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Gunny Glew: the Adhesive That Keeps India Company Together
(May 12, 2010) |
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| | Marjah, Afghanistan (MCN - 5/6/2010) — Gunnery Sgt. Jason Glew is a workhorse.
He serves as the company gunnery sergeant for India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th
Marine Regiment, and thrives at juggling multiple tasks at once as India Company
fights the Taliban insurgency in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan. As India's company gunnery sergeant, Glew serves as the company's
logistician. He is also responsible for delivering all supplies, including
food, water, clothing and supplies to India's Marines out on the frontlines.
The 34-year-old also spends time mentoring India Company's platoon
sergeants, having had prior experience in that billet earlier in his Marine
Corps career. |
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| First Sgt. Edwin Mota (right), the company first sergeant of India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, stands in front of the India Co. ''Mustang'' sign with Gunnery Sgt. Jason Glew, the India Co. gunnery sergeant, at India Company's operating base in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 23, 2010. Glew, from Pittsburgh, fought in the legendary battle of Fallujah in 2004 and has used that experience to lead his Marines during Operation Moshtarak. |
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"It's hard to explain all the different roles and things [Glew] does to make
the entire company successful," said Capt. Bill Hefty, India Company's
commanding officer. "He gets less sleep than anybody while on deployment."
Glew has deployed often in his career. His current journey to Afghanistan
marks the seventh time he has gone overseas since joining the Marine Corps.
He has traveled to several different countries with the Marines, including
Japan, Norway and Iraq. Deploying is something he finds satisfying,
especially being 'outside the wire' of a base.
"Just going out there and doing everything that you've learned while you've
been in [the Marine Corps], it's the culminating point," said Glew. "It's
like the Super Bowl for football players. Being outside the wire is the
Marines' Super Bowl. You get to put everything you know to the test, all
your skills."
Glew, affectionately known as "Gunny" by his fellow Marines, is no stranger
to combat either, having fought in the legendary battle of Fallujah in 2004.
"That was the first time I was ever scared while I've been in the Marine
Corps," he said. "I definitely thought many of us weren't going to make it
out of that one, myself included."
Glew recalled that Fallujah was a constant fight from the get-go, with the
Marines having to battle for every square inch of the city. He said that his
platoon was attacked with machine-gun fire upon entering Fallujah's first
half-block.
"The whole platoon was pinned down for about 30 minutes until one of the
squad leaders single-handedly ran up and fragged two of the machine-gun
bunkers, which enabled us to roll," said the Pittsburgh native. "Being stuck
in a two-foot-deep canal with machine-gun rounds hitting right next to you
is pretty scary."
Glew's experience in Fallujah has given him the knowledge needed to fulfill
his role as India Co. gunnery sergeant and lead his Marines in Marjah.
"Falling back on experiences in Fallujah helped me know what [our Marines]
needed to be both mentally and physically prepared for [during Operation
Moshtarak]," said Glew. I was able to look back to when I was a platoon
sergeant in the kinetic fight and remember what [supplies] I needed and how
important it was to me that the company pushed those needs quickly. I [drew]
from that experience and was able to forecast what equipment the Marines
needed and how much of it."
Glew also used knowledge gained from Fallujah to ensure that the senior
Marines in each of India Company's line platoons were ready to deal with the
stress of a combat deployment.
"I was able to mentor the platoon leadership we currently have and give them
a mental picture of how intense it could get," said Glew. "I talked with
them and showed them how to put the intensity of the fight aside."
Glew's Marines have responded to his leadership, from platoon sergeants to
junior enlisted.
"Gunny Glew has so much wisdom to pass," said Pfc. Anthony Cotto, a rifleman
who works with Glew on a daily basis. "He's the jack-of-all-trades for the
company."
His ability to be India Company's jack-of-all-trades has made other Marines'
jobs much easier, and has played a major part in the company's success
during Operation Moshtarak.
"We're lucky Gunny Glew can change roles on a dime and take care of any
number of issues before it's one more thing that clutters up my to-do list,"
said Hefty, from Charleston, S.C. "He's completely pro-active, all the
time."
"He does it all," said Cotto, from Bronx, N.Y. "The guy is awesome." | |
Article and photo by USMC LCpl. Tommy Bellegarde
Regimental Combat Team 7
Copyright 2010
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
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