ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 051947Z NOV 01 ZYB MIN PSN 670501J19
 
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC//SN//
 
TO ALNAV
 
UNCLAS
ALNAV 107/01
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/SN//
 
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS 226TH BIRTHDAY MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE
/NAVY//
 
RMKS/1.  AS WE CELEBRATE THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS' 226TH YEAR
OF DEFENDING THIS GREAT REPUBLIC, IT IS FITTING THAT WE TAKE A FEW
MOMENTS TO REFLECT UPON THIS PROUD HERITAGE. FROM THE EARLIEST DAYS
OF OUR NATION TO THE DEFEAT OF FASCISM AND COMMUNISM IN THE
TWENTIETH CENTURY, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS HAS CONTINUED TO
SERVE AS AMERICA'S 9-1-1 FORCE.  YOUR UNCOMMON VALOR, LOYALTY,
ESPRIT DE CORPS, AND LEGACY OF UNMATCHED COMBAT COURAGE EXCELLENCE
DEMONSTRATE THAT THE WORDS, SEMPER FIDELIS - ALWAYS FAITHFUL - ARE
MUCH MORE THAN A MOTTO, THEY ARE A WAY OF LIFE FOR MARINES.
 
2.  THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, WILL ECHO
THROUGHOUT HISTORY. WE MUST NEVER FORGET. NEVER FORGET THIS ATTACK
ON THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE. NEVER FORGET THE LIVES OF OUR SHIPMATES
AND COUNTRYMEN LOST. NEVER FORGET THE SELFLESS ACTS OF BRAVERY,
COMPASSION, AND GENEROSITY THAT EMERGED FOLLOWING THE ATTACKS. WITH
RENEWED PURPOSE, WE WILL COME TO REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11TH AS THE DAY
THAT THE WORLD STOOD UP TO TERRORISM AND FACED THE ENEMIES OF
FREEDOM.
 
3.  WHEN I TOOK OFFICE LAST MAY, I OUTLINED FOUR STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES FOR OUR NAVY AND MARINE CORPS. TODAY, THESE PRIORITIES -
COMBAT CAPABILITY, PEOPLE, TECHNOLOGY AND IMPROVED BUSINESS
PRACTICES -- DEMAND AN EVEN GREATER SENSE OF URGENCY AS WE WAGE THE
FIRST WAR OF THE 21ST CENTURY. OVER THE YEARS, THE MARINE CORPS HAS
LED THE WAY BY SEAMLESSLY ADAPTING TO CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY, TACTICS
AND COMMAND STRUCTURES TO COUNTER NEW THREATS TO OUR WAY OF LIFE.
AMIDST CONTINUAL CHANGE, HOWEVER, THE ENDURING STRENGTH OF OUR
MARINE CORPS WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE ITS PEOPLE AND THEIR
LEADERSHIP.
 
4.  AROUND THE WORLD, I HAVE SEEN AND SPOKEN TO MARINES AND I KNOW
YOU STAND READY TO ANSWER OUR NATION'S CALL. DURING THE COURSE OF
THIS CHALLENGING YEAR, OUR NATION WILL CONTINUE TO COUNT ON YOUR
HONOR, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT. AS THE MARINE CORPS CARRIES ITS
UNPARALLELED RECORD OF EXCELLENCE INTO ITS 226TH YEAR, I ENCOURAGE
EACH OF YOU TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO REFLECT ON THE BLESSINGS WE
ENJOY THAT WERE EARNED BY EARLIER GENERATIONS. YOUR CHILDREN,
GRANDCHILDREN AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL LIKEWISE HONOR YOUR
DEFENSE OF FREEDOM.
 
5.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES! GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU, YOUR FAMILIES AND
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
 
6.  RELEASED BY THE HONORABLE GORDON R. ENGLAND, SECRETARY OF
THE NAVY.//
 
BT