R 011717Z JUL 05
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL ALMAR(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 031/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC ACMC//
SUBJ/INDEPENDENCE DAY MESSAGE//
POC/COL WENGER/DIRECTOR/SAFETY DIVISION/-/TEL:(703) 614-2423
/EMAIL:WENGERF@HQMC.USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  ON JULY 4TH WE WILL CELEBRATE THE 229TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THIS GREAT NATION'S INDEPENDENCE.  THE INALIENABLE
RIGHTS OF LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS THAT WE
AMERICANS ENJOY TODAY WERE BORNE OF THE COURAGE AND DETERMINATION OF
THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.  WE WHO HEED THE
CALL TO ARMS AND SERVE TODAY HAVE A DUTY TO REFLECT ON OUR HISTORY,
AND AS THOMAS JEFFERSON HIMSELF ONCE WROTE, "LET THE ANNUAL RETURN
OF THIS DAY FOREVER REFRESH OUR RECOLLECTION OF THESE INALIENABLE
RIGHTS, AND AN UNDIMINISHED DEVOTION TO THEM."
2. THE ENEMY WE ENGAGE TODAY WISHES TO DENY US THE FREEDOMS SO
BRAVELY SET FORTH IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND DEFENDED
ACROSS THE YEARS BY OUR PREDECESSORS.  WITH THAT IN MIND, EMBRACE
THE LAST LINE OF THE DECLARATION AND "MUTUALLY PLEDGE TO EACH OTHER
OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES AND OUR SACRED HONOR."  
3.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//