WEBVTT

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- II MEF Forward was the command element

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that went forward in
Afghanistan in March of 2011,

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we return March of 2012.

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It was made up of an air combat element,

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composed of Second Marine Aircraft Wing

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and also a ground combat element

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is Second Marine Division Forward,

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and a logistics combat element,

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Second Marine Logistics Group

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and of course, those
are the four components

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of a marine air ground task force.

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The mission of II MEF Forward

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is basically to work with

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the Afghan national and local leaders

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and return a country over to its people.

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When we arrived there in March of 2011,

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we took over a command and control

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from First Marine
Expeditionary Force Forward

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who was now over there

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and we worked together closely

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with the leaders and the people

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in order to build the country up.

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It was ravaged by 30 years of war

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and so there was a lot of things lost:

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education, bridges, roads, schools,

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just basic businesses and
all those sort of things.

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So, we were there with the intent

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of turning over a sovereign
country over to its citizens.

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The relationship between RC
Southwest and II MEF Forward

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is that II MEF Forward went
over to Afghanistan as a MEF

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and when we arrived there,
we became a regional command.

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So, in essence, it was
two commands in one.

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The RC standard for a regional command

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and the SW-4 Southwest

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which was Helmand and Nimruz province.

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By being a regional command,

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we took owned NATO and allied forces

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such as Bosnia, Bahrain, Jordan,

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the country of Georgia, UK forces.

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They all came under the
command of RC Southwest

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which was commanded by
Major General John Toolan

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and I as Senior Enlisted Leader.

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That total group of people

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was about 32,000 marines and sailors

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and foreign forces to make
up the regional command.

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What was unique about the
deploying to Afghanistan,

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I think the unique thing was that,

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we went there as a fighting element

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but there was much more that
had to be done beyond fighting.

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There had to be partnering
with the Afghan people,

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there had to be partnering
and relationship building

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with the other NATO forces
and allied countries

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who are not necessarily NATO forces.

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We had to work together with them

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to achieve a common end

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and again that common end was

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to turn over a country
that had been at war

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for over 30 years, ravaged by war.

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We had to partner with
them in order to kind of

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win the hearts and minds of the people.

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Let them know that we were there for them,

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we were there to improve
their living conditions

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and their way of life

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and to serve and protect them

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and defend them as
citizens in their country,

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so that they would be
enabled and empowered

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to take over their country.

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Okay, whenever we activate a unit

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that goes forward for unique mission,

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we also want to close out
by deactivating that unit.

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It sorta sends a message of closure

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to the participants in the unit

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and for our surrounding our base,

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members and military service members

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and the surveying community as well

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to let them know that we're back,

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we've closed that chapter in our history.

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We've accomplished what
we set out to accomplish

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and now we're back in the saddle

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to continue to train and equip

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and get ready for the next continuous CR

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or a war, whatever's needed for us to do.

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- [Interviewer] Taking back.

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- I think the key to our
success in Afghanistan

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was the individual marine and sailor.

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Our marines and sailors
executed their mission

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and their role in adverse situations.

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They were constantly changing situations.

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The marines on the battlefield had to

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shake hands on one minute with the elders

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and the local populants and
smile at them and greet them

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and show genuine concern for 'em,

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find out what their needs were

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and 10 minutes later, they
might have walked down

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an alley or through a trail

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and had to engage in full kinetic combat.

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So, the discipline that was
displayed on our large camps

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and all our small camps and
every police in Afghanistan,

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just really caught my attention.

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That's what's needed on
the modern-day battlefield,

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that's what we needed there.

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Our marines and our sailors
and all the NATO forces

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that we served, what they
performed exceptionally well.

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And that's what's gonna be
needed in the future battlefield.

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I guess one last thing that I'd point out

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is just the incredible
support that we had.

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Not only we were the best
led force on the battlefield,

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we were also the best equipped

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and the equipment comes
from the American taxpayer.

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The American people stood behind us.

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We received envelopes of care and concern.

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We received care packages in the mail.

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We received telephone
calls and emails constantly

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during our deployment

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from Americans across the United States

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that expressed their
support for all our troops

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that were forward.

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That meant the world to us.

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We paid special attention to pushing out

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those care packages and those envelopes

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and those messages.

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Every time we circulated the battlefield,

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we told our marines and our sailors

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that the American people were behind them

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and they could see that everyday

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and the mail, call and just
the interest that they got

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from our home bases and stations

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and cities across the
United States of America.

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So I just really want to say,

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thank you to the American public

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for standing behind us in a tough time.

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As often confusing, but we got through it,

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we handed it over to I MEF Forward

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and the American people
are still behind us

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and we're gonna accomplish everything

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that we set out to accomplish.