Today, November 10th, the United States Marine Corps celebrates its 249th Birthday Anniversary. Happy Birthday to my fellow Marines!

"All the great things are simple and many can be expressed in a simple word: freedom; justice: honour; duty; mercy; hope." These are the words of wisdom from Winston Churchill.

The 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General C. E. Mundy established the foundation of what it means to be a Marine. General Mundy said, "Honor, Courage, and Commitment are not just words; they frame the way Marines are to live and act..."

Yes, simple to say, but to accomplish requires total commitment. Perhaps, in closing, Winston Churchill's words are appropriate, "Out of intense complexities, intense simplicities emerge."

The mission of the Marine Corps is intensely complex, but our foundation is intensely simple: Honor, Courage, and Commitment.

Happy Birthday Marines! God Bless the Marine Corps!

Semper Fidelis
Terry L. Blose
Sgt. USMC
RVN Danang, Chu Lai 1969-1970