Photo By Sgt. Amaia Unanue | Cpl. Nickolas A. Coup, an anti-tank missileman with Weapons Company, 3d Battalion, 8th...... read more read more
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Cpl. Nickolas A. Coup, a 22 year old, anti-tank missileman with Weapons Company, 3d Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, from Ridgeland, South Carolina, arrives at Kadena Air Base on the island of Okinawa, Japan, February 14, 2017 as part of a six-month unit deployment program. During deployment, the battalion will conduct training with partner nations such as South Korea, Australia, Thailand and Japan. Marines and Sailors are all forward deployed to 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Coup graduated from Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School in 2014.
Q: How would you describe your responsibilities as an anti-tank missileman?
A: My responsibilities as an anti-tank missileman are to tactically employ specific weapon systems to include the M98A2 Javelin, the M41 Saber system, Anti-Armor Operations, And Tactical Vehicle Operations. Being in a Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) in a Weapons company, we also employ the M240B medium machine gun working alongside with 0331 machine gunners in tactical Humvees. We provide medium and heavy Anti-Armor fire in support of the infantry battalion, LAR battalion, tank battalion, and the Marine Air Ground Task Force.
Q: What motivated you initially to enlist in the Marine Corps? Why was it important to you?
A: I've always wanted to be a Marine, ever since I hit middle school I've just had it set in my mind, I wanted to join the military, period. The Marine Corps was that one branch that everyone was talking about being "too hard", so I decided no other branch was good enough. It's important to me that I did join the Marines because if I did not, I would be still living with my parents, hanging out with the wrong crowd of people, not going anywhere in life. The Marine Corps definitely set me on the right path of success, teaching me how to be responsible, be a leader, and be a part of something bigger then one's self. It really is a brotherhood. I'm very grateful for what this Corps has done for me.
Q: What have you enjoyed the most so far about your deployment?
A: Definitely going out to the local areas around Japan, and being able to look outside my door or window and see the ocean from nearly every direction surrounding the beautiful beaches along the island. The locals, the scenery, being outside of my comfort zone in a different country across the world; it's very overwhelming all together.
Q: Has anything surprised you about the deployment to Japan experience?
A: I honestly didn't think it was going to be this great before we arrived. The training, the jungled area, the culture, the view of the island especially in Okinawa, it all turned out to be really exciting and again, very overwhelming. So being as exciting as it is to continue our training and exploring, it definitely came to me as a surprise.
Q: Please detail some things that people might not realize about the Marine Corps experience that you think might be misconceptions or just things that people might not think about - possibly things that you have learned.
A: I honestly haven't had any misconceptions about the Marine Corps, I knew what I was getting into going to boot camp, Infantry Training Battalion was where I started my training as an infantryman, then I was sent to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment and for now that's all I've really experienced. This is my second deployment and the experience you receive from training with these kind of environments and foreign military, is really eye opening to see just how different the world is and how everyone else operates.
Q: Are you originally from Ridgeland? If so, please describe what you enjoyed about growing up in Jasper County and what you miss (places to eat, friends, places to visit) since your deployment. If not, please share how you came to Ridgeland.
A: I've actually moved around a lot from Ohio and South Carolina, I spent my preschool days in Ridgeland up until around the 4th or 5th grade, then I moved to Ohio where I again moved around a lot going from Cleveland, Cincinnati, Van Wert, Delphos, Middle Point, Findley, Ohio city, etc. The city I was in for the majority of growing up was Van Wert, Ohio. Then as soon as I hit my junior year of high school I moved back to Ridgeland and have resided there since. Some great places to eat are definitely the BAR-B-Q grill, El Ranchito, Pizza Bella, and Fiddlers seafood. I do miss my friends and family back home but again, I wouldn't be where I am today if I stayed dependent on them.
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 03.16.2017 21:43 |
| Story ID: | 227120 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Hometown: | RIDGELAND, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 107 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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