I-Navy News Service Service
Ababhikishi bangixwayisa ukuthi umoya uzoba mncane lapho, kepha angizange ngikubone. Lokhu kwakungukuqala kokulwa kwami futhi nginjengomntwana obanjwe ebumnyameni, ngangikhathazekile.
Imigwaqo emifula emincane ehamba ngezintaba ezintabeni ezingu-6 000 zaseTorkhem, e-Afghanistan yenza iMarines I enzima impi ihlanganiswe nento okuthiwa amaTaliban ayesabi.
Abashayeli, ukuziphatha njengabahamba ngezinyawo kuneziqhawe zasogwadule, banciphisa ama-Humvees abo emigwaqeni ngelinye iso endleleni futhi omunye ehlaziya ngokuzenzekelayo emiphandleni engenamkhawulo nakubantu abakhethiweyo besitha.
Angizange ngihambe - hhayi i-millimitha - ngenkathi sakhuphuka emigwaqweni encane kangangokuba ngacabanga ngobuqotho ukuthi ngiphefumule kakhulu ngingasiphakamisa ngecala, ngiphonsela ngaphezu kweyhilomitha kuze kube sekufeni okuthile.
Angikaphefumuli. Angizange ngicwebe. Ngilindele amaTaliban ukuba asixoshe ngemuva kwamadwala onke, futhi kwakukhona amatshe amaningi.
U-HN "Doc" uJoseph Nededog, waphawula amathanga ami amhlophe.
"Uyazi, ngilinde izinyanga ukuze enye yezimbuzi iwele eceleni kwalezi zintaba," kusho uNededog. "Akalokothi enze," esho nge-grin. Ngangomomotheka futhi ekugcineni ngiphefumula.
Yilokho okushiwo "Amadokhumenti". Benza wonke umuntu akhululeke, uma ungumuntu oyisidumbu seMarines enhliziyweni yezwe elivukelayo, esisiza isithombe se-photojournalist ukuba sigcine isidlo sakusihlwa phansi futhi amaphaphu akhe asebenze usuku olulula.
U-Nededog uye wabona okubi nakakhulu.
Phela, kwakungesona isitha esenza la ma-combat combatants ahambe kancane, futhi kufanelekile. Kwakuyi-Afghanistan ngokwayo, hhayi i-Taliban evinjiwe, eyayibeka umphefumulo wokuqala kaPlatoon wokuqala ku-Humvee rollover ingakapheli inyanga ngaphambi kwalokhu kulandelwa.
I-Doc Nededog igxile ngalolo suku futhi; namanje, wakwazi ukwelapha i-turret gunner yakhe eyayingenalutho, echotshoziwe phakathi kwesikhali sakhe kanye nezwe lase-Afghanistan elibizayo. Kwakungekho okwanele. I-Platoon yesithathu yalahlekelwa iMarine ngalolosuku. Ukulahlekelwa yinoma yikuphi amaManzini kubi, kepha kula maMarines, wonke amaMarines, umcabango wokulahlekelwa yisidumbu wawungeke ucabangeke.
Yingakho uMarines abathanda abathunjwa bawo.
"Singabantu abazalwane lapha. Ukulahlekelwa yisidumbu kungaba yinto enkulu, "kusho uMarine SSgt. UMatewu Morse, uMongameli wePlatoon wesi-3, "mhlawumbe okungaphezu kokulahlekelwa yiMarine, ngoba izidumbu zethu ziyizingubo zethu zokuphepha."
Futhi uma uzimisele ukuqeda ezinye zezimpi zezwe eziyingozi kakhulu zama-guerrilla, ulethe isihogo esisodwa esikhwameni sokuphepha.
"AbakwaCorpsmen babe nokuqeqeshwa ukuhlukunyezwa ukubhekana nanoma yisiphi isimo," kusho uMorse. "Isigameko esasisemotweni eyayihamba neyabulala enye yaseMarine yayinolwazi olwanele lokuphulukana nokulimala kwakhe kanti lisaqhubeka nokuphatha iMarine."
