Greensboro, N.C., native leads Marines in Afghanistan Story by 2nd Lt. John ParrySmall RSS Icon CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – A Greensboro, N.C., native and U.S. Marine recently surpassed his mid-deployment milestone in the Helmand province here with Combat Logistics Regiment 2, Regional Command (Southwest), based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Throughout his Afghanistan deployment, Col. Dwayne A. Whiteside has and will continue to serve as the commanding officer for CLR-2, which provides logistical support to forward deployed Marines, U.S. allies and mentorship for the Afghan National Security Forces in developing their own logistical capabilities. Having attended grade school in the community and even college, Whiteside graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 1983. He met his wife Verona while attending James B. Dudley High School in 1977 and married her in 1985. “I was born and resided in Greensboro all the way through college,” said Whiteside with a smile. “I am a no kidding product of that community.” Whiteside decided to enlist in the Marine Corps reserve early in his college years based on rhetoric from Eddie McLenn, his brother-in-law, already a Marine, whose stories convinced him to sign up for recruit training in 1980. McLenn currently works as a supervisor for the U.S. Postal Service in Greensboro. “He would come home fired up with boot camp stories,” Whiteside remarked. “And, he seemed so different and dedicated to the Marine Corps ethos. I always felt something was different.” According to Whiteside, his entire neighborhood, it seemed, had joined the Marine Corps, both men and women. His own government service has now extended beyond thirty years, which has included duty as an infantryman, engineer, security guard, aide de camp and several tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, both in support and command roles. “Some of the reservists come from the unit I started with,” said Whiteside of his current Marines who deployed with him. “It’s come full circle and now some of those Marines are out here with me.” Whiteside has two sons, Coleign and Eaan. Eaan currently attends the University of N.C. Greensboro. Read more: dvidshub.net/news/112548/greensboro-nc-native-leads-marines-afghanistan#.UhnNKpyOndE#ixzz2cyHoObNR
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 09:26:01 +0000
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