Leading Marines

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U.S. Marine Corps

PCN 143 000129 00

SEMPER FIDELIS
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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

Headquarters United States Marine Corps

Washington, D.C. 20380-1775

1 August 2014

FOREWORD

Since our 30th Commandant, General Carl E. Mundy, first published

Leading Marines in 1995, it’s had a positive impact throughout our

Marine Corps. It’s generated spirited discussions about what it

means to be a Marine, and how to lead Marines, and it is the base

document for the leadership curriculum in all our resident schools.

Our philosophy of leadership, as described in this publication, is in

consonance with our rich and storied past. 

That said, it was time to update Leading Marines. As Marines, we

lead by example, often instilling values using stories. During the last

13 years of continuous combat, Marines have added to our legacy,

some of their stories superbly illustrating our leadership philosophy.

You’ll recognize many of those stories herein. We speak in this publication about those timeless attributes that form the soul of our

Corps . . . those attributes that carried Marines forward through the

wheat fields of Belleau Wood to the strongholds of Fallujah and

Marjah. Additionally, our core values, leadership traits, and leadership principles are given added emphasis in this edition. In the end,

the intent of this revision is to better describe our timeless leadership

philosophy. It was in this spirit that Leading Marines was revised. 

Simply put, this publication describes the leadership philosophy that

distinguishes the U.S. Marine Corps. This publication is not meant
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to be a “how to” guide on leadership, rather, it provides broad guidance in the form of concepts and values.

Additionally, Leading Marines is not designed as a reference manual; it is meant to be read from cover to cover. Its three chapters have

a natural progression. Chapter 1 describes our ethos—who we are

and what we do for our Nation. Building on that understanding,

Chapter 2 covers the foundations of Marine Corps leadership. Chapter 3 then addresses overcoming the challenges our leaders face.

Once you read this publication, I charge you to discuss it with your

peers, subordinates, and seniors. As General Mundy laid out in his

foreword to the original publication in 1995, leading Marines is the

most important responsibility in our Corps, and thus we must educate the heart and mind to prevail on the battlefield and in the barracks, in war and in peace.

Semper Fidelis,

JAMES F. AMOS

General, U.S. Marine Corps

Commandant of the Marine Corps

Publication Control Number: 143 000129 00

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release;

distribution is unlimited.
Preparing for War

Leading Marines

Introduction

Chapter 1. Our Ethos

Making Marines: The Transformation — Our Core Values — 

Our Naval Character and Expeditionary Mindset — Every 

Marine a Rifleman — Selflessness — Marine Traditions 

Chapter 2. Foundations of Leadership

The Relationship Between Leaders and Their Marines — 

Leadership Traits — Leadership Principles — Morale — 

Discipline — Setting the Example — Taking Charge — 

Physical Courage — Moral Courage 

Chapter 3. Overcoming Challenges

Friction — Moral Challenge — Physical Challenge — 

Adaptability — Innovation — Decentralization — The 

Indomitable Will to Win — Combat Power and Winning 

Epilogue

Appendices

The Oaths — Marine Corps Manual, Paragraph 1100— 

Promotion Warrants and Commissions — The Creeds

Notes
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Introduction

The act of leading Marines is a sacred responsibility and a

rewarding experience. This publication describes a leadership

philosophy that speaks to who we are as Marines. It is about the

relationship between the leader and the led. It is also about the

bond between all Marines that is formed in the common forge of

selfless service and shared hardships. It’s in this forge where

Marines are hardened like steel, and the undefinable spirit that

forms the character of our Corps is born. It draws from shared

experiences, hardships, and challenges in training and combat. 

Leading Marines is not meant to be read passively; as you read

this publication, think about the material. You should reflect on,

discuss, and apply the concepts presented in this publication. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of leaders at all levels to mentor

and develop the next generation of Marine leaders. This publication contains numerous vignettes, drawn from our rich history, to

give substance to the concepts. Marine leaders should add to these

examples by sharing their own experiences with their Marines.

To effectively lead Marines, you must first understand what it is

to be a Marine; you need to know who we are and what we do

for our Nation. Our core values and traditions lie at the heart of

our Marine Corps ethos and form the basis of the first chapter.

The second chapter focuses on the foundations of Marine Corps

leadership—the relationship between the leader and the led and

the leadership traits and principles that are taught to every
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Marine. It goes on to address morale, discipline, and courage. The

third chapter describes some of the challenges to leading in

uncertain conditions and how to overcome them. It relies on the

stories of Marines to illustrate our character and vividly depict,

through action, what is required to lead Marines. 

