Stories - Year 2009

Marines

Archive: 2009

District prepared to handle suicide prevention’s unique challenges

Eighteen sergeants from throughout the 9th Marine Corps District recently returned from New Orleans with training the Corps hopes will help stem the highest suicide rates Corps has seen since 1995.Faced with 41 suicides and 146 attempts in 2008, the Corps’ top leaders are looking to their noncommissioned officers’ savvy and experience to reduce

Marine celebrates 90th birthday with special flagpole ceremony

Once a Marine, always a Marine, is a slogan many Marines have heard at lest once during their career.Melvin Moore embodies that statement. Since 1946, Moore has raised the American and Marine Corps flags in front of his home -- in rain, shine, sleet or snow. Former corporal Melvin Theodore Moore enlisted in the Marine Corps in Kansas City, Mo., in

Blue Angel, Marine recruiter visit Children’s Hospital

A Navy recruiter driving the Blue Angels’ flight surgeon and Marine recruiter Sgt. Karl Krebsbach to the Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha was lost. Krebsbach, from Recruiting Substation South Omaha, Recruiting Station Des Moines, he said already knew the way; he’s been there many times.“That’s where my son’s cardiologist is,” Krebsbach

Like Father, Like Son

The wall of Staff Sgt. Vetch's recruiting office in Norfolk, Nebraska, is covered with pictures of the men and women he put in the Marine Corps. Absent from the collection, however, is the photograph of the first young man Vetch put in this month. It sits, framed, on his desk next to the other family pictures. He is Luke Vetch, the staff sergeant's

Equality in Preparation

Recruiting Station Milwaukee dramatically reduced its boot camp attrition rate for women over the past year from more than 26 percent to less than 14 percent so far this year (4 percent lower than the district average); now it's looking to a new emphasis on female-only pool functions and the roll-out of a district-wide, female-only social

Born on the 4th of July 90 years ago, Marine veteran continues to serve

“I didn’t think [the Corps] would do something like this,” said former Marine officer Robert “Bob” Sander, a volunteer for the St. Joseph Medical Center’s guest services, who just turned 90 years old on Independence Day. “If I went back and had to [serve] all over again, I would.”With close friends, many of whom are also veterans, hospital staff

Son of two lifers enlists

Rhaashid Thompson says he is not following in his parents’ footsteps, no matter what it looks like. The 17-year-old took his oath of enlistment July 1 at Recruiting Station Kansas City, Mo., sworn in by his mother, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Nicole Holt, personnel officer at 9th Marine Corps District Headquarters, and witnessed by his

NEW MARINE AWARDED $150,000 NROTC SCHOLARSHIP

Phylicia Zarnosky, a native of Grand Rapids, MI, and 2008 graduate of Kenowa Hills High School, received a $150,000 scholarship from Capt. Paul Vanderwater, executive officer Recruiting Station Lansing, for her outstanding academics and leadership ability at the White Caps baseball game June 5, 2009. Out of over 230 applicants in the Midwest only

Milwaukee MEPS dedicates oath room to fallen Marine warrior

The Military Entrance Processing Station here dedicated its ceremonial oath room May 22 to the memory of Marine Pfc. Ryan M. Jerabek. Jerabek, a native of Hobart, Wis., took the oath of enlistment in that very room at the age of 17, and four years later, he died protecting his squad during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq."Having Ryan's photo in

Sergeant Major Kent visits Heartland recruiters

Sgt. Maj. Carlton W. Kent, 16th sergeant major of the Marine Corps, met with Marines and sailors of 9th Marine Corps District and Recruiting Sub-stations South Omaha, K-Metro and Olathe May 18 – 19.During his visit, Kent discussed many topics such as the transition out of Iraq, the new focus in Afghanistan, updating issued gear and the current