Quantico Marines Help Preserve Traditions with Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

Photo By Sgt. Jacky Fang | Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps SgtMaj. Micheal Barrett has a laugh with Marines during the Headquarters and Service Battalion, Tenant Activities Company's mess night, here, July 31.  

QUANTICO, VA, UNITED STATES

09.08.2014

Story by Cpl. Jacky Fang 

Marine Corps Recruiting Command           

QUANTICO, Va. - The traditions of the Marine Corps are deeply rooted and represent a large part of the identity of each Marine, past and present. The passing of these traditions is essential to future success of the Corps. One of these many rich traditions is the mess night. The mess night as Marines know it today originated in the early 1920’s with the 4th Marine Regiment, but mess nights in general date back to the Roman Legions where mess nights were used to celebrate after a good battle.

Tenant Activities Company under Headquarters and Services Battalion, here, helped preserve our Marine Corps traditions by holding its inaugural non-commissioned officers’ mess night, 30 July, with Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SMMC) Micheal Barrett as the guest of honor.

This mess night was special because it was planned and executed entirely by TACo NCOs. The Marines of the committee wanted someone all NCOs look up to and thought there would be no better person to be the guest of honor than Sgt. Maj. Barrett, said Sgt. Melissa Colon, order writer, Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

“I was overwhelmed when I was invited, because it was an all NCO mess night and the NCO is the opportunity and the solution,” said Barrett.

The mess night provides an opportune environment for Marines to celebrate their rich heritage and accomplishments of Marines who have gone before.

With Sgt. Maj. Barrett near the end of his term, this mess night is potentially one of his last. It will stand in these NCO’s minds as one of the last moments Sgt. Maj. Barrett has to pass on traditions and customs to them before they proceed to pass them down to the Corps’ newest generation of Marines.

“Having the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was truly an honor, and being able to sit at the head table and have that one-on-one interaction is something I will never forget,” said Colon. “Sergeant Major Barrett is genuinely motivational, kind-hearted and honest.”

Due to the importance of Marine Corps history and traditions, the Corps relies on its NCOs to bear the responsibility of ensuring each new generation of Marines is fully informed and infused with the knowledge of the successes in the history of our Corps.

“Traditions are important to pass down because they are a significant part of the past and future of the Marine Corps,” said Cpl. Austen Hafner, travel chief, Manpower Management Division, Separations and Retirements, Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
The committee faced several challenges in planning and execution of the mess night because of the Marines of TACo are spread out over Marine Corps Base Quantico (MCBQ). Differences in opinion and unfamiliarity with one another were two of the most significant
challenges.

“The mess night was a process,” said Colon. “When you have different personalities and different views, things can tend to go in circles, but as a team we came together, broke down what we needed to get done and made things happen.”

After months of planning and preparation, the tables were set, the grog (a traditional mixed beverage used during the conduct of mess night) was prepared, and the Marines were ready to march in and enjoy the feast and celebration.

“I’ve been to a lot of mess nights,” said Barrett. “That was a perfectly executed mess night.”

• Date Taken: 09.08.2014
• Date Posted: 09.08.2014 11:28
• Story ID: 141397
• Location: QUANTICO, VA, US