U.S. MILITARY CELEBRATES THANKSGIVING DAY

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
The East Coast Marine Corps Combined Band marches in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Nov. 28, 2013. The band includes 80 instrumentalists from the Marine Corps' three largest East Coast installations; Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Camp Lejeune, N.C., and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. A.J. Rasure -

"Gobbles," the prize winning turkey, sits on display at the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team's dining facility on Fort Stewart, Ga., Nov. 27, 2013. Chefs created the turkey from various types of chips and other snack foods. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Richard Wrigle.

MARINES SENT TO YEMEN

Map Credit:  CIA World Factbook.
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DOD Sends Marine Team to U.S. Embassy in Yemen
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2012 - A Marine Corps fleet antiterrorism security team, called a "FAST team" is now on the ground in Yemen to help with security at the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

This is the second FAST team, consisting of about 50 Marines, authorized by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta to bolster security at U.S. diplomatic installations in the past two days.

The first team was sent to Libya after the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi that killed four State Department employees, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens.

The FAST platoon was dispatched, Little told reporters here, "partly in response to events over the past two days at our embassy in Yemen, but it's also in part a precautionary measure."

Protests began earlier this week in Libya and at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo over what was reportedly an American-produced film posted on the Internet considered insulting to the Prophet Mohammed. Since then, there have been reports of protests in other countries in the Middle East, including at the U.S. embassy in Tunisia and the German Embassy in Sudan.

Travel alerts posted on the State Department website are advising Americans to exercise caution because of possible demonstrations elsewhere, including in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Jakarta, Indonesia.

About ongoing protests in Cairo at the U.S. Embassy there, Little said "the situation hasn't to this point necessitated a change in security posture. Naturally, we stand ready to support our State Department colleagues if a request for additional military support comes through."

In Afghanistan, protests so far have been peaceful, he said.

"We're gratified based on what we know now," Little said, "that religious leaders have appealed for nonviolent protests ... so for at the moment we have not seen outbursts of violence against our diplomatic installations or military bases in Afghanistan."

In Libya, he added, "we are continuing to investigate what happened and DOD will do its part, working with our partners across the government, to determine what happened and, if asked, support the president's call to deliver justice."

He said the department is in communication with State Department colleagues to discuss military support to embassy and consulate security around the world, but that it is premature to reach final conclusions about the recent violence against U.S. diplomatic posts in Libya, Cairo and elsewhere or about who is responsible.

"I really am asking respectfully for a little bit of patience as we work through this," Little said. "It's important to get this answer absolutely correct, and that is the goal of this government -- to make sure that when a call is made that it's accurate and complete."

TWINS SERVE TOGETHER IN AFGHANISTAN

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Marine Corps Sgt. David Haines, left, and his twin brother, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Haines, reunite at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Sept. 12, 2012. The brothers, from Moscow, Idaho, are on their first combat deployment, and it's the first time they have been together in five years, except for a few days during Christmas leave. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. John Jackson

Face of Defense: Twins Serve Together in Afghanistan

By Marine Corps Sgt. John Jackson
Regional Command Southwest
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan, Sept. 12, 2012 - Except for a few days of leave, twin brothers Marine Corps Sgt. David Haines and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Haines hadn't been together for five years until they were reunited here, where both are deployed.

They don't necessarily compete against one another, but the 24-year-old siblings often wrangle back and forth as if they are teenagers fighting for a video game controller.

Whether they are trash-talking about the other's military branch or arguing about dates of events, the brothers playfully interact like adolescents still living together on a daily basis.

Growing up, the Haines brothers had different interests. Michael ran track, worked and even spent the better part of a year living in Italy with his sister. David spent his free time practicing the piano, playing in a jazz band and taking drama classes at the local college. However, the brothers said, they have remained close.

The two graduated from Moscow Senior High School in Moscow, Idaho, in June 2006. After spending a few months out of school, David said, he knew he wanted something different.

"I needed a change of pace," he explained. "My brother-in-law was trying to talk me into the Navy, but the Navy didn't really interest me. The Marine recruiter was right next door and totally sold me."

During January 2007, David left Idaho to become a Marine, and his twin brother was thinking about doing the same.

"I always wanted to join," Michael said. "I had gotten married right out of high school. When we found out that my wife at the time was pregnant, I knew I needed to take care of my family, and I could finally do what I wanted."

For the past five years, Michael and David have shared two duty stations. However, they have not been stationed together at the same time. The brothers have both been assigned to units in Okinawa, Japan, and are both now assigned to units at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

David, the Afghan National Army development chief for 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, deployed in February. His brother, a corpsman, checked into 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, in April and deployed to Afghanistan this summer. It's the first time the brothers have deployed to a combat zone, and the first time they have been together in five years, except for a few days during Christmas leave.

"It's pretty interesting," Michael said. "We always kept missing one another at our previous duty stations. It's pretty cool that we are here together, though."

Although being deployed in the same area is nice for the brothers, David said, he has found himself on the edge of his seat the past few months.

"I was really looking forward to [Michael] getting here, but to be honest, it has made me a bit anxious," he said. "Being a part of the [Marine expeditionary force] and knowing about the kinetics in the area and seeing casualty reports, I was always making sure it wasn't my brother or his unit that was getting hit. It makes it a bit different tracking those things, especially having your twin brother out there."

Michael is wrapping up his 90-day deployment and will be headed back to Camp Pendleton in the coming days. Until he redeploys, the brothers said, they look forward to spending some time together.

The brothers said they enjoy being a part of the armed forces. Both are thinking about seeking commissions. With 15 or more years remaining in the military, they added, it may mean many long waits before uniting again. But they said they'll take whatever opportunity they have to talk to one another, even if it is on the other side of the world in a combat zone.