Going to the Marine Ball tomorrow night...I have friends in low places!
A Marine friend sent this to me yesterday:
Happy Birthday Marines,
I would like to take this opportunity to share a recent experience with each and everyone of you. As many of you know in August I had cervical spine surgery to repair/replace bad disk and bone spurs in my neck. My story is a renewal of my faith in our Marines' and what we stand for. I have always believed that it is the Marines that make the Marine Corps not the Marine Corps that makes the Marines.
After surgery, I was brought to Ward 5E at Bethesda NNMC. I had been in the room less than an hour when the Commandant, General Hagee, came into the room to visit my roommate. He didn't come into the room with any press or a large entourage, it was just the Commandant and two or three of his staff. The purpose of his visit was to ensure that my roommate was receiving first class medical treatment and to ensure that he knew he was not forgotten. The concern was genuine and without fanfare. He had lots of other Marine's to visit, so after a few minutes he was gone.
Later on that night I realized that the injured Marine in my room, was not a Marine at all, but a Navy Corpsman serving with Marines in Ramadi, Iraq. He explained that the truck he was riding in with four Marines was blown up by an IED. There were only two survivors, himself and one Marine. He was going to have his left leg amputated above the knee and he had extensive injuries to other parts of his body. Although he had these injuries, he had no regrets about serving his country and he was extremely proud to have served with Marines.
As soon as I could get out of bed, I walked the halls all night. I listened to conversations and I spoke to Marines and their families. Not once did I hear a single complaint, not once did the families express their regret for their son or daughter being placed in harms way. No, the stories were of how proud they were of their son or daughter. The stories were of how well they were being treated by the hospital staff and the Marines that came to visit. The Marines were more concerned about if and when they would be able to return to their units. The Marines wanted to know if they would be allowed to stay in the Marine Corps.
Here is one story that was relayed to me by a mother of a Marine. The day the Doctor told her son that he would soon be discharged he suddenly became very depressed and his mom became very concerned. She confronted the doctor, who approached the Marine to inquire what was the source of the depression. The young Marine explained that all he had ever wanted to do was be a Marine and now that was over. The Doctor asked the Marine why it had to be over and he explained that he understood the Doctor to say he was going to be discharged soon. The Doctor explained that he was being discharged from the hospital to go home on convalesant leave to recover, not discharged from the Marine Corps. The Marine was elated and was sent home to fully recover.
Later on that night I returned to my room. At one point the nurses came in to check on me and my roommate. I overheard the severely injured Navy Corpsman tell the nurse, "the gentleman in the bed next to me is a Marine Corps Officer, I want to make sure he is doesn't need anything." The nurse reassured the Corpsman that all was well and he went back to sleep. I was discharged the next morning, but I will never forget that night or those brave Marines and one very brave Navy Corpsman who have renewed my faith in Our Country and Our Corps.
Semper Fi and Happy Birthday Marines!!!!