From Quantico Marine Corps Base public affairs office: 

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Catherine G. Murray will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on Jan. 23, 2018. Murray was recognized on Nov. 30, 1962 as the first enlisted female Marine to retire from active duty after serving honorable for nearly 20 years.

Murray passed away with dignity and peace at her home in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. on Dec. 20, 2017. She is survived by her companion and caregiver of 22 years, Mark Adkins, along with her many dear friends.

Murray enlisted in the Marine Corps reserve in 1943 and was assigned to motor transport duties until 1946 where she drove both sedans and five-ton trucks for the Marine Corps during her service in World War II.

When the armed forces demobilized their ‘Force of Women’ at the end of the war, Murray was retained on active duty with the Marine Corps.  In 1948, she was authorized to integrate into the regular service.

During her enlistment, Murray was stationed overseas in London and Hawaii and even spent some time in Quantico, Va., where she was instrumental in the planning and writing many of the military examinations used by female Marines at the time.

Murray’s decorations included the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (six awards), the American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

Official services for Murray will commence at the Arlington National Cemetery administration building on Jan. 23 at 12:30 p.m. Burial service will begin at 1:00 p.m.  Directions to the administration building can be found here: https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Visit/Getting-Here/Directions.

A portion of an email from Quantico Marine Corps Base spokesman Major Andrew Borman: 

My office was contacted by the lead coordinator/program manager for the regional Toys for Tots warehouse serving the National Capital Region, Wilma Vaughn. She was in desperate need for volunteer support due to the warehouse being overloaded with toys which needed to be organized for distribution to the children around the area. Without the required organization, the toys would not be ready to be shipped out in time for Christmas.

In an effort to help, Marine Corps Base Quantico posted a ‘Call to the Community’ and the community answered!

Please see attached image for Facebook Analytics. Our average post on a good day is about 7K with an audience of approximately 70K. This post has exceeded 101K which has resulted in Wilma not being able to keep up with emails of support and she has experienced a flood of volunteer support from the local community.

On Friday, the warehouse at Quantico was filled with 50 volunteers who showed up after reading the Facebook post. That’s about 30 more volunteers than Toys for Tots normally has on hand. 

Fewer toys were donated to the charity this year, so some children, especially girls between the ages of 11 and 14 years old, went without a toy.

A decline in toy donations also meant that children that normally receive two toys from the program only got one this year. Some organizations that distribute toys from Toys for Tots were also left empty-handed.

“People just waited until the last minute to donate toys this year,” Vaughn told Potomac Local. 

Those last-minute donations led to Vaughn and her volunteers being overwhelmed at the last minute. The Toys for Tots donation drive ends Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. 

Vaughn said it was “phenomenal” to see such an outpouring of support from the community at the last minute. 

“The camaraderie between the community and the Marine Corps is what makes this program a success,” she added.

The Manassas Park Community Center offers a variety of martial arts programs for kids of all ages. Master Geoff Mann teaches all of the martial arts classes here at the Community Center. He received his first black belt in 1992 and is a fifth-degree black belt.

Master Geoff has been an instructor at the Community Center for 13 years. That gives him more history at Parks and Recreation than the actual building itself!

Master Geoff explains that the term martial arts initially means “military way of.” The history of martial arts dates back to ancient Greece, Rome, and China. The military of these countries took the fighting and defensive systems of the peasants, adapted, and then incorporated these fighting styles to suit their military needs.

Fast forward to the 1970’s where martial arts legend Bruce Lee became famous for his skills and beliefs that the best fighter is someone who is adapted to any martial arts style while incorporating individual style and not limiting themselves to one practice.

“When I started training in 1985, the MMA club where I was training introduced us to all MMA practices at the time, so we learned a real variety! Now, I teach modern Karate, traditional Tae Kwon Do and I add a little Kempo, Akido, and Jujitsu. My own background and training is inspired by Bruce Lee because we both believe in individual style while emphasizing various martial arts,” he explains.

