Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Here's an excellent interview by milblogger Blackfive with an active-duty Marine in Iraq, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Erik E. Duane, also known as "Sheik Lion" since he's recognized as a Sheik by the Iraqis:
By action. We have performed various tasks that have shown the locals that we do what we say we are going to do. There was a large amount of debris and trash in the streets of a local housing complex. I said my team would set about to finding a solution to get rid of the trash. It was a health issue that we took seriously. What we ended up doing was hiring the people of the complex to pick up their own trash and dispose of it away from the complex in an appropriate manner. It provided a solution to the problem and provided jobs to over 50 local men and financial gain for their families. Actions - they speak volumes in our field.
B5: How did you come to be called "Sheik" and which tribe were you inducted into (and why)?
My best guess is that it is because I care about the locals as I would my own family. Sheiks are leaders of tribes, and tribes are families. The members of my Civil Affairs team have all become members of the local "tribe" and are accepted as family. All of my Marines are constantly looking for ways to improve the locals’ lives while ensuring the solution is an Iraqi one. We want them to help themselves, but sometimes that requires us to show them how...
, p.39
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