True "Never say die" people who are willing to put their life on the line for their country. I honor the service of every single one.

HONOR, COURAGE, COMMITMENT These are the values of the Corps. They define the character of every Marine. Semper Fi!

Tough! Courageous! Honorable! Proud!

There really is no accurate "brief" description of a Marine. Perhaps a group of descriptions and quotes would give a little insight to the kind of men and women they are. Being a Marine is more of an earned "condition" loaded with values, rather than anything that can really be described. Marines are "all play and all business" at the same time. It’s not ‘fire then maneuver.’ It’s not ‘fire or maneuver.’ It’s ‘fire and maneuver.’ You move and shoot in this battalion. —LtCol William Drumright, Republic of Vietnam, 1969 on offensive tactics Wake up, lieutenant. We have the enemy near the hill. When they get closer, we are going to kill them. You need to see this. —SSgt Smotherman, RVN, 1969, on defensive tactics The only difference in fighting at night and fighting in the day is you can’t see as well at night. —1stLt Lee Gound, TBS, 1969 on night operations The U. S. Marine is a professional who stands ready to fight anytime, anywhere, any enemy that the President and Congress may designate and to do so coolly, capably, and in the spirit of professional detachment. He is not trained to hate, nor is he whipped up emotionally for battle or for any other duty the Corps may be called on to perform. Patriotism and professionalism are his only two ‘isms.’ —Col Robert D. Heinl Jr. USMC (Ret) 1970 War, the ordinary man’s most convenient means of escaping from the ordinary. —Marine Lieutenant Philip Caputo, author of “Rumor of War” Wherever you are or whatever your job, don’t be confused or diverted by false priorities. We have only one mission to perform—that is to fight and win. And, we must do it better than anyone else in the world. —LtGen Leslie E. Brown I am They. —Gen Louis H. Wilson, 26th CMC The insurgent leader is a stallion standing on his hind legs. You don’t win his heart and mind. You kill him. —Maj Sean Leach, AWS, 1976, on counterinsurgency We have two companies of Marines running rampant all over the northern half of the island, and three Army regiments pinned down in the southwest corner, doing nothing. What the hell is going on? —Gen John W. Vessey Jr., USA, Chairman JCS, during the assault on Grenada, 1983 Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, but the Marines don’t have that problem. —President Ronald Reagan They told (us) to open the embassy, or “we’ll blow you away.” And then they looked up and saw the Marines on the roof with these really big guns, and they said in Somali, “Igaralli ahow,” which means “Excuse me, I didn’t mean it, my mistake.” —Karen Aquilar, is the U.S. Embassy, Mogadishu, Somalia, 1991 You earned the title “Marine” upon graduation from recruit training. It wasn’t willed to you; it isn’t a gift; it is not a government subsidy. Few can claim the title; no one may take it away. It is yours forever. —MSgt Thomas P. Bartlett, Managing Editor, Leatherneck magazine Marines know how to use their bayonets. Army bayonets may as well be paperweights. —“Navy Times,” November 1994 Marines I see as two breeds, Rottweilers or Dobermans, because Marines come in two varieties, big and mean, or skinny and mean. They’re aggressive on the attack and tenacious on the defense. They’ve got really short hair and always go for the throat. —RAdm “Jay” R. Stark, USN, 10 Nov. 1995 A person has to know despair before he is allowed to experience unmitigated joy. —Former Marine Capt James Webb, “A Country Such as This,” page 151 When I joined the Marine Corps, I figured I’d be a infantryman, go on liberty, drink beer, punch sailors, chase wild women, kill communists, and if I kept my boots clean and qualified with the rifle every year, I might grow up to be a gunnery sergeant. —Retired MGySgt R. R. Keene, Leatherneck, April 1996, page 51 I come in peace, I didn't bring artillery. But I am pleading with you with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all. Marine General James Mattis, to Iraqi tribal leaders Why in hell can't the Army do it if the Marines can. They are the same kind of men; why can't they be like Marines. Gen. John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, USA; 12 February 1918 I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front, and there is not a finer fighting organization in the world! General of the Armies Douglas MacArthur; Korea, 21 September 1950 Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever? GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly, USMC near Lucy-`le-Bocage as he led the 5th Marines' attack into Belleau Wood, 6 June 1918 I have only two men out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold. 1stLt. Clifton B. Cates, USMC in Belleau Wood, 19 July 1918 The bended knee is not a tradition of our Corps. General Alexander A. Vandergrift, USMC to the Senate Naval Affairs Committee, 5 May 1946 The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle. Gen. John "Black Jack" Pershing, U.S. Army Commander of American Forces in World War I Do not attack the First Marine Division. Leave the yellowlegs alone. Strike the American Army. Orders given to Communist troops in the Korean War; shortly afterward, the Marines were ordered to not wear their khaki leggings. Every Marine is, first and foremost, a rifleman. All other conditions are secondary. Gen. A. M. Gray, USMC Commandant of the Marine Corps

I could say something snarky. But I will refrain. Instead: Never surrender.

A Marine is a Sailor who doesn't know that it's sometimes safer on board the ship then on dry land....and has a fetish for acting like he's in the Army....indeed you would think he was in the Army for the way they like to play in the dirt and shoot people. Marines are the "few", because so "few" would put up with being a marine....but they are brave as all hell and love to get shot at and even blown up occasionally to prove just how tough they are. In fact the Marines are under the command of the Navy - a fact that hasn't escaped the Army and is one of the reasons why they want a few ships of their own to play with... The Navy often reminds the Army that they had the Air Force until 1948 when President Truman took it away from them and if they had ships they would most likely loose those too...this doesn't have much to do with the marines but it makes for a good story doesn't it? The Marines are a great bunch of men and women who are full honor and patriotism and have lousy haircuts and really bad dress uniforms. Most of them I've know I've either liked or hated but by and large the guys I worked with back in my service days were ok to some middling extent - a bit over eager to die for something totally pointless perhaps - but good enough. All kidding aside - Jar-heads are cool with me. Happy Birthday U.S.M.C. !