It’s the Marine Corps’ 240th birthday.
Advertisement
PFC. Hensley said each bite of cake and Marine Corps birthday celebration serves as a reminder of his call to service and the moment he made a decision to volunteer for the Marines after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The second had something to do with the allegiances of leadership and the friendly rivalry between the Army and the Marine Corps.
“I wanted to honor him by joining the Marine Corps”, he said, “and put forth my effort to honor that legacy”. Since then, the Marine Corps has been working on filling a mandate from Congress to create 1,000 new Marine security guards to stand post at State Department facilities around the world. This close working relationship dates back to the American Revolution and has been affirmed by several acts of Congress. Marines serve aboard Navy ships and often train alongside sailors, and many Marine officers attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. In September they participated in a multinational amphibious training exercise known as Dawn Blitz. “You are the embodiment of that legacy; it’s the very embodiment of who we are and what we will continue to be”. Countries that have armies smaller than the U.S. Marine Corps include France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, and Japan. The secretary of defense is expected to make a final decision after taking in information from all of the branches. “There’s no such thing as a former Marine”. The hard-working men and women enjoyed their meals, all while listening to each other’s stories and reminiscing about their treasured times in the Corps.
“When I signed my DD-214, I felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders but also felt a few sadness, as I am no longer part of something bigger than myself and will never experience the type of camaraderie that is in the Corps”, Martinez said. “Tradition can be empowering, but it can also be inhibiting”.
Advertisement
Cpl. Garrett Carnes (in wheelchair), a squad leader with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, jokes with Sgt. Kenney Clark (right), a fellow squad leader, during a motivational run held here, May 29, 2012, to honor Carnes’ life and sacrifice. Still, he said, the Marines are up to any challenges ahead. The French even renamed the Wood, “Bois de la Brigade de Marine”, or “Wood of the Marine Brigade”.
