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United States Marine Corps

by Noah from Fredericksburg

U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant exits an Italian Army CH-47
ISAF Headquarters Public Affairs Office from Kabul, Afghanistan / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia

The United States Marine Corps, with its fiercely proud tradition of excellence in combat, its hallowed rituals, and its unbending code of honor, is part of the fabric of American myth. (Thomas E. Ricks; Making the Corps, 1997). Shrouded by mystery and enigma every day the United States Marines train and hone their skills in hundreds of fields to better this country and protect the people that live here. They are used in every militaristic way known; expeditionary, air, and amphibious marines encircle the globe in a constant fight against terrorism, protecting our nation and its interests.

A Marine training through a water survival exercise (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.d (MARINES; The Official Website of the United States))
U.S. Marines attending the Corporals Course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Photo by: U.S. Indio-Pacific Command / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 via Flickr

Countless hours are spent toning their body to physical perfection in order to be the best of the best. An initial nine month boot camp (the closest being Fort Brag in North Carolina) introduces the willing souls to what their lives will be like from the moment they applied and on. Rigorous training of both mental and physical skills prepares the young recruits for their next step; Officer School (the closest being the Quantico Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia). Upon graduation from boot camp, the recruits choose their MOS, or military specialty; the specific type of marine they will be. Ranging everything from Intel research to Special Operation units, in officer school they begin the initial training required to be a part of the specific rank they choose to accomplish.

Upon graduation from officer school they are considered entirely enlisted and await the opportunity to fill a needed position. To do so they must be specifically requested by someone in need of their help and specialized skill set. The usual position to be filled is an open spot on a tour. A tour lasts a typical 18 months, and can be anywhere in the world; ally and enemy territory. In order to retire an officer must have completed at least two full tours, however usually multiple are fulfilled, and have spent a total of twenty years in government service.

Marines participating in a memorial march.  (http://www.2ndmardiv.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleD (MARINES; The Official Website of the United States))
U.S. Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Jessica S Davila
 Photo by: Lance Cpl. Scott Jenkins / Public Domain

Not only must marines find time to accomplish all this, but somewhere along the way multiple are still able to step outside their busy schedule to enjoy and participate in community life. Toy drives, educational opportunities for children, and public performances of the Marine Corps band are just a few ways the marines give back to the very community that they are already giving so much to.

Protecting this country from innumerable threats is their job and they do it willingly without looking back or rethinking the cost or sacrifice they have just opened their self's up to. Every year they battle overseas for our safety and freedom, to come home and rarely be thanked or recognized outside of their own home, if even that. Their constant sacrifice shows they're not afraid to lay down their own lives in the defense of our nation, and thus should be thanked accordingly.

So to every marine in this world, I formally thank you. Your constant sacrifice and unbreakable will have made you if not a hero but almost a super hero in my eyes. Any and every marine, from mechanical repair to air control task force will always have a special place in my heart. You have left a mark on my mind and soul that will never go away, and for that I thank you, my protectors, my educators, my heroes.

Page created on 12/14/2012 1:10:52 PM

Last edited 7/2/2020 11:10:06 PM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

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Special Thanks to April Burks for an inside look from a civilian's view of the Quantico Marine Corp. Base, and the United States Marines.