Sailors, Marines Bring Fleet Week To Wounded Brethren
(October 12, 2010) |
|
|
SAN FRANCISCO (MCN -10/7/2010) — Three wounded Marines at a veteran's
hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., had the company of brethren Oct. 7 when
service members participating in this city's 2010 Fleet Week paid a
visit there.
Six Marines and two sailors with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and
two sailors serving aboard USS Makin Island shook hands and thanked the
wounded warriors.
“We wanted to bring Fleet Week to these Marines ...,” said Navy Cmdr. Lee
Axtell, 11th MEU chaplain. “We wanted to show them that they are not
forgotten.”
The visitors, who sailed into San Francisco Bay Oct. 6 from San Diego
aboard Makin Island, spent time hanging out with the wounded Marines and
family members. |
|
Staff Sgt. Amos Good, right, a platoon sergeant with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, aka 2/7, greets Lance Cpl. Aaron McNally, a rifleman with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, aka 2/6, at the Veterans Affairs Hospital here Oct. 7,
2010. |
|
Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, aka 2/7, and sailors with USS Makin Island pay a visit to Cpl. Harvey Westun, a combat engineer with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, at the Veterans Affairs Hospital here Oct. 7,
2010. |
|
They talked about everything from deployments to
sports.
It is important for recovering Marines to be treated like
Marines, explained Navy Cmdr. Eric Stedje-Larsen,
officer-in-charge of Fleet Surgical Team 5 aboard Makin
Island.
“The more often we visit the wounded warriors, the more we
embed the fact that we care,” said Axtell.
After visiting, the service members thanked the staff for
their hard work and dedication to the recovery of the
injured and ill military personnel in their care.
“Coming here was good because it's important to let (the
wounded) know people care. I've been there, and I know how
it is,” said Cpl. Jesse Williams, a mortarman with 2nd
Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, based in Twentynine Palms,
Calif.
Given the overwhelming daily amount of requests, the
hospital frequently turns down visitors, said Stedje-Larsen.
The visiting service members are fortunate to have visited
these wounded Marines. |
|
Article and photos by LCpl. Zachary Majors
11th MEU
Copyright 2010 | |
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
Comment on this article |
|