In the end, this publication speaks about the soul of our Corps,

leadership, and its many attributes. It’s written about Marines,

and it’s written for Marines.
Chapter 1

Our Ethos

Resolved, that two Battalions of [M]arines be raised . . .

that particular care be taken that no persons be appointed

to office or [e]nlisted into said Battalions, but such as are

good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to

be able to serve to advantage by sea, when required. . . .

That they be distinguished by the names of the first and second battalions of American Marines . . .1

—Resolution of the Continental Congress on 10 November 1775

Among Marines there is a fierce loyalty to the Corps that

persists long after the uniform is in mothballs. . . . Woven

through that sense of belonging, like a steel thread, is an

elitist spirit. Marines are convinced that, being few in number, they are selective, better, and, above all, different.2

—Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak
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Before there was a United

States, there was a Marine

Corps. The Marine Corps

legacy began with a resolution of the Continental

Congress on 10 November 1775 and continues

through today. Our predecessors passed down the

rich heritage that shaped

each succeeding generation of Marines. 

Knowing who we are as

Marines is essential to

understanding how we

lead Marines. Marines come from all walks of life, but being a

Marine transcends our differences. Being a Marine is not a job or

a particular occupational specialty. It is a calling. It is a state of

mind. Being a Marine comes from the eagle, globe, and anchor

tattooed on the soul of every one who has worn our cloth. It is a

mark seared in our innermost being that comes after the rite of

passage in boot camp at Parris Island or San Diego, or initial officer training at Quantico—when young men and women earn the

title “Marine.” Once they undergo the transformation, they

become a Marine for life. 

The story of Michael “Mike” Joseph Mansfield illustrates the

lifelong impact of the Marine Corps. At age 14 during World

War I, he dropped out of school, lied about his age, and enlisted
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in the US Navy. After discovering his real age, the Navy

discharged him. He then

served as a private in the US

Army from 1919 to 1920.

Afterwards, he joined the

Marines where he served from

1920 to 1922, stateside and in

the Philippines. In 1942, he

began a distinguished career

in politics with his election to

the US House of Representatives, representing Montana’s

1st Congressional District.

After serving five terms in the

House of Representatives, the

voters elected him to the US

Senate where he eventually

rose to the position of Senate

Majority Leader. He retired from the Senate in 1976. From 1977

to 1988, he served as the US Ambassador to Japan. At age 98, he

passed away and was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. One would expect his grave to be marked by an imposing

monument recording his military, congressional, and ambassadorial service. Instead, his common headstone, shared by many

interred in Arlington, simply reads: “Michael Joseph Mansfield

PVT US Marine Corps MAR 16 1903 OCT 5 2001.” At the end

of Mike Mansfield’s life, being a Marine was all that mattered.

The story of Private Mansfield illustrates what we mean when

we say, “Once a Marine, always a Marine.” 

The final resting place of Private

Michael Mansfield, US Marine Corps,

Arlington National Cemetery.
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Being a Marine is being part of something larger than oneself.

There is a spirit—an esprit—that defines our Corps. To understand

what it means to be a Marine, you must understand how we make

Marines by instilling and abiding by the core values of honor,

courage, and commitment. As a Marine leader, you must also

understand our naval character and expeditionary mindset, our philosophy that every Marine is a rifleman, and our commitment to

selfless service, all of which are in keeping with Marine tradition.

MAKING MARINES: THE TRANSFORMATION 

A sense of elitism has grown “. . . from the fact that every

Marine, whether enlisted or officer, goes through the same training experience. Both the training of recruits and the basic education of officers—going back to

1805—have endowed the Corps

with a sense of cohesiveness enjoyed

by no other American service.”3

Every Service recruits young men

and women from American society.

The difference with the Marines is

that we don’t rely on bonuses and

benefits to attract the best. We offer

a challenge. We ask, “Do you have

what it takes to be a Marine?” Not,

“What can the Marine Corps do for
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you?” We then send those who accept the challenge to Parris

Island, San Diego, or Quantico where they receive more than just

superb training; they are ingrained with a shared sense of service,

honor, and discipline. The result is remarkable. Those who have

what it takes undergo a personal transformation so incredible that

often parents have difficulty recognizing their children who

become Marines. A mother of a Marine described it this way:

When my son left home he had no motivation, he was lazy,

slobby, no pride, no self-worth. This is the boy that got off

the bus March 18th at Parris Island. The man that I met on

Thursday for [parents’] day is AWESOME. There is no way

I can describe to you all the difference. He looks different,

he walks different, he talks different, he has such a sense of

bearing and pride all I could do was look at him in awe. Oh

yes, the training is hard, what he went through is unimaginable to any one that has not been there. They are definitely

taught to be Warriors. Let me tell you the surprise of what

else they are taught. My Marine son has better values, better

morals, better manners than [anyone] I know. It is so much

more than Yes Sir, Yes [Ma’am] . . . so much more. He cares

about how he looks, he cares about what he does, and [it’s]

not a boastful, bad ass thing. He is a true gentleman. I saw

patience, and a calmness in him that I have never seen. I

could never express my gratitude enough to the Marine

Corps for what they have given my son.4

Those who make it through boot camp and initial officer training

win our Nation’s battles and return to society better citizens. The

Corps’ history is full of tales of individual triumphs—Sergeant

Major Dan Daly, Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, Lieutenant

General “Chesty” Puller, Colonel John Glenn, Private First Class
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James Anderson, Jr., Corporal Jason Dunham, Sergeant Dakota

Meyer, Corporal Kyle Carpenter, and countless others—that

exhibit the indomitable spirit of Marines in combat and in surmounting day-to-day challenges. You, as a Marine leader, have

the responsibility to sustain the transformation. 

OUR CORE VALUES

Our motto is Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful. We are faithful to

our Nation, the Corps, and to each other. This is not blind faith, it

is a faith guided by our values. As Marines, we share the core values of honor, courage, and commitment. As much as anything

else, our core values set us apart. They give us strength, influence

our attitudes, and regulate our behavior. They bond all Marines

into a band of brothers that can meet any challenge. In the end,

these values make us better citizens when we return to a society

that sometimes questions values. Many Marines realize this when

they go home for the first time and notice they are different from

their old buddies. 

HONOR: The bedrock of our character. The quality that guides

Marines to exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior; never to lie, cheat, or steal; to abide by an uncompromising

concept of integrity; to respect human dignity; to have concern

for each other. The quality of maturity, dedication, trust, and

dependability that commits Marines to act responsibly, to be

accountable for actions, to fulfill obligations, and to hold others

accountable for their actions.
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COURAGE: The heart of our core values. Courage is the mental,

moral, and physical strength the Corps ingrains in Marines to

carry them through the challenges of combat and the mastery of

fear, to do what is right in every situation, to adhere to a higher

standard of personal conduct, to lead by example, and to make

tough decisions under pressure. It is the inner strength that

enables Marines to take that extra step.

COMMITMENT: The spirit of determination and dedication in

Marines that leads to professionalism and mastery of the art of

war. It leads to the highest order of discipline for unit and self;

it is the ingredient that enables 24-hour-a-day dedication to

Corps and Country, pride, concern for others, and an unrelenting determination to achieve a standard of excellence in every

endeavor. Commitment is the value that establishes the Marine

as the warrior and citizen others strive to emulate.

It takes time for Marines to internalize these values and it is a

leader’s responsibility to live them, demonstrate them, and instill

them in their subordinates. 

OUR NAVAL CHARACTER 

AND EXPEDITIONARY MINDSET

Ours is a world ideally suited for the employment of warriors

who come from the sea, whose past and potential future battlegrounds are mainly in the “watery maze,” green water, and
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coastal regions that comprise the littorals of the world. Operations along these littorals require special “training and preparation . . . along Marine Corps lines. It is not enough that the troops

be skilled infantry men or artillery men . . . they must be skilled

water men and jungle men who know it can be done—Marines

with Marine training.”5

The Marine Corps’ naval character has shaped the Corps since its

inception. Our naval character makes us different because it combines the characteristics of soldiers and sailors. In 1775, Congress

resolved that two battalions of Marines be raised “. . . such as are

good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able

to serve to advantage at sea, when required.”6 The result is a sea

soldier—an odd conglomeration that talks like one, dresses like

another, and fights better than both. The determination to be different, and remain different, manifested itself in many ways over

the years—from military appearance, to strict obedience to

orders, to disciplined behavior, to adherence to standards, to persistent engaged leadership, and, most of all, to an unyielding conviction that we exist to fight. These characteristics have

distinguished Marines since 1775. 

