Lost Sight - NATO-Russia Conflict 2018

Chapter 2: October 2018 #3 - Rick

Table of Events

With Autumn’s start Russia began its invasion of the Balkans, with Moldova being targeted first, then followed by Romania. October 2018 also marked the beginning of the arrival of the first US reinforcements – in the form of the US I MEF and the US Mediterranean Fleet on Oct 30th.

October 28th, 2018 – Russia’s newly-organized Army of the Balkans, launched Operation Balkan Return. With more than 100,000 troops spearheading the operation, the Russian Army charged the Romanian first line of defense, the Andrescu Line.

October 30th, 2018 – US Mediterranean Fleet arrives in Romanian waters, lands I MEF (First Marine Expeditionary Force) at Constanta to reinforce NATO forces there.

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Rick Salvade’s Notes #1

Graduation from the Infantry Officer Course was the proudest day of my life. We all stood in dress blues, swords on our hips, leather collars and all – it looked like we were heroes already. It made me feel I was the Marine I always dreamed to be.

I was assigned to my new unit a week later. It came to my surprise that the unit I was assigned to was known to be the most illustrious unit in the Marine Corps: Second Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, or 2/5 Marines for short. I was assigned to newly-formed Fox Company, where most of the new recruits and some old veterans were mixed in. When I first came to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, for my first assignment I was directed straight to my CO. Then I was introduced to him in his office: cold-eyed, laid back, and practical, Captain Joe White. Captain Joe White was a newly promoted First Lieutenant who had served for four years as an infantryman in the Fleet. Captain White had toured in Afghanistan twice and was among the most experienced Marines in our newly-formed

Gunneey Sergeant Phil Barnes was the most experienced enlistedbman on board. Having served for at least 15 years Gunnery Sergeant Barnes had been shooting terrorists when I was still playing Legend of Zelda on my GameCube, totally ignorant to the world as a happy-go-lucky, Jewish little kid. Gunny Barnes was in his mid-30s, but among all us Boots, he seemed like a grandpa.

I found my platoon compelling. My platoon sergeant, Staff Sergeant John Hughes, often called ‘Papa’ by the men, was a 10 year veteran of the Corps. Papa and I got on with each other really well, and we completely understood our boundaries. The platoon leader was there to command, organize, and motivate the men and Staff Sergeant Hughes, with his easy-going and friendly demeanor, was there to assist me and advise me whenever I made any errors. It was a wonderful companionship and we became the best of friends.

In my short time at Camp Pendleton, I managed to bond with the squad leaders under my command. I tried to lose the formalities. I told my men to call me LT on and off the field and said to them I wasn’t any better than them, and that we were all the same. I just went ¾ through college and went through OCS, while on the other hand they enlisted and went through the School of Infantry. I wanted to bond with them, be one with them. Be accepted. However, I knew that wasn’t going to be easy, so I had to prove something to win them over.

In early October we finally got new orders. I Marine Expeditionary Force (I-MEF) was to fly to England and hitch with the Mediterranean Fleet. Unnaturally, my first deployment wasn’t on a normal fleet. The Mediterranean Fleet was a Joint Task Force with elements from the Royal Navy, US Navy, French Navy, and a couple of detachments from other NATO countries. The Mediterranean Fleet had another name, however – Task Force 121.

When TF121 entered Mediterranean waters, All Marine officers were gathered on the USS Nimitz to get a briefing on what I-MEF would do. Major-General David Armstrong, who was I-MEF CO, told us in a short and solid statement: ‘We are sailing for Romania and we’re going to kick the Russians outta the Balkans.’