The students taking courses at the Combat Skills Training School don’t doubt their teacher’s knowledge, but it’s hard to see the man behind the information as a decorated combat veteran.

Staff Sgt. Logan Cortes, an instructor with the 1st Marine Logistics Group’s CST at Camp Pendleton, Calif., is a Bronze Star recipient and currently teaches Marines how to use the weapons systems he had first-hand experience with in Iraq.

“He is a great role model,” said Lance Cpl. Jose Laguna, CST instructor, Combat Skills Training School, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st MLG, 26, from Dallas.

Even though he was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions, he still thinks about the Marines who were there with him that day.

“I don’t think I deserve a Bronze Star for my actions out there,” Cortes said. “I wasn’t the only person out there. There were the other Marines covering me when I went out to recover those guys.”

It started with Marines storming door-to-door looking for insurgents in New Ubaydi, Iraq. But for 2nd Platoon, Nov. 16, 2005 turned into an ambush and proved one Marine’s courage and commitment to his fellow Marines.

Cortes was a machinegun section leader with Company F, Battalion Leading Team 2/1, Regimental Combat Team 2, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, when his unit moved in to clear a small single-story building and was engaged by an enemy ambush.

“We were told that there were three insurgents inside one of the houses we were clearing that day,” said Cortes. “So I led a team into a position so we could help engage the enemy. It turned out to be an ambush,” said Cortes, 33, from Stockton, Calif.

During the heated firefight with the enemy combatants, Cortes was informed that there were casualties inside one of the buildings.

He dashed from his covered position to retrieve a Marine who suffered wounds to both of his legs from a grenade blast, and pulled him to safety as bullets from allies and enemies flew past his body.

“After I pulled the Marine to the covered position, I saw the machine gunner lying on the ground,” Cortes explained. “I was like ‘are you OK? Why are you lying on the ground?’ Turns out he was out of ammo so I ran back to grab some more for him. After I brought back the ammo an insurgent jumped out with an AK-47.”

Cortes quickly dispatched the enemy combatant. He saw more casualties and once again left his position to recover another wounded Marine.

For his courageous actions that day, Staff Sgt. Cortes was awarded the Bronze Star, the fourth-highest combat award. Cortes also recognized Lance Cpl. Roger Deeds, who was the only Marine in his fire team killed during the operation that day.

“I still think I don’t deserve the Bronze Star,” Cortes said. “I believe [Lance Cpl. Deeds] traded his life for mine.”

Other than being a great role model, Marines that work with Cortes have many good things to say about him.

“He treats you like a Marine, but first as a man,” said Sgt. Jared Louis Thom, CST instructor, Combat Skills Training School, CLR-17, 1st MLG. “He’s the first to help you and makes sure you’re setup and doing the right thing for yourself. He will stand up for what is right no matter what the consequences are.”

He also added that meeting Marines like Cortes isn’t an everyday occurrence.

Students at the CST benefit from learning from this Marine who has had experience on the battlefield and passes what he knows on to them. He encourages them to do the right thing at all times.

Someone pointing at a PowerPoint presentation may not look like a Marine who ducked and dodged bullets to save his fellow Marines’ lives in Iraq, but the man behind the information has a lot to offer.

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. Jennifer Brofer

Not everyone who dies in our fight against terror is a man. Here is the story of a woman, a Marine, who died in the service of her country. God bless Cpl. Jennifer M. Parcell.

Cpl. Martin R. Harris / Marine Corps via AP

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Cpl. Jennifer M. Parcell, 20, of Bel Air, Md., died Feb. 7 [2007] while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Parcell was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

DoD

Cpl. Jennifer M. Parcell, a landing support specialist with Okinawa, Japan-based Combat Logistics Regiment 3, assumed her billet with the Lioness program Feb. 1 [2007], according to a spokesman for III Marine Expeditionary Force on Okinawa. The program uses female Marines from different military occupational specialties to search Iraqi woman at checkpoints.

Parcell, who was a few weeks shy of returning to Okinawa, was killed when an Iraqi woman she was searching detonated an explosive vest, the release said.

Marine Corps Times
By Beth Zimmerman

MySpace page

Marine Sgt. Patsy M. Lee, an imagery analyst with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, stands with Major General Kenneth J. Glueck, the Multi-National Force – Iraq command group chief of staff after the Fourth of July mass reenlistment ceremony in Baghdad, July 4.

A Houston native recently participated in a mass reenlistment ceremony at Al-Faw Palace in Baghdad, July 4.

Marine Sgt. Patsy M. Lee, an imagery analyst with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, was one of more than 1,200 service members who reaffirmed their allegiance to their nation by raising their right hands and once again stating the Oath of Enlistment.

Led by Army Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of Multi-National Force – Iraq, the largest reenlistment ceremony in history took place in one of Saddam Hussein’s old palaces.

“This was a totally awesome way to reenlist,” said Lee. “I wouldn’t have chosen any other way. Being one of the 1,215 people to reenlist on the Fourth of July by General Patraeus felt like being a special collector’s item.”

The MNF-I commander, along with Command Sgt. Major Marvin L. Hill, the MNF-I command sergeant major, kicked off the event by addressing the service members with words of motivation and praise.

“It is great to celebrate our nation’s independence here with you and it is a true honor to preside over this reenlistment ceremony,” said Petraeus, who received a standing ovation from the audience upon his introduction. “There’s no place I’d rather be to celebrate America’s birthday than right here with you in Iraq.”

Petraeus noted the dedication each individual exemplified with their re-commitment and expressed his gratitude for their service.

“You understand the service and the sacrifice to which you are committing today,” said Petraeus. “It is impossible to calculate the value of what you are giving to our country.”

Lee took all that into consideration when making her decision to reenlist.

“If you had asked me to reenlist a year ago, I would have said ‘no way’ because of the amount of time I have spent away from my family,” said Lee. “However, since being on this deployment I have seen my work in action and how much I affect the overall state of this war. It is an awesome feeling to know that I greatly contribute to the safety of our Marines.”

As an imagery analyst, Lee provides important feedback on imagery collected throughout the country.

The imagery helps mission commanders in planning and carrying out operations.

“While looking at pictures for most people is more about memories and capturing special moments, I look at pictures to help save the lives of our personnel,” said Lee. “My job requires keen observation of imagery to ensure the safety of our pilots and ground troops.”

She has been deployed to Al Asad Air Base in the western Anbar province of Iraq since January of 2008 and is scheduled to return to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., in early 2009.

DVIDS
By Lance Cpl. Michael Stevens
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

Navy Lt. Anne M. Lopez, the medical officer-in-charge for Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), checks the vital signs of an Iraqi man during a cooperative medical engagement here May 15, 2008. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by: Cpl. Jessica Aranda)