Gen. Michael W. Hagee, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, visits with Marines at Camp Al Asad, April 8, 2004, near Baghdadi, Iraq. — M. Scott Mahaskey / Marine Corps Times

April 08, 2004

By Gidget Fuentes
Times staff writer

CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq — During a whirlwind visit to Iraq as his Marines fought pitched battles with Iraqi insurgents throughout Anbar Province, the Marine Corps’ top officer reminded his leathernecks of their role here and urged them to stay focused.
"I know this is not easy…. But this is really important what you are doing," Gen. Mike Hagee told about 100 Marines with Regimental Combat Team 7 gathered April 8 in a mess hall at this small camp on Al Asad Air Base.

"You can affect world history,” he said. “This is a complex operation that we've got going on, and you are operating magnificently."

Hagee, who is traveling with his senior enlisted adviser, Sgt. Maj. John Estrada, visited elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force, including those in the embattled cities of Ramadi and Fallujah. The trip also included a visit to Marines in Afghanistan..

The commandant reminded the Marines that most will spend seven months in Iraq, , many of those serving in command elements for units such as the 1st and 7th Marine regiments, will be deployed for about a year.

Also among the other subjects Hagee noted was the continuing program to add armor to Marine Corps vehicles. Most units deployed here have additional armor on at least some vehicles. Others use sandbags and thick armor pads to improve safety for drivers and passengers.

"We are doing everything we can to get hardened vehicles," Hagee said.

Several times in recent weeks, Marine patrols and convoy have come under fire or run across roadside improvised explosives. Most of the camps have been hit by mortars and rockets in the last week or two. About 12 hours before Hagee's visit, in fact, at least two rockets struck the air base. The rockets hit in undeveloped areas and no injuries were reported.

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