Some genius found a way to save some money at our expense. We traveled from Thailand to Okinawa Japan on new boat called a HSV (High Speed Vessel). It is much cheaper to put 1,000 Marines on a catamaran and float them over, from Thailand to Okinawa, than to travel by any other means.

While we were loading our gear on the boat I posted our “Guardian Angels” (armed Marines on overwatch) forward and aft. After a while I saw one of the guards with his rifle at sling arms. I asked him why he would have his weapon at sling arms when he had a 3-point tactical sling?

He said there was another GySgt on the boat running around yelling at Marines. I told the guards not to do anything this guy says. When I found him, he was yelling at about 20 of my Marines as they unloaded a van with PX (store) supplies. I told them to stop and go away; I did not have to tell them twice – they wanted away from this idiot:

E-7: What do you think you are doing?

Me: What am I doing? What the Fuck are you doing? Who the Fuck are you?

E-7: I am the PX Marine for the boat.

Me: The what? I have never heard of this MOS. What makes you think you can tell my guards, who are infantryman, how to hold their weapons?

E-7: Their weapons should be pointed in a safe direction.

Me: Hey idiot. How fast can you engage a threat from sling arms, assclown? Would you rather be shot in the head or the foot? Think about it. Why were my Marines unloading this van?

E-7: These are the supplies for the PX.

Me: Oh well, because you chose to act like an ass and order my Marines around without as much as a hello, you can unload the van by yourself.

E-7: That would take me an hour.

Me: Better get started. Oh, and, do not even think about taking any of my Marines. I called small unit leaders together and told them to order all of our Animals not to listen to this assclown. (While he stood 10 feet away steaming mad).

SF DKD

Photo: TITP 2002 Marines learning how to catch and kill Cobras.

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By David Devaney

David K. Devaney SgtMaj USMC Retired 2009 City of Hit Iraq with PTTDavid was born in Geneva New York and graduated from Geneva High School in 1980. He joined the Marine Corps on a guaranteed Infantry contract in April of 1983. After graduating boot camp he was stationed in Hawaii with 3rdBattalion 3rd Marines (3/3). While assigned to 3/3 he held billets as a rifleman, fire team leader, and squad leader. During 1986 Corporal (Cpl) Devaney was selected as a member of Surveillance and Target Acquisition (STA) Platoon, 3rd Battalion 3rd Marine. Upon graduation of Scout Sniper School he was assigned to the Scout Sniper Section of 3/3 STA Platoon. During his second deployment as a Scout Sniper with 3/3 he was promoted to Sergeant (Sgt). After a tour on the drill field from 1989-1991 Sgt Devaney returned to STA 3/3 were he deployed two more times. During 1994 Sgt Devaney was selected to the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSgt) and ordered to III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), Special Operation Training Group (SOTG); while at SOTG SSgt Devaney was assigned as a Reconnaissance and Surveillance (R&S) and Urban Sniper Instructor and Chief Instructor. At the time III MEF SOTG Instructors were members of Joint Task Force 510 (JTF 510 CT); a Counter Terrorism Task Force. In 1998 he deployed to Operation Desert Fox with Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 2/4 and was attached to Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 572/594 as a sniper. SSgt Devaney deployed again, during 2000, with ODA 135/136/132 to Malaysia as member of JTF 510, working with the Malaysian National Police. After leaving SOTG Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) Devaney was assigned to Company A 1st Battalion 7th Marine, and spent much of his time training the Scout Snipers of 1/7. Just before the invasion of Iraq, in 2003, he was selected to the rank of First Sergeant (1stSgt) and led 270 Marines, sailors, and soldiers during combat – receiving a Bronze Star Medal for destroying the enemy and their will to fight. During 2004 1st Sgt Devaney was ordered to duty as the Inspector Instructor Staff 1st Sgt for 2nd Beach and Terminal Operations Company, Savannah, Georgia. During 2007 he was selected to the rank of Sergeant Major (SgtMaj) and received orders to Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 (VMAQ-4) stationed at Cherry Point, NC. There he trained a CADRE which in turn trained a massive Quick Reaction Force in combat operations. After two more deployments to Iraq SgtMaj Devaney received orders to Weapons Training Battalion, Quantico, VA. SgtMaj Devaney retired from the Marine Corps on 31 December 20013. He now works as an adjunct combat instructor at the “Crucible’’ in Fredericksburg, VA. David is also on the Board of Directors of the Marine Corps Scout Sniper Association. David’s published work: Books Devaney, D.K. (2007). Surviving combat: Mentally and physically (3rd edition). 29 Palms, CA: USMC. Devaney, D.K. (2015). They Were Heroes: A Sergeant Major’s Tribute to Combat Marines of Iraq and Afghanistan. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. Articles Devaney, D.K. (2011) Enough Talk of Suicide, Already! Proceedings Magazine. Devaney, D.K. (2011) Can PTSD Be Prevented Through Education? Proceedings Magazine. Devaney, D.K. (2012) PTSD Is Not Cancer. The Marine Corps Gazette. Devaney, D.K. (2012) Women in Combat Arms Units. The Marine Corps Gazette.

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