Thanks, KVAL!

The CBS affiliate in Eugene sent out a reporter that embedded with some of my Marines as they made some improvements to a Forward Operating Base (FOB) up north. This is the story that she wrote:



And you can see their pictures here:



I wanted to make it up there but was unable to due to a separate mission running simultaneously (the one where I had dinner with Mr. Assef). I especially wanted to make it up there because the day they flew up there, we received word that Corporal Griffith, at the time Lance Corporal Griffith, had just been selected to receive a meritorious promotion to Corporal. Because it was a meritorious promotion through our home battalion, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, we had to wait for the Commanding General to sign the promotion warrant back in the states, and then for the warrant to be sent out to Afghanistan. My Platoon Sergeant and I wanted to fly up there to promote him, but instead we had an officer stationed up at the base do it.

Corporal Griffith distinguished himself from our first mission here on deck in Afghanistan. He does construction back at home, and from the start he's been applying his skills--showing the other Marines what needs to be done and leading small teams in various aspects of the construction. When our command asked who we wanted to put up for a meritorious promotion to Corporal, he was an easy choice.

I have an awesome platoon, and right now I am in the process of writing awards for about half of them. All the re-writes are painful, but I think I'm getting the hang of it, and they certainly deserve it.

In other news, Happy 17th Birthday, Rebecca! I'm so proud of you, and can't wait to see you soon.