R 021200Z JUL 25
ALMAR 014/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/INDEPENDENCE DAY MESSAGE 2025//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/ 1.  As a Nation born in battle and founded on the
principles of liberty and justice, America has served as a beacon of
hope for nearly a quarter-millennium.  When the members of the 
Second Continental Congress approved the final version of the 
Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776, they knew they were 
risking everything.  They pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred 
honor to forge a sovereign country rooted in a universal claim to 
liberty.  For 249 years, generations of warriors have followed in 
their footsteps, risking everything to preserve the ideals on which 
our Nation was built.        
2.  Independence Day is a time to rededicate ourselves to country 
and Corps.  It is a day to reflect on all we have to be grateful 
for, to honor the freedoms we share, and to remember those who 
secured them.
3.  Marines, it is our duty and our privilege to stand ready in
defense of liberty, whenever and wherever our Nation calls.  We 
carry the torch of freedom forward, and to do so, we must remain 
capable, vigilant, and worthy of the legacy we uphold.
4.  To all Marines, Sailors, and families, I wish you a safe and
happy Fourth of July.  Look out for one another this holiday 
weekend and return ready to continue the mission.
5.  Semper Fidelis, Eric M. Smith, General, U.S. Marine Corps,
Commandant of the Marine Corps.//