Futhi yilokho uMarines alindele abalandeli ukuba bakwenze ngoba umlando uthi uzokwenza. Asikho isilinganiso esisodwa ku-Navy esihlotshaniswa kakhulu kunesibindi kunesibhedlela esibhedlela. AmaMarines akazibuza ukuthi uzosindisa ukuphila kwawo. Bayazibuza ukuthi nini.
"Ukuba ngumkhumbi kunzima ngokwanele, futhi singabantu abathintekayo," kusho uHMC Claude English, 1/3 oyinhloko yezokwelapha zeMarines. "Siyibo ababayisa ekhaya kumama nobaba. Uma bezwa ubuhlungu bafika kuwe, yingakho bakuthanda. "
I-Rollovers yinkinga encane yezinkathazo zikaDok Nededog namuhla. Emakhilomitha ambalwa nje ukusuka esivumelwaneni sawo, umusi omnyama wabuyela esibhakabhakeni sasehlane.
Kude kakhulu ukulimaza la maMarines, akugcini ngokubheka ukudlula. Imibukiso nemisindo yempi ayisayikuzijabulisa.
Kodwa iphunga lenza.
Udoti ovuthayo kanye namafutha ashisayo amanzi ashisa njengamafutha ashibhile, enikeza izindawo ezithile zase-Afghanistan isithunzi esingenakulibaleka.
"Iphunga liyangikhumbuza njalo ukuthi kukhona okungekho lapha," kusho uNededog.
Amahora kamuva, emuva ku-Firebase Torkhem, ebizwa ngokusemthethweni ngokuthi i-Forward Operating Base (FOB) Torkhem, amaMarines athole ukuthi ubusi, obangelwa ukuqhuma kweloli lika-fuel kusuka edivayisini yokuqhuma okuthuthukisiwe (IED), kungenzeka ukuthi kwakwenzelwe wona.
"AbaseTaliban bayazi ukuthi sisekhona lapha sisiza amaphoyisa ase-Afghan," kusho uMorse. "Kungenzeka ukuthi kwakubi, kodwa amaphoyisa asempumalanga enza umsebenzi wawo. Bathole ibhomu ngesikhathi esanele ukuze bonke abantu bahambe. Akekho owahlukunyezwa, ngisho nomshayeli. "
Ngonyaka owodwa odlule, ngokusho kwamaphoyisa omhlaba jikelele, lelo bhomu laliyolidlulisela endaweni yalo. Ukuqeqeshwa kusebenza.
Futhi yingakho uDkt Nededog noMarines akhe bekhuphuka bese beqhuba izintaba zase-Afghanistan bese bewela izintaba zawo. Badlala umfowethu omkhulu kumapulazi ase-Afghanistan asempumalanga, abasize bahlale bodwa. Umqondo wokuthi abambalwa abahlukunyezwayo bangakhetha ukulwa nomfowenu omncane onobuhlobo obunzima kangaka. Kuze kube manje uhlelo lusebenze, okwenza abathungi abathathu be-platoon - ukulwa-abahlakaniphile - abanesizungu kakhulu.
Noma kunjalo, amaMarines aletha abadumbu babo ngoba izinto ezimbi zenzeka empini, hhayi nje namhlanje.
Konke kukho konke, kwakungolunye usuku oluthulile lwe-Nededog. Ngokuqinisekile, wayeyindlebe enokwethenjelwa kwamanye amazwe aseMarines, wanikeza imithi yokwelapha i-doxycycline (anti-malaria), futhi waqinisekisa ukuthi amadoda akhe anamandla ayehlala e-hydrated, kodwa akekho owayenegciwane lesifuba elisusayo kusukela ebhokisini le-sniper noma emilenzeni ekhishwe emayini . Akekho owayekhamuluka, "Corpsmen Up!" Akusilo namuhla, noma kunjalo.
