Uncle Sam’s misguided children — Leathernecks – Devil Dogs – Jarheads – Sea going Bell Hops; all may sound derogatory to the average Joe Blow out there, but to a Marine, all the nicknames are a compliment to them and their mission.

Naturally; where else would the Corps been founded, but their second home, (slop chute) a saloon.

November 10, 1775, Philadelphia, the United States Marine Corps was established on November 10, 1775, to augment naval forces in the Revolutionary War. The recruiting headquarters was set up by Capt. Samuel Nicholas in the Tun Tavern on Water Street in Philadelphia, which is considered to be the birthplace of the Marines.

A bunch of hard hitting, two fisted drinking patriots got together and established one of the, if not, the premiere fight unit in the world. The Jar Heads are always the first ones in and the last ones out.

Not taking anything away from the rest of the armed services, all of which this country would be blued – screwed and tattooed without, but the Marine Corps, because of it hard hitting mentality, discipline and patriotism have always been the stand out among the armed services.

Starting out with boot camp. I can only speak from my own experiences; it was like dying and going to hell. But in retrospect, I would not have wanted it any other way.

I call the Marine Corps the biggest brother-hood in the world. It never/doesn’t matter where you were from – what color your skin was – who you prayed to – how much $oldi your daddy had – whether your Ma Ma was a hooker or not, we were all just Marines.

The country should use the military as an example on how well people from all walks of life can come together with a common goals and leave the prejudices at the door step.

If there ever was a fight between a black kid and a white kid, it was just a fight, not a racial issue.

The primary reason people in the military are so connected, they all have a common bond. It is called survival/watching the other guys back and he/she watches yours. In the times of combat, they all have to depend on each-other for survival. The friends that a person develops in the service are as close or closer than their blood relatives.

Whenever or wherever a Marine, former or otherwise, sees another Marine, they always acknowledge the other person with a big SEMPER FI. That is rarely the case with the other branches.

So to all the Jar Heads who are now serving or have served, thank you for your service and HAPPY 244TH. Keep up the traditions and keep yelling out Semper Fi when you see one of your own.

Turn up the volume.