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NEW ORLEANS (8/3/2011) – When a humanitarian crisis occurs
overseas, many Americans contribute to disaster relief by writing a
check. Cpl. Adam Marlatt contributes by strapping a pack on his
back, gathering his team and plunging headfirst into the disaster
zone.
Cpl. Adam Marlatt helps prepare a paralyzed Haitian patient for a medical evacuation to the United States for further treatment January 2011. (Photo courtesy of Cpl. Adam Marlatt) |
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Marlatt, a 23-year-old Reserve Marine rifleman from New York City,
is the founder and president of the Global Disaster Immediate
Response Team organization, which was founded in 2010 after the
devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti. Marlatt describes
DIRT's mission as “Providing immediate assistance to victims of
disasters all around the globe,” namely through providing
transportation and logistical assistance and coordinating various
nongovernmental organizations on the ground.
What separates
Marlatt and Global DIRT from their NGO peers, however, is their
unique history and approach to humanitarian work.
The idea of
Global DIRT first came to Marlatt while deployed to Iraq in 2008 as
an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment. While in
Iraq, Marlatt and his fellow Marines kicked around ideas on how to
solve the shortcomings they saw in the humanitarian response efforts
in the area. Marlatt came up with the idea of Global DIRT; however,
no one |
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thought he would actually act upon his ideas. Later, Marlatt decided
to put his plans into motion after hearing about the situation in
Haiti after the earthquake, which his friends described as a
“complete horror show.” This spurred Marlatt into action. |
Assembling a rag-tag team of former, active and reserve
military veterans, Marlatt and his crew hit the ground
running, quickly gaining a reputation as the kind of people
who could get things done, military troubleshooters who
could cut through red tape like a hot bayonet through butter
and had the natural military disdain of bureaucracy. The
group even became one of the main tools used by actor Sean
Penn, who ran one of the larger humanitarian relief efforts
in Haiti, leading such media organizations as Vanity Fair
Magazine to label global DIRT as examples of “extreme
humanitarianism.”
Marlatt says he prefers to have
military veterans in his organization as they bring unique
skill sets to the table desperately needed in disaster zones
and don't mind getting a little dirty in the process.
“These guys have certain skill sets you can't get in a
class room...being able to operate in high-stress situations
and excel in chaos. We don't have the traditional logistical
burdens of an NGO... we can fly in and hump to where we need
to go. We don't have the mindset ‘Oh, we have to wait until
a shipping container with a sleeping unit is brought in.'
You need the kind of guys who go ‘Aye Sir!' and get the job
done.”
One of the Marines exemplifying DIRT's can-do
spirit is 29-year-old Sgt. Riaan Roberts, a squad leader
with Company C, 1st Bn., 25th Marines, who, after being
introduced to Marlatt, volunteered to help Marlatt and his
team in Haiti.
Roberts said he and Marlatt spent a
lot of time providing medical assistance to Haitian
refugees. Marlatt, Roberts and the rest of their team showed
little fear of the security situation and would dive into
situations, such as riots, headfirst while their NGO
counterparts would wait for armed escorts. Their approach
allowed the team to be the first ones on the scene and, in
the words of Roberts, “Save mad lives while other people sat
in meetings.” Roberts credits Marlatt with most of the
group's success.
“Marlatt has all the connections and
is always thinking about where to go. He is laid back, but
is always masterminding everything,” said Roberts. “He knows
the whole picture, which is great because I hate the big
picture. It makes things confusing. He is a good piece of
gear.”
Marlatt's history of volunteerism precedes the
founding of Global DIRT. Already a volunteer firefighter, he
decided to join the Marine Corps and went to basic training
in 2007. Marlatt's family had a long history of military
service, and the desire to be a Marine had been with him
since he was young. Marlatt decided to join the Marine Corps
Reserve instead of going active duty as it would give him
more time to focus on both college and his volunteer work.
Despite volunteerism being a big part of his life,
Marlatt describes his reason for volunteering in simple
terms.
“It gives me the opportunity to give back,”
said Marlatt. “It motivates me knowing there aren't that
many people that can assist in the way that I can. Most
people pack up and go after their 20 minutes in the spot
light.”
Roberts offered his own insight into
Marlatt's actions based on his time working with him.
“There is (stuff messed up) in the world and we have the
ability to change it. He has a capacity to do things, I have
a capacity, most people have a capacity but most people
don't want to do anything. He is aware of how things
actually work and that's a rare thing, to realize how your
actions affect those around you.”
To date, Marlatt
and the Global DIRT organization have assisted humanitarian
efforts in one capacity or another in Haiti, Japan and New
Zealand. Marlatt is currently undergoing pre-deployment
training to deploy with his unit to Afghanistan and has
spent his time between deployments working on a degree in
business management at the University of New Hampshire.
By USMC Sgt. Tyler Hlavac
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2011
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