Todays Moto

[jinelson]

PRIDE

Written By: K. Shearon

Honor, courage and commitment as one is Pride
so pure and strong as a stallion at full stride
Its grace and beauty like an eagle soars through the sky
pride that is seen in every Marines eye

To hear the words of our nations hymn brings tears of delight
our stars and stripes waving in the breeze, a heartwarming sight
Young children with innocent faces, hands on their heart
our veterans saluting, remembering how they fought their part

these are but a few privileges we Americans have every day
we have choices to believe in God and the choice to pray
our troops are fighting with pride for this gift to you
let us show them the power behind the red, white and blue

Support our sons and daughters, husbands and wives
who are fighting for justice and freedom with their lives
Lets not forget about that awesome feeling of pride
let us unite as a nation and stand strong side by side

[jinelson]

Corporals

by Cpl. Robert L. Cook

Have you noticed how a corporal
Who has a job to do,
Will bust his butt to do it
And always follow through?


He's a lowly corporal,
The beginning of the line.
To get himself another stripe
Will take a lot of time!


He's willing and respectful,
He keeps his squad in line.
He keeps himself resplendent
From belt to spit-shine!


He's bound to duty;
He knows no other way.
His response to orders
Is only to obey!


He puts himself in jeopardy,
He's closest to his men.
When orders come down from the top
They all end up with him!


For he's a lowly corporal,
A do-or-die Marine.
A member of the greatest Corps,
He keeps his honor clean!

[booksbenji]

No question about it, The Marine Corps Times has some super reasons,
232 of them, for us to love our Marine Corps as we approach the Corps's 232d
anniversary. You'll smile at many; and memories will return.
On Nov. 10, the Marine Corps turns 232 years old. Ever since it was formed
in a Philadelphia bar in 1775, the Corps has given Marines countless reasons
to take pride in the heritage of their organization.
There is no shortage of instances in which Marine units and
individuals have distinguished themselves in battle, but the bragging rights
earned over the past 232 years weren't all born on the battlefield.

The Corps' culture sets it apart from other branches of the military
in ways that those who have never earned the eagle, globe and anchor find
difficult to fully understand. But what is obvious to even the most casual
observer is that Marines distinguish themselves through their unique
appearance, spirit and accomplishments.

To know the Corps is to love the Corps, which is why Marine Corps
Times compiled the following list of 232 reasons to stand proudly at this
year's birthday ball.

1. Cpl. Jason Dunham. First Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since
Vietnam. If jumping on a grenade to save a buddy isn't worth the top of the
list, nothing is.

2. Civilians have to find time to go to the gym. Marines get paid to go.

3. The National Museum of the Marine Corps. It's like a Smithsonian of
Leatherneck.

4. There's no such thing as an "ex" Marine. Marine Veteran or nothing at all!!

5. Re-enlistment rates are higher IN the war zone.

6. Stink-proof socks. Well, almost. Systems Command is working on them.

7. Jalapeño cheese.

8. "Every Marine Into the Fight."

9. Lump-sum re-enlistment bonuses up to $80,000. Many of you would consider
doing it for free.

10. New uniforms #1. Pixel-pattern cammies? Yeah, the Corps came up with
that.

11. "Doc." Lifesavers

12. Flexed arm hang is harder than it looks. We tried it.

13. Barracks parties on non-payday weekends.

14. Marine Gunners. Sum of the finest Officers I knew were GUNNERS.

15. The Wounded Warrior Regiment.

16. MarAdmin 266/07: Letting 18-year-old Marines drink on base at this
year's birthday ball.

17. No receipt necessary for travel claim expenses less than $75.

18. The Lance Corporal underground.

19. Fallujah II.

21. Archibald Henderson's couch, re-upholstered, is still in the
Commandant's living room.

22. "No better friend, no worse enemy."

23. Typhoons approaching Okinawa often spark islandwide beer runs. More Bud!!!!

24. Waivers.

25. Gen. James Jones, who followed his tour as commandant with appointment
as "supreme intergalactic overlord" (OK, it was Supreme Allied Commander,
Europe, but close).

26. 10 rounds from the 500-yard line.

