Marine Corps BS Afghanistan Volume 1

Thank You

Sgt. Grit, my name is Dennis Francis and I am 47 years old. I tell you that because I am now a security contractor in Afghanistan and have been for the last three years. I was a Marine in H+S Company 1/2 from 1980-85 and was a police officer for 22 yrs before coming to Afghanistan. I am writing this letter to thank you for your support and dedication to Marines everywhere, because I want you to understand how much you mean to all of us. I have had the pleasure of being embedded with Golf Company 2/7 and working with the Marine Special Operations Command and I have to tell you that they do " still make em like they use to ". I had to train hard just to keep up with them and I was proud to be allowed to operate with them. Their courage and bravery brought tears to my eyes during many battles and it was an honor to be excepted by them. By the way, I was affectionately labeled " old dude". They loved your products, the baseball caps and all of your stuff but were especially proud of the EGA patch that I proudly displayed on my combat uniform.

You are truly a hero to all of us and I just want to take this time to personally say a heartfelt " thank you".

Semper Fi,
Dennis Francis

In memory of Cpl. Nicholas Xiarhos

Nick was my best friend, he was a fellow Marine and was like a brother to me. In fact I would say that we were closer than most brothers could ever be. We'd experienced things together that no one else could ever relate to unless they were there at that moment in time.

For the last four years of my life after high school everything I've done or experienced has been with nick. I've had some of the best times of my life with nick and I think a lot of that had to do with the love and appreciation we both shared for life due to the hardships and bitterness we shared that in the end can only make you do just that, love life.

I can remember times when nick and I would just sit in the barracks and drink a whole bottle of vodka or jack daniels and just talk and laugh and be happy we could both be sitting there and not in the d*mn desert. I can still remember the day we arrived at parris island, it seems like a lifetime ago, and how in the first week we got separated and nick went to 2nd BN while I stayed in 1st BN because he needed to be evaluated for his allergy to bees.

I remember with a week left to go I broke my right hip and had to have surgery and stay in the hospital for two months. As soon as nick's graduation ceremony was over he came right to the hospital to visit me. It's things like that I think that made us closer than any friends could ever be. Once we both got to the fleet it was every single weekend from Friday to Sunday that we would party non-stop, and that's the way it should have been for two kids our age dealing with the things we were.

Then we both went to Iraq in march of 2008, myself with 2nd LAR BN and nick with 1st BN 9th Marines. I heard about a suicide bomber that hit a combat out post with 1/9 about a month into the deployment and I prayed to god that nick was all right. Luckily at that time we had internet access so I got a hold of him pretty quickly and my mind was put at ease. We both came home in October and picked up right where we left off both better and wiser from the experience we had shared.

As soon as we got back, there was already talk of 2nd LAR deploying to Afghanistan before the summer came. That turned out to be only Charlie company going out and I got picked to go with them. So of course after I told nick he wasn't going to let me go alone and he transferred to 2nd BN 8th Marines who were slated to leave at the same time frame we were. We met up at camp leatherneck in Afghanistan where we saw each other on a regular basis and talked about colleges we were going to go to, a house we were going to rent for the summer, and how much life just sucked out there in general.

We pushed south on june 27th and that was the last I saw or heard from nick. I don't think either of us really knew what to expect coming down here. The first week down here in the helmand province was the craziest thing I have ever experienced . I don't think I can count on both hands the number of times I thought myself or one of my guys was going to die. I knew nick had to be going through the same thing and every chance I got I'd call my mom and ask if she had heard from nick's mom to make sure he was still all right. As casualties increased all across the helmand province, including my own battalion, I couldn't help but constantly worry.

On the evening of july 27th I called home to put my mind at ease again after hearing another Marine in 2/8 was killed. My mom answered the phone and asked if anyone had contacted me and I instantly knew what had happened, that my worst possible fear had come true. I felt sick to my stomach and I still do. How could this happen to nick? I thought we were both invincible through all of this, that all of this would just be another drunk story to tell when we got home. How could my friend who I'd shared so much with and had so many future plans with after the Marine Corps be gone just like that?

Andrew at Cpl. Nicholas Xiarhos Funeral As I sit here in a city called Khan-Neshan in the Helmand province of Afghanistan I keep asking myself these questions and I'm finding it very hard to sleep at night now and I feel like that light I always saw at the end of the tunnel is dimming away for me knowing all of the grief and mourning going on back home for my best friend and fellow Marine. I wish more than anything in the world that I could be there for the service and to see my friend off but it is impossible now and there is nothing I can do to change it.

I hope that by everyone hearing these words read can some way help put everyone's hearts and minds at ease . I will end this with a quote that has stuck with me for a long time and has inspired me when I have been in my lowest and darkest moments. "we must never allow ourselves to forget or dishonor the few men who went and would go again to h&ll and back to preserve and defend what this country truly believes to be right and descent." I feel like half of me has been taken away here in Afghanistan and the better half at that.

I miss you and love you nick and I will never forget the things you and I have been through for the rest of my life.

CPL. Andrew W. Coville USMC

Read the Cape Cod Times article about Cpl. Nichola Xiarhos's

Marine Husband

I'm so proud to have the Eagle Globe and Anchor sticker on my vehicle, an elderly gentleman saluted me today. This is my husband who is coming home from Afghanistan, hopefully soon. I enjoy your website, Semper Fi.

Our Marine

Our son, Clint Thomas, was promoted on or about 2 August 2009 to Master Sergeant, USMC, while in Afghanistan with 2Bn 3rd Marines. We couldn't be prouder.

