GyBill
07-01-2005, 23:16
Corps bids farewell to last enlisted ‘Nam vet
Submitted by: MCB Quantico
Story by: Computed Name: Cpl. Jonathan Agg
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(June 30, 2005) -- Another chapter of Marine Corps history will draw to a close as the Corps bids farewell to the last remaining enlisted Vietnam veteran on active duty.
Master Sgt. Randall Arnold, Quantico Security Battalion operations chief, will retire in a ceremony to be held at Harry Lee Hall here Friday at 9 a.m.
Arnold, a Charlottesville, Va., native raised in Washington, enlisted in the Marine Corps Jan. 21, 1969, at the age of 18. After boot camp and radio telegraph operator training, Arnold was assigned to the 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Upon arrival, he immediately requested, and was granted, duty in Vietnam.
Arnold arrived in Da Nang Jan. 25, 1970, and was assigned to Communications Support Company, 7th Communications Battalion., III Marine Amphibious Force.
“I did what most Marines did,” said Arnold of his early days in Vietnam. “I pulled guard duty, I stood watch in the tower along the perimeter, and I stood radio watch, because that was my job – I was a communicator.”
Later, Arnold would participate in support of ground operations with the 2nd Republic of Korea Marine Brigade and the 2nd Marine Corps Combined Action Group. While at Hoi-An with the ROK Marines, Arnold was introduced to martial arts, which would become a significant part of his life and family.
“That’s when I first started getting into martial arts,” said Arnold. “I used to watch (the ROK Marines) work out. Those guys train really, really hard, and they’re tenacious fighters. Their intensity impressed me so much that later on, when the battalion moved to Red Beach on Da Nang Bay, I continued to study under a Korean Army colonel. It opened up a lifelong passion.”
After serving in Vietnam, Arnold was assigned to 1st Marine Brigade at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay on June 27, 1971. He received his first posting to Marine Corps Base Quantico on Sept. 17, 1971. Arnold served as an enlisted instructor at the Student Demonstration Troops Battalion, later designated Headquarters and Service Battalion, at The Basic School. Arnold also instructed at the Communications Officers School before leaving active duty as a sergeant on Jan. 19, 1973.
Following two years in the Marine Corps Reserve, from January 1973 to January 1975, Arnold served in the U.S. Army Reserve and the Washington, D.C., National Guard from September 1976 to July 1978.
“I didn’t know how to be anything other that a Marine, in terms of attention to duty and attention to detail,” said Arnold, whose dissatisfaction with the Army eventually led him back to the Corps.
“I liked the way the Marine Corps did things as opposed to the other branches. I liked the straight-forwardness. Mostly, it was the pride in the title, Marine. I really liked taking pride in telling someone, ‘I am a United States Marine,’” said Arnold. “I don’t think there is another branch of military in this world that evokes so much respect, admiration, fear or outright hatred then the United States Marine Corps does. The guys we go against, they respect us as warriors, they fear us as adversaries, and they hate us because invariably we win.”
After reenlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve as a sergeant in February, 1982, Arnold transitioned back to active duty on May 14, 1983.
Arnold reported to Infantry Training School in June 1983 for instruction in the Anti-Tank Assaultman Course, and upon graduation was assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division.
Arnold deployed aboard the USS Guam in October 1983 and participated in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada as a TOW squad leader with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.
Arnold then served as a recruiter at Recruiting Station Richmond from June 1985 to September 1988 before returning to the fleet to serve in the 4th Marines Regiment Anti-Tank (TOW) Platoon. He deployed to Korea in support of Operations Valiant Blitz and Team Spirit.
After promotion to staff sergeant Jan. 1, 1989, Arnold again returned to Quantico in September where he served as Counter-Mech Section leader, Mortar Section leader and Rifle Platoon leader. In March 1992, he was transferred to H&S Bn., where he served as both battalion operations chief and substance abuse counseling officer.
In September 1992, Arnold served in Somalia in support of Operation Continue Hope with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.
In July 1996, Arnold once again returned to Quantico to serve as a rifle platoon leader in the Infantry Unit at TBS. After promotion to gunnery sergeant, Arnold served as senior enlisted advisor, company gunnery sergeant and as company operations chief.
