IN MARINE CORPS MOUNTED COLOR GUARD

It was October 18, 1988, when a palomino horse which used to roam the Black Rock Desert in Nevada began his journey to Barstow, California, to join the U.S. Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard. His name became Okinawa.

Twelve years later Okinawa will be back in Nevada as part of the all wild horse unit of the Marine Corps which will participate in the Ninth Annual Wild Horse and Burro Show and Adoption at the Reno Livestock Events Center on June 9, 10 and 11. The show begins at 8 a.m. each day, and a free gentling-training demonstration with trainer Bryan Neubert is offered at 9 a.m. on June 10 and 11. A wild horse and burro adoption for pre-qualified individuals is slated for 1 p.m. on June 11.

Okinawa was adopted at the National Wild Horse and Burro Center in Palomino Valley when he was about two years old. At that time, Sgt. Major Roger Rook and Lance Corporal Troy Harter came to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) facility to get acquainted with the Nevada palomino. They were apprehensive about a wild horse, but were impressed with this particular horse=s disposition.

Okinawa did not let them down. He became an integral part of the equine unit, and his performance encouraged the Marines to adopt seven other wild horses, according to Gysgt Dave Cooley.

Okinawa is joined by: Honey, from the Calico Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA), Humboldt Co., Nevada; Luke and Willy, both from Buck and Bald, White Pine County, Nevada;

Freedom, from Palomino Butte, near Burns, Oregon; Sage and Ochocho, from Fox Hog HMA near Cedarville, California; and Rookie, from Twin Peaks HMA near Ravendale, California.

The U.S. Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard was formed at the Marine Corps Logistics Base at Barstow, California, in 1967. In 1968 it was designated an official Mounted Color Guard by Headquarters Marine Corps, and today it is the only remaining Mounted Color Guard in the Marine Corps.

In 1988 when the unit appeared in the Reno Rodeo Parade, Sgt. Major Rook was concerned because some of the animals were nearing retirement age and he knew replacement horses would be expensive. In the crowd, Fred Wyatt, the BLM=s manager of the Palomino Valley Center was thinking how well the palomino horse he called APowderkeg,@ APowderhorn@ or ABlondie@ would fit in with the all Palomino unit. Wyatt knew the palomino, which he had adopted to help with his work at the Center, would benefit both the Marines and the wild horse program as the public could see what a Awild one@ was capable of doing. So, Wyatt introduced himself to Rook, and the BLM-Marine connection began.

Okinawa quickly learned to lead a parade with flags flapping, audiences clapping and unexpected loud noises. The Mounted Color Guard went to the Tournament of Roses in January1990, as the first military unit to lead the 1990 parade. The unit has been in every Tournament of Roses parade since.

The Mounted Color Guard members are active duty Marines who volunteer their time evenings, weekends and holidays to perform these duties, in addition to their regular duties. The unit practices twice weekly. In 1999, the unit participated in 84 parades, ceremonies, horse clinics and rodeos in the western United States. They are active with public schools and programs.

And, they continue to adopt, gentle and train wild horses.

- BLM -

For More Information Contact:  Maxine Shane (775) 861-6586

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