Fellow Marines, Honored guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is indeed a great honor for me to have been invited to speak tonight on the occasion of the 236th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps. We gather here tonight to remember the glories and heroism of years gone by and to honor the men and women of today’s American Warriors who have served us, and continue to serve us, with a selfless courage and professionalism.
When one earns the title U.S. Marine he becomes one with the brotherhood of warriors forging a common bond that is not severed by time or distance. My early days in recruit training at Paris Island are as fresh in my mind today as it was 54 years ago and as I stand here I can picture my drill instructors, Sergeants Bowen, Giess and Pettit as clearly as the first day I stepped off the train at Yemassee, South Carolina for our bus ride to the Marine Recruit Depot at Paris Island.
They were veterans of the Second World War and Korean War and sought to impart as much knowledge as they could, distilled out of their own combat experience, to the raw recruits of our platoon. Like all of us here today it was not till we graduated from Boot Camp three months later that we were considered to be Marines. We had to earn the honor of the title Marine.
My subsequent training at Camp Lejeune and duty at Paris Island in the Marine Corps Band and as a Chaplains’ Assistant, flight training at Pensacola as a Marine Aviation Cadet and duty in Santa Anna, Okinawa, Vietnam and Cherry Point as a naval aviator brought me into contact with hundreds of Marines many of whom I stay in contact with to this day. Sadly not a few of them are with us but in spirit.
As a Marine there was never any doubt in my mind that I was part of a unique warrior class of amphibious shock troops that had served the United States with distinction. The terms Gung Ho, esprit de corps, duty and honor were indelibly etched in my mind as they are in the minds of every other Marine. Whatever my role I stayed true to my rifleman’s code for every Marine is a rifleman, be he a cook, communicator or pilot and I was proud of my expert rifle and pistol qualification year after year. They would stand me in good stead.
We learnt about the history of the Corps and its legendary heroes and sought to live up to the standards of valor that they had set.
But it was not all fire and brimstone for we had our moments of humor, good time and riotous fun. We worked hard and played hard and never sought quarter from anyone.
I might digress here to illustrate the sort of humor that we enjoyed by reading a short transcript of radio communications during the Iraqi war:
Iranian Air Defense Site: “Unknown aircraft you are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.”
Aircraft: “This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.”
Air Defense Site: “You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!”
Aircraft: “This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send ‘em up, I’ll wait!”
Air Defense Site: TOTAL SILENCE.
The Marine Corps experience molded me for leadership roles that I was later to perform in civilian life, both in business and in public life, and for this I will be forever indebted to the Corps.
Over the years I have kept abreast of issues affecting the Marine Corps and the development of new equipment and weaponry. I have also come into regular contact with Marines of all ranks over the ensuing decades and observed how well the younger generations have responded to the national security challenges and the changing shape of the battlefields of today. I marvel at the competency, professionalism and technical proficiency of today’s Marine as they grapple with and solve the complex problems of combat and pacification in the 21st Century.
At the same time today’s Marine is a socially conscious individual who responds positively to the society where he serves with a spirit of volunteerism that is unexcelled. Marines around the globe are not just the first in battle but also the first to save and succor in times of great natural disasters. Spontaneity and innovation is often on display in the face of adversity be it a hurricane, tsunami or flood as Marines move to rescue people and deliver medicine and food to isolated areas cut off from the rest of the world.
The Corps is a remarkable organization that is well led, well informed and highly motivated. It is a warrior class with compassion and serving in it was for me a delight and a privilege.
I am confident that the Marines will continue to rise to the challenges of the future holding dear to its core values while improving its capability to deal with new threats as they arise. The Commandant’s current thrust to involve the entire corps in developing strategies for the future is evidence of creative adaptation of cutting edge communications technology in problem solving and it is clear that this is one general that will not be fighting yesterday’s wars tomorrow. Let us hope that the recognition of this will give pause to any future enemies of America.
As we celebrate the 236th Birthday of the Corps here tonight let us remember those who have gone before us, those that are in ill health or wounded and the families that support them. May God grant them comfort and recovery as we extend a heartfelt thanks for their service to their country and their Corps.
God bless you Marines.
Semper Fi.
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