R 310026Z OCT 05
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 051/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE - 10 NOVEMBER 2005//
POC/SGT K. PTAK/ADMIN CHIEF/CMC STAFF GROUP/-/TEL:(703) 614-2326
/EMAIL:PTAKKK@HQMC.USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON NOVEMBER 10TH, 1775, THE SECOND CONTINENTAL
CONGRESS RESOLVED TO RAISE TWO BATTALIONS OF CONTINENTAL MARINES
MARKING THE BIRTH OF OUR UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.  AS MAJOR
GENERAL LEJEUNE'S MESSAGE REMINDS US, THE ENSUING GENERATIONS OF
MARINES WOULD COME TO SIGNIFY ALL THAT IS HIGHEST IN WARFIGHTING
EXCELLENCE AND MILITARY VIRTUE.  EACH NOVEMBER AS MARINES THE WORLD
OVER CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR CORPS, WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THAT LONG
LINE OF "SOLDIERS OF THE SEA" AND THE ILLUSTRIOUS LEGACY THEY HAVE
HANDED DOWN TO US.  
2.  THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN ONE OF CONTINUOUS COMBAT OPERATIONS
OVERSEAS AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE HERE AT HOME - A YEAR OF
CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BROUGHT OUT THE VERY BEST IN OUR CORPS.  IN
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, MARINE COURAGE AND MASTERY OF COMPLEX AND
CHAOTIC ENVIRONMENTS HAVE TRULY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF
MILLIONS.  MARINE COMPASSION AND FLEXIBILITY PROVIDED HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE TO THOUSANDS IN THE WAKE OF THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN TSUNAMI,
AND HERE AT HOME, MARINES WITH AAVS, HELICOPTERS, AND SOMETIMES WITH
THEIR BARE HANDS SAVED HUNDREDS OF OUR OWN FELLOW AMERICANS IN THE
WAKE OF HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA.  ACROSS THE FULL SPECTRUM OF
OPERATIONS, YOU HAVE SHOWCASED THAT MARINES CREATE STABILITY IN AN
UNSTABLE WORLD, AND HAVE REINFORCED OUR CORPS' REPUTATION FOR
SETTING THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.
3.  THE SENSE OF HONOR, COURAGE, AND PATRIOTISM THAT EPITOMIZED
THOSE WHO ANSWERED THAT FIRST CALL TO ARMS 230 YEARS AGO IS STILL
INDELIBLY IMPRINTED ON OUR RANKS TODAY.  IN COMMEMORATING OUR
ANNIVERSARY, LET US STRENGTHEN OUR TIES TO THE PAST BY PAYING HOMAGE
TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US.  AS WE HONOR THE SACRIFICES OF OUR
WOUNDED AND FALLEN COMRADES, OUR COMMITMENT TO ONE ANOTHER REMAINS
UNSHAKABLE.  WE TAKE SPECIAL PRIDE IN THE ACTIONS OF THE MARINES NOW SERVING IN HARM'S WAY, AND REDEDICATE OURSELVES TO THE SERVICE OF OUR NATION AND OUR CORPS.  
4.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES, SEMPER FIDELIS, AND KEEP ATTACKING! M.W.
HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//