Human yellow ribbon honors Marine and Navy personnel

[thedrifter]

Human yellow ribbon honors Marine and Navy personnel

Church hosts event to say thanks for service

By John Berhman
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

November 23, 2003

CAMP PENDLETON ? More than 600 volunteers did better than just tying a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree yesterday to show their support for Marine Corps and Navy personnel stationed locally.

The 625 people gathered on a soccer field, holding yellow pieces of cardboard over their heads, to form a human yellow ribbon.

Photographers in a Marine CH-46 helicopter took pictures from above. But the scene looked pretty impressive from the ground, too.

"Oh, that's really pretty cool," Sgt. Jason Wittling, 29, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, said as he watched the spectacle from a wheelchair.

Wittling, a Marine for nine years, suffered serious injuries to his spinal cord and vertebra while on duty in Iraq when the Humvee he was traveling in overturned and he was thrown from the vehicle.

Wittling and his fellow Marines were what Operation Yellow Ribbon was all about yesterday.

The event near the Camp Pendleton Marine Memorial Chapel and the 22-acre soccer field featured not only the giant human ribbon but also donated lunches, carwashes, gifts, and games for the Marines and their family members.

The event was hosted by New Song Community Church of Oceanside.

"It was our way of saying thanks to these military personnel that have served our community and our country," said church pastor Hal Seed. "These folks risked their lives for us, and we feel this is the least we can do to say, 'Thank you.' "

Seed estimated the number of Marines and their family members in attendance at about 2,000, and the number of volunteers, who also came from Saddleback Church of Lake Forest in Orange County, at 1,000. Saddleback Church also provided entertainment, which included seven musical groups.

New Song church member Laura Dorris was the one who suggested the human yellow ribbon.

"I wanted to come up with something that would provide a big visual and a big thank-you, and I think this worked," Dorris said.

"These volunteers were fantastic," said Mark Kuhn, a former Marine drill instructor and 23-year member of the Corps, who used a bullhorn to get the volunteers to line up in the shape of a ribbon.

In precise Marine tradition, Kuhn also provided the volunteer count of 625.

Leigh Sutherlin of Oceanside was one of those card-holding volunteers.

"I was happy to participate in this because it is a great give-back to thank these Marines for their service to all of us," Sutherlin said.

It was a family affair for the Sutherlins. Son Jake, 11, also was in the formation while his dad, Carl, a former Marine, was helping to serve up barbecue.

Volunteer Kathleen Burke of Mission Viejo, a Saddleback Church member, said she made the trip south to "show my 100 percent support for our servicemen."

"Just driving down here, I feel blessed to live in this country, where we don't have to stop for security checks along the freeway," Burke said.

Marine Staff Sgt. David Barnette, a 15-year veteran also returning from the war in Iraq, said he was touched by Operation Yellow Ribbon and all the activities offered.

"It's one of the best-orchestrated events of this kind that I've ever seen, and it's a great way to bring Marines, their families and the community together," Barnette said.



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John Berhman: (760) 737-7577; john.berhman@uniontrib.com



JOHN GASTALDO / Union-Tribune
Hundreds of volunteers formed a giant yellow ribbon on an athletic field at Camp Pendleton in support of Marine and Navy personnel. They also fed about 2,000 service members and their families.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/m...i23ribbon.html

Sempers,

Roger