Combat Logistics Regiment 27 brings the heat during beach bash

Photo By Sgt. Paul Peterson | Senior Marines from Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group battle each other while their troops cheer them on during a beach bash aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 30, 2012. Four of the regiment’s companies formed teams to compete in various sporting events while their leaders went head to head in their persuit of the unit’s Commander’s Cup.  

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, UNITED STATES

08.30.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Paul Peterson  

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines and sailors with Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group gathered at Onslow Beach for a beach bash here, Aug. 30.

Rain loomed in the background as four of the regiment’s companies gathered in the mid-morning to kick off the day’s events. Ahead of them lay six hours sporting events to draw out each company’s pool of talent for some friendly competition.

“The commander’s intent was for our Marines to have a good time,” said Jose Padilla, the family readiness officer for the regiment. “In the process of having a good time, adding some competition and some esprit de corps develops team work and rewards them for their hard work.”

The four companies - Headquarters, Food Services, Landing Support and Communications –formed their teams to participate in the bash’s events and vie for the Commander’s Cup.

The teams went head to head in volleyball, basketball and an assortment of other tournaments. While their teams competed on the courts, each company’s senior leadership put their bodies on the line and battled for supremacy in sumo wrestling and pugil-stick matches.

“For a junior Marine coming here, it is a great opportunity to meet other Marines and sailors who are in his unit and within the other companies,” said Padilla, who took the lead role of running the schedule of events. “The more they know each other, the stronger their bonds, the better they are going to support the [Marine Corps’] commanders.”

Headquarters Co. earned their place as the overall victors and claimed the Commander’s Cup. Landing Support Co. fared the worst in the competition and received the Chalice of Hope, which is inscribed: “We Came, We Tried, We Lost.”

The awards are a good spirited way to inspire each company to perform at higher levels while maintaining a friendly atmosphere of competition.

Lunch was provided for the troops, who received freshly grilled hotdogs and hamburgers midway through the competitions. The junior Marines were also able to raise money at the beach bash’s “dunk tank”, where any monetary donation allowed them to attempt to dunk their senior leadership in a tank of water.

“It’s good to get the junior and senior Marines to come together as one,” said Sgt. Joseph Faw, an infantryman with the regiment. “It gets them out of the office and shows them that their unit cares about them.”

Early afternoon signaled the end of the festivities just as the rain clouds relented and the sun began to pierce through the sky. The companies gathered their trophies and personal belongings and finished the event as one big family.

• Date Taken: 08.30.2012
• Date Posted: 08.30.2012 17:36
• Story ID: 94076
• Location: CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US