Marine Corps Association & Foundation

President Barack Obama’s recent announcement giving the children of illegal immigrants the opportunity to work and the outraged reaction of the GOP made me step back and think “what makes someone an American?” Is it an accident of birth? Having a special skill? Or is it an attitude?

Immigration didn’t use to be a political issue; people were accepted or denied on their merits. In those human waves of immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island were my grandparents, who came to the New World for a chance for a better life.

The recent decision by the L.A. Times to publish the photographs of American soldiers posing with Talib body parts re-ignited the firestorm raised by the Marine urination photographs: is the American media anti-military and putting our troops at risk, are, were the newspapers standing up to Pentagon pressure and to be commended for demonstrating the value of a free press, or are these acts excusable due to the stress the Marines and soldiers are experiencing?

 For good or bad, the Marine Corps is downsizing, along with the rest of the Armed Forces. The Marines will be cut from 202K down to 185K and current rumors are swirling of additional cuts down to 175K. 

Today we call the roll.

The Barbary Coast – Harpers Ferry – The Boxer Rebellion – Belleau Wood – Guadalcanal – Iwo Jima – Chosin Reservoir – Khe Sanh – An Nasiriyah – Fallujah – Marjah…

Today is the day we honor those who fought to protect this United States: the American veteran, the United States Marine.