CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Deer Park, Texas native, Lance Cpl. Michael Logan Wood, is currently serving a one year tour with Regimental Combat Team 5 in Afghanistan as a Motor Transportation Operator. Although most Marines would consider a 21-year-old to be relatively green, Wood has already experienced more than most civilians will in their lifetimes.
Wood lived a rather quiet upbringing in the small town on the outskirts of Houston. His parents, Joe Wood and Patricia Williams separated when he was eight years old, and he is the youngest of three children. His second oldest sister, Emily, recently graduated from Texas A&M, and his oldest, Rachel, has been the marketing manager for Gringos restaurant for the last six years.
Wood attended Deer Park High School where he was a track star, excelling in the 100 and 200 meter sprints.
When not at school and not running track, there was no telling where Wood could be found as a kid. He could be hanging with his friends, riding his bike around town, playing street football, playing video games, all normal things for kids to do in small town America.
He eventually took on a part-time job at a local eatery, America’s Incredible Pizza. Part-time soon seemed like full-time as he stayed on the job for three years, serving as an arcade game technician, conducting maintenance, rewiring circuits and swapping out parts when machines malfunctioned.
In 2008, Wood graduated from Deer Park High School in a class of almost 780 seniors, and his life began to snowball, for the better.
His relationship with then girlfriend Kortney became increasingly steady. Kortney, from the nearby town Jersey Village, met Wood through mutual friends long before he decided to join the Marine Corps.
Wood had always been interested in the military, the Marine Corps in particular. In 2010, he took the step and hasn’t looked back.
“My grandfather on my mom’s side of the family was a Marine sergeant,” Wood proudly explains. “He was a Motor T mechanic and is the main reason I joined the Marine Corps, so I could follow in his footsteps.”
The last two years have been busy for Wood. He shipped to recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in August 2010.
“It was a scary day when I left. Boot camp was so stressful… mentally and physically challenging,” he said. “There were times when I thought I wasn’t going to make it, but I just kept pushing myself. The overall experience was crazy and hectic from sun up to sun down.”
After recruit training, Wood attended Marine Combat Training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., graduating in December 2010.
Soon after completing MCT, Wood was sent to Fort Leonard Wood, MO., to receive training in his Military Occupational Specialty at the Motor Transport Operator School. The monthlong course teaches new operators the basics of two common Marine Corps vehicles, Humvees and seven-ton trucks.
“We learned basic maintenance and preventive maintenance,” he said. “We learned about the switches and instrument panels and everything from the winches to tire pressure.”
Marines attending the operator course receive instruction and practical application on various terrain. On and off-road courses contain various obstacles, requiring students to navigate 20 inch steps, 60 degree climbs and sometimes 30 percent side slopes.
Wood graduated from his MOS school in March 2011, and immediately reported to the 5th Marine Regiment, aboard Camp Pendleton. He found out that he would be deploying shortly after arriving at his new unit.
“My family was shocked when I told them, but they are very supportive of me,” he said. “They pray for me every day.”
In August, Wood and the 5th Marines motor pool deployed with RCT-5, currently serving here in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He works daily with more than 40 other Marines in the motor pool, and as one might expect, he is one of the most junior there.
Age and rank aside, Wood has had to grow up in a hurry. In addition to his responsibilities as an operator, he is training to become a Line Non Commissioned Officer, meaning he is responsible for 30 to 40 trucks at a time.
“I enjoy what I do out here. I picked Motor T because of my grandfather and because it is a trade I can take with me in case I ever decide to get out. I can use this knowledge and carry it to the civilian world,” he said.
Wood is putting his training to use, learning the tricks of his trade while working in an environment most people will never experience. “It is a lot more hectic here than it is stateside. This deployment so far has given me the experience and the ability to deal with situations under a lot of stress,” he said. “If a vehicle goes down outside of friendly lines, we have to act quickly to get that truck back up and running.”
Wood’s supervisors said that his drive to succeed is clearly visible in the quality of his work.
“LCpl. Wood is one of the hardest workers we have here. He ‘s a young Marine and is very mature in his actions,” said Staff Sgt. Francisco Lopez, Motor Transportation Operations Chief and Platoon Sergeant. “We wouldn't be able to do anything without the young Marines like LCpl. Wood’s hard work. They are the ones that are outside the wire making things happen for RCT 5.”
Wood is content for now, but doesn’t want to become complacent. He says there will always be more to learn, more opportunity for leadership roles, more confidence to be gained and more personal goals to achieve that will translate into better civilian job opportunities one day.
“The Marine Corps is helping prepare me for those challenges, and I’m definitely learning to deal with stress,” he said.
In 2010, Wood’s life began to change. In two short years he has gone from being a star athlete at Deer Park High School, to repairing arcade video games at the local pizza joint, to becoming a Marine now serving in Afghanistan.
Perhaps most importantly, he has since married his high school sweetheart, Kortney. The two have been married for a year and are expecting a baby girl, Aubree Marie, in February.
Editor’s note: Regimental Combat Team 5 is assigned to 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: |
11.15.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
11.19.2011 08:38 |
| Story ID: |
80272 |
| Location: |
CAMP DWYER, HELMAND PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: |
540 |
| Downloads: |
1 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Deer Park Marine keeps RCT-5 up and running, by Andrew Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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