Bad Apples!

We have all seen it or at least heard about it; people lying about serving in uniform. That is something that gets my blood to an absolute boil in about .3 seconds. The only thing that is worse than that is when someone in uniform has to lie about what he or she has done to get attention. “A Marine Corps sergeant was sentenced yesterday to 18 months confinement and fined $25,000 for pretending to be an injured war hero to get free seats at rock concerts and professional sporting events.” (1)

I have no time for people like this and in my opinion this person should stay in jail forever. In this time we are in, fighting on two fronts and losing our Marines to death and injury this person fakes injury and lies about heroic things that he never did just so he could go to free concerts and football games. We have real heroes out there who are not getting the help that they need and this person took the resources away from the people who really need it.

The worst thing about all of this is this person was a Sergeant in the World’s Finest Fighting Force and he knew better than to do something that was so against what we are taught as Marines; Honor, Courage, Commitment. He let himself down as well as the Marine Corps as a whole. We work hard as Marines to live by those three important words and when people like this do things that go against our values it gives us a black eye. But we are Marines and we will keep marching forward and continue in our mission to be the World’s Finest.

Semper Fidelis Marines
Justin Brandenburg
October 23, 2009

(1) Associated Press / October 22, 2009

Tribute

Here is a little something that I put together. Please let me know what you think.

Justin

Bringing Them Home

When we lose one of our own in battle, their journey is just beginning. Going to battle and making the ultimate sacrifice is the most honorable thing a U.S. Marine can make. It is from that point that we do whatever it takes to get that Marine home.

When a Marine is killed in war their remains are taken back home to their families by a Marine. This is an unnoticed job that absolutely has to gets done. More than likely the Marine doing the escort does not even know the fallen. It is not a glorious, high profile duty, but it is probably one of the most honorable things that a Marine can do. To volunteer to escort the remains of a fallen brother or sister with honor back to their resting place takes a special person.

Just remember, if you happen to see this duty being performed take a second and show your respect not only for the fallen, but for that Marine who is escorting that fallen hero home with respect and honor.

Check out the HBO movie "Taking Chance" on Saturday Feb. 21st.
It is a true story of a Marine officer escorting a fallen Marine home to his family.

Marines

You can spot them a mile away, with their almost cocky aura oozing from their skin. So confident that they know that they can take on anything that is put in front of them, or they will die trying. It does not matter how old or how young you are, because when you earn that title, you are forever a United States Marine.

We never stop loving our Corps and it never stops loving us. We continue to serve our country even when we no longer wear the uniform. Whether we are 18 or 80, when we hear the National Anthem we stand tall and get shivers down our spine. We stand up for our Corps and we stand up for each other, Once a Marine, Always a Marine.

It is nice to know that there will always be a bond between us Marines, whether we knew each other or not. Ready to help out a fellow brother in need at a moment’s notice, regardless of what it takes. We never leave a fellow Marine behind, we all come home together.

This is what makes us special, and sets us apart from the rest. Take some time to help out a Marine in need. Someday it may be you who needs the help.

Semper Fidelis
Justin Brandenburg
February, 2009