R 161432Z JUN 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 022/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/113TH BIRTHDAY OF THE U.S. NAVY HOSPITAL CORPSMEN RATING//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON BEHALF OF MARINES EVERYWHERE, IT IS MY HONOR TO CONGRATULATE ALL U.S. NAVY CORPSMEN AS YOU CELEBRATE THE 113TH BIRTHDAY OF THE HOSPITAL CORPS ON 17 JUNE 2011.
2.  SINCE 1898, HOSPITAL CORPSMEN HAVE PROUDLY STOOD BY THE SIDE OF MARINES IN 'EVERY CLIME AND PLACE'.  FROM HOSPITALS AND CLINICS AT HOME TO DISTANT BATTLEFIELDS ABROAD, YOU HAVE SERVED OUR NATION AND THE MARINE CORPS WITH THE UTMOST COURAGE, FIDELITY AND PROFESSIONALISM.  YOUR LONG AND DISTINGUISHED HISTORY OF VALOR CONTINUES TODAY JUST AS IT HAS SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THE HOSPITAL CORPS.  LIEUTENANT GENERAL LEWIS B. "CHESTY" PULLER PUT IT BEST WHEN HE FAMOUSLY SAID, "...THERE'S NO BETTER IN THE BUSINESS THAN A NAVY CORPSMAN."
3.  AS YOU CELEBRATE AND REFLECT UPON YOUR HERITAGE, OUR CORPS RECOGNIZES AND SALUTES THE MANY SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE AND THE SELFLESSNESS YOU HAVE DISPLAYED AIDING MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR SO MANY GENERATIONS.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//