R 162009Z JUN 20
ALMAR 012/20
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS(UC)//
SUBJ/122ND HOSPITAL CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  As the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps commemorates 122 years of honorable and faithful service, Marines pay tribute to the courage and devotion of our “Docs.”
2.  When the Continental Congress directed the organization of medical stations during the Revolutionary War, a longstanding tradition of exceptional medical support was born.  Throughout the century that followed the Revolution, surgeons and other medical personnel tended to the wounds and illnesses of Sailors and Marines on and off the battlefield.  On June 17, 1898, President William McKinley formally approved the establishment of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps.  Since then, Navy Hospital Corpsmen have continued the tradition of caring for Marines and Sailors in our military hospitals, onboard ships, and on battlefields around the world.
3.  The U.S. Navy Hospital Corps remains the largest and most decorated rate in the Navy, with more than 30,000 active duty and reserve Corpsmen serving within our units across the naval force.  Marines take great pride in serving alongside the Docs who are always there when we call “Corpsman Up.”  We are grateful for your dedication and sacrifices, and we join you in celebrating the impressive legacy of Navy Hospital Corpsmen past and present.  Congratulations on 122 years of exceptional service.
4.  Semper Fidelis, David H. Berger, General, U.S. Marine Corps, Commandant of the Marine Corps.//