Happy birthday, Marines

The 230th Marine Corps Birthday

By Col. Jeff Bearor (USMC)
Special to World Defense Review

On November 10, Marines around the world pause to celebrate the birthday of our Corps. Some things never change – it's been this way for 230 years.

No matter where Marines are serving, from the Pentagon and Marine Barracks in Washington, to the loneliest outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Marines will stop, shake hands, say happy birthday, sing the Marines' Hymn and, if it is available, have a piece of cake. It doesn't matter to us if its an elaborate cake from some big hotel, a smaller cake from the great cooks aboard ship, or a cookie from an MRE, we're going to celebrate!

While the ceremony, the camaraderie, and the opportunity to turn out in your best dress uniform are important to Marines, that isn't why this day is so meaningful to us. Quite simply, it gives us the opportunity to reflect on the debt we who serve today owe our country, our Corps and, especially, to those Marines who served before us and to rededicate ourselves to the Corps and country which "we are proud to serve."

There really is a tie between Marines, our history and our Corps that is, in some sense, mystical. It starts in boot camp and Officer Candidates School with Drill Instructors regaling recruits and officer candidates with the stories that make up our history and with a few chosen stories of their own detailing their small part of the whole. They talk about the first "Continental Marines," the Barbary pirates, Archibald Henderson (who was Commandant for 30-plus years), landings across the globe, the Boxer Rebellion, Dan Daley, the Philippine Insurrection, Smedley Butler, Belleau Wood, "Chesty" Puller, Nicaragua, "Manila" John Basilone, Wake Island, the Montford Point Marines, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, Lebanon, Viet Nam and – from their own experience – Kuwait, Somalia, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Almost magically, the most junior recruits and candidates begin to believe they can be like those heroes and have the opportunity to add to our history. More than that, these newest Marines begin to understand the burden of living up to expectations – the expectation that they will never quit, never give-up on themselves or another Marine, that they'll never leave a fellow Marine behind, and never disgrace the Corps. It may be hokey, but there can be no doubt it works.

From my perspective, as a Marine about to attend his last Birthday Ball in uniform after more than 30 years of service, the Marines of today are more than a match for any group of Marines in our storied history. In fact, I am in awe of the young Marines and officers of today's Corps. These young people (the average age of a new Marine graduating boot camp is just over 19 years) prove themselves each and every day in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and in hundreds of other places Marines serve around the world. They are tremendous leaders dedicated to each other and their mission.

Sergeant Jim Wright, who lost both hands to an RPG in Iraq tells the story of his combat wounds matter-of-factly: As a 22 year-old corporal, his Recon patrol was hit by an IED and ambushed. He was quickly wounded by an RPG, which mangled both his hands and most of an arm and punctured a major artery in his leg. When asked how he avoided going into shock from the loss of blood he said, "Sir, I couldn't go into shock, I was in charge." Sergeant Wright is now an instructor at the Marine Corps Martial Arts Center of Excellence in Quantico. Missing parts of his body is no handicap to this Marine!

There are thousands like him. We are blessed by their service. As a matter of fact, we live in a new time of heroes. These young Marines are smart, fit, dedicated and – when need be – ruthless. "No better friend; no worse enemy than a U.S. Marine" is ingrained in their collective psyche. Our enemies should never, ever underestimate the dedication and fierceness of a 19-year-old American Marine! I am proud to hold the same title – U.S. Marine.

So to every Marine, former Marine, and friends and families of Marines around the world, from an old colonel who loved every minute of the past 30 and one-half years, Happy 230th Birthday, Marines!

— Colonel Jeff Bearor is a career Marine Corps officer who has served as an operations officer with the CIA's Counterterrorism Center. A graduate of Britain's famed Royal Marine Commando course and a recent commanding officer of the Recruit Training Regiment at the U.S. Marine Corp Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., Col. Bearor's most recent assignment has been that of chief of staff, Marine Corps Training and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia. He retires this fall after more than 30 years in the Corps.