The historic partnership between the Navy and the Marine Corps

is a heritage that continues today. The anchor in our emblem

symbolizes that the individual Marine remains a soldier of the

sea. Marine officers are “naval” officers and our pilots are

“naval” aviators. Marines have served on ships since our inception, and the Marine Corps has been part of the Department of

the Navy since 1834. 
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As early as 1798, the Secretary of the Navy noted that the Corps’

missions were of an “amphibious nature.” Though early Marines

served primarily on board ships as part of the ship’s company,

they always had a secondary role to serve as expeditionary forces,

whenever or wherever needed. Marine Captain Samuel Nicholas’

amphibious expedition to New Providence island in the Bahamas

in 1776 and Marine Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon’s 1804 landing

in Tripoli were the first deployments of American forces on foreign soil. Since then, Marines have conducted expeditionary and

sustained operations ashore in Cuba, Panama, the Philippines,

Haiti, China, France, the Pacific, Korea, Lebanon, the Dominican

Republic, Vietnam, Grenada, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, and

scores of other places.

Although specific missions differ, what remains constant is our

unyielding commitment to protect the lives of our citizens and the

Marines landing on New Providence.
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interests of the United States. Our purpose, mandated by Congress, is to be the Nation’s signature crisis response force. As

such, we “must be most ready when the Nation . . . is least

ready.”7

 As you read this, there are Marines stationed overseas

and forward deployed. Some are guarding embassies, others are

afloat, and still others are conducting operations ashore. To

Marines, being expeditionary is more than the mere ability to

deploy overseas when needed. It is an institutional imperative

that drives us to deploy rapidly and operate on arrival. Often

deploying into an austere environment, Marines bring what they

need to accomplish the mission and often that means they are

ready to fight. This expeditionary mindset is the most critical

contributor to the Corps’ success in crisis response and complex

contingencies. Marine leaders have deliberately cultivated this

mindset for generations. It is this mindset that generates both

Marines of Company F, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines resting between

combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
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combat power and the organizational flexibility to accomplish

diverse missions around the world. Our expeditionary culture

emphasizes being fast, austere, and lethal. 

EVERY MARINE A RIFLEMAN

Our role as an expeditionary force in readiness requires that we

make every Marine a rifleman first. Before we teach Marines to

fly aircraft, drive tanks, maintain equipment, or any of the other

skills necessary for a combat ready Marine Corps, we teach them

to shoot accurately. Then we teach them basic infantry skills.

During expeditionary operations, no Marine is very far from the

fighting; there are no “rear area Marines.” Combat and combat

service support units defend themselves and, when necessary,

fight as provisional infantry.

Every Marine a rifleman is not a new concept. The first Marine

aviator to earn the Medal of Honor in World War II, Captain

Henry “Hank” Elrod, was a fighter pilot with VMF-211. He

arrived on Wake Island on 4 December 1941 and 4 days later he

8
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was fighting the Japanese in the air. On 12 December, he singlehandedly attacked a flight of 22 enemy planes, downing 2 of

them. Additionally, he executed several low-altitude bombing

and strafing runs on enemy ships. During one of these attacks, he

sank the Japanese destroyer Kisaragi. When hostile fire eventually destroyed all US aircraft on Wake Island, he assumed command of part of the ground defense. In this role, he was

responsible in large measure for the strength of his sector’s gallant resistance as he and his Marines valiantly repulsed numerous

Japanese attacks. On 23 December, Captain Elrod was mortally

wounded while protecting his men who were carrying ammunition to a gun emplacement.9

Nearly 71 years later, Marines from the same squadron (redesignated VMA-211) would once again prove that every Marine is a

rifleman. On the night of 14 September 2012, 15 heavily-armed

Taliban insurgents dressed in US Army uniforms breached the

eastern perimeter of Camp Bastion in Helmand Province,

Afghanistan. The insurgents split into three teams of five men

each and commenced a coordinated attack on the airfield. Realizing the flight line was under attack, the VMA-211 commander,

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Raible, armed only with his pistol, organized his pinned down Marines into fire teams for a

counterattack. During the fighting, he was mortally wounded

when a rocket propelled grenade detonated next to him.10

During the attack on the airfield, Sergeant Bradley Atwell, an

avionics technician, immediately directed his Marines to grab
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their rifles and accompany him. Leading his Marines, Sergeant

Atwell ran toward the aircraft and structural fires that were visible along the flight line, as tracer rounds ricocheted between him

and the other Marines. “While continuing to press forward along

the edge of the aircraft parking area, [he] became separated from

the others when a rocket propelled grenade exploded approximately 3 meters from his position, knocking him down with mortal injuries. Sergeant Atwell crawled to cover and returned fire in

the direction of the enemy until succumbing to his wounds.”11

Meanwhile, the squadron executive officer, Major Robb T.