Arnold was then assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in September 2000 to serve as a squadron master sergeant.
Arnold was promoted to his final rank, master sergeant, Jan. 1, 2001and served as staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge of Camp Hansen Range Control Detachment in Okinawa, Japan, from August 2003 to September 2004, when he received his final assignment as the Security Battalion operations chief here.
Arnold said he finds parting with the Marine Corps a difficult task and would prefer to continue serving with Marines as a civilian contractor.
“I would really love to have the opportunity to work around Marines. When you’ve been a Marine for so many years, you find that you identify with them. You feel a closeness with them that’s not going to go away,” said Arnold.
Arnold illustrated the Marines’ undying esprit de corps with an anecdote from his time in the Army National Guard.
“I remember when I was with the Army National Guard at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, and I had my old bush cover on with the Marine Corps emblem on the front,” said Arnold. “One of the soldiers asked me, ‘Why are you wearing that?’ I answered, ‘Because I’m a Marine.’ He said, ‘No, you’re a soldier.’ Well I said, ‘I was a Marine before I was a soldier, and once a Marine always a Marine. I just may be wearing a different uniform, but deep down inside, I’m still a Marine.’ He just shook his head and moved on.”
As he exits the active duty ranks, Arnold offered some insightful wisdom for the Marines who continue the Corps’ proud legacy.
“First, keep faith with the Corps. She may not be perfect, but she’s the best Marine Corps we’ve got. Second, hold to your I’s and J’s,” said Arnold, referring to initiative, judgment, integrity and justice, four of the 14 Marine Corps leadership traits.
“You can be the most evil son of a gun in the world, as long as you’re fair. If you see something that needs to be fixed, take the initiative, use good judgment, and get it done,” said Arnold. “When a Marine comes to his leader with a problem, he’s looking for an honest answer. When a leader asks a Marine, ‘What happened?’ he’s looking for an honest answer. As leaders and Marines, there are so few of us that we need to be sure that we’re honest with each other, because someday, someone’s life may depend on it. So if I have to leave anything to anyone, I would say, keep faith in the Corps and never compromise your integrity. The bottom line is the Marine Corps is what we do and integrity is who we are.
Submitted by: MCB Quantico
Story by: Computed Name: Cpl. Jonathan Agg
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(June 30, 2005) -- Another chapter of Marine Corps history will draw to a close as the Corps bids farewell to the last remaining enlisted Vietnam veteran on active duty.
Master Sgt. Randall Arnold, Quantico Security Battalion operations chief, will retire in a ceremony to be held at Harry Lee Hall here Friday at 9 a.m.
Arnold, a Charlottesville, Va., native raised in Washington, enlisted in the Marine Corps Jan. 21, 1969, at the age of 18. After boot camp and radio telegraph operator training, Arnold was assigned to the 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Upon arrival, he immediately requested, and was granted, duty in Vietnam.
Arnold arrived in Da Nang Jan. 25, 1970, and was assigned to Communications Support Company, 7th Communications Battalion., III Marine Amphibious Force.
“I did what most Marines did,” said Arnold of his early days in Vietnam. “I pulled guard duty, I stood watch in the tower along the perimeter, and I stood radio watch, because that was my job – I was a communicator.”
Later, Arnold would participate in support of ground operations with the 2nd Republic of Korea Marine Brigade and the 2nd Marine Corps Combined Action Group. While at Hoi-An with the ROK Marines, Arnold was introduced to martial arts, which would become a significant part of his life and family.
“That’s when I first started getting into martial arts,” said Arnold. “I used to watch (the ROK Marines) work out. Those guys train really, really hard, and they’re tenacious fighters. Their intensity impressed me so much that later on, when the battalion moved to Red Beach on Da Nang Bay, I continued to study under a Korean Army colonel. It opened up a lifelong passion.”
After serving in Vietnam, Arnold was assigned to 1st Marine Brigade at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay on June 27, 1971. He received his first posting to Marine Corps Base Quantico on Sept. 17, 1971. Arnold served as an enlisted instructor at the Student Demonstration Troops Battalion, later designated Headquarters and Service Battalion, at The Basic School. Arnold also instructed at the Communications Officers School before leaving active duty as a sergeant on Jan. 19, 1973.
