Greetings and well wishes. It is my profound pleasure to report to you today from sunny Southern California! Additionally, I can report to you that 100% of the Mayhem Battalion is back from Iraq. Now, while I know this is not news to any of you, I did not want to send an update until I could report 100%, and 13 of our Marines were designated as pallet riders and did not arrive back until Monday. These were the Marines who accompanied our unit gear back on Air Force Cargo Planes.
I know the magnificent and sharp families of 2/24 well enough to know that at this point you are saying, "well, if you had 100% of the Battalion back on Monday, it is now Wednesday, so what happen to the update on Tuesday?" The answer: yesterday was our Battalion Memorial Service and that dominated our attention, and rightfully so. I will come back to the Memorial in a few minutes, but right now, as is my practice, I would like to bring you up to speed on the current status of YOUR Mad Ghosts.
The last 10 days or so in Iraq were spent aboard Camp Striker, on the grounds of Baghdad International Airport. YOUR Marines during this time were essentially guests of the US Army, and we could not have asked for better hosts. The Marines were afforded, for the first time in the deployment, a virtual vacation. They had access to some phenomenal chow 4 times a day, much rest, as much physical training as they desired, and the opportunity to see every movie that has been captured on film for the last 20 years. I could not have been happier for them for this time that was allotted to them, and as is usually the case with the Mad Ghosts, they pressed on, took full advantage of the situation and maintained their sturdy professionalism the entire time.
Since returning to Camp Pendleton in successive waves, the Marines have been executing the tasks required to demobilize the Battalion. Things here have gone extremely well and both the work that had been done by the advance party as well as the outstanding support we have received from the 1st Marine Division have been nothing short of outstanding. So, I can report to you that your Battalion is healthy, happy and EAGER to return to you. Flight times have been published and I know final coordinating measures for the Homecoming celebrations are underway! The PWST staffs will be publishing all required information shortly, if they have not already done so. I know for each Homecoming there are some "concerns" over varying matters. Ladies, what I can honestly tell you is that every decision that is made is being made for the best benefit for the most people, and with "what is best for the Marine and his family" being the standard against which all decisions are based. That being said, I would ask for your understanding in the enormity of the tasks, logistically and administratively, that are part and parcel of events like homecomings, and to think about the million or so moving parts behind the scenes that must be executed to make these things happen. Throughout this entire process I would like to think that a nugget of wisdom or "line to live by" to put on my wall would be from some historically famous General or great Warrior, but in reality, the line of knowledge that has dominated my life lately actually comes from the famous comedian Bill Cosby: "I do not know the key to success. I just know the key to failure is to try to please everyone." No intention here of slighting anyone, but just hoping to assist in the management of expectations and hoping that all can understand how issues sometimes of simple mathematics, i.e., a finite amount of space of arena floor versus a large number of people who want to be on the floor. Such realities require decisions. These decisions will not please everyone, but are made with the best available information and with the aforementioned standard as the measurement device.
Now, for yesterday. At 1430 hours we commenced a Memorial Service in tribute of our fallen heroes. I can truly only describe it as a beautiful and heart touching event. There was much sadness in the auditorium, but there was more love. Love of our brothers who gave all. Love of our brothers who have left behind family and friends. Family and friends who are now OUR family and friends, and will be for life. There was a dedication of two causes: one - to never forget our brothers, and two - to tend to their families. For the first is the Warrior bond, and the second is our charge. We can not and we must not forget that our brothers have left behind broken hearts and shattered dreams. We honor them by tending to those hearts and helping to build new dreams. The fallen and our wounded MUST become integral parts of our lives now. We must care for them, we must assist them, we must ensure they are part of this magnificent family from now until every last one of us has breathed our very last collective breath. Anything less is unacceptable, and anything less would be less than the Mayhem standard. This Battalion and its families have never failed in combat, and I know as sure as our fallen were with us yesterday from their post in Heaven, this magnificent Battalion and its families will not fail in a lifetime of peaceful and tender service to our wounded and the families of our fallen!
Following the memorial service, we had some VIPs who made some presentations and received gifts from the Battalion. Chief among these was Peggy Kane, a 71 year old lady from Fountain Valley, CA, who has no connection with the War save one: SHE IS AN AMERICAN PATRIOT! She had been one of our biggest supporters and sent countless cards, care packages, letters and posters (very motivational ones such as autographed posters of the Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders, a Mad Ghost favorite). She is representative of so many Americans who have shown support is more than verbal, it is action. It was a thrill to recognize her in front of the Battalion, and she, through her words and actions, demonstrated for the Marines the beginning of what they have not quite grasped yet: that their exploits are both known and deeply appreciated by many, many Americans who they know not. For that, I am eternally grateful to Peggy Kane, and all the citizens like her.
Oh yeah, another huge thing Peggy did, she brought one of the greatest examples of athletic gentleman this country has ever known: Rod Carew, Hall of Fame baseball player for the Minnesota Twins and California Angels. Mr. Carew is the quintissential example of a gentleman, a very private man, and one who honored YOUR Marines by attending our memorial service and then personally autographing baseballs and taking pictures with our Purple Heart recipients. If all athletes were like Rod Carew, there would be no resistance to them being called heroes!
Ladies, in closing, I should thank so many. The families and their support, the unknown Amercians who sent us so much, the Generals and Colonels and staffs who supported us and helped us win our fight, my XO, S-3 and entire staff who were tireless and relentless in their duties, my Company Commanders who led the fight against evil, the attachments from Trucks, Engineers, HET, CAG, EOD, Comm Company, K9s and their handlers, our Navy brothers who tended to our wounds and our spiritual needs, all who made an absolute all-star line-up. I could thank the Marines of 2/24 proper, the greatest Battalion. I could attempt to thank all these, but the reality is my inadequacy and my words would fall woefully short. All I can say to even try to express my gratitude is this: I have as my wife one of the most beautiful women on the planet, and two daughters that when I look at them I see two angels in training, and I am as excited as I can be to see them. But, with that said, and I know my wife and daughters will forgive me for this, these days passing right now are some of the saddest of my life. I know with certainty that never again will I be surrounded by such men accomplishing such feats. Never again will I experience both the realm and intensity of emotion that I have for the past year. Never again will I be so honored and humbled all at the same time. No, the only thing I know for sure is soon, and I suspect very soon, I will find myself beginning that Warrior's road to slowly fading away and longing and wondering in my mind's eye: "where has the Mayhem AO gone...and where, where are my Mad Ghosts?" For no man was ever as honored as I to have shared time and space with these unbelievable men, these unbelievable Mad Ghosts, these MARINES!
Wishing you the most joyous of homecomings and long, healthy, prosperous and God Blessed lives.