For those that know me well my favorite meal is the traditional Thanksgiving Day feast.

We met at the home of my elder sister Christine’s (I can’t tell you she just turned 40 ok?).  It was so nice to have my parents, grandmother, and all 3 sisters with their children and spouses all sit down for a great meal and talk for hours.

Being recalled for over 5 years my time with family has been greatly reduced but it is what it is.  A good number of schools and groups have asked me to speak when I come back but no matter what I will certainly spend more time with family when I am home again.

And yes in case you are wondering it didn’t take any effort to con Christine into cooking another Turkey Day feast when I get back in October.

I am a single guy which means I of course gladly accept free meals so be sure to watch when I fly home and invite me!

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 32% [?]

Ahhh time again for the infamous gas chamber requalification.

Our gas chamber cannot kill you but it can certainly make you miserable for about half an hour or in my case today a few hours.

In typical Marine Corps fashion we were told to show up at 0 Dark 30 so we can start getting everyone their gas masks and get in the chamber by 0700.  Finally, after sitting around in the cold and rain until 0900 we start to kick off today’s training evolution.

168 Marines ready to breath in some riot control gas and possibly toss their cookies.  As much as I loathe the chamber I do like to go in quickly just to get it over with.

It was awesome to watch the first group go through as a few had to leave early and puke their guts up.   Luckily for me I am more of a spitter then a puker when it comes to these 10 minutes of fun-time.

Now here is where the fun begins.  There must be about 50 of us right next to a few of the vents waiting.  Brain-children that we are we don’t even think about the gas coming out.  Well let’s just say it only takes about a minute for us to know our mistake.  We are not even in the chamber and already its burning us and we are coughing.  No need to wait for someone to give us the order to get our masks on we just do it.

Well, finally it’s my turn with 25 other jarheads.  Still with gas masks on, we walk in and stand around to ensure we can breathe properly with the mask.  We then shake our heads from side to side to see if our masks securely in place.  After a few calisthenics and the gas mask still securely fastened to my brain-housing-unit it appears like another easy chamber experience until I remember the final stage.  We each must break the seal on our masks and raise them high enough for the instructors to see our eyes.  After the instructors see every Marines eyes we can put the mask on.

Having faith in my fellow Marines to lift our mask as soon as the order is given I do so as quickly as possible.  Grrr let down again!  There was at least one knucklehead taking his good old time as I was their long enough to not be able to hold my breath any longer.  Awesome, now I am sucking in gas and losing faith in my fellow warriors.

Finally we get the order to put our masks on, tighten them up, and try to breathe again.  Sucked in too much this particular time so now I am just trying to hold my breath again until we are allowed to run like sissies out of the chamber.

Finally, we get the order to get out and I proceed to take off my mask so I can spit and cough for 15 minutes.  What a great way to start your day eh?  But seriously, it’s not all that bad.  I had a bad chest cold the week prior and any remnants I had left were now gone.  Later in the day I certainly felt my chest cold was completely gone.  Maybe this should be a part of a healthcare bill!?

Now, in case you are wondering why it affected me for hours here you go.  The gas stays on your clothes until you wash them in cold water or a few hours out in the wind.  Well lucky me got to drive two other Marines to and from the chamber so the three of us contaminated the car.  On the seats, steering wheel, seat belts, clothes, etc… it seemed like it was all over the place.  It was nice to suck it again driving back to my room.  Let’s just say the drive from Quantico to Washington DC seemed more like 60 miles then 30 miles.  Maybe this is why some call me a brilliant idiot.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 40% [?]

This week I wrapped up my training to be a liaison for the Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned (MCCLL) in Iraq.  We spent the week reviewing software/database systems, processes, procedures, and tools then ended the week having to give a mock brief about MCCLL to the Commanding Officer to ensure we knew what to do when in theater.

Interestingly enough, a few squids (Navy) and fly boys (Air Force) sat in on the training to try to gain an understanding on how the Marine Corps does business.

Briefly, my job in Iraq will be to continually communicate and provide training and information to every Marine Corps command in the Al Anbar province.  You can think of MCCLL as trying to ensure Marines utilize best practices.  We collect information and conduct interviews to understand what works, what doesn’t work, and how to improve upon virtually anything. 

