Free Republic

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2006 – U.S. 5th Fleet assets and personnel responded immediately at approximately 10:15 p.m. today after learning that a vessel capsized in a Bahraini harbor, approximately one mile east of the command's headquarters in Bahrain. U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels, including Coast Guard Cutter Wrangell, got under way from the Bahrain port to support Bahrain's rescue efforts. A U.S. Navy helicopter is currently in the air, and another is standing by to assist the government of Bahrain, which has the lead on search-and-rescue efforts. In addition, 16 Navy divers are standing by, U.S. military officials said....

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (March 5, 2006) -- It was an honorable mission. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, assisted recently in the search for Army Sgt. Keith M. Maupin remains. The recovery team consisted of U.S. Army and British soldiers. Test results confirmed that several partial sets of remains that were recovered were not American. Still, Marines and soldiers were proud to take part in the search to recover Maupin. “It is the noblest of missions,” said Gunnery Sgt. Brett A. Turek, a 37-year-old Mobile Assault Platoon commander from Hinsdale, Ill. “Fifty years from now,...

ABOARD USS GONZALEZ (NNS) -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), currently deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of maritime security operations (MSO), rescued six Iranian mariners Feb. 28 after they had been adrift for 10 days. Gonzalez’s bridge team first spotted the crippled dhow while conducting MSO in the Central Persian Gulf. Once the destroyer’s watchstanders identified the distressed vessel, the ship immediately changed its course to render assistance. The Iranians explained that their dhow’s engine and rudder failed Feb. 8. “Patrolling warships are sometimes called on for humanitarian interventions,” said Cmdr. Robert D. Randall, the ship’s...

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 10, 2005) -- Staff Sgt. Jason P. Bennett and his fellow Marines with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment frequently conduct patrols of the villages in their area of operations. During these patrols, the Marines and the 30-year-old provisional platoon commander for 4th Platoon, Company G, locate the local leaders at each village and discuss the concerns and needs of their community. Bennett and his Marines completed a number of these operations from Sept. 6 through the 8. “We come to the small areas a lot to see what we can provide for the locals,” said the...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Sept. 17, 2005) -- As East Coast Marines wade through the aftermath of Louisiana’s deadly flood zones, left by Hurricane Katrina’s path of destruction, survivors slowly begin are bringing their lives back to some kind of normalcy. The West Coast Marines of Recruiting Station Sacramento found it in their hearts to lend a helping hand in what seemed to be a nationwide effort in assisting Katrina victims to regain some of the simple comforts of home, despite their losses. All 14 stations throughout RS Sacramento’s area of operation decided to take a break from their usual mission of...

BELLE CHASSE, La. (NNS) -- Firefighters and Marines from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) New Orleans helped evacuate more than 60 people Sept. 24 from an area flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. Eight firefighters and three Marines responded to a call for assistance from the Lafitte Volunteer Fire Department. The call was placed early that morning when water from the nearby bayou started flooding the small community, which is located approximately 25 miles southwest of New Orleans. Two fire engines, a military humvee, and a seven-ton transport vehicle were sent with the team to help...

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- The purple force isn't just for joint operations at deployed locations. Technicians with the 95th Aerospace Medical Squadron, the 95th Medical Operations Squadron and the 95th Medical Support Squadron here helped out a Marine detachment recently by making sure their physical examinations were current after returning from deployed locations. "After the Marines had returned from a prolonged deployment, many of their physical exams had expired," said Lt. Col. James Elliott, commander of the 95th AMDS flight. "And because they currently have limited organic medical support, they requested our help in updating their physicals....

GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1, based in Gulfport, Miss., launched Seabees from Construction Battalion Center (CBC) Gulfport Sept. 9 to neighboring communities throughout Harrison and Stone counties in Mississippi to assist its citizens with disaster recovery in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. When CBC Gulfport officials offered Seabee assistance to the community at large, Malcolm Jones, acting mayor of Pass Christian, stepped forward with his town’s need for improvements to an aid distribution station including a large tent to store donated food and supplies. Also with no water and sewer service, the citizens needed a...

BATON ROUGE, La. (Army News Service, Sept. 5, 2005) – Units from across the nation have descended on Louisiana and Mississippi in response to Hurricane Katrina as part of the unprecedented call-up of National Guard and other military forces for a natural disaster. “It’s state helping state and neighbor helping neighbor,” said Florida Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Michael Fleming. Fleming, who is in Louisiana because of his extensive experience from the four hurricanes which struck Florida last year, said the National Guard’s primary focus is to save lives, provide security, and evacuate residents. Approximately 38,000 Guardsmen operating in the...

Help! My son has changed the settings for the screen magnification--he changed the colors from 256 to 16. Fonts, icons, size of open windows are huge--the overfill the screen to the point that only about 1/4 of an open window can be viewed. Here is the problem--when I try to change the settings I can get the open window to move high enough to allow me access to the bottom of the open window to hit the ok button. Can you offer a solution. Thanking you in advance.

Tom Cruise Wants to Assist With on-set Scientology. In the upcoming Steven Spielberg remake of War of the Worlds, one family fights for survival when Earth is invaded by Martian war machines. But on the set of the movie, there’s been an invasion of another sort: Scientologists! Tom Cruise, the film’s star and the religion’s most well-known adherent, has set up a Scientology tent with a volunteer minister. “It’s a gift from Tom to the crew,” says Lee Anne De Vette, Cruise’s sister and spokeswoman. “You can receive what’s called an assist there,” a Scientologist practice that, as she describes...