WEBVTT

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- Marines, Sergeant Major Ruiz and I

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want to take a moment to wish you and your families

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a happy holiday season.

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This year, like the previous 249 years,

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our Marine Corps has accomplished incredible feats.

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- From our Marines deployed across the globe

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on the forward edge in competition,

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to the Marines standing post at our

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bases and stations here at home,

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each of you represented our culture

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and wore our brand on your chest and in your heart.

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- [General Smith] Both our 31st
and 15th Marine Expeditionary Units

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operated directly in the pacing threat theater

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while reassuring and training alongside

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our allies and partners, and deterring our adversaries.

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From multilateral exercises

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to supporting disaster relief in the Philippines,

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you demonstrated what a Marine expeditionary unit

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can bring to the fight.

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On the other side of the world, in the Mediterranean,

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our 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit

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stood ready with the warfighting
Marine Air-Ground Task Force on scene.

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- [Sergeant Major Ruiz] Just last month,

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the F-35 Charlie Lightning II

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saw combat for the first time,

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launching strikes from the USS Abraham Lincoln

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against Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen.

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This demonstrated to the world that, once again,

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that the Marine Corps can and will fight

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from the air, land and sea.

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- [Smith] As we pivot to the next year,

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our 250th year as a warfighting organization,

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it will be incumbent upon you, as Marines,

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to rededicate yourselves to our culture.

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Remember why you joined,

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what you wanted from the Corps,

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and how you wanted the Corps to change you.

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- The Commandant and I wish you and your families

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a happy and safe holiday season.

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Enjoy the time with your loved ones.

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But remember, we need all of you back

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in our formations at the start of the new year.

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- For those of you forward deployed,

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thank you for continuing to safeguard our nation

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and represent our ethos each and every day.

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When those around the world 
see a United States Marine,

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it matters.

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- [Both] Happy holidays and semper fidelis.