Photo By Staff Sgt. Alfred V. Lopez | Lance Cpl. Alexander Akhromtsev, a supply administration and operations clerk with...... read more read more
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CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The Marine Corps provides plenty of opportunity to those who earn a place with “the Few and the Proud.”
As Marines, young men and women are given a chance to see the world and further their education. All they have to do is make the most of these opportunities.
Lance Cpl. Alexander Akhromtsev, a supply administrations and operations clerk with Regimental Combat Team 5 and 20-year-old native of San Francisco, has learned from his parents to do exactly that.
Akhromtsev was born in Tiraspol, Moldova in 1991, which at the time was still part of the Soviet Union.
Akhromtsev says his parents decided to move to San Francisco to provide their children a better place to grow up, away from the hardships of Moldova.
“They didn’t see us having a good life there,” said Akhromtsev. “So we came to America, the land of opportunity.”
Zina and Nikolay, Akhromtsev’s parents, worked hard to give their son a better future. The family finally got the opportunity to move to America, and immigrated to San Francisco in 1992.
“My mom didn’t want me to lose ties to Moldova,” said Akhromtsev. “So she taught me how to read and write Russian, and we took a few trips back home when I was old enough.”
One day, when he became old enough, Akhromtsev decided to seize an opportunity just as his parents had done and joined the Marine Corps.
The notion of joining the military had been a running joke with his parents, Akhromtsev said.
“I came home one day and told my mom I’m joining the Marine Corps,” said Akhromtsev. “My mom was shocked, but my dad told me about his time in the Russian service, and that joining the Marine Corps would be a good experience for me.”
Akhromtsev’s father told him that his time in the Russian military helped him develop discipline and work ethic. Akhromtsev says he tries his best to emulate these two qualities and also his father’s positive outlook toward life.
“My father said the military taught him how to be a man,” said Akhromtsev. “He’s a very confident, committed and disciplined person.”
Akhromtsev joined the Marine Corps in August 2010. He is currently serving his adoptive nation by providing mission essential equipment to his fellow Marines in southern Helmand.
Akhromtsev’s duties include reconciling section gear lists and fulfilling daily supply requests from various units within the regiment.
“From hard drives to boots to weapons,” said Akhromtsev. “If Marines need it, I get it to them.”
According to his fellow Marines, Akhromtsev is very active, almost fervent in the way he approaches his work.
“He’s very enthusiastic… has a lot of initiative,” said Sgt. Melvin Derrick Alegria, a 31-year-old native of San Jose, Calif., and the RT-5 warehouse chief.
“When there’s a lot of down time in the warehouse, he’s always looking for something to keep busy with,” Alegria said.
When there isn’t anything to do, AK – a nickname coined by his fellow Marines due to the difficult pronunciation of his name – can be found cleaning and organizing gear and storage containers to keep busy, said Alegria.
Akhromtsev continues to serve his country and fellow Marines, keeping his father’s determination and work ethic in mind regardless of the task at hand.
“They’re out there fighting the battles,” said Akhromtsev, speaking of fellow Marines on the front lines. “The least I could is provide them with what they need to get the mission done.”
Akhromtsev graduated from Washington High School in 2008. His parents Zina and Nikolay reside in San Francisco.
Editor’s note: RCT-5 is assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 11.23.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2011 05:59 |
| Story ID: | 80525 |
| Location: | CAMP DWYER, AF |
| Web Views: | 225 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, San Francisco Marine supplies front lines, by SSgt Alfred V. Lopez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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