My Marine Corps Pilgrimage
Last week I had the honor of meeting a few dozen Marines at Officer Candidate School (OCS). My personal experience with officers in the Corps was usually positive, but not always, and recent public developments concerning the Marine Corps in incidents such as Haditha and "Hadji Girl" has left me a little less than impressed. However, I must say that meeting these Marines was a breath of fresh air. I found the newest crop of Marine officers to be highly motivated with great presence of mind.
Although my exposure to them was limited by time and purpose of my visit, I was inspired as I walked out of there, and I'm confident that if there is anything that the leadership lacks right now, these men and women of great character and discipline are being trained as well as any group of Marine officers, and I know that I could trust my life and my country to them wholeheartedly.
After our second visit to OCS, my brother (who was also a Marine) and I went to visit The Globe and Laurel, a restaurant owned by author and frequent History Channel guest, Major Rick Spooner, who is as fine of a man as I am ever likely to meet. The Navy made Maj Spooner get out after 29 years, but from talking to him, what a wonderful 29 years it must have been (in spite of a brief stint as a POW)! Full of stories with his love of the Corps and America dripping from every word he spoke, he also had a quiet humility about him.
When we arrived, Maj Spooner, who, as he told it, was demoted to 2nd lieutentant from gunnery sergeant at some point in his military career, was talking to a batch of Marine platoon sergeants just back from Iraq. When he was done, he graciously came over to our table and chatted with us for awhile. My father remarked candidly that a lecture from such a legend of the Corps must have been very inspiring to the young Marine sergeants. Major Spooner, looking as if my dad had just kicked his dog, humbly replied, "They inspire me!"
After visiting OCS and seeing how these men carry themselves, continuously look to improve, do their duty in the most stressful of situations, and show honor and respect to those around them, I know exactly what he means.
Thank God for those who live in the spirit of Semper Fidelis (and the book by the same name) close to their hearts. Not only does that spirit profit the Marine Corps, but it also makes this nation a better place to live. I will never forget that day for the rest of my life.
God bless the Marine Corps!
Although my exposure to them was limited by time and purpose of my visit, I was inspired as I walked out of there, and I'm confident that if there is anything that the leadership lacks right now, these men and women of great character and discipline are being trained as well as any group of Marine officers, and I know that I could trust my life and my country to them wholeheartedly.
After our second visit to OCS, my brother (who was also a Marine) and I went to visit The Globe and Laurel, a restaurant owned by author and frequent History Channel guest, Major Rick Spooner, who is as fine of a man as I am ever likely to meet. The Navy made Maj Spooner get out after 29 years, but from talking to him, what a wonderful 29 years it must have been (in spite of a brief stint as a POW)! Full of stories with his love of the Corps and America dripping from every word he spoke, he also had a quiet humility about him.
When we arrived, Maj Spooner, who, as he told it, was demoted to 2nd lieutentant from gunnery sergeant at some point in his military career, was talking to a batch of Marine platoon sergeants just back from Iraq. When he was done, he graciously came over to our table and chatted with us for awhile. My father remarked candidly that a lecture from such a legend of the Corps must have been very inspiring to the young Marine sergeants. Major Spooner, looking as if my dad had just kicked his dog, humbly replied, "They inspire me!"
After visiting OCS and seeing how these men carry themselves, continuously look to improve, do their duty in the most stressful of situations, and show honor and respect to those around them, I know exactly what he means.
Thank God for those who live in the spirit of Semper Fidelis (and the book by the same name) close to their hearts. Not only does that spirit profit the Marine Corps, but it also makes this nation a better place to live. I will never forget that day for the rest of my life.
God bless the Marine Corps!
posted by Cameron Beck at 8:17 PM
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