May 2010

COMBAT LOGISTICS REGIMENT—15 (FORWARD)

MAINTENANCE COMPANY
Major Copley, Company Commander
Hello friends and families of Maintenance Company. We
have arrived at our destination and all is well. Your Marines
Sections: have hit the ground running making things happen and
making a difference already. I have to continue to remind
Special Equipment 2 them to remember this is a Marathon, one of the Marines
responded “yes sir, but we are running with the Kenyans”, I
Headquarters 2
couldn’t help but laugh. I walk around the shops and look
Repairable Issue Point 2 each one in the eyes and can tell they believe in what they are doing and know
Communications 3 they are indeed making a difference for the people of Afghanistan. The weather
Electronics here is getting warmer and the winds pick up every once in a while, making it
challenging at times to stay focused on maintaining the Marine Expeditionary
Engineers 4
Force’s Combat Power---they do it without skipping a beat. You should have no
Motor Transport 5 worries; I have some of the best Staff Non Commissioned Officers and Officers
Ordnance and General 6
the Marine Corps have to offer looking after your loved ones. We will take care of
Support them throughout this deployment and we will make sure they all come back
home safe and back into your arms again. My staff and I know you too have a
tough job keeping the home front on an even keel. This is important to all of us
so our Marines stay focused on the mission ahead---we thank you for this.
These Marines of yours are a great group of Men and Women and I’m proud to
serve as their Commanding Officer.

Maj Jerry R. Copley

First Sergeant Monroe, Company First Sergeant

Greetings families, friends and loved ones. I would like to begin by telling you that
the Marines of Maintenance Company have done an amazing done job since our
arrival in March. Every task placed before them has not only been completed, it
has been completed beyond expectations. Mission accomplishment is at the fore-
front of their minds, of which their hard work can attest, and the fruits of their labor are visible every single
day. On 1 April the company was able to reward several Marines for their hard work and dedication to the
Marine Corps during our first promotion ceremony in country. The Marines promoted were Sgt Klutts, Sgt
McGowan, Sgt Shepperd, Cpl Brooks, Cpl Daggs, LCpl Alfaro, LCpl Dujon and PFC Akin. I would like to per-
sonally thank the wives, husbands, mothers, fathers and friends for all the prayers, support and well wishes
that we have received since arriving in Afghanistan. There is no way that we could continue to do what we do
without your support. Please continue to encourage your Marine and keep in them in your thoughts and
prayers. The more prayers that go up, the more blessings fall upon us. God Bless you and your family.

First Sergeant J. E. Monroe

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Inside the Maintenance Management Office

The Maintenance Operations
(MOS)/Maintenance Management
Office (MMO) Section sends it
greetings to all from out here in Afghanistan. This
first month has kept the Marines very busy with the
RIP/TOA and plus transitioning. The HQ’s pla-
toon is made up of the MOS (Maintenance Opera-
tions) and the Company Office. LCpl Rodriguez
and his fiancé deserve our congratulations for bring-
ing a beautiful little girl, Makaela, into this world
back home in Laredo, TX. We are enjoying the
team that has been assembled and are looking for-
ward to the next six months of this tour getting to
know each other better. Congratulations also goes
out to SSgt Hunter, who just reenlisted.
Maj Copley congratulates SSgt Hunter
on his reenlistment.

Repairable Issue Point

The Marines of the RIP have been spread throughout
Afghanistan providing logistical support for repair
part needs of front line units. The Marines are excited
to be aboard their respective worksites and are work-
ing hard to stay on pace with the rapid movement
throughout the area. Currently we have 31 Marines
spread across 4 operating bases in South Helmand
Province and they are prepared and ready to expand
capabilities and requirements as needed. All of the
Marines of the RIP have shown great effectiveness in The Marines of Headquarters Platoon
this environment and I expect to continue to see great things as we
move forward.

CWO Southern pulls

his socks up. WAY up.
Special Equipment Items
Many Marines cannot explain what SEI is or what is accomplished in the section. SEI is responsible for
the maintenance and support of the Force Protection items and counter IED systems in Afghanistan.
The most demanding system is the GBOSS which provided some extreme standoff protection where
ever a system is employed. The section consists of over 100 civilian employees commonly referred to
as FSR’s and a few contractors. CWO3 Southern has the pleasure of being the Maintenance Company
SEI representative, and is working hard to facilitate SEI’s move to permanent facilities.
 Page 3

Communications Electronics Maintenance

Immediately upon arrival, the Communications Electronics Platoon

swooped in and grabbed the reins from the outgoing CLC-252 members on
March 25th, and we have not looked back since. We have made several improve-
ments to help beat the heat of the upcoming summer months, including new
walls, laid power lines for commercial power, and prepped the area to put up sun
shades over the Maintenance complex. The Comm Elect Marines of CLR-15
FWD have begun to work long hard days, while keeping a lookout for each other
and themselves. This family bond has brought us all together and will continue to
make us stronger.