McDonald, and two other officers maneuvered more than a mile

on foot through an area exposed to enemy fire. When his commanding officer was mortally wounded, Major McDonald took

command. While leading a small team to reconnoiter the flight

line, he killed an insurgent with a rifle he had borrowed and then

expertly coordinated two helicopter strikes. Additionally, Marines

from another squadron, VMM-161, killed one group of five insurgents with small arms fire as the enemy tried to advance along the

flight line. In the end, the enemy was defeated after a 4-hour firefight by Marine aviators and maintainers, personnel from No. 51

Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment, and helicopter fire support.12

Marines fighting as riflemen occur with such regularity that nonMarines are often surprised to learn that there are any specialties

in the Corps other than infantry. This perception is part of what

makes the Corps exceptional. 
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SELFLESSNESS

Another element that defines Marines is selflessness: a spirit that

subordinates self-interest to that of the Country, Corps, and fellow Marines. There is almost nothing more precious to a Marine

than a fellow Marine. This traditional bond flows from the rigorous training that all Marines receive and the shared danger and

adversity inherent in combat operations. William Manchester

described his World War II experience as a Marine fighting in the

Pacific this way, “Those men on the line were my family, my

home. They were closer to me than I can say, closer than any

friends had been or ever would be. They had never let me down,

and I couldn’t do it to them. I had to be with them, rather than let

them die and me live with the knowledge that I might have saved

them. Men, I now knew, do not fight for flag or country, for the

Marine Corps or glory or any other abstraction. They fight for

one another. Any man in combat who lacks comrades who will

die for him, or for whom he is willing to die, is not a man at all.

He is truly damned.”13

In one of the many fights en route to the Chosin Reservoir during

the Korean War, Private Stanley Robinson lay wounded in a

warming tent of the medical battalion and listened “to the cascading sound of a fire fight to the north. It was not long before the

ambulance jeeps drew up outside. Litterbearers brought in a

stretcher and placed it alongside Robinson.

“What outfit you from?” Robinson asked. 

“Easy, 7th,” the inert figure mumbled. 

“Did we get hit?” 
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“Clobbered. Mr. Yancey’s wounded—so’s the skipper—

everybody is, I guess.”

Robinson sat up. In the darkness he got into his clothes

and parka. He stifled a moan as he pulled the shoe-pacs

on over his swollen feet. 

“Be seein’ you, Mac,” he whispered. 

Robinson stumbled to the entrance and lurched through

the opening. The cold night air made him gasp. He was

selecting a weapon from a discarded stack of rifles when

a corpsman came to him.

“What’n hell you doin’, Robinson?” 

“What does it look like, Doc?” . . . Robinson slung the

rifle over his shoulder and headed for the hill mass to the

north. When he came to the steep hillside he had to crawl.

The blisters on his feet had broken and his socks were

wet with blood and pus. Robinson found his way to Easy

Company, he found Yancey.

“What’n hell you doin’ here?” Yancey asked hoarsely. 

“Looking for a job.” 

Yancey spat blood in the snow. “You got one. Over

there.”14 

Marines understand why there was no emotional greeting from

Yancey when Robinson rejoined the platoon. Thanks were neither

expected nor given. Both knew Private Robinson would rejoin his

fellow Marines, if he could. Private Robinson’s action in 1950 captures the essence of selfless service. Leaving the warming tent,

selecting a weapon, and struggling to rejoin his battered platoon
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was an act of extraordinary personal courage, but it was not an

aberration; instead, it was an act that sprang from the rich tradition

of Marines who choose service over self. 

Fifty-four years later, First Sergeant Bradley Kasal clearly demonstrated selfless service as the Weapons Company First Sergeant, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines during the Battle of Fallujah. On

13 November 2004, First Sergeant Kasal was assisting 1st Section, Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) Platoon, in providing

a traveling overwatch for 3d Squad, 3d Platoon, Company K,

while they cleared in zone: 

