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Corporal Sean D. Green, crew chief, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 166, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, spreads the ashes of Col. Warren North out to sea from the back of a CH-46E Sea Knight July 11, 2005. North was the second commanding officer of HMM-166, and the squadron felt it fitting to be the ones to execute North's last request.

Photo by Sgt. J.L. Zimmer III

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HMM-166 spreads ashes of former CO

11 Jul 2005 | Sgt. J. L. Zimmer III Marine Corps Air Station Miramar-EMS

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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- On Feb. 11, 1988, then Lt. Col. Warren North took command of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 166, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Sadly, on June 8, North departed this world to "guard the streets of heaven."

On July 11, 2005, the "Sea Elks" of HMM-166 saluted their squadron's second commanding officer by fulfilling one of his last requests - to have his ashes spread out to sea from the back of a CH-46E Sea Knight.

Lieutenant Col. J.K. Arruda, the squadron's current commanding officer was on hand to accept North's remains from his wife Bonnie North.

"We were honored to do this for him and his family," said Arruda, an Edgewood, Ky., native. "It was very appropriate for this squadron to spread his ashes because he was a former CO."

For the family, the event brought the death of a great leader and great Marine to a final close.

"It was perfect. We were very happy with it," said Carrie North, daughter. "It was better than what we imagined. It was such a fitting tribute to my dad. He loved the Marines, and he loved flying.

"Being the CO of HMM-166 was probably his favorite command, so having his ashes spread from a CH-46 was very fitting," Carrie added. "He would have been so proud."
Bonnie North said her husband's last mission would help her remember him.

"The ceremony was awesome. It was Warren's last mission, and it was sad. But now when I go to the Pacific, I know he is there," Bonnie said. "When I heard the Marines take care of their own, they really do. It had no meaning before, but it hit home during the ceremony.

"The Marines treated him with respect," she continued. "I can't believe the trouble everyone went through for my husband."

Corporal Sean D. Green, crew chief, HMM-166, was the Marine responsible for spreading North's remains into the ocean.

"I was honored to do something like this," Green said. "This has been the only squadron I have been part of, so to be able to spread the ashes of our second commanding officer is the least I could have done."

POLICY

The most important starting point for an EMS* is the development of an environmental policy. ISO14001 requires local governments to implement their own environmental policy. The environmental policy acts as a basis for the environmental management system.

PLANNING

ISO14001 requires that an environmental management system is planned properly. It requires the organization to consider the following carefully: Environmental Aspects; Legal and Other Aspects; Objectives and Targets; and an Environmental Management Program.

IMPLEMENTATION

The two requirements for implementation of an EMS is to define, document, and communicate roles, responsibilities and authorities, and to allocate the resources needed to implement and control the EMS.

CHECKING

The key requirement in this EMS step is to regularly monitor and measure key characteristics of activities and operations that could have a significant impact on the environment. Changes to EMS procedures may become necessary in order to deal with nonconformances with the EMS, with mitigating environmental impacts, or corrective and preventive action.

REVIEW

The management review process ensure that information is collected to enable management to carry out proper review. Top management review the need for changes to policy, objectives and targets, and ensure that a commitment to continual improvement is being demonstrated.

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar-EMS