Personnel retrieval and processing: bringing heroes home

II Marine Expeditionary Force
Story by Lance Cpl. Bruno Bego

Date: 07.25.2011
Posted: 07.26.2011 06:19
News ID: 74326
PRP: bringing heroes home

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan – Personnel retrieval and processing specialists perform duties in both combat and non-combat environments pertaining to the search and recovery, identification, processing and transportation of America’s fallen heroes.

Marines with the Personnel Retrieval and Processing Detachment, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take care their own in Southern Helmand province.

The PRP specialist military occupational skill is a reserve-only field, and they constantly deploy overseas to current and previous combat zones, such as Japan and Vietnam.

“To me it is an honor and a privilege to have the responsibility to take care of these fallen heroes and all of us in the shop take pride on what we do,” Lance Cpl. Kevin E. Campos, from Sacramento, Calif., a personnel retrieval and processing specialist with 2nd MLG (Fwd.). “As a Marine, I think it’s a relief to know Marines are taking care of their own.”

There is no certain rank or age required to enter this job, the only thing certain is the fact that we are proud of our trade, Campos expressed.

“I can’t explain the feeling when we receive that call, and we are told that it is one of our own,” Campos concluded. “I don’t think we’ll ever get used to the feeling, but we understand that our job is important … nobody is better fitted for this duty than a Marine.”