UNCLASSIFIED//

ATTENTION INVITED TO  

ROUTINE

R 042133Z NOV 11 PSN 892972K37

FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC

TO ALNAV

INFO ZEN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
ZEN/CNO WASHINGTON DC

BT
UNCLAS
QQQQ

SUBJ: SECNAV MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE TO THE FLEET// UNCLASSIFIED/ FM 
SECNAV WASHINGTON DC TO ALNAV INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC CNO WASHINGTON DC

BT
ALNAV 071/11

MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/NOV//

SUBJ/SECNAV MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY MESSAGE TO THE FLEET//

RMKS/1.  ON NOVEMBER 10TH, ALL MARINES, PAST AND PRESENT, AT HOME AND  ABROAD, 
WILL CELEBRATE 236 YEARS OF AN ENDURING CORPS LEGACY OF  EXCELLENCE IN 
WARFIGHTING, FIDELITY TO NATION AND DEDICATION TO  OTHERS.

2.  THROUGHOUT ITS STORIED HISTORY, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS HAS 
ANSWERED THE CALL TO DUTY WITH REMARKABLE COURAGE AND DISTINCTION.  MOST 
RECENTLY, THE PAST DECADE HAS SEEN MARINES CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGED AROUND THE 
WORLD.  OPERATIONS HAVE SPANNED THE RANGE FROM HIGH END COMBAT AGAINST THOSE 
WHO THREATEN OUR WAY OF LIFE OR THE SECURITY OF OTHERS TO COUNTER PIRACY, 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER RELIEF MISSIONS WITH LIKEMINDED MARITIME 
PARTNERS.

3.  THIS YEAR, MARINE SGT DAKOTA MEYER RECEIVED THE HIGHEST MILITARY 
DECORATION THE U.S. CAN BESTOW.  AROUND HIS NECK, PRESIDENT OBAMA PLACED THE 
UNMISTAKABLE BLUE RIBBON OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR.  SGT MEYER, LIKE SO MANY OTHER 
HEROES, SAID THE HONOR WAS NOT HIS ALONE; IT BELONGED TO HIS MARINE CORPS AND 
TO HIS FALLEN MARINES, FOR WHOM HE DEMONSTRATED SUCH UNCOMMON COURAGE.  HIS 
TALE SHOULD BE A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR EVERY MARINE AS IT EXEMPLIFIES 
UNFATHOMABLE VALOR, COURAGE AND HEROISM WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING THE 
NAMES OF THE FALLEN ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.

4.  WHILE SGT MEYER'S ACTIONS WERE REMARKABLE, THEY REMIND OUR PROUD NATION OF 
AN INDISPUTABLE FACT ABOUT THE CORPS:  IN EVERY PLACE, AT EVERY TASK, MARINES 
DO MORE THAN WHAT IS EXPECTED. TIME AND TIME AGAIN, YOU EXCEED YOUR REPUTATION 
AS AN EVER-READY, EVER-CAPABLE, VICTORY-PRODUCING MILITARY FORCE.  EVERY DAY, 
YOU DEMONSTRATE WHY YOU ARE HELD IN SUCH HIGH ESTEEM BY FRIENDS AND SUCH GREAT 
FEAR BY FOES.  YOU ARE TRULY THE WORLD'S PREMIER EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

5.  I COULD NOT BE PROUDER TO SERVE AS YOUR SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.  HAPPY 
236TH BIRTHDAY, MARINES.  THANK YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR 
AMERICA EVERY DAY.  SEMPER FIDELIS.

6.  RELEASED BY RAY MABUS, SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.//

BT
#1017
NNNN