VP Vance Delivers Remarks at Marines 250th Anniversary

Celebrating Marine Corps Legacy

• 🎉 Vice President Vance celebrated the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, highlighting the institution's enduring strength.
• 👏 The event featured an amphibious assault demonstration, showcasing the combined power of Navy and Marine Corps operations across air, land, and sea.
• 💡 Vance, as the first Vice President to have served as a Marine, expressed deep pride in his service and the corps' legacy.
• 🗣️ He conveyed President Donald J. Trump's pride and love for the Marines, assuring efforts to ensure they receive their pay despite political challenges.

Honoring Distinguished Service

• 🎖️ The Vice President recognized numerous officials, including Secretary of War Pete Hgse and Secretary of the Navy John Failen, for their leadership.
• 🤝 Special acknowledgment was given to the Navy's Third Fleet and Navy Corpsmen for their crucial role and shared combat history with the Marines.
• 🌟 Vance honored American heroes like Sergeant Dakota Meyer, a Medal of Honor recipient, and Charles CR, a Navy Corpsman awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart for valor at Iwo Jima.
• ✈️ He also paid tribute to Lieutenant Elmer Royce Williams, a Naval Aviator who achieved the longest dogfight in naval history during the Korean War.

Historical Foundations and Combat Prowess

• 📜 The Marine Corps' origins trace back to November 10, 1775, when the Continental Congress resolved to raise two battalions, with Captain Samuel Nicholas recruiting at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia.
• ⚔️ From its inception, the Corps was designed to fight effectively on both land and sea, moving fast, striking hard, and holding ground.
• 🌍 Throughout history, Marines have consistently been the "first to fight and the last to leave," breaking empires and confronting foes across various global conflicts.
• 🛡️ Vance emphasized the Corps' reputation for discipline and unshakable focus, citing Major General Frank Low's observation that "the safest place in Korea was right behind a platoon of Marines."

Personal Journey and Core Principles

• 🧠 Vance shared his personal motivation for enlisting in 2003, driven by a sense of national need after 9/11 and the Iraq War, and a responsibility greater than himself.
• 🌱 He recounted how a recruiter warned him about the challenges but promised to teach discipline and the virtue of leadership, which appealed to him.
• 🚫 The Vice President criticized efforts to inject partisan politics or diversity quotas into the military, arguing they impede effectiveness and endanger lives.
• 🎯 He stressed the importance of refocusing on timeless values of discipline, readiness, and faith in one another, emphasizing common purpose over diversity.

Enduring Legacy and Future Responsibility

• 🔥 Vance highlighted the Marine Corps' motto, "Semper Fidelis" (always faithful), as a guiding principle for all Marines.
• 🤝 He urged Marines to honor their legacy through their public conduct, treatment of family and friends, community contributions, and most importantly, by fighting and winning the nation's battles.
• 💪 The speech underscored that the Marine Corps' tradition of winning battles and making Marines ensures its perpetual strength and relevance.