Celebrating the Marine Corps birthday in every clime and place

Photo By Cpl. Colby Brown | A celebratory cake for the 236th Marine Corps birthday celebration is cut here, Nov. 10. Marines from 1st and 3rd Battalions, 3rd Marine Regiment, celebrated the Corps’ birthday together in Garmsir.  

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

11.10.2011

Story by Cpl. Colby Brown 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — Celebrating a birthday while deployed to Afghanistan is not an ideal experience.

Away from family and friends, birthdays often go unrecognized. But for the Marine Corps’ birthday, celebrating in a combat environment makes the experience even more meaningful.

“As Marines, we are America’s fighting force, America’s nine-one-one,” said Sgt. Maj. Dwight D. Jones, 1/3 sergeant major and a native of Detroit. “Celebrating the birthday while forward deployed epitomizes that and it gives the birthday that little something extra that makes it special.”

For the 236th Marine Corps birthday, Marines of 1st and 3rd Battalions, 3rd Marine Regiment celebrated while conducting counter insurgency operations here, Nov. 10. There were no dress blue uniforms, fancy dinners or dance floors, but that isn’t what the Corps’ birthday is about. It’s a time to reflect on the traditions of the Corps, swell with esprit de corps and honor the Marines who have served and sacrificed in the past.

“It’s important because no matter where we are at or what we are doing we honor the Marines who came before us, who paved the way,” said Staff Sgt. Randall Salinas, assistant administrative chief for 1/3 and native of South Bend, Ind.

“Celebrating the birthday here vice back in the states makes a little more heartfelt,” Salinas added. “Especially having a fallen brother out here, it makes honoring our fallen more sincere.”

The austere conditions and other realities of operating in a combat zone bring home the real meaning of the occasion for deployed Marines. However, with a busy schedule of patrolling and standing post, many Marines had only moments for reflection.

Many of the positions in Garmsir lack required items to perform the tradition cake cutting ceremony, which represents the passing of knowledge and experience from the older to younger generation of Marines.

Though much is left to be desired in terms of taste, most Marines at forward positions make due with military ration cakes. The taste has little to do with the true purpose of the birthday celebration: honoring those Marines who have fought and died in the service of their country and Corps.

“On the birthday, every Marine acts as one,” Jones said. “No matter where you are, it’s not the old Corps and the new Corps or infantry and administrative Marines. Every Marine comes together to celebrate the birthday. It’s our time to reflect on our Marine Corps.”

With the transfer of authority of Garmsir from 1/3 to 3/3 just around the corner, the birthday was also a way to commemorate the arrival and departure of the sister battalions. Most of the birthday ceremonies in Garmsir included Marines from both battalions.

For the Marines of both battalions, the birthday was a short reprieve from daily operations. Now it’s time to get back to work, training and mentoring Afghan forces to improve the security of Garmsir district.

Editor’s note: First Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghanistan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling the ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

• Date Taken: 11.10.2011
• Date Posted: 11.12.2011 06:22
• Story ID: 79951
• Location: HELMAND PROVINCE, AF