27. Per diem.

28. To civilians, every Marine is recon.

29. Recruiting in Texas is like hunting at the zoo. ?

30. The "boat cloak." Because every super hero needs a cape.

31. You can re-enlist in the IRR.

32. The wallet in your sock.

33. Motivating television commercials.

34. The "horseshoe" haircut, gone but not forgotten.

35. The global address list. Find your buddies and send them links to
MarineCorps Times.

36. Running cadences that mention napalm and Eskimos.

37. Stories that begin with, "So there I was ..."

38. Modified parade rest.

39. The transformation. Who you are when you join is not nearly as important
as who you become.

40. Lt. Gen. Jim Mattis getting a fourth star.

41. If you've been on liberty in Twentynine Palms, you've been on liberty in
Yuma and Barstow, too.

42. Grooming standards. Not only can you not act like a thug, you cannot
look like a thug.

43. It's not the Army.

44. Women in Manhattan have all seen the Fleet Week episode of "Sex and the
City."

45. Combat shotguns.

46. Combat Action Ribbons. IEDs count now, and should have counted all
along. Duh.

47. The occasional free beer. Wear your blues into a bar and see what
happens.

48. After decades of debate, there remains no resolution on whether sand
fleas trump "The Reaper."

49. The Corps' doesn't call its officers, commissioned or not, "petty."

50. Cpl. Gareth Hawkins, lying on a stretcher after an IED shattered his
leg, demanded re-enlistment before medical evacuation. And got it.

51. Whereas Army, Navy and Air Force jokes are funny, Marine jokes are
potentially dangerous.

52. The occasional friendly debate. Refer to a Marine staff NCO simply as
"Sergeant," and see what happens.

53. That troublesome "10 percent," making good Marines look great since
1775.

54. Everyone at a high school reunion is obliged to justify his last 10
years, except the guy wearing alphas.

55. As if ranks that include the words "Master" and "Gunnery" aren't
intimidating enough on their own, the Corps uses them both. At once.

56. Soldiers have Hooah Bars. Marines have Ka-Bars. The second will
generally get you the first. Their's a no Sh*tter

57. The dress code. You can wear your cammies to meet the Commandant or
repair a tank.

58. From "Aliens" to "Doom," the future vision of warfare almost always
includes Space Marines.

59. The Corps was formed in a bar.

60. Marines predicted the WWII campaigns in the Pacific years earlier and
prepared for the inevitable. So when a Marine says, "Hey, I've been
thinking..." perhaps you should take notes.

61. Give a Marine some free time, and he'll rip down your dictator's statue.

62. If it ain't raining, we ain't training.

64. Duty station garden spots: Jacksonville, N.C.; Yuma, Ariz.; Bridgeport,
Calif.; Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Yes, we're kidding.)

65. Making morning PT on time.

66. Recruiters who promise everything EXCEPT a rose garden.

67. Mustangs #1. It's easier to take crap from a CO who went to boot camp.

69. Gen. Peter Pace, the first Marine Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He left
his four-star insignia with his fallen comrades at the Vietnam Wall when he
retired. Classy move. , SIR

70. The people zapper. Using microwave energy to disperse a crowd sounds
like fun. Semper fry, Gunny.

71. Nothing says "Good morning" like a mouthful of Copenhagen and
freeze-dried coffee.

72. Nothing says "I love you" like a welcome home sheet hanging on a
chain-link fence.

73. Bill Barnes. In June, the former Marine beat the crap out of a
27-year-old pickpocket who tried to make off with his dough. Oh yeah, he's
72 yrs old.

74. Leftwich Trophy. Heisman winners only think they know about leaving it
all on the field.

75. EOD. If you don't know why this is on the list , defuse the next IED
yourself.

76. Tax-free combat pay. Doing what you signed up for and not having to give
Uncle Sam a dime back.

77. Montford Point Marines. The first African-American Marines know a little
something about honor, courage and commitment.

78. Front toward enemy. It's not just a visual reference on a Claymore mine,
it's a Marine Corps way of life.

79. Mustangs #2. You know at least three Marines who drive them. It's like a
Ford dealership exploded on base.

80. Fred Smith, founder of FedEx. Only a former Marine could truly
appreciate the value of getting your mail on time.

81. CMC: The tallest member of the Joints Chiefs. OK, so we haven't actually
measured, but he looks the tallest anyway.

82. No more spit shining boots.

83. Chuck Norris was in the Air Force. Steve McQueen was a Marine.

84. The Crucible.

85. 1/9, 2/9 and 3/9. Welcome back, fellas.

86. The FROG uniform. You are now sweat-wickin' AND flame-lickin'.

88. The M4. More rifles in the fight is generally a win-win.

89. MRAPs. Trucks straight out of Mad Max. We still love a good Humvee, but
we loved jeeps, too. Things change.

90. Arty guys who do civil affairs. They blow it up, then they fix it.
Circle of life.

91. Service Charlies. They look so good, the Navy's copying 'em.

92. Fake Marines. No one eats 'em up faster than real Marines.

93. John Lovell. A 71-year-old former Marine is sitting in a Subway
restaurant when two armed men try to rob the place. Lovell grabs his .45,
kills one and wounds the other. No word on how Lovell's sandwich fared.

