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Greetings
once again to the friends, family, and loved ones of Bedouin AKA
BTT 1/5/2:
I hope this
newsletter finds you and yours healthy and happy. Happy Belated
Valentine’s Day to the Sweethearts of our team members!
We have had
another eventful month that has consisted of:
- Another
live fire range conducted by the Officers and Shurta of 1/5/2
- An
operation in which the Engineers from Task Force 3/2 helped us
disrupt smuggling operations by repairing breaks in the border
berm and filling openings in the oil pipeline
- A road
trip to Waleed, Iraq to participate in a BTT conference, say
Farewell and Following Seas to LtCol Bien and the departing
Brigade BTT, and meet LtCol Corwin and the new Brigade BTT
- Me having
the pleasure of re-enlisting Sgt De La Rosa for two more years
- GySgt
McIntire and SSgt Farr being given special coins from the Task
Force 3/2 Commander for their assistance to his unit’s
communication section
This month
we highlight two of the hardest working members of the team;
SSgt Farr and SSgt Charbeneau, otherwise known as Jimmi and
Charb. Without these two outstanding SSgt’s the team would not
have eaten well, been able to communicate with all of you
wonderful people via the internet or by phone, had data
connectivity with other Marine units, had our weapons systems
operational, or a host of other things that these two have made
happen for our team in addition to the great training,
mentoring, and advising that they did with our Iraqi
counterparts.
Now for the
news that you have all been patiently waiting for: Our
replacement team is now in Iraq and is preparing to begin their
training package at the Phoenix Academy in Taji, Iraq just as we
did last September. They will arrive here early next month and
we will conduct a Relief In Place and Transfer of Authority with
them, then we will begin our long journey home mid-month. If
you have any questions regarding our arrival home, please
contact our Team Key Volunteer, Christina Horton, at
(858)342-2210 or
H35Chris@aol.com. She will have all of the information
concerning our redeployment and arrival at Camp Pendleton as it
becomes available.
God Bless and Semper Fidelis
Major Stan Horton
SSgt James P. Charbeneau
My name is SSgt Charbeneau, originally
from Fraser Michigan and I am the Logistics Chief for the team
and the cook. I joined the Marine Corps in 1992 after
graduating high school. After boot camp at Parris Island, I
attended Marine Combat Training in North Carolina, as well as
the Landing Support Specials course at Court Housebay, N.C.
Afterwards, I enjoyed tours in Okinawa, Japan, and Camp
Pendleton Ca, Camp Pendleton serving with 1st
Landing Support Bn,, 15th MEU, Transportation Support
Bn, 11th MEU, CSSG 19, I MEF G-10 Fallujah PTT team.
I signed on for another tour with the Transition Teams which is
where I find myself at this very moment. I really have enjoyed
my time working with the Iraqi’s, and on these teams. It has
been a learning experience on both a personal level as well as a
cultural one. It has been fun working with everyone on the team
so far and now that we don’t have to much more to go it will be
even better to get home and have a few beers and talk about what
we went threw over the past 7 months. I also adopted an Iraqi
puppy named Chubbs and he will be in the U.S. by tomorrow
morning! I can hardly wait to see him again.
Well I guess they saved the best for last,
maybe not since I share the monthly news letter with SSgt Charb,
but in my mind I would like to think so. I can finally say we
see the light at the end of the tunnel and before we know it,
this deployment will only be a memory. I am looking forward to
getting back home and seeing the ones that have stood behind me
during the last seven months. In my mind I want to think our
time here has been effective, but only time will tell. A wise
lady very close to my heart sent me the following quote early in
this deployment, and I have turned to it many times.
“Your heart must return from this
journey intact because you will need it to lead the next
generation of Americans. I send you a lifeline of
encouragement, support and hope from you very homeland….not
because you were born to my family, but because I was born to
yours. Thank you Jimbo and stay wise, alert and well, don’t
forget the value of every minute of your life. They are
precious to this nation”.
 
Hope all is well back home, we will be home
very soon.
Semper Fi
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