Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders. ~Tom Peters
Let Us Remember & Be Grateful
POW/MIA Ceremony
1 small round table
1 chair leaning against the table,
white table cloth, table set for 1,
salt shaker,
1 lemon slice,
black vase with yellow ribbon,
black napkin,
red rose,
water glass inverted on table,
recording of Taps - Some Gave All.
FOR A JOB WELL DONE "CAN DO"SEABEES as U.S. Navy combat troops and construction workers heavily involved in national defense and humanitarian aid worldwide.
The Seabee Memorial At Arlington National Cemetery
"With compassion for others we build - we fight for peace with freedom!"
We're the Seabees of the Navy
We can build and we can fight
We'll pave the way to victory
And guard it day and night
And we promise that we remember
The "Seventh of December"
We're the Seabees of the Navy
Bees of the Seven Seas
The Navy wanted men
That's where we came in
Mister Brown and Mister Jones
The Owens, the Cohens and Flynn
The Navy wanted more
Of Uncle Sammy's kin
So we all joined up
And brother we're in to win.
The formal answer: The Seabees were established in 1942 to build shore facilities in combat areas for the Navy and Marine Corps. At a cost of billions of dollars and numerous casualties, they constructed more than 400 advance bases in war zones, providing logistical support for troops at the front during World War II. Since then, Seabee construction services have supported American fighting troops in every significant conflict of the cold war and in the more recent crises in Bosnia and the Persian Gulf region.
The right answer: Between the awkwardness of a soldier and the dignity of a Marine is a questionable character called a Seabee. Seabees come in assorted sizes, shapes, weights and colors. But they all have the same code, to enjoy every hour of every day.
Seabees are found everywhere; on top of climbing on, swinging from running around or turning to. Mothers and sweethearts love them. Sisters love them. Airdales hate them. Company Commanders tolerate them. Chief Peffy Officers drive them.
A Seabee is a composite. He has the appetite of a horse, thirst of a camel, the digestion of a goat, the energy of a pocket sized atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the lungs of a dictator, the imagination of Paul Bunyan, the slyness of a villain, the audacity of a firecracker and the spirit of a fighting cock.
He loves liberty, leave, holidays, weekends, girls, beer, chow, movies, getting drunk, swinging pin-ups and lots of sleep.
He is not one for duty, night watches, taps, reveille, routine, discipline, officers or secured heads.
Nobody else is so eager to rise without actually getting up; no other person get so much fun out of liberty and shore patrol; no one else can have so muchon so little money.
A Seabee is a man of many abilities. He can weld, drive, repair and fight. He can wreck or beautify. He can build something out of nothing. Work never seems to tire him or does he seem to tire of it. His motto is "Can Do" and "Did". This frequently miraculous occurrence is recognized in the form "Well Done" by everyone from the Commanding Officer on down.
The average Seabee is a thick headed individual of a variety of nationalities. He won't admit it to anyone except in defense of his corps.
Without him the fleet would have nothing to gripe about, Marines would have nothing to fight about, civilians would have nothing to talk about and history would have nothing to write about. SEABEE Combat Warfare Specialist
ALFA COMPANY
When it comes to heavy lifting and mobility, nobody ?Can Do? like the motivated Seabees of the Almighty Alfa Company!!!
Alfa Company consists of two Seabee rates; Equipment Operators (EO) and Construction Mechanics (CM).
The Navy Seabees are known widely as the Construction Force of the United States NAVY. During a time of war, the majority of the work being accomplished by Seabees takes place in combat zones filled with intense conflict. The intensity of combat situations, along with unique field training exercises make Seabees mentally and physically able to accomplish arduous duties. Simply stated, they build, they fight and they train.
Other Comments:
THE ATHEIST AND THE MARINE
( this doesn't get any better)
A United States Marine was attending some college courses between
assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of the courses had a professor who was a vowed atheist and a member
of the ACLU.
One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He
looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, 'God, if you are real, then I want
you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes.'
