Another post for the 240th Marine Corps Birthday Have you ever stopped and thought about just the name - Marine Corps? Let's take a look at what that really means. Merriam-Webster defines a corps as "a group of persons associated together or acting under common direction; especially : a body of persons having a common activity or occupation". So by its very name, the Marine Corps shares a single direction, a single vision. To protect our country and it's citizens from all enemies. And then there is the way we refer to ourselves. If you serve in the Army, you are a 'soldier'. In the Navy, you're a 'sailor'. The Air Force has 'airmen'. All great appellations, all fine military organizations. But only the Marine Corps actually takes the NAME of the service and assigns it to each and every member of that organization. Because the Marine Corps is not our weapons, or the support systems, or our bases. The Marine Corps IS FIRST AND FOREMOST the people who make it up. The individual Fighting Marine is the heart and soul of the Marine Corps. Strip us down to our bare essence, take away all the armor and rifles and support systems, and you will still have the Finest Fighting Force in the world. WE are the Marine Corps, and the Marine Corps is us. Honestly, we laugh when you call us 'jarheads' because of our short haircuts. We take it as a complement when you call us 'Leathernecks', because that honors the very first Marines and the uniform they wore. And we're pleased when you call us 'Devil Dogs', because it recalls those World War One German soldiers who were so frightened by the ferocity of the fighting force they came upon that they thought the Hounds of Hell had been set loose on the earth. But if you ever want to really flatter us, just call us "MARINE". That is the highest compliment you can pay us. Because that is a title that can't be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen. It can only be earned. And for those of you who don't know, there are no such things as an 'ex-Marine' or 'former Marine'. There are Active Duty Marines. There are retired Marines. There are Marine veterans. But once you are given the title MARINE, you never lose it. Oo-rah. Semper Fi. Happy Birthday Marine.

A new Facebook post via South Texas Armory Another post for the 240th Marine Corps Birthday Have you ever stopped and thought about just the name - Marine Corps? Let's take a look at what that really means. Merriam-Webster defines a corps as "a group of persons associated together or acting under common direction; especially : a body of persons having a common activity or occupation". So by its very name, the Marine Corps shares a single direction, a single vision. To protect our country and it's citizens from all enemies. And then there is the way we refer to ourselves. If you serve in the Army, you are a 'soldier'. In the Navy, you're a 'sailor'. The Air Force has 'airmen'. All great appellations, all fine military organizations. But only the Marine Corps actually takes the NAME of the service and assigns it to each and every member of that organization. Because the Marine Corps is not our weapons, or the support systems, or our bases. The Marine Corps IS FIRST AND FOREMOST the people who make it up. The individual Fighting Marine is the heart and soul of the Marine Corps. Strip us down to our bare essence, take away all the armor and rifles and support systems, and you will still have the Finest Fighting Force in the world. WE are the Marine Corps, and the Marine Corps is us. Honestly, we laugh when you call us 'jarheads' because of our short haircuts. We take it as a complement when you call us 'Leathernecks', because that honors the very first Marines and the uniform they wore. And we're pleased when you call us 'Devil Dogs', because it recalls those World War One German soldiers who were so frightened by the ferocity of the fighting force they came upon that they thought the Hounds of Hell had been set loose on the earth. But if you ever want to really flatter us, just call us "MARINE". That is the highest compliment you can pay us. Because that is a title that can't be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen. It can only be earned. And for those of you who don't know, there are no such things as an 'ex-Marine' or 'former Marine'. There are Active Duty Marines. There are retired Marines. There are Marine veterans. But once you are given the title MARINE, you never lose it. Oo-rah. Semper Fi. Happy Birthday Marine.