R 011300Z SEP 26
ALMAR 020/26
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/184TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAVY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/ 1. On behalf of the United States Marine Corps, I
extend our deepest respects and warmest congratulations to the 
Navy Medical Department as you celebrate your 184th anniversary.
2. Since your establishment on August 31, 1842, the legacy of Navy
Medicine has been inextricably woven with the history of the Marine
Corps. Through the defining eras of the 20th century—from the
trenches of World War I and the island campaigns of World War II, to
the bitter cold of Korea and the jungles of Vietnam—your medical
personnel have stood steadfast beside us. This unbroken line of
devotion continued through the Gulf War and into the post-9/11 era,
where your personnel stood beside us in Iraq and Afghanistan,
pioneering life-saving advancements in trauma care and anchoring the
physical and mental resilience of our warfighters and families.
3. As we look to the horizon and prepare for the missions of
tomorrow, we draw immense strength from this storied partnership. No
matter where our Nation calls us, we know with absolute certainty
that the Navy Medical Department will be there beside us—anytime,
anywhere, always. To a Marine, there is no title more revered than
“Doc.” The entire Marine Corps family thanks you for 184 years of
unwavering care and compassion, and we are proud to stand shoulder-
to-shoulder with you in service to our country.
4. Semper Fidelis, Eric M. Smith, General, U.S. Marine Corps,
Commandant of the Marine Corps.//