The Veterans Day National Committee (VDNC) chose the winner of this years’ 2023 Veteran’s Day Poster Contest (in a 2023 mid-year time frame). The winner was chosen, and Gene Russell, a VA employee, and Disabled US Army Infantry Veteran (Service Related Disability) has been honored with this years’ winning poster. So, when all was said and done - after examining 60 entries - the Committee had chosen Gene Russell’s ‘ The Bugler’. Outstanding.
The 247th United States Marine Corps Birthday: A Message From The Commandant Of The Marine Corps →
70 years ago, Army Major General Frank E. Lowe was quoted as saying, "The safest place in Korea was right behind a platoon of Marines. Lord, how they could fight." That testimonial rings as true now as it did then, and will remain so tomorrow. As we celebrate the 247th anniversary of our Corps' founding, we reflect on nearly two and a half centuries of exceptional prowess, while also taking objective stock of where we are today and how we will prepare for future battlefields. Our birthday provides us a chance to focus on the one thing common to our success in the past, present, and future: the individual Marine. Victories are not won because of technology or equipment, but because of our Marines.
Since 1775, Marines have fought courageously and tenaciously in every conflict our country has faced. Through the Revolution, the Spanish-American War, World Wars in Europe and the Pacific, conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, and operations in the Middle East, Marines consistently earned a reputation as the world's elite fighting force. We inherit and take pride in this reputation, evolved over time by Marines acquitting themselves with honor and distinction on every battlefield in every clime and place. Battlefields change, and Marines have always adapted to the environment and the changing character of war - but the reason we fight and win is immutable. It's the individual warfighters, and their love for each other, that makes our Corps as formidable a force today as it has been for the past 247 years. It's our ethos and our unapologetic resolve to be the most capable and lethal fighting force that sets us apart from the rest.
Current events around the world remind us that peace is not guaranteed. While we are justifiably proud of our past and pay tribute to the remarkable warfighters who came before us, we understand that the stories of yesterday cannot secure our freedom tomorrow. We must be ready to respond when our Nation calls. It falls on Marines who are in uniform today to write the next chapter of our Corps. The solemn responsibility of maintaining our illustrious warfighting legacy rests upon your shoulders. I know that you are up to that task. The battlefields of tomorrow are uncertain. The future characteristics of warfare are uncertain. But one thing is certain - wherever Marines are called, they will fight and win - today, tomorrow, and into the future.
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, In Memoriam: The 2,403
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day, is observed annually in the United States on December 7, to remember and honor the 2,403 citizens of the United States who were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.
On August 23, 1994, the United States Congress, by Pub.L 103–308, 108 Stat. 1169, designated December 7 of each year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. On November 29, President Bill Clinton issued a proclamation declaring December 7, 1994, the first National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. It became 36 U.S.C. § 129 (Patriotic and National Observances and Ceremonies) of the United States Code.
On Pearl Harbor Day, the American flag should be flown at half-staff until sunset to honor those who died as a result of the attack on U.S. military forces in Hawaii. Pearl Harbor Day is not a federal holiday – government offices, schools, and businesses do not close. Some organizations may hold special events in memory of those killed or injured at Pearl Harbor. - via Wikipedia
The 246th United States Marine Corps Birthday →
246th Birthday Message From General Berger, CMC
On 10 November 1970, Commandant Chapman challenged all Marines, active and inactive, young and old, deployed or recently returned from combat, “not to look back, but instead, to look to the future.” He insisted that we celebrate our anniversary, “not as an end of almost two centuries of dedicated service, but as preparation for new service, new dedication, and new achievement.” Those sage words resonate across time and are as applicable today as they were 51 years ago.
Our Corps holds to traditions that link us to the elite warriors who wore the uniform before us, but the traditions we hand down through the generations go far beyond tangible displays, symbols, or customs. The most important traditions that link us to our past and must be carried into the future are the intangible ones—traditions of courage, trust, discipline, loyalty, respect, perseverance, adaptability, and leadership. Today, 246 years since our warfighting legacy began, we celebrate those traits that have been forged in all Marines—past and present.
