Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Friday, December 6, 2024 76° Today's Paper


Hawaii News

Marines still face fight in war and at home

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COURTESY MATT KOETTING

Koetting, above, lies in bed taking a break from surgeries at Walter Reed Bethesda National Medical Military Center in Bethesda, Md., where several Marines and other friends came to visit.

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COURTESY MATT KOETTING / 2014

Matt Koetting, above right center, rides a combat rubber raiding craft in Kaneohe Bay with his reconnaissance team doing amphibious operations. Koetting said, “I love this picture because it is an example of some of the ‘not-so-bad’ days we have in the military.”

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COURTESY MATT KOETTING

A hole, above, remains where Koetting was injured by an IED that was detonated under him.

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JOSHUA ZATECKA / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

“Take care of each other, right? You’ve just got to have genuine concern for each other, and talk to each other and know when something’s wrong and encourage each other to get help.”

Matt Koetting

Retired Marine, pictured center, who gave a talk Thursday at Marine Corps Base Hawaii about his experiences in the military and how to cope with living as a civilian

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JOSHUA ZATECKA / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Matt Koetting, above, spoke Thursday to Marines at Marine Corps Base Hawaii about his experiences.