STORY BEHIND THE PLAQUE
Service Reflections of Sgt Dan Raymond, U.S. Marine Corps (1982-1988)

I grew up in Santa Ana, CA (1970s) near MCAS El Toro and watched the Blue Angels every year, and I always admired the Marines. A strange thing happened around 1971, when my dad was a taxi driver picking up Marines from El Toro who were directly returning from Vietnam. This is something that’s terrible. However, it sheds light on what was going on with our veterans returning from war at this time.

One night, my dad picked up a fare, a Marine recently returning from Vietnam, and my dad’s throat was cut from ear to ear by this Marine. Miraculously, my dad survived after 70 stitches. When my dad passed away in 1982, I joined the Marines at age 17. This incident did not dissuade me from joining, as I knew this was not the character of a Marine, and I already loved the Marine Corps.

I first joined as a Reserve, which, at 17, I had no idea what that meant. After MCRD San Diego, 3rd BN, Kilo Co, Plt 3061, I graduated on 1 Oct 1982. I then attended Tank School (1811) at Ft Knox, graduating on 17 Dec 1982. Arrived at 4th Tank BN/4th Med BN Camp Elliot, San Diego, and was told to return in a month. I had no idea Reserve was a one-weekend-a-month commitment. So, while living with my mom in Victorville, CA, I reached out to the recruiter, GySgt John Harbin, who was a lifesaver. He was my mentor. A Syracuse Univ grad, a Reserve Deputy Sheriff with San Bernardino County Sheriff, and the only Marine who did four tours of MSG duty even after promoting to 1stSgt. He got me in as a 179-day recruit (Command Recruiter) and extended my contract for four months. Promoted to Cpl/E4 and re-enlisted as 7222 HAWKer, assigned to MCAS Yuma, 2nd LAAM BN Bravo Btry, arriving in September 1984. I worked as an 1811 on only one reserve weekend.

In August 1985, I started the local police academy, graduating in May 1986. My 1st Lt. allowed me to be the barracks police sergeant to attend the academy. MCAS Yuma was short of MPs, and under the FAP (Fleet Assistance Program), I was assigned to the MPs at that time. I was a corporal. My assignment was for 6 months; however, I was there for about 18 months. Again, I never really worked in my 2nd MOS (7222).

After this, I had only 10 months left, and the 2nd LAAM was deploying to Oki, so I was assigned as the Battalion DACO. I wanted to re-enlist; however, I was interested in a “B” billet as a recruiter, since I already had the relevant experience. Well, the C.O. got my request mixed up with another Marine and got me DI Duty. I wasn’t feeling up to DI duty at the time, so I got out, and I was hired at the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office.

Since this was peacetime, there were no combat/military operations. I assisted in town with a search for a kidnapped store clerk near MCAS Yuma.

However, the most life-changing event for me was April 9, 1986, in Yuma. So at that time, while still in the Marines, I was in the local police academy, and on one evening in town, my Marine buddy and I, who were volunteer EMTs, heard gunshots down the street. He turned on his radio, and we heard, “Officer down, shots fired, Greyhound bus station.” We arrived, and we found a guy on the ground, all shot up. We followed the blood trail to the front doors, where we found the officer. We did everything we could for the officer. My daughter was later born that same day, April 9, years later. The Marine Corps helped prepare me for that night and many nights after that as a Law Enforcement Officer and narcotics agent on the U.S./Mexico border.

(Thought I’d add my last ID card. When’s the last time anyone saw one of these?)

Although I served in Peacetime, while I was FAP’d over to the MPs at MCAS Yuma, we got called back to work due to a terrorist threat to a “Southwest” Marine Corps base. This was 1986/1987. We later discovered that one of the Yuma MPs was on the phone with another MP at Camp Pendleton, and Camp Pendleton received the alert while they were on the phone together, so we activated quickly.

We had just started our weekend and had already had a few beers. I let the C.O. know, and he said, I don’t care, get here now. I thought, This must be serious. For a while, I really thought the main gate was going to get hit, and of course, that’s where I was assigned.

We later discovered that a box rental truck was stopped in SoCal, and explosives were found.

Guess this was real.

I have to say that as a recruiter’s assistant in Victorville, CA, is where I really “grew up”. My mentor got me ahead in life in every respect. Gunny Harbin taught me how to talk to people, gave me direction for my education, my later career in law enforcement, and life in general.

However, MCAS Yuma is where I met my spouse, and I’ve never left. I know it’s really hot here during the summer months, but I’m just a 2.5-hour drive from the San Diego beach, and my entire family is here. So, Yuma it is.

