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Senior Marine leaders stop briefly at Bagram

Story by Army Staff Sgt. Christina Bhatti
Story Identification Number: 20032108259

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Feb. 6, 2003) -- The 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, and the 14th Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. Alford McMichael visited Bagram Feb. 6 as part of a whirlwind tour to visit deployed Marines around the world.

"The people at home feel safe because of you," said Gen. Hagee to the Marines at Camp Teufel-Hunden. "This is not just a deployment. This is an expeditionary mission, and we are an expeditionary force. That means we do it and we do it right."

Gen. Hagee and the sergeant major visited the Marines after brief operational updates from Lt. Gen. Dan McNeil, Combined Joint Task Force-180 commanding general and Command Sgt. Maj. Steven England, CJTF-180 sergeant major.

Both leaders? motivation and inspiration were evident to the Marines from the volume of their war cries when the leaders were speaking.

"He is really keeping us going," said Sgt. Angel Escobar, Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz.

"It's great to see leaders who want to talk to us and shake our hands. Most don't care enough."

During their speeches, both leaders addressed future Marine Corps? missions in today's world of possible wars.

"It's not going to be easy," said McMichael. "We are going to be busy, but as Marines I know we can handle it."

Not going into too much detail about the future, Gen. Hagee and McMichael instilled their confidence in the Marines here as well as those who are at home and those who are elsewhere.

After meeting with the group, they wandered the "clamshell" addressing individual Marines and posing for the occasional photo.

Due to inclement weather, the visit was shortened, but Gen. Hagee had only good things to say.

"All in all, these Marines look great," Gen. Hagee said. "They are doing great things for the U.S. here and they are representing the Marine Corps well.?