Holes 13-15 – Warriors Choice Foundation

Hole 13 – “Global Readiness”

Year(s):
1990s

Key Historic Moment:
Peacekeeping and humanitarian ops—Somalia (“Black Hawk Down” era), Bosnia, Haiti, disaster relief.

On-Course Activation:
Humanitarian aid supply crate station; QR code to Marine-led disaster relief stories.

Facts (1–18)

Post-Cold War, Marines increasingly participated in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.
In Somalia (1992–1993), Marines provided security and relief during chaotic conditions.
Marines supported peace enforcement and stabilization missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Haiti saw Marine contingents deployed for security and humanitarian assistance.
These missions tested rule-of-law, civil-military cooperation, and restraint.
Disaster relief operations highlighted Marines’ ability to rapidly provide logistics and medical support.
Marines worked closely with NGOs and international agencies during humanitarian crises.
Rules of engagement and cultural sensitivity became important training topics.
The Corps expanded capabilities in evacuation, distribution, and infrastructure repair.
Peacekeeping duties required language skills and negotiation at local levels.
Marines’ expeditionary logistics proved vital during crises with fractured civil order.
Post-Cold War missions diversified the Corps’ portfolio beyond high-intensity combat.
Small-unit leadership and initiative were critical in ambiguous operational environments.
Lessons learned improved civil-military coordination doctrine.
Personnel received specialized training in humanitarian assistance and refugee handling.
These operations increased Marines’ experience in multinational operations.
The humanitarian record enhanced the Corps’ global reputation for rapid response.
The diversity of missions reinforced the need for flexible, modular Marine forces.

Hole 14 — “9/11 Warriors”

Year(s):
2001

Key Historic Moment:
Marines are among the first U.S. forces into Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks.

On-Course Activation:
Steel beam fragment display (replica) symbolizing Ground Zero; guest speaker from post-9/11 service.

Facts (1–18)

The 9/11 attacks led to near-immediate mobilization of Marine forces worldwide.
Marines supported homeland security missions and overseas counterterrorism operations.
The Corps quickly shifted to sustained counterterrorism posture and persistent deployments.
Special operations-capable Marine units expanded cooperation with SOCOM and JSOC.
9/11 reshaped Marine force posture toward expeditionary and irregular-warfare readiness.
Marines provided security at key installations and supported civil authorities domestically.
The Corps invested heavily in counterinsurgency doctrine and training after 2001.
Many Marines deployed multiple times to Afghanistan and Iraq over the following decades.
The era tested long-term sustainment, family readiness, and troop-care systems.
Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities increased in priority.
Close air support and small-unit maneuver integration were refined for urban/insurgent fights.
Marines supported capture/clear/hold operations and partnered with local forces.
The period saw advances in protective equipment and battlefield medicine.
Counter-IED and route-security tactics became institutionalized.
Marines’ role in nation-building and training foreign security forces grew substantially.
The post-9/11 era changed recruiting, retention, and veteran-transition support needs.
Marine lessons contributed to interservice doctrine for prolonged irregular conflicts.
The Corps maintained the tradition of expeditionary readiness in a new strategic era.

Hole 15 — “ Fallujah Fierce”

Year(s):
2004

Key Historic Moment:
Marines lead the Second Battle of Fallujah—the bloodiest urban fight since Hue City.

On-Course Activation:
Concrete barrier-style signage; tribute wall for Iraq War veterans.

Facts (1–18)

The Second Battle of Fallujah (Nov–Dec 2004) was one of the largest urban battles for U.S. forces in Iraq.
Marines led intense house-to-house clearing operations against entrenched insurgents.
The battle demanded close-fire coordination, breaching, and urban maneuver skills.
Rules of engagement and civilian-protection measures complicated tactical decisions.
Marines employed combined-arms tactics with armor, infantry, and aviation support.
Fallujah emphasized urban reconnaissance, sniping, and direct-action raids.
IEDs, booby traps, and insurgent subterranean defenses increased casualties and complexity.
The operation required meticulous planning for casualty evacuation and logistics.
Marine small-unit leaders displayed high levels of initiative and adaptability.
Psychological resilience training and post-battle care became critical lessons.
The battle’s intensity shaped subsequent urban combat doctrine and equipment procurement.
Marines worked with civil affairs units to restore essential services during stabilization.
The operation demonstrated the need for improved urban sensors and communications.
Leadership under fire, from squad to battalion, was central to mission success.
The battle produced many acts of individual bravery and unit cohesion stories.
Fallujah reinforced the cost of protracted urban warfare to both soldiers and civilians.
Lessons from Fallujah influenced training centers’ focus on MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain).
The campaign remains a defining example of modern Marine urban combat capability.