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    Marines serve the public in preparation for Marine Week Cleveland

    Marine general prepares Cleveland for Marine Week 2012

    Photo By Sgt. Michael Ito | Maj. Gen. W. Lee Miller, assistant division commander for II Marine Division, stands...... read more read more

    CLEVELAND, OH, UNITED STATES

    04.07.2012

    Story by Cpl. Michael Ito 

    Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES)

    CLEVELAND, Ohio — Marine Week Cleveland has already brought the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment and their communities closer together, said Lt. Col. Michael Hubbard, inspector-instructor for 3/25. He also says that if anyone could see the work his Marines are putting into the planning effort, it would be easy to see.

    Even though Marine Week Cleveland doesn’t start until June 11, 2012, events are already being held to reach out to the Cleveland citizenry and prepare them for the week-long event. In addition to the demonstrations and displays that are part of the event, Marines have, and will continue to perform numerous community service events such as neighborhood clean-ups, park restorations and housing rebuilds.

    Marine Week is an annual event in which Marines put on demonstrations and displays of both Marines and their equipment to show the American public exactly what Marines do – and what they’re capable of. Each event includes dozens of community service events as well. Marine Week 2012 will be hosted by the city of Cleveland and the Marines of 3/25.

    “Marine Week Cleveland 2012 will be the best Marine Week the Corps has ever done,” said Hubbard.

    Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Shelato, community relations chief for Headquarters Marine Corps, says these are the types of events that show the public (that)Marines are all about doing the right thing.

    “We send thousands of Marines out there, and they are all over the community,” Shelato said. “They are walking the walk, talking the talk and spreading the message of Honor, Courage, (and) Commitment. The payoff for us is the community sees us doing something of value; something that matters to them.”

    The largest pre-event effort, however, can be seen in the Marine Week Cleveland Speaker Series, which brings all types of military leaders to the City Club of Cleveland to speak on many topics, ranging from the role of women in the military, to NASA developments and military education.

    “When the generals come to speak, they connect the military and civilians,” said Frank G. Jackson, mayor of Cleveland. “Each time a general speaks, they will tell the audience about their life. That makes it easy for them to relate to the community.”

    The speaker series has already featured the military contributions of African Americans as well as a military perspective on the future of Afghanistan.

    The Marines coming into Cleveland before and during Marine Week help to foster a partnership with the community, says Jackson. Because of that partnership, people are excited about the Marines being here.

    Jackson says he is excited about the opportunity to work with the Corps and see Marines out and about in Cleveland.

    “Marines are looked up to,” he said. “It would go a long way to show the young people of Cleveland the kind of discipline, purpose and mission that Marines have. After the ‘invasion of Cleveland,’ people will have a profound respect for the Marine Corps and the military as a whole.”

    That is exactly the goal of the operations leading up to Marine Week, says Hubbard.

    “Marine Week is a celebration of community, country and Corps,” said Hubbard. “It provides the unique opportunity to directly connect the public with hundreds of Marines.”

    Hubbard also said that one of the main objectives for Marine Week operations is letting the public know that the Marines care about the communities they are in.

    “We look forward to the opportunity to give back to the communities who have supported this battalion through the years,” he said. “Our communities were there when 3/25 stormed ashore on Iwo Jima, when we endured the chill of Korea. They were there during the dark days of our 2005 Iraq deployment, when 45 Marines and sailors were killed. We give back because so much was and continues to be given to each Marine and sailor of the command.”

    One of the lessons that the Marine Corps learned from Marine Week St. Louis is that the involvement with the community does not end when Marine Week does, says Capt. Brian Tedesco, executive officer for 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.

    Numerous partnerships were formed or cemented coming out of Marine Week St. Louis, held in 2011, Tedesco said. Including heavy support for Gold Star Mothers, the USO, and the Wounded Warrior Regiment based in Quantico, Va.

    These are only a few of the things that Hubbard and the Marines of 3/25 can look forward to following Marine Week 2012. And they are looking for all of that and more.

    “We want to reinforce our community relationships by being out amongst our citizenry,” said Hubbard. “Not by remaining behind the fence that surrounds our Reserve Training Center. We look to every opportunity to tell the Marine Corps story and to listen to what our citizens are telling us.”

    The Marines of 3/25 view a rigorous strategic engagement strategy as a necessity.

    “This battalion’s success is, in part, dependent upon the positive relationships we have and maintain with all the communities that support us,” said Hubbard. “Our symbiotic relationship is strong, and we will continue making it stronger as we tend to the defense of this great nation. 3/25 will endeavor at every opportunity to remind our friends and our communities about our Marine Story. We do this because we are grateful, and it is our way of giving back.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.07.2012
    Date Posted: 04.25.2012 13:49
    Story ID: 87325
    Location: CLEVELAND, OH, US

    Web Views: 334
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN