September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States of America. I was in high school at that time and remember witnessing everybody in a panicked state. I was listening on the car radio as my dad was driving me home from school. The radio broadcaster was describing the event unfold as there were further attacks on several locations. I was naïve and did not really comprehend the magnitude of the situation. I was a video game addict, a truant in school, and was apathetic about my education. I did not know what to do after high school. Nevertheless, the most prevalent idea for most young adults at that time was to join the military. Therefore, after graduating from high school, I decided to join the military and go to war. I thought at that time that waging war on the enemy was a righteous act, but I later learned that war hurts more than just the enemy.
I enlisted in the Marine Corps because of their reputation of being the best. They are the “tip of the spear” in almost every armed conflict the United States fought. After barely surviving Marine Corps basic training, I arrived in North Carolina and immediately volunteered to join a unit deploying to Afghanistan. My first deployment to Afghanistan was the most difficult and the most eventful. My unit’s main task was to create a secure environment for Afghanistan’s first democratic election. We stayed mostly outside the secured perimeter of the bases and embedded ourselves within the local populace. We met with the village elders and listened to their concerns about lack of security and infrastructure. The locals’ also feared of reprisals from the Taliban, a terrorist group who sheltered Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11 attack. There were villages I visited ...
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...n victims to this type of bomb. The Taliban had success in regaining control of territories and disrupted governance in some major cities. Informants have exposed Governor Jan Mohammad as a powerful drug lord, and there is rampant corruption in the government. Corruption in the Afghan government and fraud by U.S. contractors has made it increasingly difficult to make any progress. The civilian populace is the main victim of the violence and many families are displaced from their homes.
Every year as September 11 passes, the same feelings I felt after the aftermath is still the same. My decision to fight overseas was part vengeance, part patriotism, and because I thought it would be fun. As I look back, I have matured in my thinking. War is not a game without consequences. War is a disease that consumes everyone who is involved and it affects everyone in its path.
What do Drew Carey, Gene Hackman, and Lee Harvey Oswald all have in common? They are all, The Few. The Proud. The Marines. Like these young men, many people after high school join one of the many branches of the military. From the U.S. Bureau of Labor, nine out of ten high school graduates go into the military. However with the Marine Corps being the smallest of the branches, only one-fifth of them become Marines. In 2006, according to the Recruit Depot Parris Island for Marines, 99.9% of the students there were high school graduates. Of the 4,420 recruits in 2006, the average age for a Marine was 19.6. Since the branches were formed, the Marine Corps has developed into a military branch that is greatly respected for its achievements and responsibilities.
The United States Marine Corps has values drilled into our head at day one at recruit training. A marine lives by the Values of Honor, Courage, and commitment. Honor covers a lot of traits such as ethics, moral, integrity, respect, and maturity to name a few. Courage covers our mental, moral, and physical toughness. It focuses on doing what is right. It requires high personal standard and to lead by example with making decisions. This relates to the inner strength that tells us we can go further. Finally, commitment instills professionalism, discipline, pride, and concern for others. We must carry these values at all times 24/7.
There you stand over the body of a fallen friend, a brother or sister in arms. You are asking yourself why them, why not you? What could have I done to save them? That is when you wake up, sweating, panting. It was just a night terror, yet it feels the same as the day they died, even though it has been ten years. This is just one of the many emotional scars soldiers of war face. Though why do we go to war when this is the cost? For many it is because they are unaware of the psychological cost of war, they are only aware of the monetary cost. Tim O 'Brien addresses the true cost of war in The Things They Carried. O 'Brien suggests that psychological trauma caused by war impedes daily life in young Americans drafted into the Vietnam war. He does
Wars have many battles. However, battles do not always lead to war. Marines courageously serve in our nations wars. Their ability to win battles allows our nations to deal with threats quickly without making the situation more dangerous than it already is. Since the year of 1775 the Marines have been the number one branch of the military called upon first. Their ability to execute the most rapid, effective, and efficient military response to disputes anywhere in the world, makes them one of the most respected branches of the military. The Marines Corps are deployed to respond swiftly and aggressively to threats around the world. What distinguishes the Marines Corps from any other branch is the bond formed by their motto “Semper Fidelis.” It was a motto adopted in 1883. “Semper Fidelis” in Latin means “always faithful.” It reminds marines to always be faithful to their mission, to one another, and to the Corps and our beloved nation, no matter the cost. However, we will discuss the history and background of the career, the requirements to obtain the career, the job position and description, and the job reflection and outlook.
