Warrior of the Week # 11 –Private First Class Nelson

Courtesy Photo | Private First Class Adrian Nelson (left), a rifleman with Security Cooperation Team-7, Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, learns coxswain procedures from U.K. Royal Marines during a joint training engagement in Port Gentil, Gabon, Sept. 10, 2014. The rapid learning and dedication that Pfc. Nelson displayed impressed his senior leadership so much that he was appointed as an instructor and assigned the task of teaching Gabonese Marines riverine and maritime operations. (Courtesy Photo)  

GABON

10.27.2014

Story by Cpl. Shawn Valosin 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa     

GABON - Private First Class Adrian Nelson is a rifleman with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa. Being one of only two U.S. Marines selected to conduct coxswain training, he belonged to Security Cooperation Team-7 that recently trained alongside the U.K. Royal Marines and Gabonese Marine Fusiliers in Port Gentil, Gabon.

Coming from Boyd, Texas, Nelson had no prior coxswain experience, but he didn’t let that stand in his way. With help from the U.K. Royal Marines, he promptly learned how to apply the necessary skills to operate, sustain and employ zodiac combat reconnaissance rubber crafts in a proficient manner. These lightweight boats allow the Marine Corps to insert personnel onto beaches, piers, offshore facilities and larger vessels.

“Private First Class Nelson excels at his job, you can task him with something, and he just goes and he does it,” said Sgt. Dane Summerfelt, a Coeur D’Alene, Idaho native, and machine gunner with SCT-7. “You don’t have to micromanage him to make sure it was done properly because you know it was, since it was done by him. By the second day in Gabon he was picking up the coxswain fundamentals and by the third day he was actually teaching the [Gabonese Marine Fusiliers].”

The rapid learning and dedication that Pfc. Nelson displayed impressed his senior leadership so much that he was appointed as an instructor and assigned the privilege of teaching Gabonese Marine Fusiliers riverine and maritime operations.

Continuing his trend in excellence, Nelson was also named Marine of the Quarter by SPMAGTF-CR-AF, a noteworthy achievement that is coveted by many and earned by few Marines and Sailors every three months.

To even be considered for Marine of the Quarter one must stand out from their peers. They must excel at physical fitness, qualify with a firearm, be combat swim certified and demonstrate leadership abilities that are in alignment with Marine Corps standards.

Nelson’s commitment to excellence and ability to learn and implement new skills at a moment’s notice is what made him stand out from his peers, and what earned him the title of Warrior of the Week.

“Private First Class Nelson has constantly exceeded the expectations of a Marine in his grade with an eagerness to learn, an unwavering positive attitude, and the ability to adapt and overcome,” said Gunnery Sgt. Wally Robinson, a telecommunications systems chief with SPMAGTF-CR-AF and the senior enlisted leader with SCT-7.

Nelson said that he loved getting to work with the Gabonese and U.K. Royal Marines and that he will be able to apply the leadership skills he has gained during this experience to his everyday life, long after he returns to the states.

Warrior of the Week was created to recognize the Marines and Sailors of SPMAGTF-CR-AF Africa who play a significant role in the day-to-day operations that lead to mission success. Sometimes these accomplishments go under the radar, thus we try to capture the moments so that everyone else can appreciate their value.

• Date Taken: 10.27.2014
• Date Posted: 10.27.2014 10:46
• Story ID: 146140
• Location: GA
• Hometown: BOYD, TX, US
• Hometown: COEUR D'ALENE, ID, US