Bon Homme Richard (LHD 6) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ill mil Sergeant Major Kenneth A. Elium was bom inSalisbury, North Carolina in 1959. He enlisted in the United Stales Marine Corps in August 1977 and attended Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon graduating, he was assigned to the 8 1 mm Mortar Platoon, Head- quarters Service Company, 3d Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina ( 1978 - 1980). After his initial assignment, he was sent to Okinawa, Japan with 3d Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, where he served with the 8 1 mm Mortar Platoon, Weapons Company and later served as the Battalion Career Planner (1980- 1981). Returning to the United States, Sergeant Major Elium was assigned to MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina, as a Drill Instructor and Senior Drill Instructor with Company A, 1st Recruit Training Battalion where he was meritoriously promoted to StalT Sergeant (1981-1984). Upon completion of his first tour on the drill field, he was assigned to Marine Barracks, Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines ( 1 984- 1 985 ). Camp Pendleton, California was his next assignment where he served as Rifle and Weapons Platoon Sergeant, Echo Company, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines, 1st Marine Division ( 1985-1989). Sergeant Major Elium again returned to MCRD Parris Island as a Senior Drill Instructor with Company M, Third Recruit Training Battalion. Upon selection to Gunnery Sergeant, he was assigned to Drill Instructor School where he served as the Drill Master (1 989- 1992). Following a successful second tour on the drill field, he served at Marine Barracks, Washington D. C. where he was assigned to the Presi- dential Retreat, Camp David, Maryland (1992-1994). He again returned to Camp Lejeune, where he served as Weapons Platoon Sergeant and Company Gunnery Sergeant with India Company, 3d Battalion, 8th Marines, 2d Marine Division. Upon promotion to First Sergeant, he served as India Company ' s First Sergeant (1994-1997). Completing his tour with 3d Battalion, 8th Marines, Sergeant Major Elium was assigned as First Sergeant, Inspector- Instructor Staft , Greensboro, North Carolina (1997-1999). Sergeant Major Elium once again returned to Parris Island where he served as the Sergeant Major of the Second, and Third Recruit Training Battalion (2000-2002). Ser- geant Major Elium assumed his current assignment as Sergeant Major of Marine Attack Squadron 3 1 1 during January of 2002. His per- sonal decorations include: Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal (gold star in lieu of 4th award) and the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal (gold star in lieu of 2nd award). 17

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Sergeant Major Brian Lindstrom joined the Marine Corps in August 1975. Upon completion of Recruit Training, he was assigned to C Company, 3rd Amtrak Battalion, 1st Marine Division as an Amtrak Crewman. In December 1976, he was transferred to B Co. 1st Tracked Vehicle Bn., 3rd MarDiv. on Okinawa, Japan as an amtrak crew chief and was deployed with Battalion Landing Team 3rd Bn., 9th Marine Regiment in the Western Pacific. Upon returning to the Continental United States, in December 1977, he was assigned to Assault Amphibian School at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif as a crewchief During this tour he also tilled the billets as section leader, platoon sergeant and formal school instructor. Lindstrom reported to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego for Drill Instructor Duty in May 1982 and he was assigned to F Co. 2nd Bn., Recruit Training Regiment. While in F Co, he tilled the billets of drill instructor, senior drill instructor and series chief drill instructor and was meritoriously promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in January 1984. In August of 1984, he was assigned to A Co 1st Tracked Vehicle Bn. 3rd MarDiv on Okinawa and deployed on a West Pac with BLT 1 6 as the platoon sergeant of the Assault Amphibian Platoon. After completing his tour in Okinawa in August 1985, LindsU om was transferred to the Naval Reserve OfJlcer Training Corps Unit at the University of Michigan as the assistant marine otllcer instructor. During the summers on this assignment, he was busy training Marine otllcer candidates at Quantico, Va and Navy ofilcer candi- dates at the Naval Science Institute at Newport, RI. In July 1989 he transferred to A Co 3rd Assault Amphibian Bn. And performed the duties of platoon sergeant and platoon commander. In June of 1990 he was promoted to first sergeant and reassigned to Headquarters and Service Co. as the company first sergeant. In August of 1990 he was deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield. He was reassigned to C Co in October 1990, attached to 3rd Bn. 9th Marines (Taskforce Papa Bear) and participated in ground combat actions against Iraqi Forces during the liberation of Kuwait. In July 1992 he deployed on the Unit Deployment Plan to join the 1st Armored Assault Bn. on Okinawa with C Co. During June 1993 Lindstrom was reassigned to Weapon Field Training Battalion, MCRD located at Camp Pendleton as Headquarters Company First Sergeant. While on this tour he graduated from Park College with an Associate of Science Degree in Management. In March 1995 he was selected for sergeant major and in July 1995 was transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Az and assigned as the .sergeant major of Marine Attack Squad- ron-214. During August 1998 he was reassigned to MCAS E Toro as the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-161 sergeant major. While assigned to 1 IMM- 1 61 , he made the BRAC move to MCAS Miramar, Ca and was subsequently reassigned during July 1 999 to sergeant major of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron- 16. Lindstrom was assigned to his current billet as the Marine Aircraft Group- 13 sergeant major in August 2000. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with 3 gold stars and th e Combat Action Ribbon.

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