On September 11, 2001, our country was hit with enormous devastation, just after eight o’clock a.m. the first of the twin towers was struck by a suicide pilot, the second was struck slightly later. The towers fell just after ten o’clock a.m., devastating the entire country, and ruining the lives of many. A plane also hit the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and another in rural Pennsylvania causing just as much grief. The U.S. is still in mourning, but standing tall, more Americans showed their American pride in the following months than ever before. In the months to come the only thing that was on the minds of millions was: Should we go to war? War is necessary for the survival of our country. Going to war with Iraq is a fight against terrorism. Many people believed that going to war with Iraq is unjust. Some believe that there are other ways in looking at the situation.
More than a year and a half ago, on September 11, 2001, a group of terrorists from the al Qaeda network hijacked four airliners and successfully used three of them to attack the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the World Trade Center in New York. These attacks marked the first time in American history that a full-scale attack was executed on our own soil, and they affected the American people on a number of different levels. Americans found themselves shocked that such an event could occur, as well as reeling with grief for the more than 3,000 people who died in the tragedy. Soon, the shock and grief that penetrated the hearts of the American people gave way, in part, to a sense of national pride. American flags waved from every overpass, and “God Bless America” could be heard on every r...
I was deployed to Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo when Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off. I remember wondering how this war would affect my life or the direction of my career and unit. In March of 2003 I found out. Because of the war, our replacements, already having been trained for real world action, were sent to Iraq, extending my already long six month tour to ten. The start and end of that war, as a whole, had its effects on not just me and my unit, as I was deployed there twice, but on the whole world. The outcome of a war can be explained one way or the other. The effects of which can echo throughout the ages. But the battles that bring you to the wars conclusion are the building blocks to the character of that war. One such battle that helped define the character of Operation Iraqi Freedom was the first battle for Fallujah also known as Operation Vigilant Resolve.
Simon Sinek’s idea and concepts of leadership are very similar to ones used by the Marine Corps. The Marines are one of the most successful military organizations around the world. They have achieved success by accomplishing missions and winning battles. Battles fought in difficult terrains, climates and circumstances. They have thrived in times when other military branches are better funded and equipped and never lost sight of their purpose and goal. Marines always seem to defy assumptions. They appear to have something special and different when compared to the other military branches. Extract young man and woman from a broad society filled with different cultural backgrounds and make them a Marine. Furthermore, they prepare these young individuals to fight for this country and give their life if necessary defending it. Marines have no problem standing out. The Marine Corps and Simon Sinek’s ideas and concepts for successful leadership are related because both know “why” they do what they do,
The following was a submitted report for a U.S. History research paper assignment We fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea. First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title of United States Marine. Our flag's unfurled to every breeze from dawn to setting sun. We have fought in every clime and place, where we could take a gun. In the snow of far off northern lands and in sunny tropic scenes, You will find us always on the job, The United States Marines. Here's health to you and to our Corps which we are proud to serve. In many a strife we've fought for life and never lost our nerve. If the Army and the Navy ever look on heaven's scenes, they will find the streets are guarded by United States Marines." The Marine hymn is eternally etched in the mind's and soul of every recruit and officer who have served in the United States Marine Corps. Every Marine has gone through boot camp, each sacrificing blood, sweat, and tears. One thing that has never deteriorated in their years of existence is the fact that they have yet to lose a war they have put effort in. Is this exceptional record due to their extensive training? Is it because of their aggressive nature and mindset? What is to follow may shed some light on these questions and perhaps give some type of insight on how the Marine Corps was so prevailing and what conflicts had they had conquered. 1775, November 10th. This date is memorized and celebrated by every United States Marine as something of excellence, a date of honor. This date is non other than the "birthdate" of the Marine Corps. It was on this date that the Continental Congress passed a resolution to create two operational battalions of American Marines. These men would ultimately be headed by Captain Samuel Nicholas, of the United States Naval department. It was in Philadelphia that the first Marines were grouped and trained for their inaugural mission. The three hundred Marines that had been recruited, were placed aboard eight transport ships, all destined for the beaches of New Providence (the Bahamas). Upon their landing on March 3rd, 1776, they fought up the beach, sweeping through a barrage of bullets, and took command of two small stone forts and a number of military storage complexes.