The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes
went by and the professor proclaimed, 'Here I am God. I'm still
waiting.' It got down to the last couple of minutes when the
Marine got out of his Chair, went up to the professor, and cold-conked him;
knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold.
The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other
students were shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in
silence.
The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the
Marine and asked, 'What the hell is the matter with you? Why did
you do that?' The Marine calmly replied, 'God was too busy today
protecting America 's soldiers who are protecting your right to say
stupid shit and act like an asshole. So, He sent me.'
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)
From Month/Year
September / 2001
To Month/Year
December / 2099
Description "Operation Enduring Freedom" (OEF) is the current official name used by the U.S. government for the War in Afghanistan, together with a number of smaller military actions, under the umbrella of the Global "War on Terror" (GWOT).
The operation was originally called "Operation Infinite Justice", but as similar phrases have been used by adherents of several religions as an exclusive description of God, it is believed to have been changed to avoid offense to Muslims, who are the majority religion in Afghanistan. U.S. President George W. Bush's remark that "this crusade, this war on terrorism, is going to take a while", which prompted widespread criticism from the Islamic world, may also have contributed to the renaming of the operation.
The Operation comprises several subordinate operations:
Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-)
Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines (OEF-P, formerly Operation Freedom Eagle)
Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA)
Operation Enduring Freedom – Pankisi Gorge (completed in 2004)
Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara (OEF-TS; see also Insurgency in the Maghreb)
Operation Enduring Freedom – Caribbean and Central America (OEF-CCA)
The term "OEF" typically refers to the war in Afghanistan. Other operations, such as the Georgia Train and Equip Program, are only loosely or nominally connected to OEF, such as through government funding vehicles. All the operations, however, have a focus on counterterrorism activities.
Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan, which is a joint U.S., U.K. and Afghan operation, is separate from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is an operation of North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations including the U.S. and U.K. The two operations run in parallel, and although it has been intended that they merge for some time, this has not yet happened.
Overview
In response to the attacks of 11 September, the early combat operations that took place on 7 October 2001 to include a mix of strikes from land-based B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress bombers, carrier-based F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet fighters, and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from both U.S. and British ships and submarines signaled the start of Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A).
The initial military objectives of OEF-A, as articulated by President George W. Bush in his 20 September Address to a Joint Session of Congress and his 7 October address to the country, included the destruction of terrorist training camps and infrastructure within Afghanistan, the capture of al-Qaeda leaders, and the cessation of terrorist activities in Afghanistan."
In January 2002, over 1,200 soldiers from the United States Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) deployed to the Philippines to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in their push to uproot terrorist forces on the island of Basilan. Of those groups included are Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah.[8] The operation consisted of training the AFP in counter-terrorist operations as well as supporting the local people with humanitarian aid in Operation Smiles.
In October 2002, the Combined Task Force 150 and United States military Special Forces established themselves in Djibouti at Camp Lemonnier. The stated goals of the operation were to provide humanitarian aid and patrol the Horn of Africa to reduce the abilities of terrorist organizations in the region. Similar to OEF-P, the goal of humanitarian aid was emphasised, ostensibly to prevent militant organizations from being able to take hold amongst the population as well as reemerge after being removed.
The military aspect involves coalition forces searching and boarding ships entering the region for illegal cargo as well as providing training and equipment to the armed forces in the region. The humanitarian aspect involves building schools, clinics and water wells to enforce the confidence of the local people.
Since 2001, the cumulative expenditure by the U.S. government on Operation Enduring Freedom has exceeded $150 billion.
The operation continues, with military direction mostly coming from United States Central Command.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
September / 2001
To Month/Year
December / 2001
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories NAVY M.P.A.T. (MILITARY POLICE ADVISORY TEAM). WE HAD THE TASKED OF TEACHING LEVEL ONE POLICE SKILLS, POLICE ETHICS, INTEGRITY,PERSONAL SEARCHES, VEHICLE SEARCHES, HANDCUFFING,WEAPON SAFETY AND DEFENSIVE TACTICS THAT WOULD HELP THERE POLICE FORCE BETTER SERVE THE CITIZENS OF AFGHANISTAN.