SUBJ//CG II MEF MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE//RMKS/1.
MARINES AND SAILORS OF II MEF, THE 229TH BIRTHDAY OF OUR BELOVED CORPS IS UPON US. OUR HERITAGE IS WARFIGHTING; WE SHALL NOT BACK AWAY FROM THAT! OVER THE PAST 229 YEARS WE'VE EARNED OUR NATION'S RESPECT AS WE HAVE PAID THE FULL PRICE OF FREEDOM WITH THE CURRENCY OF OUR CORPS' VERY BEST. THAT SACRIFICE CONTINUES THIS DAY. AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR CEREMONIES, I ASK YOU TO REMEMBER OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE FORWARD DEPLOYED. THEY WILL BE CELEBRATING IN A DIFFERENT MANNER ALTOGETHER. IN THE TIME IT TAKES YOU TO READ THESE WORDS, MANY OF OUR FELLOW MARINES WILL HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN HIGH INTENSITY COMBAT...SOME MAY WELL HAVE FALLEN. THINK ON THIS AS YOU CELEBRATE THIS YEAR...REMEMBER THEM AND TOAST THEM. TO MY MARINES AND SAILORS ON THE FRONT LINES...KNOW THAT YOU ARE OUR NATION'S TRUE HEROS. YOU ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COUNTRY AND SERVE AS ITS FINAL BASTION OF DEFENSE. WERE YOU NOT TO DEFEND HER, THEN WHO WOULD? THESE ARE TOUGH TIMES, BUT YOU ARE REMARKABLE AND MORE THAN A MATCH TO THE CHALLENGE. I PRAY THAT YOUR NOVEMBER 10TH IS MEMORABLE WHEREVER YOU ARE, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT SACRIFICE AND FIDELITY. GOD BLESS YOU AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEVIL DOGS.
LTGEN JIM AMOS, CG II MEF SENDS. As good now as it was a year ago.