Tomorrow Morning, my beloved Corps will celebrate it's 240th Birthday. Marines everywhere throughout the globe, when they greet each other, will do so by saying, "Happy Birthday Marine."
The Marines take deep pride in their history and traditions in a manner that the other services do not. It serves to bind us through generations. It binds us long after our active service. To this day, at times, there are some people when they find out that I was a Marine treat me with a reverence. I revere my brothers and sisters, young and old alike. As a Marine, we all know that "once a Marine, always a Marine." To us, there are no ex-Marines, only former Marines. To us there is a distinct difference and I often cringe when I hear someone referred to as an ex-Marine.
My son, the next generation in our family to wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, just returned from a mission where he was monitoring Isis activity in the South Pacific. We had a death in the family during this mission and he was eligible to return home. Before word got to him of the sudden loss, I knew he wouldn't come. He wouldn't leave his brothers. He didn't. I talked to him after the mission and we each shared an unspoken understanding of why.
Many on this forum are my brothers and sisters. Thank you all. And thank you to the members of the other branches for your service. And to those who have lost family members, I am not being trite when I say I wish I had adequate words to thank you for the sacrifice of your loved ones. I hope and pray that it was not in vain.
Many of my brothers and sisters are today serving on the other side of the globe, many in harm's way. It is already November 10th to them. Some are so young, so young it hurts. If my commander in chief called me to ask if I would take the place of one of them so that Marine might have a better chance at a long life, I would drop every thing in a heartbeat. But I also know that Marine would tell me that I have served my time. They each have picked up the banner and carry it with a pride we all share and the pride of their country that holds them up.
To them all, I say, "Happy Birthday Marine." Semper Fidelis.
The Marines take deep pride in their history and traditions in a manner that the other services do not. It serves to bind us through generations. It binds us long after our active service. To this day, at times, there are some people when they find out that I was a Marine treat me with a reverence. I revere my brothers and sisters, young and old alike. As a Marine, we all know that "once a Marine, always a Marine." To us, there are no ex-Marines, only former Marines. To us there is a distinct difference and I often cringe when I hear someone referred to as an ex-Marine.
My son, the next generation in our family to wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, just returned from a mission where he was monitoring Isis activity in the South Pacific. We had a death in the family during this mission and he was eligible to return home. Before word got to him of the sudden loss, I knew he wouldn't come. He wouldn't leave his brothers. He didn't. I talked to him after the mission and we each shared an unspoken understanding of why.
Many on this forum are my brothers and sisters. Thank you all. And thank you to the members of the other branches for your service. And to those who have lost family members, I am not being trite when I say I wish I had adequate words to thank you for the sacrifice of your loved ones. I hope and pray that it was not in vain.
Many of my brothers and sisters are today serving on the other side of the globe, many in harm's way. It is already November 10th to them. Some are so young, so young it hurts. If my commander in chief called me to ask if I would take the place of one of them so that Marine might have a better chance at a long life, I would drop every thing in a heartbeat. But I also know that Marine would tell me that I have served my time. They each have picked up the banner and carry it with a pride we all share and the pride of their country that holds them up.
To them all, I say, "Happy Birthday Marine." Semper Fidelis.
