Abuja MSG Detachment Activation

MSG Detachment Abuja, Nigeria Activates
GySgt Terri Shanks a/ Sergeant Richard A. Gonzalez
Sgt Schellinger (Montevideo / Abuja)
Sgt. King (Quito/ Abuja)
LCpl Reece


Source: MSG Battalion Home page (2006)

The mission was simple; to officially Post a Marine Security Guard to duty. The orders were understood; to protect the compromise of classified information and protect American personnel.

Ambassador John Campbell, the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, presided over the ceremony and provided some personal insight regarding the re-designation of the capitol of Nigeria from Lagos to Abuja and the fifteen-year journey from concept to fruition.

The Detachment Commander GySgt Terri L. Shanks, arrived in Abuja just seven weeks prior to activation and aggressively attended to the daunting tasks requiring accomplishment before her watchstanders began arriving on July first. A seasoned Detachment Commander who previously served in Conakry, Guinea and Accra, Ghana, GySgt Shanks went to work with a sense of purpose. She personally supervised every facet of preparation at the designated Marine Security Guard Quarters, ensuring compliance with all safety and security requirements.

On July first her Assistant Detachment Commander, Sergeant Richard A. Gonzalez, arrived and attended his first country team meeting. During this initial meeting he was meritoriously promoted to Staff Sergeant and formally introduced to the embassy staff. Immediately recognizing the quality of their assembling Marine Security Guard Detachment post officials provided all necessary support to the detachment, allowing them to meet all requirements to activate as scheduled on July 28, 2005.

From 14 – 17 July Abuja’s detachment tripled in size with the arrival of Sgt Schellinger from Montevideo, Uruguay, Sgt. King from Quito, Ecuador and LCpl Reece from MSG school. Their first order of business was operationally focused. They invested numerous hours learning every square inch of the new embassy, drafting guard orders, developing operations plans and familiarizing themselves with Post 1. It’s always challenging when you arrive at a new post and must read through the volumes of detachment orders then attain FOT certification but in Abuja none of that existed when they arrived.

Every task had its own unique challenge. The Marines aggressively worked their way through the list of “have to accomplish” taskers which included everything from getting operational gear assembled or repaired, receiving and accounting for items arriving at post, and finding suitable substitutes for items not readily available in West Africa. Their days commenced with challenging PT sessions that included long runs to familiarize themselves with the city so they could designating multiple routes to the Embassy. Their afternoons were spent at the Chancery accomplishing the administrative work of the day and their evenings and nights were usually in stack formation learning the details of every office space. As a result of the long hours and hard work all necessary tasks were accomplished prior to activation just ten days after the majority of the watchstanders arrived. Guard Orders were signed, operations plans approved, MWR and Mess Funds established and a PFT course was selected.

By August 28th 2005, the Detachment was ready to stand duty. Throughout all of the early mornings, long nights and hectic time schedules the Marines maintained a positive professional attitude. By Noon on the 28th of July the Detachment Commander officially posted Sgt Schellinger as the first Marine to stand duty at Marine Security Guard Detachment Abuja, Nigeria. “To be the first Marine to sign in that logbook, it’s worth it” exclaimed Sgt. Schellinger. While Marine Security Guard Battalion gained another detachment, American Embassy Abuja, Nigeria increased the size of the Mission family.