United States Marines

Marine Corps Insignia (http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ usmcbig.gif )

To some people a hero is someone who can do something amazing that is for the good of the people. Usually when you think of this, you think of fictional people like Batman or Superman, but I think of everyday people who put their life on the line for freedom and the beliefs of this country. I’m talking about the United States Marines.

I believe that anyone who is in the armed services is a hero, but the Marines are a special breed. [In my opinion,] they are above all of the other branches in every way. They are trained to be the best and they show it every day with the way that they conduct themselves, both on and off of the battle field. There is a saying that says “Once a Marine, Always a Marine.” For the elite few who become Marines this is true. They never forget the training and all of the things that they went through to become the few and the proud. The Marines are the most offensive branch of the armed forces that we have. You can tell this just by looking at their emblem. It doesn’t incorporate a shield (signifying defense) like the other branches of the military do.

The traditional formation of the Continental Marines was to take action against the British is November 10, 1775. Their main job then was to strike and take decisive action against the enemy, and it hasn’t changed much today. On average, the Marine Corps is called on once every five weeks. They are also responsible for providing security for U.S. diplomats and on overseas installations.

The Marine Corps motto is “Semper Fi,” which in English means “Always Faithful”. I think this is a very fitting motto, not only for the Marines, but for a hero as well. They should always be faithful and do the right thing. To me, the U.S. Marines are the embodiment of what a hero should be. Right now, as you are reading this, there are Marines in other countries that are fighting for our freedom, and when they get home they may not get so much as a thank you from anyone. These are true heroes. They don’t expect anything in return; they just pick up their stuff, say their goodbyes, and go to protect this country and fight for the good of the nation. During the Iraq war there have been 1,572 people in different branches of the armed services that have lost their lives, most of which have been U.S. Marines, and I think that they should be remembered, and that we should never forget the things that they gave for this country to be free.