The Department of Defense recently announced the loss of two Marines in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. In the southern part of the Helmand province, the Afghan town of Marjah has long been a stronghold for the Taliban and drug trafficking. U.S. Marines joined by British and Afghan soldiers began an assault on the Taliban in that town last week. It might be one of the biggest offensives of the war.
Coalition forces led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have talked for weeks about the impending action in an effort to persuade Taliban militants to give up and to warn local residents to leave. The area is one of the country’s biggest opium-production centers.
It is not certain if these two Marines were actually a part of the offensive, but they were certainly doing the jobs they came to do when they were killed. Tonight we have come to honor:
- Corporal Jacob H. Turbett from Michigan
- Private First Class Jason H. Estopinal from Georgia
Corporal Jacob H. Turbett
Jacob H. Turbett grew up in Canton Township, Michigan. He was a 2007 graduate of Canton High School. He entered the Marine Corps in January 2007 and served in Iraq from September 2008 to March 2009.
Turbett also was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and spent time Bangladesh. He was promoted to the rank of corporal on November of 2009.
Turbett married his wife, Crystal, in 2008 and would have turned 22 next month, on St. Patrick's Day. He deployed to Afghanistan in December of 2009 as a combat engineer. Corporal Jacob H. Turbett was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
According to The Detroit News site:
Turbett had talked about joining the military early on, said Mark Pogliano, an assistant principal.
"That always sounded like his game plan," he said. "He took going into the service very seriously."
Later, after graduating and training, Turbett returned to the school for a visit wearing his uniform, Pogliano said. "He was a polite, quiet, nice young man.
The Marine Corporal died February 13th as the result of hostile incidents during combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. It is not clear if he was involved the organized assault on the city of Marjah, which began earlier that week.
Besides his wife, Corporal Turbett's survivors include his parents, Richard and Sheila; and two siblings, Joeseph and Jaime.
His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, and a number of other service decorations.
Services will be held at the L.J. Griffin Funeral Home in Canton, Michigan. Turbett will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, on March 9. The Patriot Guard Riders will be in attendance.
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Private First Class Jason H. Estopinal
Jason Estopinal was from Dallas, Georgia. He was a member of the soccer team at East Paulding High School, in western Georgia, before graduating in 2007. Estopinal enlisted in January of 2009, and was sent to Afghanistan in October, a month after his 21st birthday.
PFC Estopinal was a rifleman supporting Operation Enduring Freedom combat operations in the Helmand province. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
PFC Estopinal was on patrol in Afghanistan on February 15th, and died when an IED detonated. He was 21 years old. It is not clear if he was involved the organized assault on the city of Marjah, which began early on the 13th.
The Private's father is quoted by Atlanta's television Channel 11 site:
"He was one of the most honest people I ever knew," said his father, "almost to a fault. I was very proud of him. Still am.... Everybody was always proud of him. He was a good kid. He was a great man."
The Estopinals expect to receive their son home, at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, this weekend.
Estopinal's awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and a number of other service decorations.
The Marine is survived by his father, Jason, his mother, Claire, and a younger brother, Parker. The family is making funeral arrangements and planning to bury the Marine at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton. The services will be attended by the Patriot Guard Riders
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"I Got the News Today" is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifice of our US troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, JeNoCo, Mediaprof, TrueBlueMajority, JanosNation, Proud Mom and Grandma, Ministry of Truth, and CalNM. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for them.
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