HILARY HOSIA
“I feel safe,” was the observation President David Kabua made when he stood between US Army Sergeant Major Lymman Beta Langijota and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Richard Anjain for a photo op Monday following the Nitijela opening.
SGM Langijota and CW2 Anjain were part of the US Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll delegation that flew in that same day to witness the ceremony.
Prior to the photo op, President Kabua announced that Marshallese who served in the US Armed Forces will one day receive care in-country as part of benefits given to veterans under the US Veterans Administration program. The announcement came in the wake of local veterans pushing to receive care in the Marshall Islands versus flying to Hawaii and Guam at their own expense in order to receive VA care.
SGM Langijota and CW2 Anjain were on Kwajalein for the past week with members of their unit from the US Army 25 Infantry Division out of Hawaii for a weeklong course called Mungadai and for the promotion of SGM Langijota that took place this past Sunday at the Jabro Sport Complex on Ebeye.
The word Mungadai is derived from the Mongols’ Munga-Dai, which refers to the special forces of Genghis Khan. The Mungadai course on Kwajalein included Zodiac boat drills on Carlos, Roi Namur and Kwajalein, and endurance and ruck march on Kwajalein.
SGM Lymman is said to be the second Marshallese to attain the highest enlisted rank of sergeant major, second to retired SGM Sailas Katjang.
Langijota was born and raised on Ebeye. He is a proud alumni of Ebeye Queen of Peace and the son of Betri and Hermina Langijota. His jowi is Makauleej and is the sibling of Jimmy, Herbert and the famed Mauwe Langijota. Langijota has been in the Army for 22 years as a Field Artillery soldier. He has four children with his wife Jessica Reimers-Langijota. His children are: Naia, Aria, Annei and Lyon. He is to assume the Fires Operations SGM position for the 25 Infrantry Division. Langijota has been in five combat tours.
CW2 Anjain was born in Ebeye and raised in Majuro. Anjain is what the Army refers to as a Mobility Warrant Officer, in charge of coordinating deployment and movement with multinational, joint, Army and commercial agencies. Anjain has 19 years of active federal service under his belt with two combat tours to Afghanistan, one each in Bosnia and Qatar.
Anjain has three children: Jayce, Kayah and Atlas. Anjain is the son of the late Nitijela representative from Rongelap, Jeton Anjain, and is wife Rehab. His siblings are: Abacca, Norma, Elmita, Jelton, Hilton, Ashlyn, Jaston, Jeton Jr., Irene, Rancy and Adaline.
Anjain said he and Langijota served as support for the Mungadai mission to Kwajalein. “We served as local guides and translators too,” CW2 Anjain said.
Langijota and Anjain were scheduled to return to Hawaii this week.