The character of Marines, our unwavering commitment and relentless pursuit of excellence, remains unchanged from that of past generations, even as the character of warfare is ever-changing. These changes will require us to do what Marines do best—adapt and innovate to win any battle or respond to any crisis. Just as Marines who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan over these past 20 years adapted to the demands of protracted counterinsurgency operations—which would have been all too familiar to the Marines of 1970—we will adapt to the demands of the present and future, while learning the hard lessons from our recent past.
We can’t know for certain where future battlefields will be, or how our methods of warfighting will be redefined as threats to our Nation evolve, but we can ensure that the Marines who fight those battles will be forged of the same courage, spirit, and warfighting excellence as all Marines before them.
We who serve today represent an unbroken chain that stretches back 246 years. As we mark our anniversary, we remember those who went before us, and as we look over the horizon to “new service, new dedication, and new achievement,” solemnly swear to uphold their example of honor, courage, and commitment.
Happy 246th Birthday, Marines!
Semper Fidelis,
David H. Berger
General, U.S. Marine Corps, Commandant of the Marine Corps
The 245th United States Marine Corps Birthday: Honor, Courage, and Commitment
A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
If there were a watchword for 2020, the shortlist would certainly include ‘change,’ ‘uncertainty,’ and ‘adaptation.’ This new dynamic and uncertain environment has impacted how we recruit and train Marines, deploy aboard ship, and even how we honor our Corps’ hallowed traditions. But adapting to change and uncertainty is nothing new for Marines. It is what we have done for 245 years and what is expected of us as the Nation’s force-in- readiness. Where others see challenges, Marines see opportunities. We don’t take a knee. We will always be ready to answer the nation’s call, no matter the crisis.
In a world of seemingly relentless change and uncertainty, some things remain constant–our core values: Honor, Courage, and Commitment. These values are at the very heart of our ability to be, “most ready when the Nation is least ready.” It’s honor that gives us an uncompromising sense of personal integrity and accountability; courage that allows us to face any circumstance with an ironclad resolve to do what’s right; and commitment that binds us together as a family and drives us toward excellence. And while our core values might never change, the way we give life to them requires constant vigilance. This year’s national conversations about race remind us that we must all do better to embody our service’s values.
Commemorating the 245th birthday of our Corps offers us a chance to reflect on our history. We who serve today stand upon the shoulders of giants. While this year’s many challenges are significant and unique, they are not unprecedented, and it is important to remember that our Nation and Corps have endured difficult times in our past. This year, for example, marks the 75th anniversary of brutal battles in the Pacific; when soldiers of the sea defined the term “uncommon valor” on the black sands of Iwo Jima; the 70th anniversary of bitter fighting at Inchon and Chosin Reservoir; 55 years since Marines landed at Da Nang; and a decade since our struggle with the Taliban in the Helmand River Valley. We remember the service and sacrifice of all Marines, and honor the legacy passed down through generations. Our continuing obligation is to honor their legacy by making meaningful contributions to what they started.
From the past, we draw strength, pride, and a responsibility to carry on the warfighting heritage our predecessors built. We must also recognize our tradition of continuous adaptation–one that should inspire our current force modernization and innovation efforts. As has been the case in the past, today’s threats require us to fight as a cohesive team, and our ability to succeed will depend on the Honor, Courage, and Commitment of each individual Marine. From recruiting individuals of great intelligence, strength, spirit, and diversity, to evolving how we train, educate, and mentor Marines throughout their careers, we remain dedicated to developing the world’s finest warfighters, guided by our core values.
In a year of significant change and uncertainty, I am reminded of the words of American novelist, John Dos Passos, “In times of change and danger when there is a quicksand of fear under men’s reasoning, a sense of continuity with generations gone before can stretch like a lifeline across the scary present...” Never forget, what you do today becomes the foundation for the generations of Marines that will follow. There is no challenge we cannot overcome, together, by holding fast to our core values. Happy 245th Birthday Marines.