Wayne & Debi Thomas

L/Cpl James B. Wolter Jr.

My youngest son L/Cpl James B. Wolter Jr. is serving with 2nd LAR in Afghanstan. I sent him my American Flag thinking that he would keep it safe in his gear. I wanted him to have it as a daily reminder of just what they were fighting for. Little did I know that he would honor his old man in such a way. See, I carried this flag through my 4 years as a MARINE also. Do we need a better recruiting poster? I have this picture as my computer wallpaper, as my home screen on my Blackberry, frames at work and another at home. People now run and hide as I pull out my Blackberry uttering the famous words, " Have I shown You my Sons Picture?" Proud Papa??? You think?

Semper Fi
Jim Wolter
1969-1974

LCpl Wharton

Hey, Sgt, Grit.

Thought you might like some pics of my son, Jesse in Afghanistan. The group pic is of his embedded training team, ETT 5-4. 4 of them, including himself, are training the ANA or Afghan National Army and the rest are assigned to humanitarian teams throughout Aghanistan. The other pic is of him playing football with our army. Who says our marines and army can't get along? LOL!

He has been stationed in the Kunar Province which is on the border of Pakistan since November.

Thanks for all of your support for our brave men and women....I call his ETT pic "The band of Brothers".

SEMPER FI....
Kelly Sekuterski

My Son in Afghanistan

Hey, Sgt. Grit!

Just thought I would share a few photos of my son, Jesse. He is currently deployed in the Kunar Province of Aghanistan....

Semper Fi!

Proud Marine Mom

LCpl Wharton

My son Lcpl. Wharton who is on his first deployment in Afghanistan. I am so proud of our Marines, thanks for your newsletters all the information is so helpful to our family.

Semper Fi
VPMM Lcpl. Nathan

LCpl Wilson

Hello I just placed an order and feel it is right of me to inform you of the recent loss of my son, LCpl Wilson, Ivan I . He was KIA in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on July 21, 2008... all so fresh in my mind, from the 5 am knock on the door to now as I simply write this. I ordered some items and wanted to share with you this. I am attaching a pic of him just sent to me from his Marine buddies from the sand!

Thanks again, Denise Wilson A Very Proud Marine Mom

Master Gunns Holy

Sgt Grit,

I was looking at your page and noticed the section you had about Afghanistan, and seen that MgySgt Holy had sent in some photos of him and some of the Marines there at Bagram. I had the pleasure of meeting MgySgt Holy and from the minute I met him I knew he was one of those old war dogs that led from the front. He came out to our FOB in Asadabad to visit and meet the Marines out there. While he was there he wanted to go out on one of our missions with our unit. When we were conducting the convoy brief and letting everyone know what vehicle and where they were going to be during the mission. The Master Gunny had a complaint about just ridding in the humvee, he told us "he was sure he could shoot better then anyone there and that he would be better off manning the 50cal instead of just riding in the damn humvee." I was there in 2005 and was injured by a ied blast. After I got hurt he made sure that while I was in Afghanistan that a Marine would be right beside me at all times incase I woke up that way I wouldnt be alone. He even kept my family up to date as to when I would be getting back state side, and has kept in contact with me ever since. I attached a picture of me receiving my Purple Heart from General Hagee and a couple other ones.

Semper Fi Cpl Epperson

Tun Tavern Afghanistan

Sgt. Grit, the gear you sent is a great addition. Please feel free to use them . If there is anything I can do for you please let me know. Thank You Marine!

Semper Fidelis
MGySgt Holy

Just got back from Afghanistan

I just got back form Bagram/Kandahar, Afghanistan. Took some pictures a Marine monument of their dead killed in Afghanistan. I thought I would share it with you.

Out Here,

Norman W Crowe
SSGT USMC 68-78
Vietnam- 69-70, H&S Co 1st Tanks/Co F 2nd Bn 1st Marines

25 Lessons Presentation

25 Lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan

Meeting GySgt Ermey

Hey. I've been an avid visitor and buyer of your products on your website for the past two years since I joined the beloved Corps and REALLY appreciate what you do for us there. Thank you. Little story about this picture. I'm a Reservist out of NAS Atlanta assigned to MAG-42. Last April on my drill weekend we were shipping out the 2nd wave of HMLA-773 to Trashcanistan to go sling lead and death upon those little sh** stains that started this. That Saturday one of my shopmates told us that Lee Ermey was coming in the next day to travel with the group and do another season of episodes for "Mail Call" on the History Channel with them. We were like "You're kidding right?" Well, the next day someone said that he was in our main hangar so we all ventured over there. Sure enough, there was THE drill instructor himself, Gunny Ermey. The entire group gathered 'round as he told his VERY colorful story of his tour in Iraq doing the documentary with our guys and gals. He summed it up pretty well. "WHAT A SH***Y PLACE TO PUT A CITY!" He told of us making great progress there, contrary to the news media (such as the "Communist News Network" CNN) bashing us about our presense there, bashed movie stars such as Sean Penn and Tim Robbins (rightfully so), and said that we were kicking ass and taking names. I had to get a picture of this rare moment of me with probably the only Marine just as popular (if not more than) as the Commandant.

Semper Fi,
Lcpl. Jacob Allen
MALS-42 MAG-42 NAS Atl
On Time, On Target Baby!

Just back from Afghanistan

Me at Lejuene getting my first NAM from Col Kahn

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