TwinMom7
Proud Mom of a United States Marine
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2000
Marines Deal With Minor Hurts, Address Changes
DESERT DISPATCH
By FRED DODD
CAMP CHESTY, Iraq -- So far, the South Bend Marines have suffered three extremely minor injuries -- nothing at all serious and nothing combat-related.
While attached to another unit, Lance Cpl. Christopher Skerl, 23, of Pepper Pike, Ohio, had a couple of fingers slammed in a tailgate. Although the wound looked pretty nasty for a few days and a couple of his fingernails turned purple, nothing was broken.
Cpl. Andrew Plonski Jr., 21, of Mishawaka, slightly hurt his right hand while driving a Humvee in what he called an embarrassing injury. He said he went to release the parking brake, which is spring-loaded, and accidentally smashed his right hand into the dashboard.
"It swelled up quite a bit, but the X-rays showed that nothing was broken," he said. He wore a soft cast for a day or so, but now it's off.
Lance Cpl. Kevin Cassel, 26, of South Bend, was at work building tables for the chow hall when he jammed a sliver of wood "about the size of a toothpick" between his thumb and forefinger.
"It wasn't a big deal until the docs got hold of it," he said. "It took those four witch doctors an hour to get that thing out. They tore apart an IV bottle to get a needle big enough to make the hole bigger -- that didn't feel real good."
Engineer Company B, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, has been attached to 7th Engineer Support Battalion throughout its deployment. Because there is already a Company B with that battalion, the South Bend Marines are known as Company E. The company staff thought it would be less confusing to people at home if these reports stuck with Engineer Company B.
As a result of being attached to another unit, Marines here have been given two totally different addresses. It all reaches them -- it's been difficult to determine which address has faster service. One package may arrive in just more than two weeks, another may take six weeks. There are plenty of Marines expecting overdue packages and letters from both addresses.
To make things even more confusing, there is also a Bulk Fuel Company B, 6th Engineer Support Battalion. E-mails to The Tribune tell us there's an entire classroom of students on the East Coast keeping track of the South Bend Marines, thinking they're from their area. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that's a totally different reserve unit.
It's amazing what a difference a few hundred yards can make. The South Bend Marines continue to live in two-man tents and work with no electricity -- except for what little they get from an old generator.
Just across a dusty field is Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters. Some Marines there work in expandable air-conditioned trailers with more electrical outlets than you can count. A row of computers has limited Internet access. A water jug hangs in front of the air conditioner to help cool water. A television has fuzzy but acceptable reception of CNN.
Meanwhile, the South Bend Marines try to get a bit of news from the BBC on a radio with lousy reception, they drink water that's hot enough to bathe in, and when the sun goes down, they're left in the dark.
"When I get back, I won't take anything for granted," said Leeper. "I'll appreciate everything down to a flushable toilet a lot more."
Leeper is a heavy-equipment operator for the unit. He hopes to get a job in the civilian world doing the same thing. "They have a new program called 'Helmets to Hardhats' that helps military engineers go from the military to the civilian world," he said.
Leeper also hopes to get engaged to his girlfriend of 2 1/2 years, Ashley. "We've been best friends since eighth grade. That's what makes it so strong," he said.
Cpl. Sergio Castaneda, 22, of El Paso, Texas, is another of the unit's displaced Marines. He's an active-duty Marine who was stationed at Camp Pendleton before the war. Castaneda has been attached to the South Bend unit as a mechanic.
"From what I was told, I was the only mechanic available who could do the job," he said.
Castaneda said it's tough being attached to a new company but that he's getting along just fine.
"You think you're going to war with your buddies and then they switch you to a new unit and you have to make friends all over again," he said. "But they're good guys. It's no different that they're reservists -- we're all Marines."
DESERT DISPATCH
By FRED DODD
CAMP CHESTY, Iraq -- So far, the South Bend Marines have suffered three extremely minor injuries -- nothing at all serious and nothing combat-related.
While attached to another unit, Lance Cpl. Christopher Skerl, 23, of Pepper Pike, Ohio, had a couple of fingers slammed in a tailgate. Although the wound looked pretty nasty for a few days and a couple of his fingernails turned purple, nothing was broken.
Cpl. Andrew Plonski Jr., 21, of Mishawaka, slightly hurt his right hand while driving a Humvee in what he called an embarrassing injury. He said he went to release the parking brake, which is spring-loaded, and accidentally smashed his right hand into the dashboard.
"It swelled up quite a bit, but the X-rays showed that nothing was broken," he said. He wore a soft cast for a day or so, but now it's off.
Lance Cpl. Kevin Cassel, 26, of South Bend, was at work building tables for the chow hall when he jammed a sliver of wood "about the size of a toothpick" between his thumb and forefinger.
"It wasn't a big deal until the docs got hold of it," he said. "It took those four witch doctors an hour to get that thing out. They tore apart an IV bottle to get a needle big enough to make the hole bigger -- that didn't feel real good."
Engineer Company B, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, has been attached to 7th Engineer Support Battalion throughout its deployment. Because there is already a Company B with that battalion, the South Bend Marines are known as Company E. The company staff thought it would be less confusing to people at home if these reports stuck with Engineer Company B.
As a result of being attached to another unit, Marines here have been given two totally different addresses. It all reaches them -- it's been difficult to determine which address has faster service. One package may arrive in just more than two weeks, another may take six weeks. There are plenty of Marines expecting overdue packages and letters from both addresses.
To make things even more confusing, there is also a Bulk Fuel Company B, 6th Engineer Support Battalion. E-mails to The Tribune tell us there's an entire classroom of students on the East Coast keeping track of the South Bend Marines, thinking they're from their area. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that's a totally different reserve unit.
It's amazing what a difference a few hundred yards can make. The South Bend Marines continue to live in two-man tents and work with no electricity -- except for what little they get from an old generator.
Just across a dusty field is Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters. Some Marines there work in expandable air-conditioned trailers with more electrical outlets than you can count. A row of computers has limited Internet access. A water jug hangs in front of the air conditioner to help cool water. A television has fuzzy but acceptable reception of CNN.
Meanwhile, the South Bend Marines try to get a bit of news from the BBC on a radio with lousy reception, they drink water that's hot enough to bathe in, and when the sun goes down, they're left in the dark.
"When I get back, I won't take anything for granted," said Leeper. "I'll appreciate everything down to a flushable toilet a lot more."
Leeper is a heavy-equipment operator for the unit. He hopes to get a job in the civilian world doing the same thing. "They have a new program called 'Helmets to Hardhats' that helps military engineers go from the military to the civilian world," he said.
Leeper also hopes to get engaged to his girlfriend of 2 1/2 years, Ashley. "We've been best friends since eighth grade. That's what makes it so strong," he said.
Cpl. Sergio Castaneda, 22, of El Paso, Texas, is another of the unit's displaced Marines. He's an active-duty Marine who was stationed at Camp Pendleton before the war. Castaneda has been attached to the South Bend unit as a mechanic.
"From what I was told, I was the only mechanic available who could do the job," he said.
Castaneda said it's tough being attached to a new company but that he's getting along just fine.
"You think you're going to war with your buddies and then they switch you to a new unit and you have to make friends all over again," he said. "But they're good guys. It's no different that they're reservists -- we're all Marines."