Semper Fidelis, DAVID H. BERGER General, U.S. Marine Corps Commandant of the Marine Corps
A Life That Is Well Worth Honoring
via Katie Lang, writing for the DOD News, comes a short, but immensely powerful and important piece detailing the outstanding life of a U.S. Marine and Medal of Honor recepient - Captain Raymond Gerald Murphy.
"...we're highlighting Marine Corps Capt. Raymond Murphy, a recipient who honorably served his fellow Marines during war, then spent the rest of his life serving them, as well. " - via Katie Lang, writing at the DOD News
2dLt RAYMOND G. MURPHY
Medal of Honor
1953
1/5/1
Korea
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to SECOND LIEUTENANT RAYMOND G. MURPHY UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
For service as set forth in the following CITATION: for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Platoon Commander of Company A, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 3 February 1953. Although painfully wounded by fragments from an enemy mortar shell while leading his evacuation platoon in support of assault units attacking a cleverly concealed and well-entrenched hostile force occupying commanding ground, Second Lieutenant Murphy steadfastly refused medical aid and continued to lead his men up a hill through a withering barrage of hostile mortar and small-arms fire, skillfully maneuvering his force from one position to the next and shouting words of encouragement. Undeterred by the increasing intense enemy fire, he immediately located casualties as they fell and made several trips up and down the fire-swept hill to direct evacuation teams to the wounded, personally carrying many of the stricken Marines to safety. When reinforcements were needed by the assaulting elements, Second Lieutenant Murphy employed part of his Unit as support and, during the ensuing battle, personally killed two of the enemy with his pistol. When all the wounded evacuated and the assaulting units beginning to disengage, he remained behind with a carbine to cover the movement of friendly forces off the hill and, though suffering intense pain from his previous wounds, seized an automatic rifle to provide more firepower when the enemy reappeared in the trenches. After reaching the base of the hill, he organized a search party and again ascended the slope for a final check on missing Marines, locating and carrying the bodies of a machine-gun crew back down the hill. Wounded a second time while conducting the entire force to the line of departure through a continuing barrage of enemy small-arms, artillery and mortar fire, he again refused medical assistance until assured that every one of his men, including all casualties, had preceded him to the main lines. His resolute and inspiring leadership, exceptional fortitude and great personal valor reflect the highest credit upon Second Lieutenant Murphy and enhance the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
/S/ DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
United States Of America National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day, is observed annually in the United States on December 7, to remember and honor the 2,403 citizens of the United States who were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.
On August 23, 1994, the United States Congress, by Pub.L. 103–308, 108 Stat. 1169, designated December 7 of each year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.2 On November 29, President Bill Clinton issued a proclamation declaring December 7, 1994, the first National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.2 It became 36 U.S.C. § 129 (Patriotic and National Observances and Ceremonies) of the United States Code.
On Pearl Harbor Day, the American flag should be flown at half-staff until sunset to honor those who died as a result of the attack on U.S. military forces in Hawaii.[4] Pearl Harbor Day is not a federal holiday – government offices, schools, and businesses do not close. Some organizations may hold special events in memory of those killed or injured at Pearl Harbor. - via Wikipedia: 'National Pearl Harbor Remebrance Day
MARFORCYBER And The Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary
via Nina Kollars & Emma Moore, writing at War On The Rocks, comes this outstanding, sobering analysis of both current and future cybersecurity professionalism & capabilities within the United States Marine Corps MARFORCYBER and the Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary.
If you are at all interested in Offensive & Defensive Cyberwarfighting capabilities within the Department of the Navy, and more specifically within the Marine Corps, this, my friend, is Today's Absolutely Must Read. Information Security and Cybersecurity Professionals should email cyberaux@usmc.mil for more information or to volunteer with the United States Marines Cyber Auxiliary.
The 243rd Marine Corps CMC Birthday Message
USMC Grounds COTS UAVs: Security Concerns →
via Gidget Fuentes - writing at the United States Naval Institute (USNI), of the United States Marine Corps decision to ground all COTS (Common Off The Shelf) UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) from use by Marines. The decision was precipated by the security flaws in consumer-grade drone platforms.