DAGPAW

Master Geoff tells everyone, students, and parents, that he firmly believes teaching karate and other martial arts is his tool to teach discipline, courtesy, and respect.

“Parents rarely come to me and say they want their kids to defend themselves. Instead, what parents want is for their kids to stay focused and to use their energy learning skills they can use in life. I teach these kids to become better citizens using the concepts of discipline, courtesy, and respect,” he points out.

Master Geoff teaches a theory called, DAGPAW, which stands for discipline, a’s and b’s, goal setting, perseverance, attitude (a good, can-do attitude) and work ethic. To Master Geoff, these are the real benefits of Karate and other martial arts.

“With MMA, the more involved you are, the better off you are. I am also a big believer in having consequences for actions,” he says.

The martial arts uniform is a useful tool to help discipline and focus the children. Mann encourages parents to purchase the uniform to help children achieve their goals. He gives students incentives through the patches on their uniform.

Master Geoff teaches his three to seven-year-old students how to kick properly and gets them to follow those guidelines as closely as possible. He admits there is no one true art form and encourages mixing to adapt to students’ needs and preferences.

“Traditional ways are great, but they might not be practical such as the high jumping kick. This particular kick was originally used to knock people off horses and is not something I use in my classes,” explains Mann.

The MMA classes at the Community Center begins with the Dragon Tots class for students, ages three to four, to learn basic martial arts skills with special emphasis on courtesy, discipline, and respect. This class is on Wednesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 12:55 p.m.

WCRB Mixed Martial Arts are specifically for children, ages six to 13, with or without prior experience, to learn martial arts while emphasizing respect, courtesy, and discipline! This class also combines Master Geoff’s Academic Excellence program to help maximize your child’s learning. The class is on Mondays, from 5 to 5:50 p.m. or 6 to 6:50 p.m.

The Manassas Park Community Center is located at 99 Adams Street in Manassas Park, VA. Managed by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation, the facility is home to basketball courts, a swimming pool, wellness areas, special events, and recreational classes. For more information visit us at www.ManassasParkCommunityCenter.com or call at 703-335-8872.

Updated Dec. 14, 2017

Tscherch was assigned to Headquarters and Service Battalion at Joint Base Myers-Henderson Hall in Arlington. He was working in aviation, Yvonne Carlock, a deputy communications strategy officer at Quantico, tells Potomac Local.

Original post 

QUANTICO — We’ve learned that Lt. Col. Kevin Tscherch was a decorated Marine with three deployments to Iraq.

Tscherch was found dead at Quantico Marine Corps Base early last week after police reported him missing from his Stafford County home.

NCIS is investigating Tscherch’s death and has released few details in the case.

We do know Tscherch was promoted to his rank of Lieutenant Colonel on May 1. He joined the Marine Corps in March 1991.

Tscherch was most recently assigned Headquarters and Service Battalion on base. The battalion, among other things, includes working on suicide prevention efforts, as well as working with Marines who are leaving the corps, awaiting disciplinary action, or hospitalized.

While Tscherch was assigned to this battalion, he worked in aviation.

Tscherch served three tours of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom from February to September 2003, August 2004 to March 2005, February to August 2006.

He also had these honors:

-National Defense Service Medal (x2)
-Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
-Presidential Unit Citation
-Iraq Campaign Medal (x2)
-Navy Unit Commendation
-Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (x2)
-Humanitarian Service Medal
-Joint Meritorious Unit Award
-Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
-Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (x3)
-Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (x3)
-Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (x3)
-Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (x3)
-Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

QUANTICO — A man who was reported missing over the weekend was found dead at Quantico.

Kevin Tscherch, 48, was found on the Marine Corps Base, according to a Prince William County Police Department spokesman.

Tscherch went missing at noon on Sunday from his home on Savannah Court in Stafford County. It’s unclear what led to his death.

Prince William police say the NCIS is investigating his death.