The US Marines are known to be the most dedicated and committed branch of military in the United states, making them highly popular and loved. Their pride and commitment to one, small, and united family make them stand out from the rest and their dedication is seen as they wake up at the crack of dawn to train with people they consider as close as family, and this gives the marines themselves a greater sense of self. Marines are motivators that will push a recruit beyond their own limits because they truly believe in the potential in each one; they are present in times of need and vow to never leave other behind, and believe that fear the of failure cannot compare to the joy that will come after tough challenges are overcome with the help
On September 11th, 2001, the entire world, especially the United States, would be changed for a very long time when President George W. Bush declared, "We are at war. Somebody is going to pay." No one knew this would last this long. A dozen years down the road, we are still paying for this war. Bullets, misles, and weapons of all kinds are rendering pain on soldiers and men and women military personnel. Thousands and hundreds of thousands have paid the ultimate price - death. Children have been killed by road side bombs and some will never even have the chance to live, to smell the sunshine for the first time, or blink their eyes.
September 11, 2001, Osama Bin Laden decided to “wake the sleeping giant.” The US immediately sent SOF units and CIA officers to recon the area and meet with the Northern Alliance. The primary battle leading up to this operation was Tora Bora, which was absent of conventional forces. Up until this point, the war on terror was predominantly a Special Operations fight along with Air Force for overhead support.3 SOF and the Northern Alliance had already displaced Taliban forces out of many towns and villages in northern Afghanistan to gain control of key terrain. Key towns in northern Afghanistan including Taloqan, Konduz, Herat, and Mazar-e Sharif took only three weeks to clear.4 The SOF units were making huge impacts across the country calling in air strikes. At the same time the SOF units were diligently...
...aling with. Terrorism is the war’s main cause and affects the soldiers the most. Since the war, Terrorist attacks have become one of American’s biggest fears. From having to worry about many different aspects of life to terrorism is a horrible way to live. President Bush made the decisions he did on facts and what he thought was best for the country. If the US never went to war with Iraq, what would the world be like now? Questions like these, still haunt us, and will never be answered. The war has impacted everyone’s lives in some shape or form. Without the war, no one knows what life would be like but we do know that because of war, the world will never be the same.
When I joined the United States Marine Corps, I knew it would change my life, but I never realized how great those changes would be. I was trained in public affairs as a print and broadcast journalist, and immediately stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Drastic life changes can take a toll both physically and emotionally over time, and it is always important to have a great personal support system to thrive through those times. My senior advisor at the time, Master Gunnery Sgt. (Master Guns) Charles Albrecht, turned out to be one of the best supporters I could ever ask for.
I grew up in a small town and after I graduated high school I wanted more in life than a 9 to 5 job; I wanted to see the world. I had a few friends that had joined the military and had come home to visit with exciting stories about their experiences. I noticed a change in a few of them; they seemed to walk a little taller, maybe act a bit more mature. This, along with the intrigue of life outside of my small town, drew me to consider joining the military. I met a recruiter in Lakeland Florida in July of 1989 and a few months later on September 26th I raised my right hand and took the Oath of Enlistment. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into.