Abaphathi be-Savvy bafunda ukunambitheka kokungasebenzi.
"Akekho othukuthelela uMarines futhi ulindele ukuba abe nesithukuthezi," kusho uNededog. "Kodwa lapha, lapho usuku nosuku lungase lube khona lokugcina, ukuzonda kungcono kakhulu."
Noma kunjalo, i-Nededog ilungiselelwe okubi kakhulu futhi ilindele nsuku zonke.
Ukuzilungisa kwakhe kwaqala e-East Medical Service School (FMSS) eMpumalanga, eCamp Johnson, NC, enye yezindawo ezimbili zokukhiqiza iziFleet Marine Force (FMF). I-FMSS West, e-Camp Pendleton, Calif., Isebenza njengomunye umthombo.
Lapho, abaFilisi bamanzi baseMarines nabaseMarini bafaka amakhono ayisisekelo kanye nezimo ezidalwa izidumbu zabasebenzi bazodinga ukugcina izingqondo zeMarines ngokugcwele emsebenzini wabo.
"Amamorine alwa kanzima uma enesidumbu esihle," kusho uMorse. "Khona-ke abakhathazeki ngokufa, bakhathazeka ngokuthunywa futhi yilona yezindlela ezingcono kakhulu zokuqinisekisa ukuthi wonke umuntu uya ekhaya ephila."
U-Nededog, ngokusho kwesigcawu sakhe, unhle.
"Ungomunye wethu," kusho uMarine PFC u-Oscar Repreza.
Futhi uma uMarine esho lokho, noma yikuphi umthunzi owaziwayo owaziyo ukuthi akakho ukuncoma okungcono.
"Okokuqala, kufanele uhloniphe," kusho isiNgisi. "Isici esibaluleke kakhulu kumphathi we-FMF ophumelelayo ukukwazi ukuzivumelanisa nendlela yokuphila ye-Marine Corps. Lokhu kusho ukuphilisa nokuphefumula nsuku zonke njengoManzi. Wena PT nabo futhi ungawa. Uhamba nabo, awuyi kuphuma. On patrols, uyazi izibonakaliso zandla ngoba unguManzini, oManzini osanda kwenzeka ukuthi abe nolwazi oluningi lwezokwelapha. "
Bonke abathunjwa bakaPlatoon abathathu balandela ikhodi yokuziphatha.
"Ngangineminyaka engu-E-2 nje lapho ngibhalela i-unit yokuqala yami yaseMarine Corps," kusho uHM2 (FMF / SW / AW) uDennis Astor, Senior Corpsman, oPhambili oSebenza BaseTorkhem. "Ngenza lokho abakwenzayo. Ngimise imisebenzi yabo, ngivolontiya emaqenjini abo asebenzayo, njll. Uma abaManzi becela usizo, ngabanika njalo njalo. "
Uma ungenjalo, awunanzuzo kubo.
"Into ebhekene nesikhulu esingazenza ngayo ukudayisa amakhaya akhe," kusho u-Astor. "Yehlisa iphakethe lakho ngokuhamba, shiya noma unikeze izizathu, noma ulahle umkhumbi odinga usizo futhi ngeke akuthethelele. Uma ungumuntu omuhle, amaMarines azokukwenza noma yini emhlabeni, kepha uma ungumuntu obi, uzokuzonda, futhi ungikholelwa ukuthi awufuni lokho. "
Akukho lutho ngaphandle kwenhlonipho kubalimi ku Platoon yesithathu. Abafelanda babo abadala bawuthola kwelinye ihlane.
"E-Iraq, i-convoy yami yahlaselwa yi-IED," kusho u-Astor. "Sasilahlekelwa amaMarines amaningi ngalolo suku, futhi ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi isizathu esingazange ngife ngaso kungenxa yokuthi ngincane kakhulu. Izikhali eziselilili zangihlanganisa ngokuphelele. "
Walimala, usaqhubeka nokuphatha ama-Marines. Eqinisweni, wenqaba imiyalo ekhaya futhi wabuyela ezinyangeni zakhe kamuva ukuze alwe nabo futhi. Usalokhu ephethe ikhanda ekhanda lakhe kusukela kulokhu kuhlaselwa futhi ukhunjuzwa ukuba khona kwayo emakhazeni asebandleni lase-Afghan abanda kakhulu.
