POWERGRAMS

SALUTING VETERANS Marathon Man Marine turns to Farley Security after serving in war and peace When Joe Ferguson headed to Washington, D.C., to run in the 38th Annual Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 27, it was the fulfillment of a long-held dream. "What better marathon to participate in than the Marine Corps Marathon," said Ferguson, a former Marine and Iraq War veteran. "I never thought I would have the opportunity to run in it." Ferguson decided to pursue his goal after finishing his first long-distance run last spring. The Plant Farley Nuclear Security captain began intensive training for the Marine race four months before the event. "You can push your body and make yourself do anything," said Ferguson. "The challenge is the mental part." Pushing his body to the limit is not new to Ferguson, who joined the Marines in 1995. "I had no direction at the time," said Ferguson. "I was attending Wallace Community College in Dothan and working a part-time job. My brother said, 'Joe, I know the perfect place to get you some direction and get you refocused.'" After completing boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., and several training programs to mold him into a "fighting machine," Ferguson deployed with the Third Battalion, 10th Marines, for a six-month tour in the Mediterranean. He worked as a radio operator aboard the USS Saipan. One of his unit's major assignments was supporting the Army in a bridge-building project in Bosnia. Ferguson was stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., until 1999. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Ferguson felt compelled to return to the military, where he served as a communications chief in the Fourth Battalion, 14th Marine Reserve Unit in Bessemer. He helped develop communication plans for the unit, performed preventive maintenance on radio equipment and conducted proficiency evaluations. In 2004, Ferguson was deployed to Iraq for a year as an infantry squad leader. His unit was responsible for escorting convoys, providing security, investigating mortar attacks and suspicious incidents, and patrolling hostile territory. "For me, the scariest part was never knowing when you're going to be attacked," said Ferguson. "You can't tell the good guys from the bad guys. One of the locals serving you food could have a 6 Ferguson took on the Marine Corps Marathon Oct. 27. bomb strapped on him. And every time you went off base, you were at risk of being ambushed by insurgents or hit by improvised explosive devices." Ferguson's dreams were invaded by the uncertainty. "About three weeks before we were scheduled to depart for home, I kept having recurring dreams that I was going to be killed, or there was going to be a mortar attack at the very end of our tour," Ferguson said. "And strangely enough, the day we were flying out of Iraq, we were standing in formation for an awards ceremony when the fuel farm on the base was hit." Ferguson said he was especially touched by the reception his unit received when they landed on American soil in Bangor, Maine. Although they arrived in the middle of the night in the heart of winter, a crowd welcomed them home. "Something like that makes you realize there are people who will support you no matter what," he said. Since 2010, he has served as sergeant of communications in the Alabama National Guard. During his deployment in Iraq, Ferguson was honored with the Navy/Corps Achievement Medal for contributions as an infantry squad leader and was rated the top sergeant in his company. "Serving in the Marines was the greatest experience," Ferguson said. "You see the world, and you build relationships with folks that will never be broken until the day you die." By Carla Davis

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