An incredible experience in Yuma was in January 1988. I was assigned to the DACO office, and I was a Reserve Deputy Sheriff in town at the same time. I volunteered to work a security detail at the Sheriff’s Office, not knowing what was involved. Well, turns out Sylvester Stallone was filming a portion of Rambo III here. So, for 30 days, not only did I work on his personal bodyguard team, but I was also an extra in the movie, which actually got to be too much, so I quit doing that after a week. Now, my 1stSgt Matt Hooker was my boss at that time, and I got him hooked up with the Sheriff’s Dept since he was retiring soon, so he let me off work about noon each day so I could go work on this team. Super cool time and some wild stories, not sure I could write here.

My least favorite was my 7222 (HAWK Missile) training at Ft Bliss, El Paso. I’ve been back there plenty of times after, and I have to say, it’s my least favorite.

A side note, crazy thing while at Ft. Bliss. I had re-enlisted from Reserve to Active duty, and unbeknownst to me, I was lost in the pay system. I wasn’t paid the entire time while at Ft Bliss, about 3 months. I even had to take out a personal loan just for essentials. The last day leaving, finally, the SgtMaj overheard my conversation with the pay guy, and cut me a check for like $3,000. Fast forward to MCAS Yuma, a few weeks later, I got “NPD”, No Pay Due, for a couple of paydays, since I was overpaid. Thank goodness for the chowhall!

While working as a recruiter’s assistant at MEPS L.A. (Los Angeles) in 1984, I assisted with the Marine Corps Battle Color Ceremony and served as the van driver, picking up Colonels and Generals. I’ll never forget that a few of them asked, ‘What’s your MOS?’ and when I said ‘Tanker,’ they said, ‘That explains the darn driving.’ I thought I was driving well. Guess not.

I also worked the Blue Angels Air Show at MCAS Yuma as an FAP MP and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of it from “behind the scenes.” I recall seeing them at El Toro as a kid, and this really brought it all together for me.

And really, the bonding as Marines, hanging out with buddies, is all emblazoned in my memory.

As far as strictly military medals, my Good Conduct and Navy Achievement (Successfully testing a new missile) make me proud of that time and my whole military experience.

I have to say that having 3 Rifle Expert badges and 3 Pistol Expert badges made me feel pretty cool, since we always talked smack about the “Toilet Bowl” badges. (I have two other DD214s due to Reserve time).

As I’ve spoken before, it was definitely GySgt John A Harbin. He was not only generally intelligent, but he was also socially astute, possessed sound judgment, and was a genuinely good person. He taught me how to speak to people, how to “read the room”, and inspired me to do things I never thought I could do. He’s the main reason I was able to have a fantastic law enforcement career and transition into becoming a government contractor, where I worked in Afghanistan for three years, protecting the U.S. Ambassador, speaking with heads of state, foreign country ambassadors, and others. Hopefully, he’s reading this.

1- GySgt. John A Harbin (Retired as 1stSgt or SgtMaj). Victorville Recruiters Station. My mentor. We haven’t spoken since the 1990s, when he was assigned to the “Stumps.”

2- LCpl. Gary Campus. MCAS Yuma. Sadly, he passed away in a rollover accident coming back to Yuma from a Vegas trip. We were roommates and discovered we were both from the same town, Joliet, IL.

3- GySgt Jeff Baker, MCAS Yuma, Military Police. He assisted me in many personal matters, and 17 years later, we worked together as contractors in Afghanistan (2004-2005). Haven’t seen each other since.

It would have been the crazy things I saw while an MP. Had to track down a missing Marine and found him bound and gagged in the trunk of a taxi. His buddies thought it was funny that he missed a movement.

I became a Deputy Sheriff, where I was assigned as a narcotics agent with U.S. Customs, then with the U.S. Marshals Service, and later with DEA special assignments. I became a government contractor, working in the WPPS program as a Personal Security Specialist, assigned to protect the U.S. Ambassador in Kabul, Afghanistan, from 2004 to 2007. Today, I work as a background investigator for DHS.

I was once an instructor for the Marine Corps League. Not any longer.

Additionally, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation (MCSF) has provided approximately $5,000 annually for all of my children’s college expenses.

I am able to walk into any room and have a conversation with anyone of any profession. The Marine Corps was a catalyst for me to be able to do things such as working security in Afghanistan, protecting various American VIP’s. I miss my Marine Corps buddies, who were all fantastic guys.

I really miss the camaraderie and realizing how tight our friendship was, which is not easy to find in the civilian world. Over the years, I have found myself gravitating toward former Marines. It’s crazy when I’m going to the gym or attending certain functions, it’s inevitable that I meet another Marine.

Work hard. Show up early. Learn new things. Meet new people. Travel to places you’ve never been. Join a local community group to help others in need. You’ll expand your knowledge and, more importantly, your connections with people.

It’s awesome. I’ve not been able to locate another forum to help get in touch or to help with memories.