R 111401Z JUN 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 021/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC HS//
SUBJ/112TH BIRTHDAY OF THE U.S. NAVY HOSPITAL CORPSMAN RATING//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON BEHALF OF ALL MARINES, IT IS MY HONOR TO CONGRATULATE THE U.S. NAVY HOSPITAL CORPSMEN AS YOU CELEBRATE THE 112TH BIRTHDAY OF YOUR RATING ON 17 JUNE 2010.
2.  SINCE 1898, WHEREVER MARINES HAVE BEEN CALLED TO SERVE, HOSPITAL CORPSMEN HAVE PROUDLY STOOD BY THEIR SIDE.  FROM HOSPITALS AND CLINICS AT HOME TO DISTANT BATTLEFIELDS, NAVY CORPSMEN HAVE SERVED OUR GREAT NATION WITH THE UTMOST COURAGE AND PROFESSIONALISM.  WHEN THE CALL "CORPSMAN UP..." HAS GONE OUT, YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE. CORPSMEN HAVE SERVED WITH MARINES IN EVERY CLIME AND PLACE, AND MARINES KNOW THAT WE CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON YOU.  WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN SERVING SIDE BY SIDE WITH YOU WHEREVER OUR NATION CALLS US.
3.  IN COMMEMORATING THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA THIS YEAR, MARINES ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS SYMBOLIC - AND WHOLLY APPROPRIATE - THAT ONE OF THE SERVICEMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE ICONIC FLAGRAISING ATOP MT. SURIBACHI WAS A NAVY CORPSMAN.   
4.  AS YOU CELEBRATE AND REFLECT UPON YOUR HERITAGE, KNOW THAT MARINES GREATLY APPRECIATE THE MANY SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE AND THE SELFLESSNESS AND DEDICATION YOU DISPLAY WHILE PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY, OUR FAMILIES, AND THE MARINES OF OUR CORPS. 
5.  SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//