3/2 Marines celebrate Marine birthday in the field

Photo By Sgt. John Baker | Marines with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment enjoyed cake in celebration of the Marine Corps’ 239th Birthday aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Nov. 10, 2014. The Marines took a break in training during Integrated Training Exercise 1-15 to celebrate the Corps’ birthday.  

TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, UNITED STATES

11.10.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. John Baker 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Marines with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, took a break in training during the Integrated Training Exercise to celebrate the Marine Corps’ 239th Birthday aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Nov. 10. They gathered in the Camp Wilson chow hall and enjoyed cake and a beer with fellow Marines.

Marines are not always in a garrison environment when the Corps’ birthday comes around, but all units commemorate the day somehow. Capt. Mark Greenlief, the company commander of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine regiment, from Monmouth, Illinois, said he thinks that being in the field for the birthday is the ideal location.

“I think the essence of being a Marine is doing exactly what where doing now,” said Greenlief. “We’re out in the field, dirty, gross, disgusting, and then we stop to remember those who have gone before us and celebrate what it really means to be a Marine.”

Being in the field for a long period of time can be tough but it’s something Marines are used to. A break in training to celebrate their history can be a huge morale boost.

“They get a chance for just a minute to stop, not think of training and not think of what’s next and live in the moment,” said Greenlief.

While all the Marines take pride in belonging to 3/2, but they also take pride in their companies as well as their squads. Sgt. Michael E. Smith, a squad leader with Company K, said their competition to be the best can build friendly rivalries between companies. The birthday celebration gave them a chance to set their differences aside for a common purpose.

“It really brings all the Marines from the different company’s together,” said Smith, from Leesburg, Florida. “I feel like we build tension between ourselves and this gives us all a chance to come together and bond as one giant family.”

After all the Marines had their cake and were seated in the chow hall, Sgt. Maj. Kenneth C. Lovell III, battalion sergeant major, 3rd Bn. 2nd Marine Regiment, gave a speech to his Marines. In his speech he talked about the Corps’ traditions and what separates Marines from average men.

“We still have a mission,” said Lovell, from Manton, Michigan. “But that starts tomorrow. Tonight we celebrate who we are.”

• Date Taken: 11.10.2014
• Date Posted: 11.17.2014 18:01
• Story ID: 148070
• Location: TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US
• Hometown: LEESBURG, FL, US
• Hometown: MANTON, MI, US
• Hometown: MONMOUTH, IL, US