Michael Belcher This is Me

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1. 1. Weblogs

   olive-1.live.advance.net/weblo - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/7/2003   Last Visited: 4/14/2003

   Michael Belcher, commander of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, told his officers to drop the attitude that "I won this country back. I can take what I can get." Some of the troops were not so happy. "You don't have to give that up, do you?" Pfc.

2. 2. tulsaworld.com: Special Coverage

   www.tulsaworld.com/WarInIraqSt - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/4/2003   Last Visited: 4/7/2003

   Michael Belcher, the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, which controls the city, walked in, wearing green camouflage, a flak jacket and a helmet.
   
   The Iraqi men, in suits and slacks, sat in chairs arrayed around the office walls. A few smoked, and one clacked his worry beads together.
   
   Through a translator, the men expressed fear that they no longer had a police force. City offices were being looted of furniture and vital government records as Marines watched, they said.
   
   ...
   "The security of the town is a common concern for both of us," Belcher said. "It is our goal to get the police department up and running."
   
   He agreed to their request to allow the town to re-establish its police force. Officers would mark their vehicles "Police" in English so Marines could recognize them. They would be allowed to wear uniforms and carry pistols but not Kalashnikov rifles, which they had wanted.
   
   Security around the town would be up to the Marines; security inside would be the responsibility of the police.
   
   The leaders asked for Marines to be posted near the bank to discourage theft.
   ...
   Belcher refused, explaining that his troops were an infantry force, not bank guards.
   
   They asked for permission for local engineers to drive around and try to restore the town's electricity, which was cut during the fighting.
   
   Done, Belcher said.
   
   They asked him to maintain a curfew but allow police, doctors and other authorized personnel to travel in emergencies.
   
   He would look into it, Belcher said.
   
   Hospital officials complained that they had no electricity and that their generator had broken down Wednesday night.
   
   ...
   Belcher promised to see about repairing it immediately.
   
   They complained that an ambulance was detained for two hours Wednesday night at the checkpoints.
   
   "We will start opening the flow of traffic more easily when the situation dies down," Belcher said.
   
   The Marines have disrespected the Iraqi flag, pulling it off a school building, the leaders said. The flag is not a sign of the regime, but of the Iraqi people and should be treated with respect, they said.
   
   "We will honor the flag," Belcher said.
   
   Stores were closed Thursday, because vegetable and meat dealers from the countryside were unable to enter the town, they said. Can they come tomorrow?
   
   Yes, Belcher said, but they would be searched.
   
   In return, Belcher asked for help uncovering any remaining weapons caches in the town. The officials said they did not believe there were any left, although the Marines continued discovering them all day.
   
   "Any remaining army, Republican Guard . . . need to be handed over," Belcher said. "They will be treated fairly. They will be detained and they will be released after the war is over."
   
   Name:

3. 3. CHAPLAIN'S CORNER

   www.aacofop70.org/sick.htm - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/5/2004   Last Visited: 4/6/2005

   Officer Mike Belcher was injured his shoulder chasing and apprehending a suspect