State of the SFMC April 2014

Marines,
Its April and, hopefully, you’ve survived the winter comfortably. Those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, I hope that your Winter is much milder than ours was.
Let’s get down to business…
As you all know, the best part of being Commandant of the Corps is the opportunity to recognize deserving Marines. This month I get to recognize quite a number of you as I am including in this report the presentation of the Commandant’s Campaign Ribbon for actions in calendar year 2013. Before we start that list, however, I have one other award to issue.

Major Leo Brunelle of the 377^th Marine Strike Group, front and center!!
Major Brunelle, for your volunteer service with the Country Fire Authority Fire Service in New South Wales, Australia, as a firefighter during the Brush Fire Season, you are hereby awarded the Disaster Relief Ribbon.

Congratulations and well done, Major!!

Now for the Commandant’s Campaign Awards. The recipients list (alphabetically, by Brigade) follows:

First Brigade:
Dyl, Paul (22241)
Dyl, Paul G (67307)
Phillips, Sam (67808)

Second Brigade:
Anderson, Mark (61429)
Cozine, Jim (33219)
Lewis, Angela (65107)
Olson, Heather (55977)
Olson, Ken (52564)
Olson, Linda (30869)
Olson, Lindsey (55976)
Olson, Wade (31632)
Reed, James (51301)
Savander, Dixie (63098)
Savander, Oliver Sr (63097)

Fourth Brigade:
Monroe, James W (49827)
Monroe, William J (53093)

Fifth Brigade:
Baxter, Bobbie (66454)
Baxter, Pat (66453)
Bumpaous, Daniel (71597)
Burlew, Juanita (65051)
Camille, Garrett (61828)
David, Garrett (66874)
Eizenberg, Steve (60664)
Emery, Jason (70800)
Erik, Stringer-Lund (67209)
Ervans, Rick (56242)
Frennon, Digi (70063)
Gaines, John (68031)
Garrison, Arlene (60455)
Garrison, Russ (56108)
Howell, Mark (65778)
James, Jari (63711)
Jones, Dennis (64905)
Petersen, Jenn (67459)
Pickett, Brian (64897)
Stevens, Frank (65425)
Stoddard, Jerome (63036)
Tracy, Susan (65426)

Sixth Brigade:
Aragon, Selena (71594)
Lewandowski, Corey (70454)
Marceleno, Samuel (70023)
Pagel, Lillie (71476)
Thissen, Angel (68543)
Thissen, Christopher (67555)
Thissen, Jessica (68541)
Thissen, Seth (68542)
Volgler, Christopher (71278)

Seventh Brigade:
Dorffner, Joseph C Jr. (14260)
Dorffner, Rosy (55582)
Ensey, Gary Jr. (45102)
Green, Walter (58068)
Parsons, Geraldine (54773)
Ritz, Courtney (63822)
Ritz, Scott (94896)
Selkirk, Russell (69585)

Tenth Brigade:
Barrington, Timothy L (60369)

Eleventh Brigade:
Smith, Sean (62265)
Wilson, Sam (62264)

Twelfth Brigade:
Bagley, Debra (69504)
Eheart, Faith M (66487)
Glenn, Donald A Jr. (51130)
Glenn, Marlee (55131)
Glenn, Sara (66598)
Hollifield, Donna (56289)
Hollifield, Gary Jr. (49837)
Hollifield, Gary Sr. (56288)
Kesler, Paula (54252)
Kolb, Shirley (54956)
Litton, Patrick (64177)
McGowan, Michael J (32888)
Miller, Jenny (54054)
Planthold, Sunnie (44342)
Rickard, Julie L (54280)
Smiddy, Josiah (66621)
Welenc, Sherri (71081)

Fifteenth Brigade:
Mayo, Doug (55809)

Seventeenth Brigade:
Beighley, Earl (54063)
Beighley, Marsha (62784)
Cerame, Nelson (60734)
Cerame, Spencer (62530)
Cerame, Susan (55273)
Cheairs, Wendy (62233)
Gurule, Jason (68821)
Melech, Josef P (71073)
Reustle, David (54356)
Roberts, John (54592)

Twentieth Brigade:
Barrow, Amanda (69934)
Barrow, Colin (69933)
Hartley, Michael (69301)
Mabbitt, Benjamin (67786)
Mabbitt, Robert (67785)
O’Shea, Alan (69254)
Stoneham, Patricia (69618)

Congratulations and well done, all!!
I

f there are any names missing from this list, please contact either me, or COFORCECOM Jari James privately at the addresses listed below.
*New Motto*

We received a LOT of good suggestions from across the Corps. We are still working on selecting from among that list. Please bear with us for a bit.

*Summit Season*
I had fun talking via Skype to the marines of the Second Brigade at their Muster last month. I was given the honor of announcing their Valor Award recipients. I truly enjoyed the heck out of that.
If any other Brigade would like to arrange a via Skype visit with me, or other members of the General Staff, please feel free to contact us the addresses listed below. Speaking for myself, I enjoyed it and am willing to do so again any time.
A couple of items from last time that bear repeating:

*Email Addresses*
It is important to remember that Email Addresses no longer appear on the STARFLEET Database. This being the case, it is of vital importance that marines check and double check the email address entered on any form being sent to the SFMC for any reason. If your email address is entered incorrectly, servicing whatever request you are making, SFMCA Course, Award Certificate request, etc., will be *significantly* delayed.

*Suggestions and Ideas*
People, the General Staff exists to make the SFMC a better place to be.
That being said, we never claim to have all the answers. If you have an idea or suggestion of benefit to the SFMC please, by all means, send it to one of us. I’ll give the addresses below:
Mike McGowan, Commandant: dant@sfi-sfmc.org
Jim Monroe, Deputy Commandant: depdant@sfi-sfmc.org Jerry Stoddard, Sergeant Major, SFMC: sgm_sfmc@sfi-sfmc.org Barry Jackson, COFINCOM: fincom@sfi-sfmc.org Jari James, COFORCECOM: forcecom@sfi-sfmc.org Mark Anderson, COINFOCOM: infocom@sfi-sfmc.org Travis Littou, COTRACOM: tracom@sfi-sfmc.org

My communications abilities during March suffered from a couple of email service outages that have been resolved, hopefully, for good. Please be advised that during these outages I received no mail whatsoever, so if you sent me something during either of these outages and are still awaiting response, it would be best if you resend it. Thanks for your understanding on this.
As you travel this Spring, please do so safely. Take care of yourselves and each other. We’ll talk again soon.
Mike

Michael McGowan
OIC, 225th MSG
Commandant, SFMC
papabear@ussbortas.net