Following two years in the Marine Corps Reserve, from January 1973 to January 1975, Arnold served in the U.S. Army Reserve and the Washington, D.C., National Guard from September 1976 to July 1978.
“I didn’t know how to be anything other that a Marine, in terms of attention to duty and attention to detail,” said Arnold, whose dissatisfaction with the Army eventually led him back to the Corps.
“I liked the way the Marine Corps did things as opposed to the other branches. I liked the straight-forwardness. Mostly, it was the pride in the title, Marine. I really liked taking pride in telling someone, ‘I am a United States Marine,’” said Arnold. “I don’t think there is another branch of military in this world that evokes so much respect, admiration, fear or outright hatred then the United States Marine Corps does. The guys we go against, they respect us as warriors, they fear us as adversaries, and they hate us because invariably we win.”
After reenlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve as a sergeant in February, 1982, Arnold transitioned back to active duty on May 14, 1983.
Arnold reported to Infantry Training School in June 1983 for instruction in the Anti-Tank Assaultman Course, and upon graduation was assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division.
Arnold deployed aboard the USS Guam in October 1983 and participated in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada as a TOW squad leader with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.
Arnold then served as a recruiter at Recruiting Station Richmond from June 1985 to September 1988 before returning to the fleet to serve in the 4th Marines Regiment Anti-Tank (TOW) Platoon. He deployed to Korea in support of Operations Valiant Blitz and Team Spirit.
After promotion to staff sergeant Jan. 1, 1989, Arnold again returned to Quantico in September where he served as Counter-Mech Section leader, Mortar Section leader and Rifle Platoon leader. In March 1992, he was transferred to H&S Bn., where he served as both battalion operations chief and substance abuse counseling officer.
In September 1992, Arnold served in Somalia in support of Operation Continue Hope with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.
In July 1996, Arnold once again returned to Quantico to serve as a rifle platoon leader in the Infantry Unit at TBS. After promotion to gunnery sergeant, Arnold served as senior enlisted advisor, company gunnery sergeant and as company operations chief.
Arnold was then assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in September 2000 to serve as a squadron master sergeant.
Arnold was promoted to his final rank, master sergeant, Jan. 1, 2001and served as staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge of Camp Hansen Range Control Detachment in Okinawa, Japan, from August 2003 to September 2004, when he received his final assignment as the Security Battalion operations chief here.
Arnold said he finds parting with the Marine Corps a difficult task and would prefer to continue serving with Marines as a civilian contractor.
“I would really love to have the opportunity to work around Marines. When you’ve been a Marine for so many years, you find that you identify with them. You feel a closeness with them that’s not going to go away,” said Arnold.
Arnold illustrated the Marines’ undying esprit de corps with an anecdote from his time in the Army National Guard.
“I remember when I was with the Army National Guard at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, and I had my old bush cover on with the Marine Corps emblem on the front,” said Arnold. “One of the soldiers asked me, ‘Why are you wearing that?’ I answered, ‘Because I’m a Marine.’ He said, ‘No, you’re a soldier.’ Well I said, ‘I was a Marine before I was a soldier, and once a Marine always a Marine. I just may be wearing a different uniform, but deep down inside, I’m still a Marine.’ He just shook his head and moved on.”
As he exits the active duty ranks, Arnold offered some insightful wisdom for the Marines who continue the Corps’ proud legacy.
“First, keep faith with the Corps. She may not be perfect, but she’s the best Marine Corps we’ve got. Second, hold to your I’s and J’s,” said Arnold, referring to initiative, judgment, integrity and justice, four of the 14 Marine Corps leadership traits.
“You can be the most evil son of a gun in the world, as long as you’re fair. If you see something that needs to be fixed, take the initiative, use good judgment, and get it done,” said Arnold. “When a Marine comes to his leader with a problem, he’s looking for an honest answer. When a leader asks a Marine, ‘What happened?’ he’s looking for an honest answer. As leaders and Marines, there are so few of us that we need to be sure that we’re honest with each other, because someday, someone’s life may depend on it. So if I have to leave anything to anyone, I would say, keep faith in the Corps and never compromise your integrity. The bottom line is the Marine Corps is what we do and integrity is who we are.