WHAT OUR COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS SHOULD SAY

WHAT OUR COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS SHOULD SAY
by Andy Weddington
Wednesday, 22 July 2015

"The bended knee is not a tradition of our Corps." 

General Alexander A. Vandergrift, USMC (18th Commandant) 

Five days ago following the murders of four U.S. Marines and a U.S. Sailor at their appointed place of duty by a lone (enemy) gunman, credible media (Marine Corps Times, et al.) reported Marine Corps Recruiting Command Marines had been ordered to not wear their uniform while on duty. 

Two commentaries (see Post Script) addressed this incredulous order. 

Yesterday an email was sent to me that included cut and pasted words attributed to the commandant (no proof) saying Marines were wearing their uniform...period. Though I am not in the habit of questioning the sincerity nor integrity of brother Marines, that email is not acceptable.

The media sources reporting the initial order have yet to retract or modify their reporting. There has yet to be any official release (that I can find) from HQMC nor DoD denying or retracting the order (that was cited as approved by the Secretary of Defense). 

For a matter of such seriousness, the proper redress is an official headquarters public release - not third party emails, haphazardly passed around, with words attributed to a service chief. 

As such, 

I have taken the liberty of crafting what our Commandant of the Marine Corps should say, immediately, for widest dissemination to all Marines and the American public. 


R 100022Z JUL 15 
ALMAR 016/15
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/UNIFORMS//
POC: GEN JOSEPH F. DUNFORD, JR.// 
GENTEXT/RMKS/ 1. LAST WEEK FOUR BROTHER MARINES AND A BRETHREN SAILOR, ON DUTY, WERE ATTACKED AND KILLED IN A HAIL OF GUNFIRE BY A LONE ENEMY.  

2. SOON THEREAFTER MEDIA REPORTED MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND MARINES WERE ORDERED TO NOT WEAR THEIR UNIFORMS ON DUTY. THE REPORT CITED THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AS APPROVING THAT ORDER. 

3. I HAVE HEARD THE OUTRAGE FROM MARINES AND THE PUBLIC.

4. OUR UNIFORM IS SACRED CLOTH - TO BE RESPECTED BY ALL AND FEARED BY ENEMIES. OUR UNIFORM IS BUT THE OUTER SHELL OF OUR TRUE ARMOR - OUR CORPS VALUES: HONOR. COURAGE. COMMITMENT. RESIDENT IN OUR MIND, HEART, AND SOUL. 

5. WE MOURN THE LOSS OF OUR BROTHERS IN ARMS.  BUT CARRY ON WE MUST. ACCORDINGLY, MARINES WILL NOT COMPROMISE WEARING OUR UNIFORM. MARINES WILL NOT HIDE. 

6. MARINES ATTACK! AS SUCH I HAVE ORDERED: 1) ALL MARINES, ACTIVE AND RESERVE, WHILE IN AN OFFICIAL DUTY STATUS WILL WEAR THE APPROPRIATE UNIFORM; 2) ALL MARINES, ACTIVE, RESERVE, AND RETIRED, ENTITLED TO WEAR AN AUTHORIZED UNIFORM WHILE ON LEAVE AND LIBERTY ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO DO SO AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. 

7. U. S. MARINES ARE AMERICA'S FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE. AS ONE OF MY PREDECESSORS SAID MARINES ARE "MOST READY WHEN THE NATION IS LEAST READY" AND THAT IS THE MESSAGE WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEND - REASSURING OUR COUNTRYMEN AND ALLIES AND FOREWARNING OUR ENEMIES. 

8. REST ASSURED I AM INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN ADDRESSING FORCE PROTECTION. 

9. CONTINUE TO MARCH, MARINES, SAFEGUARDING OUR CORPS RICH HERITAGE AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO COUNTRY. 

10. SEMPER FIDELIS, JOSEPH F. DUNFORD, JR., GENERAL, U. S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//

Post Script

Marines Surrender
http://acoloneloftruth.blogspot.com/2015/07/marines-surrender.html

Today's ALMAR - 071915 - Doff Uniforms Marines
http://acoloneloftruth.blogspot.com/2015/07/todays-almar-071915-doff-uniforms.html