ngu-Cpl. Shawn C. Rhodes
FALLUJAH, Iraq - Imithwalo ejwayelekile yokulwa yamaMarines e-Iraq akuyona "ejwayelekile". Yiqiniso, kukhona "izinto ezidingekayo" ezikhona - isikhali, isikhungo sokuqala sokusiza, isigqoko sokuzivikela kanye nejacket ye-flak - kodwa uma kuziwa "okuhle-kuya-haves" yiwo wonke ama-Marine.
"Sishiya ku-patrol emizuzwini emihlanu! Thola i-gear yakho ndawonye!" kusho abasebenzi bakwaSgt. Christian B. Amason, i-platoon sergeant yeNkampani G, i-2nd Battalion, i-Regiment yesibili yaseMarine, eyabelwe kwi-1st Division Marine.
Lokho kwakuvame ukuba yindlela ehleliwe futhi eyomile, kodwa ngezimoto zanamuhla , imithwalo yokulwa imisiwe. Ngisho amaphakethe afika ngamapokhethi angenekayo, engeza futhi asuse indawo yegesi. Yisenzo sokulinganisela. Ijezi eliningi kakhulu, lilinganisa phansi iManine. Kancane kakhulu, futhi bahlupheka ngokungadingekile.
Thatha ama-Amason, isibonelo. Uyisosha laseSydney Special Forces nesisulu seMarine. Unezinombolo eziningi zokujikeleza ngaphansi kwebhande lakhe. Uyakwazi lokho akudingayo nokuthi angaphila ngaphandle uma ehamba ensimini.
U-Amason, oneminyaka engu-32 ubudala, uvela ku-Elora, uTenn. "Lokho kuyizinto eziyisisekelo ezifana nezikhali zakho, izinhlamvu, ama-optics, imishini yokuhamba nemikhumbi kanye nejacket nesigqoko sokuzivikela. Ngokuhlinzeka ngamanzi, lokho kwenza okungenani amapremu angu-30 emzimbeni wakho ongaphezulu. Uma ungumshini (gun), ngabe kungaba kalula amapremu angu 50. "
U-Amason uyazi ukuthi yini eyomgcina ephila ensimini, kodwa kukhona into eyodwa engakaze ayihlanganise nayo.
"Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngiya kuphi ensimini, njalo ngithatha 'woobie' yami," wanezela. "Yilokho umkami obiza khona i-poncho liner."
Ngokusho kwe-Amason, i-poncho liner iyona engxenyeni engcono kakhulu yamagesi ayinayo, egcina imfudumalo sezulu ebanda futhi ipholile eshisayo. Amanye amaMarine anesidingo esihlukile abayifaka ekuthwaleni.
"Ngingumuntu ozohamba naye epolrol, ukuhamba ngokujwayelekile 'uSaigon Sam's,'" kusho uLance Cpl. URyan P. Taylor, ngokubhekisele esitolo samasosha ezempi nje ngaphandle kwekamu Camp Lejeune, NC
I-Dumfries, i-Va. Rifleman iyaziwa ukuthi ihlale ikhona izibani zamakhemikhali njalo, intambo ye-parachute, i-tape fly, isihlangu esikhwameni esetshenziswa ukulungisa amabhuzu kanye ne-superglue, phakathi kwezinye izinto epakethe lakhe.
"Awusoze wazi ukuthi uzodinga yini okuthile, ngakho ngizama ukuletha nami," wanezela.
I-mainstay yabanini abasha abasensimini akungabazeki ukuthi bafuna. Uma ungathwali Ukudla, Ukulungele Ukudla okukhishwayo, amaningi amaningi aseMarines anezinzuzo zokudla okungenamsoco.
Lokhu kuyiqiniso ikakhulukazi ku-Sgt. UJames M. Emuva, umqondisi we-platoon waseLogan, Utah. Eyaziwa ngokuthi 'Ukuncintisana' kubalingani bakhe bomhlaba, amaMarine ahlale enokudla okuqhubekayo.
"Ngiyitshela umkami," wathi "Uyanginakekela ngokucophelela amaphakheji, ngakho-ke wonke umuntu uyazi ukuthi uzoza kimi ukudla okungenamsoco."
Emuva futhi uyakwazi ukupakisha i-patrol. Ukuthwala ama-chevrons engeziwe, izibopho zokuvala, i-caffeine amaphilisi okuhamba ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amabhethri ahlukene, amasokisi angasese, ikhwelo, isikrini selanga kanye ne-flashlight, Emuva uzizwa ulungiselelwe noma yini ezayo.
"Amanzi aseMarines afunde okuhlangenwe nakho kwabaholi babo beqembu bese bezitholela ukuthi yini ebenza kubo," kusho u-Back.
"Kuncike kakhulu kulokho ozimisele ukukuthwala ukuze ulungele noma yini ongayifaka."