'America's Battalion' builds 'Great Wall of South Camp'

by Lance Cpl. Erik Villagran

Marines from 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment put on a pretty good imitation of engineers.

Marines with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, Headquarters and Services Company, hook a crane up to a concrete barrier. Marines with the company have put up about 600 barriers throughout their camp. The project is to keep Marines safe on base. (photo by Lance Cpl. Erik Villagran)

Marines and sailors with Headquarters and Service Company set up concrete barriers behind the wall separating their work space from threats beyond the boundaries of Camp Fallujah.

"Our progress has been outstanding," said Lance Cpl. Keith D. Quesenberry, a 19-year-old motor transport operator from Christiansburg, Va. "We've put up about 600 concrete blocks throughout the camp."

The thing is, these guys aren't trained engineers. Not even close. Their skills varied from a warehouseman to hospital corpsmen. They were all up to the task, though.

"There was a lot of fine tuning," said Lance Cpl. Peter J. Weckenmann, a 27-year-old rifleman from Bloomfield, N.J. "It's easy with the crane, but once they set it down you have to use anything you can to make them even."

Marines hooked a crane to the large concrete slabs. A crane operator then lowered the blocks. Each slab swung back and forth through the air as Marines wearing flaks and helmets surrounded it and pushed, pulled and leaned up against the pieces to get them in the spot they needed. They lined up every concrete section as evenly as possible. When a portion was off-kilter, the contractor re-lifted it, and Marines added dirt or stones to make it flush with the rest of the wall.

"How hard the barriers are to control depends on how fast they're swinging," Quesenberry said. "It usually takes two or three Marines to set one block."

The battalion emphasized force protection because Marines have received small-arms fire from insurgents on more than one occasion. A couple of buildings have the bullet holes to prove it. The plan is for the barriers to eliminate any danger. Barriers have also been placed around Marines' living areas and where they work.

"I sleep better at night knowing that there are walls at least as tall as the trailers," Weckenmann said. "It provides overall safety if you have all the buildings covered."

Marines have been putting up bunkers, barriers and concertina wire since they arrived at the camp. They work long hours and work in the heat of the day.

Read more

judythpiazza@gmail.com

   _   _