CMC, Sangin Marines Bid Farewell to SMMC 

The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James F. Amos, accompanied by the Corps’ top enlisted Marine, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlton Kent, spoke to the Marines and sailors of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, in Sangin, May 12.

On Kent’s last trip to Afghanistan as an active-duty Marine, the two thanked the Marines for their service reassuring them that their work in Sangin would not be forgot and talked about the future of the Corps as the 16th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps retires in June.

“We wanted to come up and look you in the eye and tell you ‘Thanks’,” said Amos. “We know where you are. Sgt. Maj. Kent and I spent Christmas right here.”

The Commandant went on to assure Marines that he knew the good work they were doing in Sangin and had been tracking the goings on even after their holiday visit.

The 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps went on to paint a picture to the Marines of what Marjah had been like in February 2010 when Operation Moshtarak launched and the heavy fighting that ensued. He compared that to how Sangin is and then compared it to the other areas where 1/5 had fought.  Amos reminded Marines that every place 1/5 has deployed to, in both Iraq and Afghanistan, have fallen out of the public eye due to their efforts within a year.

“Here is my prediction: a year from now we will be somewhere else and people will say things like ‘when was the last time anyone reported anything bad up in Sangin Valley?’” said the proud commander. “And you are part of that; standing on the shoulders of the Marines who have come before you.

“You are in a legendary battalion,” said Amos. “You have been in every tough fight the Marine Corps has ever been in.”

He then shifted the focus of the Marines to his senior enlisted advisor, who will be retiring June 9.  He will pass on the sword to Sgt. Maj. Michael Barrett, who is coming from his last posting as the 1st Marine Division Sergeant Major.

“The greatest joy for me, when I became the 35th Commandant, was to know that Sgt. Maj. Kent and I were going to get to work together again,” said Amos, about a Marine he has known for a long time. “I don’t want to see him go. He is a tremendous sergeant major and will go down in history.”

The 16th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps assured the Marines that with his retirement he was passing the responsibilities and duties to a very capable Marine and war fighter, who would continue to do great things.

“The Commandant and Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett, they will take the Marine Corps to the next level,” said Kent.

Kent reflected on the legacy that the Marines present will continue after he is gone. The 34-year veteran of the Marine Corps reminded them that whether they do four or 24 years they will always be Marines and can take pride in that. That hit home in the questions that followed when he was asked what his greatest moment had been.

Without hesitating he answered, “Earning the title of United States Marine that was the greatest moment.”