94. 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. Six Navy Crosses so far. Six.

95. Staff Sgt. Lawrence Dean II, aka the "BadAss Marine." He recites a poem.
He gets uploaded to YouTube. Thousands get motivated.

96. Gen. James Conway takes over as the new commandant . Among his demands:
a new PT uniform, new tattoo regs, a plan to add dress blues to the seabag,
a change-up in medals and 22,000 more Marines. Someone's been thinking about
taking over for a while, huh?

97. Body-fat standards. Everyone hates them, until they see a fat Marine.

98. "Jarhead." Only a former Marine could write a war story about not
fighting anyone and make it last for 200 pages, then get Jamie Foxx to star
in the movie.

99. The Stumps. The Rock. The Sandbox. Oh, the places you'll serve.

101. Tattoos #2. Getting a fallen friend's name tattooed on your other
forearm, and knowing the same.

102. The new PT running suit. Sure, the Army had them first, but the Army
gets most things first.

103. Marine Expeditionary Units: The cheapest cruise you'll ever take.

104. Camp Lejeune: The closest interstate and the nearest good shopping mall
are both at least an hour away.

105. Camp Pendleton: There are roads and malls, but try affording a house
near the main gate.

106. Tattoos #3. Meat tags. Getting your blood type and other info inked on
your ribcage isn't necessarily a bad idea.

107. The Marine Corps is getting bigger. The Navy is getting smaller.

109. 30 days' paid vacation, plus federal holidays off, is obscene by
civilian standards.

110. Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl, the Corps' first fighter ace. First Marine to
fly a helicopter. Two Navy Crosses, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14
Air Medals. In 1998, the 82-year-old was killed during a home break-in when
he jumped in front of a shotgun blast aimed at his longtime wife, Edna.

111. Tattoos #4. Reaction to the new policy: Conway says sleeves are going
away, Marines run for the chair. Tattoo parlors never saw so much business.

113. Guaranteed pay raises.

114. Marine Security Guard #1. Duty in the Bahamas.

115. Having a WWII Marine say he's proud of you

116. Drew Carey used to be in the Marine Corps Reserve. Now, he's the host
of "The Price is Right."

117. Combatant diver pins. No more of that Navy crap.

118. A Red Stripe is a beer, mon. A Blood Stripe is a symbol of pride.

119. NMCI, if only they would remove the "MC."

120. You watched "300," and it reminded you of your unit.

121. The "Det One" .45 pistol. Designed by Marines, for Marines.

122. Combat marksmanship. You are creeping death. And you get graded on it.

123. Never lost six nukes on a plane.

124. CamelBaks. Water tastes like water again.

125. Give a Marine enough free time, and he'll marry your Bahraini princess.

126. Go to YouTube. Type in "bored Marines." http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...&search=Search . Enjoy

127. When the President gets on a helicopter, it's not called "Army One."

128. The opposite of the Peace Corps.

129. Camouflage. You can camouflage anything and make it cool.

130. No Fear #1. Marines aren't scared of anything. Except apricots. And
Charms.

131. Combat optics on M16s. Leave the iron sights, just in case.

132. "Combat loss" amnesty for missing gear. It's like pleading the fifth.

133. Riding a chartered Continental Airlines flight home from the war zone
with assault weapons stuffed in all the overhead compartments.

134. In combat, the division band becomes a heavy-machine-gun platoon.

135. What do headaches, broken bones, infectious diseases, missing limbs and
hurt feelings all have in common? Motrin. Thanks, Doc.

137. Global instability equals job security.

138. When NMCI goes down, and it will, it's like having the day off.

139. The honor, privilege and responsibility of leading, mentoring and
caring for junior Marines.

140. Gunnery sergeants. Don't know the answer? Ask the gunny. Need
something? Ask the gunny. In trouble? Avoid the gunny.

141. Because Gunny said so.

142. The line to get "tazed" at a military gear expo. Marines will do
anything for a free T-shirt.

143. Deployment reunions. Like reliving your wedding night. Sweet!

144. Gig lines. Even in khakis and a polo shirt.

145. Eight-point covers. Even the uniform stands at attention.

146. Marine Security Guards #2. They're not cute and cuddly, but when they
greet you at the hatch, it's like getting a great big hug from the United
States of America, no matter where you are.

