H&S Company 2004-2005

Geography and Mission

H&S Company arrived at FOB Salerno around 13 November 2004 and quickly took over the responsibility of the base’s Guard Force. Many H&S Marines would operate in a similarly non-doctrinal manner as a provisional rifle company. The S-4 Logistics Section had already successfully helped to move over 1,000 Marines, 3,000 bags, 10 quad cons, and numerous pal cons and seven-cubes from Marine Corps Base Hawaii to the battalion’s forward operating environment in Afghanistan during the first two weeks in November. The Battalion Aid Station (BAS) took the medical responsibility for five forward operating bases. H&S Company was also tasked with providing security for Fox Battery.

During the winter the BAS conducted multiple MEDCAP missions in Khowst Province, as well as numerous medical assistance visits through the battalion’s area of operations. Because FOB Salerno received intermittent rocket and indirect fire, Guard Force spent a considerable amount of its time on anti-rocket patrols. In April, the S-4 coordinated the movement of over 100 trucks worth of men and material from FOB Salerno to Jalal Abad Airfield. At Jalal Abad, H&S Company became Camp Commandant of the entire facility and was responsible for its day-to-day operations. From May onward, H&S c0ntinued to focus on improving their position at Jalal Abad while also preparing for the imminent retrograde back to Hawaii.

---

The Men

Command Element

Commanding Officer: Captain David McCombs

Executive Officer: 1st Lieutenant Whitney Foley

First Sergeant: 1st Sergeant Anthony Sammartino

Company Gunnery Sergeant: Gunnery Sergeant Carl Melrose

---

Headquarters Platoon

Sergeant Lee Legrande

Corporals Brian Moody and Brandon Sussan

Lance Corporals Michael Cain and Paul Primero

---

S-1 Administration

1st Lieutenant Jon Mohler

---

S-2 Intelligence

First Lieutenant Jeffrey Haas

Staff Sergeant David Perryman II

---

Sniper Platoon

First Lieutenant Michael Schroeder

Staff Sergeant Kevin Gonzalez

Sergeants Antonio Delgado, Jeffrey Kushner, Seth Stanton, Tucker Stokley, and Benjamin Upton

Corporals Rene Camarillo, Julian Chinana, Kyle Feeney, Brian Martin, Gregory Wentoff, and Brandon Wittwer

Lance Corporals Matthew Brinker and Derek Norris

Private First Class Geoffrey Kercher

---

S-3 Operations

Majors Gerald Graham and Andrew Priddy

Captains Anthony Apisa, Timothy Barba, and Charles Kroll

First Lieutenant Whitney Foley and Benjamin Lubin

Chief Warrant Officers Second Class Shawn Dixon and Robert Sundstrom

Master Sergeant Ronald Rice

Staff Sergeant Joshua Wruble

Sergeants Carlton Dorris IV, Allan Johnson, and Juan Pascacio

Corporals Mykle Clark, Dwight Ferguson, Richard Mattingly, Adam McQueen, Frank Rosales, Justin Schaeffer, and James Yarboro

Lance Corporal Joshua Demlow

---

Supply

Second Lieutenant Paul Christensen

Gunnery Sergeant Stephen Muller

Staff Sergeant Derrick Hancock

Sergeants Victor Aguirre, John Jones, Rico Rivera, and Wilton Ward

Lance Corporals Sean Cato, Romeo Chavez Jr, Joseph Espaniola IV, Jason Fowler, Heli Moreycastillo, Louis Ranieri and Kevin Westbrook

Private First Class Emmanuel Martinez

---

Battalion Aid Station

Lieutenant Jeremy Hammel

Chief Petty Officer Eugene Deener

Petty Officers First Class James Lambert, Rodrigo Martin Jr, Dover Slone

Petty Officers Second Class David Broomes, Curtis Hall, Forrest Partlow, and Ricardo Rivera

Petty Officers Third Class Randall Connolly Jr, Christopher Hogans, Jose Ordaya, Michael Subee, Gregory Timme, and James Wright

Seaman Shawn Mikkola and Jonathan Seaux

---

Combat Logistics Patrol

Second Lieutenant Brian Hollier

Gunnery Sergeants Irving Green and Orin Lucas

Staff Sergeants Joseph Kelly and Pedro Rapalo

Sergeants Patricio Gonzalezmarquez, Mark Halsey, Theron Hart, Fredrick Henry, Daniel Munoz, and Theodore Salarzon

Corporals Aaron Durbin, Kyle Eckleberry, Justin Lee, Adam Miklos, Garrett Mitchell, Benjamin Nebeker, Telea Tuasivi Jr, and Joel Woodling

Lance Corporals Michael Arnold, Jesus Avila, Jason Comeaux, Samuel Floyd, Craig Krebs, Johnathon Logan, Esteban Lopez, Javier Ochoa, Matthew Peytonwarner, Steve Tamez, Anthony Vega, Joseph Walters, and Erik Zacatelco

Private First Class Christopher Glenn

---

Cruisebook Pictures

1

---

Video

Guard Force Motivational Video. Courtesy: Eric German

---

Events