On Sunday, police said Tscherch might be in the area of Quantico Marine Corps Base. They added he might be in need of assistance, which would qualify him as a missing endangered person.

We’ll update this post with new information once we have it.

During the holidays, the Historic Downtown of the City of Manassas becomes an iconic winter wonderland full of charm and excitement. As visitors wander down Center Street, the buildings are outlined in twinkling lights, shop windows are filled with homemade Gingerbread houses and one can smell the season in the air.

This holiday season; spend some time in Downtown Manassas. December 1 at 5:15 p.m., Santa Lights Manassas. Santa will arrive by VRE train to light the City. There will be hayrides, ice-skating, holiday performances and fun for the whole family.

December 2 brings the 72 nd Annual Greater Manassas Christmas Parade. More than 100 floats, dancers, marching bands and assorted characters will travel along Center Street, heralding in the season.

Visitors are invited to take in the holiday charm with free horse-drawn carriage rides on Dec. 3, 10 and 17. Shopping and dining in the Historic Downtown is sure to bring on the holiday cheer, especially with the new Secret Santa registry available in downtown stores. And, if there’s someone on the list who is hard to buy for, why not get them a ManassasOpoly game.

For more information on these and other events in the City of Manassas, visit visitmanassas.org. Hope to see you around the City of Manassas.

WOODBRIDGE — When it came time to approve the consent agenda at last night’s meeting, the Brentsville District Supervisor stopped the show.

“What is this?” asked Jeanine Lawson.

The elected leader questioned a proclamation to praise the founder of Baha’i Faith, Baha’ullah, 200 years ago.

“I had never heard of it,” said Lawson. “I’m not questioning its existence, but I’ve not seen something like this in the past three years during my time on the Board.”

Lawson said she was concerned that the county Board of Supervisors would proclaim one religion, opening up the floodgates for proclamations to other faiths.

“With all due respect Supervisor Lawson, just because we haven’t recognized the Bellu’i Faith since you’ve been on the Board doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start now,” said Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank Principi, who brought the proclamation to the Board.

Prince William County Attorney Michelle Robl was asked to weigh in. She said the proclamation was in line with what the Board had supported in the past.

“I don’t think this is putting the board behind a certain religion,” she said.

Lawson threatened to bring forward a resolution to requesting the Board of Supervisors honor Jesus Christ if this Board approved this particular resolution.

It did, with Lawson being the only leader to vote Nay.

From a press release: 

A female Marine officer made history today at Quantico, Va. by completing the Infantry Officer Course and earning the infantry officer military occupational specialty.

The lieutenant, who asked to keep her identity private, is the first female officer to successfully complete the course since the Marine Corps opened all military occupational specialties to women in April 2016.

“I am proud of this officer and those in her class? who have earned the infantry officer MOS,” said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller.

Infantry Officer Course is the MOS-producing school for Marine Corps infantry officers and the prerequisite course for ground intelligence officers. The grueling 13-week course trains and educates newly selected infantry and ground intelligence officers in leadership, infantry skills, and character required to serve as infantry platoon commanders in the operating forces.

One hundred and thirty-one Marines started the course in July, and 88 graduated today.

“Marines expect and rightfully deserve competent and capable leaders, and these IOC graduates met every training requirement as they prepare for the next challenge of leading infantry Marines; ultimately, in combat,” said Neller.

Her follow-on assignment is to 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Opening Ceremony MDMME @MCB_Quantico pic.twitter.com/s5Z3DyehjT

— MCB Quantico (@MCB_Quantico) September 19, 2017

QUANTICO — Today is the first day of the annual Modern Day Marine expo at Quantico.

The three-day event is expected to draw not only U.S. Marine Corps military and civilian personnel but also members of the other U.S. services, foreign military attaches, and corporate representatives from throughout the U.S. and several other nations.

This is the 37th year for the show, and the 25th consecutive year it has been held at Quantico. 