147. The Mameluke sword. Distinctive.

148. The NCO sword. Earned, never given.

149. The World Famous Mud Run. Thousands of people pay good money to run
through 10 clicks of muck every year at Camp Pendleton.

150. John Philip Sousa. A Marine, the nation's March King and composer of
"The Stars and Stripes Forever." Ooh-rah.

151. MRE crackers. Hard as Milk Bones but much tastier. You can almost feel
your teeth getting cleaner as you eat 'em.

152. Jane Wayne Day. She'll never ask about work again.

153. Shirt stays. Or garters. Whatever you call them, they're a triple
whammy, keeping your shirt tucked, your socks up and removing all that
unwanted leg hair.

154. The slogans: "The Few, The Proud, The Marines." "We're Looking For a
Few Good Men," "Once a Marine, always a Marine," "Tell that to the Marines."
If they could only purchase the rights to Hallmark's "When You Care Enough
to Send the Very Best."

155. Speaking of slogans, "The Few, The Proud, The Marines" beat out such
notables as Nike's "Just Do It" and Burger King's "Have It Your Way" for a
2007 spot on the advertising Walk of Fame. Better luck next year, losers.

157. Real duty station garden spots you can go an entire career without
being assigned to: Southern California; Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii ; Okinawa,
Japan.

158. Rear-party Marines. God bless them. Whatever reason they stay behind
injury, impending retirement or being volun-told they are indispensable.
They deserve medals for what they have to deal with while a unit is
deployed.

159. While field-grade officers are at the company office, company-grade
officers are in the field.

160. Colonels who can take a joke.

161. Free flu shots. And smallpox shots and anthrax shots ...

162. Former Sgt. Chris Everhart. While camping with his three sons in June
2007, a bear snatched their cooler and made a play for his 6-year-old.
Everhart threw an 18-inch log at the bear's head, cracking its skull before
it could attack and killing it instantly. Then, the park ranger gave him a
ticket for leaving the cooler where the bear could get it.

163. Standards. The Corps doesn't lower the bar when recruiting gets tough.

164. Jim Nabors. "Gomer Pyle" becomes an honorary Marine in 2001 and makes
Lance Corporal. It takes him six years to pin on corporal. Talk about art
imitating life.

165. Vincent D'Onofrio. The other "Private Pyle" is doing pretty well on
"Law and Order: Criminal Intent." He's still weird, though.

166. If you ambush Capt. Brian Chontosh's boys, he's going to take off his
Navy Cross and kill you. Then, he's going to pick up your rifle and kill
your buddies. Then, he's going to pick up your buddy's rifle and kill your
buddy's buddies. Then, he's going to pick up a rocket-propelled grenade
launcher ...

167. Speaking of the Navy Cross, a combat award second only to the Medal of
Honor, Marines have earned 15 so far in Iraq, plus one in Afghanistan. Of
the six awarded to sailors for those combat zones, five went to SEALs, and
one went to a corpsman who exposed himself repeatedly to enemy fire to
evacuate and treat wounded Marines. Along with Chontosh, the other
recipients include:

168. Gunnery Sgt. Justin D. Lehew.

169. Lance Cpl. Joseph B. Perez.

170. Sgt. Scott C. Montoya.

171. Cpl. Marco A. Martinez.

172. Sgt. Willie L. Copeland.

173. Capt. Brent Morel (posthumous).

174. Sgt. Anthony L. Viggiani.

175. 1st Sgt. Bradley A. Kasal.

176. Cpl. Robert J. Mitchell.

177. Cpl. Dominic Esquibel.

178. Sgt. Jarrett A. Kraft.

179. Cpl. Jeremiah W. Workman.

180. Cpl. Todd Corbin.

181. Sgt. Aubrey L. McDade Jr.

182. Pfc. Christopher Adlesperger (posthumous).

183. Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Louis E. Fonseca.

184. Iwo JIMA. Japan might have changed the name to Iwo To, but that doesn't
mean you have to acknowledge it.

185. Col. John Ripley. Received the Navy Cross for the destruction of the
Dong Ha bridge in Vietnam. The Corps takes care of its own. In 2002, with
Ripley near death, doctors finally found a donated liver for his much-needed
transplant. So the Marine Corps sent helicopters and Marines to Philadelphia
to retrieve it, and they personally rushed it back to Washington in time to
save his life.

186. Marine Corps Times isn't a version of Navy Times anymore. How many
careers get their own newspaper?

188. Gatorade bottles wrapped in green, 100 mph tape so as not to offend the
sailors in the room.

189. Camaraderie. Marines will hook you up with their sisters, then punch
you in the mouth for doing what they knew would happen the whole time.

