asked questions about his early days as a Marine and what his plans for the Marine Corps were during his term as commandant. He made it clear that he would do everything in his power to maintain the title of America’s Expeditionary Force in Readiness, and continue to be a world-class force in readiness.

As the visit came to an end, Marines escorted the leaders to the flight deck to see them off.

Although it was Christmas Eve, 2/9 wasted no time proving the commandant’s message that Marines’ where on the job 24/7.

Always ready to fight our nations battles, in any clime or place, the Marines went back to work.

“The nation has a Marine Corps so we can be that crisis response force, that expeditionary force,” said Amos. “So when the nation calls on us, I want us to be able to fight today’s battles with today’s forces, today!”

• Date Taken: 12.24.2010
• Date Posted: 12.27.2010 03:50
• Story ID: 62646
• Location: CAMP HANSON, AF