Marines have been successful because of knowledge gained from Marines that came before us.  Now, MCCLL is leading the way with the other service branches hence why the other branches sat through our training too.

Now again, I am going to the Al Anbar province.  Al Anbar is the largest province in Iraq and encompasses much of the country’s western territory.  It shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and is predominately Sunni.  Before 1976 the province was known as Ramadi; before 1962, it was known as Dulaim.

Not only was the training top notch, the Marines and civilians working for MCCLL had great personalities, drive, and commitment to improve how the Marine Corps operates.

MCCLL sets the bar high for the liaisons and expects much.  Just the sort of environment I like and need to be engaged with.  I look forward to helping my Marine Corps to the best of my abilities.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 41% [?]

One of the paramount reasons why the Marine Corps is so extremely successful is because of our commitment to teamwork. In fact, as Marines, there are only 3 times when we seek individual achievement; physical fitness test, rifle / pistol qualification, and promotion.

I am glad to say however that my promotion to Gunnery Sergeant was due in fact to team work.

Operations officer for the Logistics Readiness Coordination Center, LtCol Peter Finan, took a personal interest in seeing that I would be promoted in 2008. From reviewing every aspect of my Marine Corps career to editing my promotion package to even final review of my uniform for the required promotion picture LtCol Finan ensured the promotion board would let me pin on my Gunny stripes.

A little over 2 months later I found out I was selected to Gunny and Brigadier General (BGEN) David Reist came to congratulate me. During the course of our talking he discovered I was going to Iraq and without hesitation let it know that he wanted to frock me as soon as possible.

Normally, the Marine Corps only promotes a few Marines a month based upon the total number to be promoted. That is, if the Marine Corps was to have 120 new Gunnery Sergeants they in theory would promote 10 a month. BGEN Reist thought it best to promote me sooner instead of later because of my duties in Iraq hence his request to my superiors to frock me. BGEN Reist certainly is certainly a busy man with many responsibilities so for him to take an interest in my promotion was certainly a great honor.

These pictures were from my frocking ceremony on 13 March in BGEN Reists’ office.

Pictured above: Me, BGen Reist

Pictured above: Captain Brice Brown, Master Sergeant Vernon Allen, Me, LtCol Peter Finan.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 36% [?]

Thank you reading my blog.

Having served our country my entire adult life I confess that helping others is who I am and relish it.  Be it as a United States Marine, Chairman of the Chester County Young Republicans (in Pennsylvania), conservative political activist, or working with non-profits/charities, serving is a large part of my life.

For the last 5+ years I have been recalled back to active duty and stationed at Headquarters Marine Corps working as a Watch Chief for the Logistics Readiness Coordination Center in Washington DC.  Now I am finally getting a chance to get my boots on the ground (BOG) in Iraq.

From mid-April to late-October I will be working as a liaison for the Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned in the Al Taqaddum province which is located about 74 miles west of Baghdad.

Reception by others when they find out I am going to Iraq has been mixed.  Most are encouraging and asking how they can help.  Sadly, many still remain unknowing about the cause.  Being a part of the liberation process of over 50 million people (Iraq, Afghanistan, and Horn of Africa) is in my opinion one of the noblest gestures one can give their time and life for. 

Years from now history will properly judge Americans as liberators and eradicators of terrorist.  As time creeps forward and the light of freedom shines brighter throughout the Middle East, our growing list of friends will remain steadfast for American ideals and our country will become safer.

I will miss my friends and family but at the same time I look forward to meeting my fellow Marines who on a daily basis provide security and comfort to millions of our Iraqi friends.

Let me close by saying that to support the troops means you must support the mission.  No matter if you thought we should go into Iraq has been irrelevant for years now. 

We came in to remove a monster that was responsible for over 1 million deaths, violated virtually every UN sanction, shot at Americans an average of 3 x a day for years in the no-fly zone, paid families of suicide bombers if they killed Jews, and yes had manufactured, stored, and employed weapons of mass destruction.  If you cannot see the value of removing a murderous tyrant then you simply don’t get it and most likely never will.

Support the troops abroad and at home. 

Support the mission. 

Thank you and Semper Fi.

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 36% [?]