"Bangitshele ukuthi kuzokwenzakala kakhulu ukuyisusa," kusho u-Astor. "Ngizizwa ngempela nge helmet yami Kevlar on."
AmaMarines anesizini anenhlonipho ejulile kubalimi.
"Ngokweqiniso, ngezinye izikhathi abesilisa abaduni babeka ama-Marines amahloni ngenxa yalokho abangakwenza," kusho uMorse. "Bayathwala kakhudlwana kunathi ngoba baphatha lokho esikuthwalayo, nazo zonke izinto zabo zokwelashwa."
Isidumbu, uma sihle, singasiza ama-Marines angaphezu kwemithi. Angaba iphuzu lokukhuthazwa.
"Uma u-Marine eqala ukukhathala emthinini bese ebona isidumbu sigxuma nje, senza ukuba ahambe," kusho uMorse.
E-Torkhem, wonke ama-Docs angu-1/3 ajikeleza ngokusebenzisa imisebenzi ehlukene ye-platoon. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi amaMarines ahamba ngezintaba nezintaba, noma ahamba ngezinyawo ngamamayela angu-25 eceleni kwesimo esishisayo se-IED, noma yibaphi abathintekayo be-1/3 abangenza umsebenzi kahle ngokwanele ukuba amaMarines angacabangi ngawo.
"Ukuzijabulisa kuyamnandi," kusho uNededog. "Ukukhuphuka kungase kube yizungeze lapha, kodwa siyifinyelela. I-Afghan National Army (ANA) yayivame ukusithatha ngoba asizange sikhuphuke ngokushesha njengoba benza ngezinyawo lapho siqala ukufika lapha. Kodwa siwafaka emagcekeni ethu kuhlanganise nesigqoko somzimba ngesinye isikhathi futhi abazange bahlale imizuzu emihlanu. "
Ama-Marines ka-Nededog aye ngcono ekukhuphukeni. Futhi kanjalo namaDokhumenti.
Ama-Corpsmen afana ne-Doc Astor, i-HM2 (FMF) yase-Scott "Doc" i-Kuniyuki, ne-Doc Nededog azizishiyi ngokwabo ukuze ziveze iMarines. Benza kanjalo ukuze bahlale bekhona kubo. Kungenxa yokuthi ukwesaba okukhulu kunomuntu ophethe izidakamizwa ukuthi ngeke akwazi ukusiza oLwandle lapho efuna khona.
"E-Marine Corps, akukho into enjengokugcina [amahora] ehhovisi," kusho u-Astor. "Emtholampilo ovamile ngingazibona iziguli ezivela ku-0700-1700 nsuku zonke, kodwa ngamaMarines ami, ngiyatholakala 24/7. Siyibiza ngokuthi imithi yokwelapha, futhi ibalulekile. "
Amadokhumenti alindeleke ukuthi enze okungaphezulu kakhulu kokunikezela nge-band-aids ne-Motrin. Bayagcwalisa indima yabazalwane, abangane abangcono, obaba, izazi zengqondo, abaqashi noma noma yiziphi izidingo zomdabu ngaleso sikhathi.
"Amanqamu afika kithi ukuze aduduze, futhi akukhathaleki uma kungokwenyama, engqondweni noma ngokomzwelo ngoba sifuna ukuba amaMarines abe nempilo," kusho u-Astor. "Sibheka izinkinga futhi sixoxa nabo njalo. Bayazi ukuthi siyabakhathalela nsuku zonke, hhayi kuphela uma befuna ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha. "
Kungumsebenzi wabantu abadumbu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bahlala kuphi. Izinkinga zempi zingahlanganisa nezinkinga eziphathekayo ngokujwayelekile. Ukulwa nomfazi, izinkinga zezimali noma ezinye izindaba ezimbi kungathatha ingqondo yomkhumbi emndenini wakhe bese umlimaza.