190. Ingenuity. MRE bombs, 101 uses for cleaning rods and iPods wired into
field radio speakers.

191. Getting off the ship.

192. Getting back on the ship.

193. No beach? No problem. Marines inserted 400 miles into landlocked
Afghanistan and created Camp Rhino using CH-53 Sea Stallions. Imagine what
you can invade with the Osprey.

194. Cases and cases of bottled water mean never having to stand behind a
water bull.

195. Race as a nonissue. It wasn't always the case, but three black
Sergeants Major of the Marine Corps in a row show that the Corps has only
one color: green.

196. Every day in the Corps is another reason to celebrate. That's why they
call them working "parties."

197. Riddick Bowe had what it took to be boxing's undisputed heavyweight
champ. He did not have what it took to be a Marine.

198. The U.S. Army Band is called "Pershing's Own." The U.S. Marine Corps
Band is called "The President's Own."

199. "8th and I." Ten bucks says you have no idea where the Army chief of
staff lives. Commandants don't hide.

200. MRE "rat boxes." How grunts trick-or-treat.

201. The poncho liner. It's a blanket, it's a tent, it's a keeper.

202. Combat fit-reps. People say they're equal to regular fit-reps. People
lie.

203. The "E-tool lean." Sailors don't know how good they have it.

204. Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno, Medal of Honor recipient. If Marines have a hot line to heaven, Father Capodanno - aka the Grunt Padre - would take the call. His body peppered by shrapnel, his right hand nearly severed, the Navy chaplain and priest crisscrossed a Vietnam battlefield Sept. 4, 1967, to
render last rites to his fallen Marines and corpsmen with 3rd Battalion, 5th
Marines, until 27 rounds from an enemy machine gun took his life. Last year,
the Vatican declared him a "servant of God." Next step, sainthood? ( I believe so already)

206. Amphibious warfare means always being near the beach.

207. No Fear #2. Talk about the AV-8B Harrier's troubled past all you like,
but brave jump jet pilots are flying missions in Iraq.

208. New Uniforms #2. Wash-and-wear combat uniforms mean no more starch, no
more dry cleaning.

209. Marine air-ground task force. Nothing like controlling the air and the
ground.

210. Slapping an eagle, globe and anchor on the back of your car and knowing
it'll get you out of at least one speeding ticket.

211. The Navy wants to put Marines back on warships. It seems that Tomahawk
cruise missiles can't do everything.

212. Liberty in Thailand.

213. Liberty in Australia.

214. Liberty, well, anywhere.

215. The Navy's mascot is a goat. The Corps' mascot is a bulldog. You don't
need Michael Vick to tell you who wins that fight.

216. If you need another occupying land force, you can use the Marine Corps.
If you need another rapidly deployable, sea-based, front-door-kicking,
air-ground team, you can't use the Army.

217. 1775 Rum Punch. Four parts dark rum, two parts lime juice, one part
pure maple syrup, grenadine to taste.

218. "It's fun to shoot some people," said Lt. Gen. Jim Mattis. He says what
he thinks.

219. The Beirut Memorial Wall. If you ever forget what you're fighting for,
pay a visit.

221. "Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be
guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinburg?

I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for
Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the
luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago's death, while tragic,
probably saved lives.

And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to." Jack Nicholson, "A Few Good Men."

232 yr the Marines and rest of the militaty have paced, walked, counted 21 steps in front of the "TOMBS OF THE UNKNOWNS" , THE WALLS OF FREEDOM

222. Maj. Meghan McClung, Marine public affairs officer, killed by a
roadside bomb in Iraq while escorting media. The PAO is more than just a
spokesman.

223. Sgt. Rafael Peralta. Like Dunham, he hugged a grenade to save his
buddies in Iraq. No Medal of Honor ... yet.

224. Hearing an accidental discharge into the clearing barrel, then waiting
for the Lieutenant to walk inside.

225. Call signs like "Spider" and "Assassin," and these guys were Generals.

227. Buttered noodles for breakfast.

228. "Every Marine should look like a Marine. But a Marine looks like a
Marine when he's got a bayonet stuck in the enemy's chest." Gen. Robert
Magnus, assistant Commandant, discussing body-fat standards.

229. "Infantry" is the easiest job for recruiters to sell.

230. Being the youngest Marine at the ball.

231. Being the oldest Marine at the ball.

232. The Marine Corps appreciates all you do, all you did, and all you ever
will do. Happy birthday, Marines! Semper Fi.

This concludes the Birthday msg. Enjoy and pass it on!!!!!

