R 101320Z NOV 99 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 036/99
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC DMCS//
SUBJ/VETERAN'S DAY MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//
RMKS/1. DURING THIS CENTURY, OUR COUNTRY'S MILITARY FORCES HAVE
MARCHED, SAILED, FLOWN, AND FOUGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE GLOBE. THIS
VETERAN'S DAY, WE SHOULD REFLECT UPON AND HONOR THE TREMENDOUS
SACRIFICES MADE BY OUR SERVICE MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF OUR COUNTRY AND
THE WORLD.
2. THIS CENTURY HAS SEEN MILITARY CONFLICTS UNLIKE ANY OTHERS IN
HISTORY. DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE OVER
12 MILLION AMERICANS UNDER ARMS, FIGHTING IN AN EPIC CONFLICT THAT
FIRMLY DEMONSTRATED UNITED STATES WORLD LEADERSHIP. THE OUTCOME OF
THIS STRUGGLE ESTABLISHED OUR IDEALS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY AS
GOALS FOR ALL PEOPLE. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OTHER SMALLER
CONFLICTS SINCE, ALL OF WHICH HAVE FURTHER EXPANDED WORLDWIDE
STABILITY.
3. OUR CORPS' HISTORY IS REPLETE WITH EXAMPLES OF OUR INVOLVEMENT
IN THIS CENTURY'S EVENTS. PEKING, BELLEAU WOOD, NICARAGUA, WAKE
ISLAND,GUADALCANAL, IWO JIMA, OKINAWA, INCHON, CHOSIN RESERVOIR, KHE
SANH, HUE CITY, BEIRUT, MOGADISHU, KUWAIT, KOSOVO ARE ALL NAMES THAT
BRING TO MIND IMAGES OF MARINES STANDING ON THE FORWARD EDGE OF
FREEDOM AND STABILITY.
4. AS WE CLOSE THIS REMARKABLE CENTURY AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, LET
US PAY TRIBUTE TO THE VETERANS OF OUR NATION AND THEIR TREMENDOUS
IMPACT ON BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND THE ENTIRE WORLD. LET US ALSO
HONOR THEIR FAMILIES, WHO HAVE SACRIFICED BESIDE THEM. FINALLY, LET
US LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT CENTURY WITH ANTICIPATION, KNOWING THAT
OUR NATION'S MILITARY IS TRAINED AND READY TO CONTINUE THIS HONORABLE
SERVICE WITH THE SAME DEDICATION AND PATRIOTISM.
5. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS.//
BT