AmaMarines eTorkhem akhuluma nabalimi babo ngoba bayazi ukuthi izidumbu zabo zinakekele.
"Noma yini engakubulala lapha," kusho uNededog, "i-IED, inhlamvu, ukunganaki noma inhlanhla nje. Siyazi ukuthi kufanele siqiniseke ukuthi amaMarines ethu angaphezulu kwegeyimu yawo yonke imizuzwana yansuku zonke. "
Ngesikhathi abalimi bekulindeleke ukuba baphile-konke okwenziwe yi-Marine, bayazi ukuthi ubuchwepheshe babo bezokwelapha buqala ukudlala lapho kudingeka. Ngaphandle kwalokho, bangamaMarine kuwo wonke umqondo wegama.
"Abakwa-Corpsmen badinga ukwazi amakhono okulwa ngesandla ngoba uma bephuma nabakwaMarines kungase kudingeke bahle futhi bahlanzekile ngesikhathi sokushisa umlilo," kusho uSgt. Michael Belliston. "Kungase kudingeke balwe nendlela yabo eya eManzini okulimazayo, noma balwe nendlela yokuphuma nayo."
Ngakho abafelezi bafunda. Bafunda indlela yokulwa ngesandla, indlela yokushayela izikhwama ze-grenade ze-MK-19, ukushayela i-Humvees, i-rappel, ukuthatha iphuzu ku-patrol, njll. Futhi bayayenza emigqeni yangaphambili, hhayi nje ngesikhathi sokuqeqeshwa emuva uthi.
Abasolwandle bayabamba.
"Ngihlale ngigxilile ngezinga lamakhono abanakho ngokuqeqeshwa okuncane kakhulu," kusho uMorse. "Ababhikishi bami bangagxuma kunoma yisiphi isikhali ngaphandle lapha futhi benze kanye nanoma yikuphi u-Marine. Heck, ngiye ngahlangana namanye ama-docs angakwazi ukuphuma emazweni onke aseMarine egumbini lakhe. "
Noma kunjalo, amaMarines angathanda ukuthi izidumbu zingadingeki zibonise ukulungela empini ngesikhathi sokushisa umlilo.
"Owesilisa omuhle uzobeka phansi uma kudingeka," kusho uMorse, "kodwa sizama ukuwagcina ngemuva ukuze basindise."
Ngaphandle kokudubula okuqinisekisiwe, ubuholi be-Marine Corps njalo buqinisekisa ukuthi amaMarines abo aqonda amaDokhumenti angeneka, kodwa asekhona esempi. Kuyisilinganiso esabeka kusukela ekuqaleni njengengxenye yesiyalo esiyinkimbinkimbi iMarines isebenzisa ukunqoba izimpi.
"Ngenza iphuzu lapho ngifika ku-platoon entsha ukwethula amadokhumenti ethu," kusho uMorse. "Ngizokhuluma okuthiwa 'Ngiyazi ukuthi u-doc, futhi uhlezi emuva, kodwa uzoyihlonipha futhi uyomphatha ngendlela ongayenza ngayo uMarine'."
Inhlonipho igeleza ngezindlela zombili.
"Ngilindele ukuthi izidumbu zami zingesabi ukukhuluma uma zibona omunye wamaMarines enza okuthile okungalungile."
Ngamafuphi, amaMarines alindele ukuthi amadokhumenti abo abe, ama-Marine.
Futhi yilowo mgomo wezinkolelo futhi ngoba yilapho beyazi ukuthi benza umsebenzi wabo.
"Ukunconywa okungcono kakhulu esingayinika umfelandawonye," kusho uMorse, "ukuphatha njengoba nje sasizokwenza noma yisiphi isiMarine."