310 million Americans – 202K Marines. Remember those numbers.

10 November; the day we recognize those who make up the Marine Corps. I want to thank you active-duty Marines for your service, for your deployments, and your future deployments. And you older Marines- your past service is part of the tradition and history being honored today. Spouses – it’s your patience with your husbands and wives that enables them to be put in the time and dedication being a Marine requires. And the family members: fiancés- children- parents- are equally important: America doesn’t have a clue as to the sacrifice the families – especially the children - make during a Marine’s deployment. A big OOH-RAH to you all.

Tonight- tomorrow night – this weekend will see Mess dress, Blues, evening gowns, formal wear. That’s the way it should be; this is the Birthday Ball; it’s the day when Marines and their families throughout the world are attending galas and celebrations.

But 10 November isn’t necessarily a formal occasion; all over the country fathers are taking their Marine sons or daughters out for the evening, or a son will be sure to take his old man out for a few drinks. You see, tradition isn’t built on dining and dancing, it’s built on the remembrance and recognition of those who came before.

In many cases being a Marine is a family tradition. There are many birthday balls where sons, daughters, fathers, uncles, mothers attend as a group; a family fire-team or a 155-mm gun crew, if you like—and they’ll tell you that becoming a Marine was something they’d wanted to do since they were little.

It’s hard to know what came first, the mystique of being a Marine, or the history and traditions that built the mystique; regardless, you grabbed it and never let go. Maybe you liked the way Dad carried himself, or maybe the stories of the Marines at Tarawa or Chosin Reservoir appealed to you. But becoming a Marine was part of you; part of your reason for being.

Some careers come with their own lasting dignity: hard jobs like steel worker, policeman - or Marine. Careers where by the end of the day I-beams have been produced, drug dealers arrested, or villages cleared of insurgents. Careers where sweat, effort, and dedication are considered more important than corporate bonuses earned.

It’s an unusual thing about these jobs: those who have them look at life in moral, instead of economic terms. They ignore job titles and frequent- flyer miles, and instead rank each other in terms of who can provide for their families, or who has the courage to dash out into the street under fire to drag a wounded buddy to safety. You can spot them by the way they look you in the eye and the way they carry themselves.

So today is your day, regardless of “clime and place.” Be it a formal dinner, or the dust and sand of those nasty little PB’s in RC Southwest, Marines will celebrate the birthday of the Corps with the oldest Marine cutting the cake for the youngest Marine.

That’s Marine tradition being passed on. The message is clear: “You are one of us. You are part of an organization that is older than the United States itself. The courage of your predecessors is part of your heritage. You are one of us—now you go and pass it on.”

After 8 years of war, the term “youngest Marine” is a misnomer— with many Marines overseas on their third, fourth, or fifth deployment, this generation of combat veterans rivals the experience and courage of World War II’s “greatest generation.”

In Ramadi, in Fallujah, in Marjah, I’ve seen your courage first hand. You have the strength and moral courage to fight successfully in the most oppressive conditions, you have the intelligence to succeed at COIN, and you have the perseverance to succeed at whatever task is presented.  I watched you awaken the tribal leadership in Ramadi and Anbar province with your courage, and you’re doing it again in RC Southwest. 

310 million Americans - 202K Marines. That means only 0.00065% of Americans are Marines. It’s more than an ability to shoot straight that makes someone a Marine - the young men and women who graduate boot camp have a spirit and set of moral bearings that makes them the envy of society today. It’s “Yes, Sir,” “No Sir”, “Mission Accomplished Sir.” What a refreshing difference from the twisted values of Wall Street or Washington.

It’s said that the world is made up of 2 types of people: those who are Marines and those who wish they were – now wear that distinction with honor and pride as and remember your brothers in An-Nasiriyah, Fallujah, Afghanistan, and those many skirmishes and wars gone by.

Thank you for your Honor, your Courage, and your Commitment; and for what you do every day. Semper Fidelis