Commandant spends Christmas Eve with RCT-1

Photo By Maj. Alex Lim | Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James Amos, addresses the Marines at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, Dec. 24. Amos and Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent spent Christmas Eve with Marines at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan.  

CAMP DWYER, AFGHANISTAN

12.24.2010

Story by Cpl. Skyler Tooker 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan— The commandant and sergeant major of the Marine Corps stopped in at Camp Dwyer, Helmand province, Afghanistan, for a Christmas Eve dinner with Regimental Combat Team 1, Dec. 24.

Gen. James Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, and Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, the sergeant major of the Marine Corps traveled with an entourage of unit leaders during their stay in Afghanistan.

Usually the first thing anybody wants to do after a long day of traveling is to sit down and have a nice meal. That is just what Amos, Kent and the other unit leaders did, accompanied by many of the Marines from RCT-1.

As the Commandant made a plate of food and headed to his seat, every Marine who passed him said, "Merry Christmas sir." As he sat down at the long table, only imagined in a Christmas Day fairytales, he shared a meal with a few Marines from various units within RCT-1.

Soon after the meal was finished all the Marines with RCT-1 made their way to the town hall meeting where, Amos and Kent addressed all the Marines and sailors. Amos talked to the Marines and sailors about everything from the new policies being enforced to rumors of the tattoo policy being changed. He assured the Marines jokingly, it took eight years to set the tattoo policy in place, and he wouldn’t touch it with a 45-foot pole.

The Marines all standing in formation listen to the commandant as he assured them that they are accomplishing what the Marine Corps set out to do when they arrived in Afghanistan. He shared a few stories about Fallujah, Iraq, and Ramadi, Iraq, and how these were known to be the tough spots just like Marjah, Afghanistan, is known for today. He then mentioned he hasn’t seen any negative actions come from Fallujah or Ramadi recently, and the Marines accomplished what they set out to do there. Afghanistan will be the same after a few years of hard work, he added.

After talking about few of the topics he wanted to hit on, the commandant just wanted to tell all the Marines and sailors how proud he was of them, and he knows the sacrifice they are making spending Christmas in Afghanistan away from their families.

Amos said he received a phone call while on his way to Afghanistan; the phone call was from the President of the United States wanting to wish Amos and his wife a Merry Christmas. Amos proceeded to tell the president he was on his was to Afghanistan to spend Christmas with the Marines.

“The president said, ’Can you do me two favors. Will you tell the Marines in Afghanistan thank you, and I appreciate what they are doing and the fact they are away from their families at Christmas, I am aware of that. Could you please tell them thank you,’ I said you bet sir, I would be happy to do that,” said Amos. “He said can you please tell your Marines that the commander and chief said, ‘Merry Christmas.’ Mr. President I will say that to every single Marine I see over the holidays.”

“So Marines, Merry Christmas from the commander and chief,” Amos said.

After addressing the Marines the commandant and sergeant major of the Marine Corps ended their visit by taking a few questions and congratulating a few Marines, who were selected by their units for their hard work and dedication while deployed, on a job well done.

• Date Taken: 12.24.2010
• Date Posted: 12.25.2010 11:13
• Story ID: 62594
• Location: CAMP DWYER, AF