Photo By Sgt. Clarence Leake | Gunnery Sgt. Rudolph Montgomery, Regimental Mess Chief of 14th Marine Regiment...... read more read more
Moreland Hall Dining Facility hosted a Marine Corps birthday meal presented by 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division in honor of all local Marines and to commemorate the 242nd Marine Corps Birthday, November 8, 2017, at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. Present at the event were Marines from all three major Marine Corps tenant commands; 14th Marines, Marine Aircraft Group 41 and 8th Marine Corps District.
Gunnery Sgt. Rudolph Montgomery, the Regimental Mess Chief of 14th Marines, had only been with the regiment a little over a month but once he heard there was no birthday meal planned for the Marines at the dining facility, he quickly took action to make that a reality.
"We've been doing this for 242 years, whether it's on ships or in fox holes, we take time out to cut a birthday cake and celebrate the Marine Corps Birthday, so why not do it here on the JRB?" said Sgt. Maj. Karl McCants, the 14th Marines Sergeant Major. "If we were at Camp Lejeune or Camp Pendleton this would be a huge thing on base. [Montgomery] found out that was missing and knew the importance of bringing Marines in to share that meal together."
With less than 10 days until the 242nd birthday, Montgomery quickly coordinated with the dining facility after proposing the idea to bring a special meal to the local Marines with his regimental commander Col. Joe Russo.
"I'm trying to get that tradition and comradery back so the new junior Marines coming in can see what we do and carry on the tradition," explained Montgomery.
Montgomery made a deal with the base dining facility that if they supplied the food he would provide the Marines to assist in preparation. With the help of Cpl. Christian Fuentes a Food Service Specialist firing up the grill, they were able to serve the Marines that flocked to the dining facility.
Montgomery and Fuentes worked with the Navy staff to serve more than 200 meals over 90 minutes.
"I think the Marines showed up wondering what they were walking into and walked away very impressed," said Russo. "This was a great opportunity to bring together the various units aboard the JRB, but also to highlight the intangible aspects of culture and esprit that define not just what we do, but who we are as Marines."
Gunnery Sgt. Montgomery plans to maintain the tradition of the Marine Corps cake cutting ceremony and birthday meal at the dining facility on base into the future with the hope that it continues to grow.
"Each year it's going to be better, even after I'm far gone, it's going to keep on going," said Montgomery.
| Date Taken: | 11.08.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.09.2017 14:39 |
| Story ID: | 254831 |
| Location: | FORT WORTH, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 139 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Reigniting the Flame of Tradition, by Sgt Rebecca Eller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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