10/17/2008
By Cpl. Aaron Rooks , 2nd Marine Logistics Group
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Recipe for pre-deployment training: Add
one hour rules of engagement, one hour law of war, two days
combat marksmanship, and more than 100 hours of basic infantry
training. This may seem like a lot, but it's just the
beginning for Marines preparing to go overseas.
Most Marines know this. They understand that when they are
called upon to deploy to other countries around the world,
especially during a time of war, these hours of training are
the norm.
Yet there are still some topics many individuals tend to
overlook. These topics don't have as much to do with combat
prep although they are equally as important. Instead, they
deal with personal matters unique to each individual Marine.
The Corps identifies four major areas, which deal with
financial, legal, practical and personal matters. These areas,
unlike they're warfare-related counterparts, can in some cases
be viewed as more trivial than say participating in a Basic
Urban Skills Training course. These matters, if left
unresolved, can all have a lasting, powerful effect on the
individual Marine and his effectiveness on the frontlines.
Marines usually won't see these issues posted on the average
pre-deployment training calendars within their commands. It's
rare to see emergency information worksheet under combat
stress brief, or property worksheet above combat lifesaver.
These various individual matters are just that: individual
matters. Because these preparations aren't mandatory, they are
sometimes not covered at all.
"If Marines have their personal, practical, financial and
legal matters in hand before they deploy to combat, they will
have more focus on the tasks they're given while they're over
there," said Sgt. Jonathan Hackworth, the noncommissioned
officer-in-charge of the Corporal's Leadership Course at the
Camp Lejeune Staff NCO Academy. "Plus they will have peace of
mind knowing that their family, bills and finances are all
taken care of while they’re gone."
The 24-year-old Carey, Ohio native has taught readiness
classes to his students for more than a year now. To add to
his resume, he's an infantry rifleman by trade and has gone
through three combat deployments, once to Afghanistan and
twice to Iraq. During this time he has seen the true effects
that come from lack of planning.
He used a past experience involving one of his junior Marines
to show how not taking care of financial and legal matters can
turn a person's life upside down. He said the Marine gave a
power of attorney to the wrong people before he left for Iraq,
which he didn't realize until he returned months later.
"He found a $100,000 house that he owned here in Jacksonville
that he knew nothing about, plus a new sports car as well,"
Hackworth explained. "He had no choice but to either sell the
property or file for bankruptcy. He was later able to get his
life back on line, and he learned a life-long lesson."
Hackworth views financial and legal stability to come
hand-in-hand, and that there are many different aspects to the
two that Marines must look into. He said there are allotments
that should be setup, medical, dental and life insurance
policies to update, bills to organize, which only scratches
the surface of the many issues that must be solidified. He
added that if these are not handled properly, legal
repercussions can be found, much as his former Marine
discovered.
He said that there are a lot of other legal issues to consider
aside from legal repercussions due to financial problems.
Marines must determine estate plans, designate legal guardians
of children and store important documents, just to name a few.
He said these seemingly small matters can have drastic
long-term effects on not only the individual Marine, but also
on their family and friends as well. He views practical and
personal issues in the same light.
For example, Marines are advised to ensure all of their home
security measures are working and in place. One security
measure, the smoke detector, is often times overlooked. So if
a Marine fails to check the alarm, their house could burn
down, possibly harming that individual's family in the
process. And that easily, a practical issue, just became a
personal issue.
The practical and personal matters, just like financial and
legal matters, are in abundance. Hackworth uses the examples
of appliances, vehicles, moving arrangements and health care
as primary topics to convey their importance. He said that
while Marines are gone, their family members need to know how
to handle these different types of issues.
Now leaning more towards the personal issues, if a Marine gets
injured or killed while in-country, his or her families might
not get what they are entitled to simply because the
information wasn't updated.
Luckily a group of Marines currently participating in combined
pre-deployment training at the 2nd Marine Logistics Group’s
Battle Skills Training School are well aware of these issues,
and understand the necessity of handling these matters. They
have either solidified those issues, or are currently handling
them.
"There's a lot of focus toward it as far as deploying to
ensure that we and our families are prepared," said Sgt. Dan
Clark, a field military policeman with MP Company, Combat
Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd MLG. "Everything is important
leading up to the deployment, there's just two sides: the
combat side and the personal side. We do a lot of training,
but when it comes time to handle those personal matters, we
get it done."
Clark, a single male Marine from Quincy, Mass., has endured
one deployment to Iraq so far in his career, and works with
junior Marines on a daily basis ensuring they are taken care
of. This greatly attributes to Clark's unit's success.
Like Hackworth, Clark uses his lessons learned to pass on to
junior Marines, who are naturally the largest group affected
by this issue.. Clark is a prime example of this; an NCO doing
what’s necessary to take care of his Marines and helping them
remain in good financial, legal, practical and personal
standing.
"The NCOs are the individuals who must ensure that their
Marines are prepared," Hackworth said. "By setting goals and
counseling sessions, every Marine will be better off (during
deployments)."
Sgt. Russell Chastain, a platoon sergeant with security
company, 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd MLG, has a particular focus
different from the average that only adds to the effort of
preparing his Marines. He is married and has one daughter
who's just over a year and a half old. Because of the family
he has waiting back home, he must put forth even more of his
time to ensure they're are taken care of after he leaves.
"I have to put a lot of focus into my family," the Hampton,
Va., native said. "I have to make sure I'm good, but I also
have to ensure that they're good. They are going to look to me
for support."
Chastain said that he has a comfort inside because he knows
that he's completed 75 percent of his personal preparation for
himself and his family, and is confident that his family, as a
whole, will make it through his upcoming deployment Ok. He
said he could not say that he knows all other Marines are this
confident, but he said he hopes that's the case. |
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