[Big Jim]

These Poems Are All Awe-inspiring And Very Motivational!! They Should Be Shared With Everyone Who Wants To Read Them!! Especially To Those That Have Questions About Our Dedication And Devotion To Our Country And To Our Beloved Corps. But Especially, They Should Be Shown To Those People Who Take Our Rights And Priveledges For Granted And Abuse Them. Maybe They'll Realize Exactly What We Sacrifice So They Can Have Those Freedoms!! Semper Fi Marines!!

[jinelson]

THE FIGHTING FIRST MARINES

by by Jim Curtis USMC

OH SAY MARINE ALL DRESSED IN GREEN
WITH RIFLE BY YOUR SIDE
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THE TWO OF YOU
CAN TURN THE BATTLE'S TIDE
MISS IT ISN'T JUST THE TWO OF US
ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS THAT WAY
MARINES THAT GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR YOU
FIGHT WITH US EVERY DAY
AND SO YOU SEE THE ENEMY
DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A CHANCE
CAUSE THERE'S SEVERAL THOUSAND LEATHERNECKS
HERE TO KICK HIS ASS
OH SAY MARINE ALL DRESSED IN GREEN
WITH RIFLE BY YOUR SIDE
YOU MUST BE ONE OF CHESTY'S BOYS
YOUR HEART IS FILLED WITH PRIDE !

[jinelson]

The Corps

Mary Beth Magee

United for our country,

Standing tall against the foe — we

Meet the enemy on his own ground

And make it ours. We are

Ready to go where we’re needed

In any situation, any conflict.

Never intimidated, there’s no “give” in us.

Ever vigilant to safeguard our nation’s freedom, we

Can fight, we can comfort, we can befriend those in need.

Only our enemies have cause to fear.

Resting in the comfort of God and trusting the

Preparedness of our brothers we boldly shout

Semper Fi!

[jinelson]

232 Years of Pride

Bob Beskar

Ask any Marine about their birth…
And they may say, "When God made earth"!

For they know well what land goes for…
They bought enough while in the "Corps"!

For Two hundred thirty years of pride…
They've fought next to each other's side.

And for "Old Glory's" right to fly…
Our proud Marines would often die!

They're special men, and women too…
That gave their all, for me and you…

And on November 10th this year…
You'll hear them toast, you'll hear them cheer!

For pride and honor is their theme…
It's not a notion or a dream…

They live each day for those they love…
And their "Corps" and God above!

That's why they joined the chosen few…
To preserve, protect, what they hold true!

So on this day let's honor those…
Who stay awake and on their toes…

The proud Marines that keep us free…
And give us hope and liberty!

Happy Birthday Marines!

[jinelson]

A Ballad for U.S. Marines

Peter S. Beck, USMC Retired

Have you ever thought, why we've battled and fought, for 232 years?
Why we never look back and always attack, without showing any fear.
Why our feeling runs deep and our honor we keep and never betray a trust.
Then you know what it means, to be labeled Marine, till our ashes turn to dust.

It started out, with a toast and a shout, in a tavern near some ships.
The bartender there, said some greens you could wear and take exciting trips.
It didn't take long, 2 battalions and a song and the troops were on their way,
To New Providence, where some island defense, was about to be ended that day.

That started the tale, that would soon regale, everyone back home in the states.
How a band of Marines, took a fort at the scene and unlocked the old iron gates.
Raised our flag on the roof, to give ironclad proof, that Marines are a breed set apart.
Then they left just as fast, when the crisis had past, it was here that the legend did start.

And so it went on, from each dusk to each dawn, as the stories continued to grow.
If you wanted a fight and it had to be right, the Marines were the outfit to know.
They didn't retreat and they never got beat, from one battleground to the next
And along that rough way, they performed every day; after all, they'd written the text.

It wasn't for all and you had to stand tall, if you wanted to join our small band.
But the day that you heard, that one single word, "Marine" was your singular brand.
You said it out loud and you carried it proud, never asking for quarter or giving it,
You instinctively knew, it was all up to you, it was your life and you were living it.

And so it has been, since that first island win, on beachheads all over the world.
From old Pirate ships to terrorist tricks, our banners are always unfurled.
We give it our best; we stand up to the test, for courage can't be bought off a shelf.
To experience the thrill, of taking the ville, you've got to do it yourself.