During the clearing operation, 3d Squad along with the

CAAT squad heard a large volume of fire and observed

wounded members of an adjacent platoon rapidly exiting a

building to their immediate front. They quickly learned

that Marines were pinned down in the house by an

unknown number of insurgents. Realizing that they were

short personnel to make an entry and clear the structure,

the 3d Squad Leader asked the CAAT squad if they could

assist with clearing the building. Without hesitation, First

Sergeant Kasal volunteered. He led the squad into the

house, suppressing and killing the enemy, who were fighting from hardened positions. After the first room was

cleared, First Sergeant Kasal and two other Marines

observed a wounded Marine two rooms away from their

position. Upon entry into the first of the two rooms, First

Sergeant Kasal immediately confronted, engaged, and

killed an insurgent. Continuing towards the wounded

Marine, the three Marines received heavy enemy fire as

soon as they entered the second room. First Sergeant Kasal
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and another Marine were both struck in the legs becoming

urgent casualties. The enemy began throwing grenades on

the wounded Marines below. Selflessly, First Sergeant

Kasal rolled on top of the other Marine in order to shield

him. After reinforcements arrived, First Sergeant Kasal,

with seven gunshot and five fragmentation wounds,

refused aid until the other Marines were extracted. A total

of seven wounded men were medically evacuated from the

building before First Sergeant Kasal.15 

Despite his grievous wounds, First Sergeant Kasal continued to

shout words of encouragement to his Marines while he engaged the

enemy. Later as First Sergeant Kasal was put into the CASEVAC

[casualty evacuation] helicopter, he grabbed his battalion commander by the flak jacket and implored him to take care of the

From left to right: Lance Corporal Christopher Marquez, First Sergeant Bradley

Kasal, and Lance Corporal Dan Shaeffer in Fallujah 2004. (Photo courtesy of

photographer Lucian Read.)
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Marines. First Sergeant Kasal could have remained outside of the

building, coordinating support and the medical evacuation. Instead,

he chose to face the enemy alongside his Marines.

Private Robinson and First Sergeant Kasal epitomize the Marine

ethos of selfless service, which Marines continue to demonstrate in

countless ways and in countless places. It is a part of who we are.

MARINE TRADITIONS

There is nothing particularly glorious about sweaty fellows going along to fight. And yet they represent a great

deal more than individuals mustered into a division. There

is something behind those men: the old battles, long forgotten, that secured our [N]ation . . . traditions of things

endured, and things accomplished such as regiments hand

down forever . . .16

—Captain John W. Thomason, Jr.

Marine traditions are an inseparable part of who we are as

Marines. Ordinary men and women, who showed extraordinary

leadership and courage, both physical and moral, shaped and continue to shape our heritage. Separately and collectively, our traditions set us apart from other fighting forces and are the cement

that bonds the Marine Corps together and give Marines a common outlook regardless of rank, unit, or billet. Our traditions transcend the individual and are shared by all Marines. 
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Marines believe they should be where the fight is. In 1983, a veteran of the terrorist bombing in Beirut stood amidst the rubble,

carnage, and despair surrounding his fallen comrades, barraged

by questions from news reporters. “Should you be here? Should

anyone be here? Should the United States pull out?” The young

lance corporal’s answer was straightforward: “Where else should

I be? I’m a United States Marine. If anyone must be here, it

should be Marines.”

Lance Corporal Jeffrey Nashton was gravely wounded—unable to

talk or see—during the Beirut bombing and was evacuated to a

hospital in Germany. While in the hospital, he was visited by the

Commandant. As General P. X. Kelley stooped beside the Marine

Aftermath of Beirut bombing.
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to say a few words of comfort into his ear, the lance corporal

reached up to feel the stars to make sure that the man talking to

him was who he claimed to be. Unable to see or speak, weak from

a concussion and other injuries, the young Marine motioned for

something with which to write. He could have written anything;

he could have asked for anything. Instead, he wrote, “Semper

Fi”—Always Faithful. He was concerned more about his Corps

and his fellow Marines than himself.17

Individual Marines—like those described above—feed our

Corps’ spirit. From their first day of training to their first assignments, to their first celebration of the Marine Corps birthday, the

Corps infuses those who set out to be Marines with an understanding of the deeds of their predecessors. The spirit of the

Marine Corps is sustained as today’s Marines step forward to take

their place. These Marines give meaning to the phrases “Semper

Fidelis,” “uncommon valor,” “every Marine a rifleman,” and

“first to fight.” 

Marine traditions manifest themselves in other ways as well. Our

language reflects our naval heritage, while our birthday, hymn,

and uniforms set the Corps apart from other military services.

Much of our distinct language comes from our naval roots.

Marines refer to bathrooms as heads, floors as decks, ceilings as

overheads, walls as bulkheads, and corridors as passageways. We

respond to verbal orders with “Aye, Aye, Sir,” acknowledging

that we both understand and will comply with the command.

Other terms are also steeped in lore. The term “Leatherneck”

comes from the stiff leather collar worn by Marines from 1798 to

1872. Legend has it that German soldiers referred to the Marines