Parting Shots To The Marine Corps Part 2

It's been four months since I said goodbye to the Marine Corps and all is still well.

I just saw the commercial that lists all the names that Marines are called while showing images of Marines doing what Marines do and I absolutely adore that add. It is by far the best one that they have come up with. It's real. There isn't any slaying of dragons, no climbing up rock walls freehand, or playing chess ala Harry Potter. The tone is somber but also proud. If I could be in charge of advertising, it's exactly the add I would push to the masses. I can honestly say that I feel proud to have been one of them when ever I see it. I'm not a big on text messaging but I sent my good friend Rick a Happy Birthday message on November 10th (the Marine Corps' birthday) and the reply I got summed it all up for me, "You too. Once, always."

As for my daily life: I have taken a job here in Baltimore and have tossed around the idea of the reserves, but ultimately, I decided against it. I loved what I did and the time that I spent, but I'm done. I was proud of my time and I can walk away with my head high about the experience. I accomplished everything that I set out to do and then some more. The one thing that I am most proud of was that on my Fitness Report the highest mark I received was for taking care of subordinates. Nothing brought me more joy than helping junior Marines. It was a way to carry on what my seniors taught to me when I was a junior.

I worked for a Sergeant for the first two years of my enlistment who embodied everything that I wanted to be and I will never forget him, even if I never see him again. If I have one person who remembers me that same way, than my eight years were well spent. To know that I touched someones life is something that no words of mine can convey how much it means to me.

Here is the add that I really like plus one more that really says something. The best part of the second one, is right after "For Courage" there is a girl jumping over an obstacle and she has been jumping that same obstacle since I enlisted. I've seen her in that some pose for eight plus years now. If she was active duty she's probably a Master Sergeant by now. Of course these adds don't show me sitting at my computer going blind from staring at the monitor for 12 hours, but I digress...