The show features exhibitors on Lejeune Field, and panels to discuss the future of the warfighting and its impact on the Marine Corps. Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller will be on hand at 10 a.m. Wednesday to introduce the new Navy and Marine Corps operating concept: “Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment (LOCE).

The event will culminate on Thursday with a banquet dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Crystal City.

Residents who live aboard Quantico Marine Corps Base are reporting a funky discoloration to their water.

For the past three days, Quantico officials say they’ve received multiple phone calls from concerned residents who say the water color is off. That has led to the additional testing of the water on base, and officials tell us they’re looking for the cause of the problem.

Recent tests, however, show the water is safe to drink, they say. The discoloration may become from a higher than normal concentration of manganese in the water, added base officials.

There’s also the fact that, in the past three months, the base switched it source of drinking water — and then switched back again.

From a press release issued today by Quantico officials:

Over the last three months, PWB switched to water from our primary source, Breckenridge Reservoir, to our secondary source at Grey Reservoir, while work was being done on the dam a Breckenridge Reservoir.

This past week construction reached a point where water could be switched back to Breckenridge. However, upon doing so water plant operators noticed high organic material in the water and switched back to Grey until the cause could be determined.

Organic material comes from decayed leaves, tree debris and vegetation. Manganese is a natural mineral commonly found in rocks and soil and thus also found in waterways. The increased levels of manganese in the treated water are believed to be causing the discoloration.

During the treatment process, the MCBQ Water Treatment Plant uses chlorine to disinfect the water and control manganese levels to make the water clear and safe for drinking. These levels are being adjusted to account for the higher concentrations of manganese.

Manganese is not a health hazard and is not regulated by the EPA as a drinking water contaminant. EPA considers manganese a secondary contaminant for aesthetic reasons only. The EPA level for manganese, for aesthetic purposes, is 0.05 mg/l. Current manganese levels tested in housing this morning are around 0.002 mg/l to 0.05 mg/l for Thomason Park and Lyman Park West. Lyman Park East tested at 0.08 mg/l. The higher concentrations in Lyman Park East are above EPA’s aesthetic level, but there is still no health concern. Although the other two housing areas are below EPA’s aesthetic level, these concentrations can still cause discoloration.

The safety of MCBQ’s water supply is our top priority. As part of its regulatory oversight, the Virginia Department of Health-Office of Drinking Water works closely with MCBQ PWB and the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs (NREA) Branch to monitor water production at our water treatment plant. The department’s most recent review of drinking water sampling data shows that the utility is meeting all Safe Drinking Water Act standards. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused and ask for your continued patience as our crews work to resolve the discoloration issue.

For further information or to report water discoloration in base housing areas, call Lincoln Military Housing Maintenance at 1-888-578-4141.

QUANTICO — Nine miles of new track and improvements to Quantico’s rail station is underway and are hoped to help alleviate some of the congestion on the busy Interstate 95 corridor between Stafford and Washington, D.C.

The Arkendale to Powell’s Creek ‘third track project’ on the Potomac River is a $115 million-dollar investment of federal and state funds to benefit intercity passenger rail service in the I-95 Corridor.

Part of a larger initiative, The Atlantic Gateway, the Arkendale project includes construction of a third track between Richmond and Washington. The third track segment will be used to enhance the performance schedule for intercity passenger service, high-speed passenger rail service, and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) commuter service while preserving freight operations by allowing trains to meet, pass or overtake other trains.

Project improvements also include structures such as under-grade and overhead railroad bridges, railroad crossings and signal systems.

Improvements to Quantico Station include conversion of a side platform to an island platform with a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks, enabling all three tracks to serve the passenger station. (more…)

Parents and children gathered on Thursday night for a dinner at the National Museum of the Marine Corps to mark the opening of the Virginia Little League Championship. 

The dinner was a ticketed-only event and attracted players and their families from all over the Commonwealth — some as far as eight hours away. 

The tournament will be held this week near the museum at Fuller Heights Park. 

These photos are by Catherine Hanafin: