Photo By Cpl. Mark Stroud | Cpl. Alfredo Salcido, radio operator, Personal Security Detachment, Combat Logistics...... read more read more
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HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan –“Communication is everything for what we do,” said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Morgan, personal security detachment chief, Personal Security Detachment, Combat Logistics Battalion 4, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward). “If you can’t communicate you don’t know what is happening, you can’t coordinate with other elements and you can’t reinforce yourself; your command and signal is gone.”
The task of maintaining the CLB-4 PSD’s communications and ensuring that their command and signal capability is not interrupted falls to the radio operator, Cpl. Alfredo Salcido, a 30-year-old native of El Paso, Texas.
Communications are especially important for the PSD, which is responsible for providing security for the CLB-4 Commanding Officer as he travels throughout the battlespace.
“My mission is to provide the lieutenant colonel uninterrupted communication and so far I have accomplished my mission,” said Salcido.
“We transport the battalion [commanding officer] and he wants to know everything that is going on in the [convoy], along with everything that is happening in the rear,” said Morgan. “It is especially important in a logistics battalion since we are operating in other unit’s battlespaces, we need to coordinate with the [battlespace owners].”
Salcido’s outstanding work ethic and technical proficiency helps him to execute his mission at a very high level.
“He is here preparing for missions well before the rest of us get here and is usually still here after we leave,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Page, S-3, CLB-4. “Once the [convoy] starts, he is fixing stuff on the fly and always moving around taking care of problems. It is very impressive.”
According to Morgan, Salcido’s work ethic extends outside the realm of communications to all aspects of the PSD mission.
“Salcido doesn’t just take care of the radio, he will step up and get accountability of the Marines during [convoys] or do whatever else is required of him,” said Morgan. “Back in the rear, he jumps on all of our training ranges. He knows as much about shooting as anyone on the PSD, and is always going to classes or lessons on the trucks to expand his knowledge.”
Familiarity with all of the different facets of the PSD’s mission is important for all of the detachment’s Marines and sailors, said Salcido.
“We are part of the most important team in the battalion, we all need to be on the same page,” said Salcido. “We all need to know the essentials and be able to contribute. [The corpsman] shouldn’t be the only one who knows how to provide medical aid, and I shouldn’t be the only one who knows how to work the [communications equipment] and I think we do a good job of making sure that happens.”
According to Morgan, the dedication to duty that Salcido embodies pushes him to excel in areas outside of his specific skill-set and makes him a role model for the junior Marines and sailors in the PSD.
“I try to lead by example,” said Salcido. “I would never ask the junior Marines to do something that I haven’t done myself.”
Salcido takes pride in his work and in his role as a member of the PSD.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to be on this team,” said Salcido. “I have done a lot of things in the Corps but this is going to be what I look back on and know that I did something that made a difference.”
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2012 02:52 |
| Story ID: | 91656 |
| Location: | HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 283 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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