A Navy Admiral Speaks about Marines
Speech by RADM J. Stark, USN, President of the Naval War
College.
The first reason I like Marines: They set high standards
for themselves and those around them, and will accept
nothing less.
I like the way Marines march.
I like the way Marines do their basic training whether it's
Quantico, San Diego, or Parris Island.
I like the idea that Marines cultivate an ethos conductive
of producing hard people in a soft age.
I like the fact that Marines stay in shape.
I like the fact that the Marines only have one boss - The
Commandant.
And I like the directness of the Commandant.
I like the fact that Marines are stubborn.
I like the way Marines obey orders.
I like the way Marines make the most of the press.
I like the wholehearted professionalism of the Marines.
It occurred to me that the services could be characterized
by different breeds of dogs.
The Air Force reminded me of a French Poodle. The poodle
always looks perfect...sometimes a bit pampered and always
travels first class. But don't ever forget that the poodle
was bred as a hunting dog and in a fight it's very
dangerous. The Army is kind of like a St. Bernard. It's big
and heavy and sometimes seems a bit clumsy. But it's very
powerful and has lots of stamina. So you want it for the
long haul. The Navy, God bless us, is a Golden Retriever.
They're good natured and great around the house. The kids
love 'em. Sometimes their hair is a bit long....they go
wandering off for long periods of time, and they love
water. Marines I see as two breeds, Rottweilers or
Dobermans, because Marines come in two varieties, big and
mean or skinny and mean. They're aggressive on the attack
and tenacious on defense. They've got really short hair and
they always go for the throat. That sounds like a Marine to
me!
So what I really like about Marines is that first to fight
isn't just a motto, it's a way of life.
From the day they were formed at Tun Tavern 200 plus years
ago, Marines have distinguished themselves on battlefields
around the world. From the fighting tops of the Bonhomme
Richard, to the sands of Barbary Coast, from the swamps of
New Orleans to the halls of Montezuma, from Belleau Wood,
to the Argonne Forest, to Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima, and
Okinawa and Inchon, and Chosin Reservoir and Hue City and
Quang Tri and Dong Ha, and Beirut, and Grenada, and Panama,
and Somalia and Bosnia and a thousand unnamed battlefields
in godforsaken parts of the globe. Marines have
distinguished themselves by their bravery, and stubbornness
and aggressive spirit, and sacrifice, and love of country,
and loyalty to one another. They've done it for you and me,
and this country we all love so dearly.
They asked for nothing more than the honor of being a United States Marine.
That's why I like Marines!
No comments:
Post a Comment