Veterans Day rededication

Veterans Day.

Typically, Veterans Day is almost a sacred holiday for me. Ever since I joined the Corps (actually, when I still in high school) this day has been special day to me. I have an aunt who retired from the Air Force and an uncle who was in the Army. Heck, even my father-in-law is a Marine no longer on active duty. (We don't have "former" Marines. They just no longer serve on active duty status.) Of course, I didn't know him when I was in HS, but I had friends who went to Desert Shield and they were only a year or two ahead of me in school. I've always known I would join the military and do my tour of duty for the flag. I just didn't think it would turn into a career the way it has. Through the years, I have always tried to maintain the standards that were passed to me from senior Marines. This trail of training started with Staff Sgt Huston (who retired a few years ago as a Master Sgt) who recruited me and Sgt Clark, my senior Drill Instructor at Parris Island. There was Sgt Ford who was the platoon sergeant for a time when I was with the Division Band with CWO Grimes and Master Guns Harris. Then, suddenly, I was the platoon sergeant with the Wing Band at El Toro. Guys like Dave Studer and Alan Benoit made that band a lot of fun. I've seen guys reenlist in combat zones because they wanted to be there. I've seen guys voluntarily extend their tours to deploy with their buddies and end up not coming home. I know a Marine who survived an attack and was sent home as the escort for his twin brother, who didn't make it. Through it all, I've met men and women from just about every service (sorry Coast Guard) and I can tell you that despite our sometimes-not-so-friendly rivalries, I could not be more impressed with the caliber of young people in today's military.

We held a traditional cake cutting ceremony in the hanger bay of the Essex yesterday. The oldest Marine present was a Master Gunnery Sergeant who was born in 1955. He received the first piece of the cake, cut by the MEU commanding officer. He turned and passed his piece to the youngest Marine present to symbolize the passing of traditions from one generation to another. The new generation was represented by a young Lance Corporal who was born in 1988.

Did I have a point I was trying to make? Actually, yes.

Every year, people all across the country promise to better themselves starting with the new year in January. I've decided I'm not going to wait that long. I started the 2006 with a goal of running 2000 miles this year. I've stopped counting how many miles I did run, but I know it was nowhere close to 2000. I even started a 2nd blog to track my progress, but I had not updated it since May. I've deleted that blog. I started another one, though, and I started today. I'm not going to wait until January. I'm also not going to force myself to try and run 6 miles a day (that's 2000 miles for the year) to start. I started with 4 miles on the treadmill this morning. It is my intention to run every day but Sunday and as I get into better shape, I will increase my distance. In this manner, I will set a better example to junior Marines who look to me to set an example. I will try to honor the sacrifices made by all those who have gone before. And I will look and feel better. If you would like to keep tabs on my progress, you may click here and be taken to my new blog, "on the not-so-fast track" and leave a comment if you so choose. I will continue to post here of course, but I hope you will stop by my new site from time to time. If not, though, that's not a problem. I'm not doing this for you. I'm not even doing this for me. I'm doing this for Him who created me and wants me to honor Him by taking care of His temple, and I'm doing this for those who can no longer do it for themselves.