And thus it will be, from the desert to the sea, wherever Marines tend to gather.
We are all quite the same, we've all played the game and our ages don't really matter.
We're bound by our care, for the next one's who wear, the hallowed anchor and globe.
And we'll toast our great Corps, with a loud, husky roar, till St. Peter gives us a robe.

So now you know why, on land, sea or sky, we've fought for all of those years.
Why we never turn back and always attack and never show any fear.
Why the feeling runs deep and our honor we keep and never betray a trust.
Why we say what we mean, we are US Marines, till our ashes turn to dust.

[jinelson]

Semper Fidelis - Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow

by David Bounds

From battlefields of the past
To those currently in the news
Marines have fought to defend our land
And to protect our Liberties
Uncommon Valor is that common thread
That runs throughout The Corps
Binding each generation of new Marines
With those who have gone before
Where do they come from
And why do they fight
always willing to pay the price
For freedom isn't free my friend
It often requires the ultimate sacrifice

From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli
And on to the beaches of World War II
Marines have fought for me
They overcame the frozen hell
Of the Chosin Reservoir
Marines battled and bled in the jungles
Of a distant land called Vietnam
In Lebanon they came in peace
But terrorists would not reason
And the bombing of the Beirut barracks
Placed more Marines on Guard Duty in Heaven

Today's Marines continue the fight
And pay the price for Freedom
Many have bled and many have died
In the current War on Terror
Though some have questioned the job they do
And may even view them with hate
These brave Marines continue to serve
And courageously fight our battles
They are warriors who aren't appreciated
Yet they realize their mission is vital
These Marines are now and always will be
Deserving of America's honor

[jinelson]

This Veteran...Thanks You!

By Bob Beskar

I wrote this poem, to thank you for…
Each day we have, much like before.

You're on our minds both day and night…
And we support you in this fight!

Your sacrifices aren't in vain …
And many of us know your pain!

Because of you, our freedom's strong…
But there are some who get it wrong!

They think because it's here today…
It's always going to be that way!

But you can see the jest of that…
And know just why we're in Iraq!

Have we forgotten our big threat?
Have we not learned our lesson yet?

Terror is what drives this war…
And must be stopped at its front door!

"911" showed us that…
Have we ignored that brutal fact?

Make no mistake, I stand with you…
Until we see this mission through!

[jinelson]

"Cream of the Crop"

The Cream Of The Crop
The United States Marine Corps

We the few, the proud, the Marines. Hated by the other branches, with the exception of Seabees and Hospital Corpsmen and Amphibious Ready Groups, and lately Special Op's of the other branches, we are superb. We did our thing at Bellow Wood, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal and numerous other battle fields.

Why we are so good, we let Special Op's of the other branches freeze areas for us so that Force Recon and Scout Snipers can be fresh and rested when we reap havoc on opposing forces. We are handsome and witty. We are cool; when the **** hits the fan we become ugly in a handsome Marine way. We kill maim and render enemy fighting forces ineffective with the greatest of ease. We are the tip of the spear. Doggies (Army, Ain't really Marines yet) Squids/Swabbies (Navy, Not able to finesse out of water) and Fly Boys (Air Force, Air in the brain mechanism, also known as Wild Blue Yonder Wonders) envy us. We charge in growling with supporting arms. Our Harriers, Snakes and other choppers growl from the sky, our artillery, tanks, LAV's and AMTRACS growl from the ground. Our grunts breathe fire as they growl, with weapons blasting. Our support troops awaiting orders to ferry supplies to the front so that they may growl too.

No enemy is a match for us. We have prevented the eternal war between Heaven and Hell since we were born of a rifle and a bayonet at TunTavern.

God and the Devil are over joy'ed with us, we keep the gates of Heaven and Hell revolving and we impress the ladies in both places. Lieutenant General Chesty Puller (Eternal Commandant of all Marines who crossed the final line of departure), maintains a Marine Barracks in Heaven and an Air/Ground Proving Ground in Hell, commanded by Pappy Boynton himself. The Black Sheep Squadron is in charge of Marine procurement.

All that is left to say is SEMPER FI! THE CORPS IS FOR EVER!

[jinelson]

Just to heal a tortured heart

by PMM of SSgt. LeMay, currently serving in Iraq.

