“In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate—look to his character.”

Noah Webster

Someone once asked what makes Marines special.

What makes Marines special, if only in our own minds, is that elusive quality of Esprit de Corps. It's the fact that we, as individual Marines, don't feel that we are individual Marines. When we wear our uniform, when we hear our Hymn, when we go into battle, we are going with every other Marine who ever wore the uniform.

Standing behind us are the Marines who fought during the birth of our nation. We're standing with the Marines who fought in WWI and gave birth To the legend of the Tuefel Hunden or "Devil Dogs". We are standing with the Marines who took Iwo Jima and Tarawa and countless other blood soaked islands throughout the Pacific. We are standing with the "Frozen Chosin" and our beloved Chesty Puller. We are standing with the Marines who battled at Hue City and Khe Sanh and the muddy rice paddies of South East Asia. We are standing with the Marines who fought in Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom and now, are fighting in Afghanistan. Like real brothers, their blood courses through our veins, and when we go into battle, we would rather lay down our lives than be a disappointment to them. We carry on our backs, their legacy, their deaths and their honor. We carry that for the rest of our lives.

The Marine Corps uniform doesn't come off when our active duty is over. We wear it daily in our attitude, and our love of Corps and Country. We wear it on our tattoos and our bumper stickers. We wear it in our hearts. It's why, no matter where we are in the world, on November 10th, every Marine celebrates the Marine Corps birthday. It's why we'll never be an army of 1.

It's why we never stop being Marines. It's why, for most of us, being a Marine isn't something we were. It's something we are. It's the most important part of who and what we are. Some say we're arrogant. We say we're proud. We have a right to be proud. We are United States Marines. The most feared and ferocious group of warriors to walk the face of this earth. When America's enemies formulate their battle plans, they plan on going around Marine units, because they know damn well that they can't go through them. We are what the other branches wish they were. We are the modern day Spartans. This isn't bragging. It's written in the battle history of our country. When there's a parade and the Marines march by, everyone pays a little more attention. Some say "arrogance". We call it "pride".

It's why, in a crowd of service men, you can always spot the Marine.
Why are Marines special? We just are.

Semper Fi!

Anonymous