How do we live you ask? We live in air conditioned tents or small build-
ings. We eat at the chow halls that serve items like: Mongolian BBQ, Asian
dishes, chicken of various type, meatloaf, beef stroganoff, chicken nuggets, spa-
ghetti and meatballs/meat sauce/tomato sauce. The food is plentiful and there is
a variety to accommo-
date almost everyone.
The chow halls are a
great place to mingle
Right: LCpl McDowell with our fellow ser-
focuses intently on the vices and other allies.
task at hand. One day you may sit
Below: Sgt Albright next to a Danish soldier
and Cpl Braithwaite or an Afghanistan Na-
bask in a warm tional Army member.
fluorescent glow. Even with the language
barrier, everyone
speaks pie.

Communications Elec-
tronics Maintenance
Platoon would like to
thank everyone back
home for their love and
support. Almost one
month has already
passed, at this rate we
will be home before
you know it.
 Page 4

Engineer Maintenance

The Engineer Maintenance Platoon is a versatile entity comprised of

78 Marines from ten different Military Occupational Specialties. We
have Marines working at several locations aboard Camp Leatherneck
and two detachments at Delaram and Dwyer. Upon arrival to Leather-
neck, we started our turnover right away. It was an enormous under-
taking and the Marines have performed
exceptionally. On 24 March we officially
took on the responsibility of providing en-
gineer maintenance support to the entire
Marine Expeditionary Force. There are
already lots of changes in our work area;
we are relocating nearly everything we
own. Our generator and air conditioning
section has been the busiest so far and we
are only going to get busier as the weather
gets hotter.

Top: Maintenance Company Marines begin cleaning

up the new IMA lot.

Below: LCpl Phan and Cpl Lee.

Right: LCpl Smth proudly displays a self inflicted

wound.
 Page 5

rdnance and General Support

The M88A2 Tank Recovery section has been busy as-

sisting with a variety of heavy lift requirements. Capa-
ble of lifting 38,000 to 50,000 lbs, the M88A2 is an
awesome piece of gear. The Optics Section has also
been busy supporting forward deployed units. Con-
gratulations go out to Corporal Stone, who was selected
as the most knowledgeable and mature technician to op-
erate from a remote location. The Small Arms Section
has maintained an extremely high operational tempo,
working day and night to keep Marines in the fight.
Collectively the Marines have repaired and inspected
hundreds of weapons for Marines throughout our Area
of Operation. The infantry units could not survive with-
out their support. For the Artillery Section, business
has been booming. From conducting limited technical
inspections to higher echelon maintenance and mainte-
nance training, these Marines are doing it all. Recently,
several Marines have been in direct support of the Artil-
lery Batteries. Since their arrival they have helped keep
the M777 Howitzers in country up, allowing those units
to stay in the fight. And last, but definitely not lease, is
the GSM section. Faced with the arduous task of setting
up the GSM shop from scratch, they have been doing a
phenomenal job. They have already repaired three en-
gines for the Engineers to date, and waiting for more.
All the Marines from ORD/GSM, thank you for all the
support, we miss you all and hope and pray that every-
one is doing fine.

Top: LCpl Hansen inspects an M240 machine gun.

Below: Cpl Desplinter finds some shade under an LAV

Left: Cpl Richards and LCpl Kautz playing with wires.

 Page 6

Motor Transport

The MTM Platoon hit the ground running. Aboard Camp Leatherneck, the Intermediate Maintenance Activ-
ity (IMA) shop, at Camp Leatherneck is the main hub for all 3rd Echelon Repairs in the theatre and solely
responsible for WIR processing on all Motor Transport assets. They are also responsible for the induction of
new equipment, such as the LVSR, maintenance support teams (MSTs), modifications, and technical support
for all operating units. Also under the MTM umbrella is the Recovery Section, the GSMT section, and the
IIP Maintenance Section. The Marines in these sections are constantly busy providing support to various
units. As a matter of fact, the Recovery Section just returned from supporting a 96 hour convoy!