Just to heal the tortured heart: I will relay a hero chart
You know the Marines are built to part
Every two, they deploy to be smart
In preparation they do train, every clime to be prepared.
Come March, they did arrive to impart
A relief to the Army, so they could depart
To see those heroes souls to America cart
Though not to happen, a plan designed the ground be shared.
In the year 04, they felt this change start
Commander Bush needed our best to, again, depart
To fight with vigilant resolve to dart
The insurgent evil in Falloujah was despaired.
As the fight progressed, the public felt this heart
In every note, or news, all felt apart
The headquarters sorted those that would be marte
And every Marine's work to execute was totally squared.
The battle was pit, as the strategy of tacticians prepared a flip-chart
1st Marines collected prepared to battle this jarvik-heart
As deemed in history, day one saw the honor of the purple-heart
With honor and resolve the Marines did as were dared.
Marines, in true tradition, fashioned their tart
As Echo Company dispatched to mark a head-start
While pinned in an alley, some lost, they diverted with some martial art
Response came to alert, as the enemy strength was stared.
Never to lose their spirit, the Marines advanced on belly to take freedom-heart
Upon a mission devised for compassion, and right-smart
One designed and focused as of Descartes
As the news chatter continued; as politicians compared.
The pundits did chatter in struggle to take part
Of an American election soon to be fought, seeking victory in-part
Upon the lonesome, tough work of heroes a-la-carte
The unfettered Marines continued the fight to restore those spared.
In the Sunni Triangle...the war did impart
Marines doing business without a star-chart
For the love of each other and nation, always state-of-the-art
They pitted their trained skill to destroy the evil laird.
Marines doing business to secure a good start
Crawling, sleepless to prepare love and heart
In a nation of turmoil, skillfully to avoid the destruction to tear-apart
Brave warriors shared, to restore a rose where thorns were shared.
A mother's love is always perceived pure within her heart
While a Marine's mother's love remains hard to pick-apart
The loss of courageous souls of the future provides a kick-start
And carries forward a mission of purpose-n-resolve;
That the history of such heroes always be aired.

Semper Fidelis ~ My brave young soldiers, farewell to my heroes ~ May their spirit never lose its thrust! May those families of loss remain resolved in their sorrow.

[Master Sephiroth]

Funny how the Hymn could be sung in an upbeat way and solemn way and still be...soul stirring for lack of a better word. While the other branches have great songs, you can only sing them in an upbeat way.

[jinelson]

This simply outstanding explanation of Our Hymn is courtesy of our member Marine Bruce59. If this doesent motivate you to train hard to become one of us I don't know what will.

Jim

IT'S NOT JUST A SONG, IT'S A HYMN

Bruce59

It echoes in the back of your mind, down the pages of history, the Hymn says who we are and what we stand for. It's inbodied in the words of the Hymn itself. The Hymn says we're the first to fight for right and freedom, that we're air, land and sea, a team. And to keep our Honor clean; important word Honor, Marines live it. We have fought in every clime and place, for the people of this country, it says we'll go anywhere to protect our freedom. We are proud to claim the title United States Marine, and no one else can make that claim. It's not just a song, it's a Hymn. And it will bring tears to the eyes of Marines when played. As Marines fought their way out of the Chosin Reservoir, never yelding to the cold or enemy, as they came down the road to the beach. these words were heard. OK Marines, dress ranks, stand tall, we're walking in like Marines. And from that column of Marines who had fought for weeks in the cold with frost bite and wounds, it started, low at first, then spread down the column. They walked in like Marines, and they walked in singing the Marine Hymn. They were not beaten, the Marines wanted to stay and take shelter under the big guns of the fleet, suck the enemy in and attack. But orders are orders and they were ordered out. Not just a song, a Hymn. We are proud to claim the title. We are now, and always will be, Marines.

[jinelson]

My name is Bryce Walters. Im from comanche texas and Im 18 years old. Im enlisted in the Marines and ship out for San Diego on July 20th of 2007. My older step brother is also in the Marines and currently serving in Baghdad. I wrote this poem to my family so they would understand why im making this choice that others are too scared to make.
Bryce

Why?

by Bryce Walters

There are people who don't understand
Who just don't realize
Why I'm doing what I am
And why I'll pay the price

I tell them someone's got to go
It might as well be me
But if you really want to know
I do it for Liberty

Because the freedom we all have
Didn't come for free
It was won with the lives
Of others just like me

Sons and daughters who gave it all
Who put it on the line
Some of whom would sadly fall
And leave us all behind

They left their friends and family
Doing what was right
Protecting those in need of help
That couldn't stand and fight

With honor shinning in their eyes
They held their chins up high
And now they're waiting for the day
When we will reunite

So as you see I made this choice
Because I love this land
And will defend it with my own life
Until the very end

So mom and dad and sis and bub
I have to leave you now
And if we never meet again
I hope I made you proud

So if your wondering who I am
Or if these words I mean
I'll simply say just one thing
I'm a United States MARINE