How does your service celebrate its Birthdays

2015-11-24T22:49:51-05:00

Over the years I have told fellow service members "Happy Birthday" on the day of their service's birthday to have many of them say "It's not my birthday". This never happenes with Marines. Why don't service members connect to their service birthdays like the Corps?

Response by SSgt Rilene Ann made Nov 24 at 2015 11:21 PM

2015-11-24T23:21:03-05:00

Media and social network blitz

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Nov 24 at 2015 11:36 PM

2015-11-24T23:36:25-05:00

I certainly don't think there's a lack of pride by the sister services. However, the Corps does the best job of observing its heritage at nearly every turn in the process of becoming a Marine... and thereafter. It's WHO we are. By the way, mark your calendars now: 350 days and a wake up to our 241st! (Just a "Marine Thing" I suppose.)

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Nov 24 at 2015 11:54 PM

2015-11-24T23:54:00-05:00

Nuthin'... as far as YOU know!!! lol

Response by Sgt Sherry Taylor-Bruce made Nov 25 at 2015 12:01 AM

2015-11-25T00:01:32-05:00

Army & Air Force never could hold a candle to the Navy & Marines when it comes to celebrating the Birthdays and traditions. I hope the Air Force can change that.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Nov 25 at 2015 12:47 AM

2015-11-25T00:47:27-05:00

There's only two branches of the military, the Army and the Navy.
The Air Force is a corporation, and the Marine Corps is a cult.

Response by SrA Daniel Hunter made Nov 25 at 2015 1:07 AM

2015-11-25T01:07:59-05:00

Colonel Taylor, I see it like this. There is always that one kid that ends up being pointed to as the example. They are usually the oldest. The other kids poke fun at him from time to time, but when it comes to fighting they always call on him to be on their side. Then there is the one who always has to do things his own way. Usually the youngest. Never listens to the council of the others and usually makes a lot of mistakes along the way. While the others ridicule him for this seemingly foolish manner of going about things, they also admire his willingness to always test the prevailing wisdom. Then there are those who are in the middle, not very brash or experimental but admired by the others for their steadfast consistency. Expectations are known, they don't take themselves so seriously and they also do not rise to the level of the eldest kid. The example.

The Marine Corps is like the eldest kid. The Air Force is like the youngest. The Army and Navy are like those in the middle.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Nov 25 at 2015 8:59 AM

2015-11-25T08:59:58-05:00

We put on our best uniforms, get together and drink way to much. Then we hide Gunny before he tells the CO what he really thinks.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Nov 25 at 2015 9:49 AM

2015-11-25T09:49:31-05:00

Things may have changed recently, but in my 20 years in the Air Force, I was not stationed at a single Air Force Base that even held a formal "Birthday" celebration as the Marine Corp does. Maybe the O'Clubs did something, but I was never invited to attend. Toward the end of my career, we would get CSAF messages about the "Birthday" and of course the Air Force Times, Stars and Stripes, and the Base papers would put something about it on their covers.

I do remember in the 1990's when someone in the Air Forces senior leadership decided to change the day they considered the Air Force's birthday from 17 Sept to 18 Sept. Apparently, someone realized that even though the National Security Act was signed on 17 Sept 1947, the organizations it created did not come into existence until 18 Sept 1947.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Nov 25 at 2015 9:52 AM

2015-11-25T09:52:45-05:00

In the Marine Corps it starts in basic training. I was on Parris Island for my first Marine Corps birthday. While I knew the we had a birthday (as we had already learned about it in History, Customs Courtesies classes) I did not know how important it was. Even on Parris Island they took time to observe it, bring in a cake (which we didn't get to eat) they read the annual proclamation and the message from the Commandant, cut the cake and presented a piece to the oldest and youngest Marine (we were not Marines yet just wannabes).

It is done in a much grander fashion in the fleet but it is recognized everywhere, every year in some way great or small. My oldest son just went to his Marine Corps Ball this last weekend. They had it at a nice resort, everyone was there, Dress Blues and evening gowns and too much alcohol. I reminded him he was a Sergeant and eyes would be watching.

Response by SGT William Howell made Nov 25 at 2015 10:24 AM

2015-11-25T10:24:39-05:00

I have posted this before, but it is such a great story. My buddy Thad and I started working together in a sales job. We were the only 2 vets at the company and naturally became great friends. Thad is a former Marine and was a DI at Paris Island. I was a MP and just all around cool dude while I was in. When I left the company and moved on I got Thad hired in just as soon as there was an opening in the new company. We crack on each other all the time about the Army and Marine Corps. We are both what you would call "An HR Nightmare". When we get bored we start telling war stories and they degrade pretty quick as we "one up" the other guy. (Since Thad was in the Sunni Triangle he usually wins.) Before it is all over we usually have several people listening in to our stories. Of course, these stories always have to be told with colorful descriptors. Nobody ever seems to care and we seem to be a great source of entertainment to the others in the office. We are still HR free after a couple years.

So for the Marines birthday a year ago, I went out and got Thad a small cake that said, "Happy Birthday Marine Corps". I just wanted him to know that I had not forgot about it. The next time the Army had a birthday I come into work to find a HUGE cake on my desk (I mean like it was 3 cakes put together) and it says, "Fuck the Army!" In big giant bold letters. I had to at least eat the F before offering it up to the rest of the office. So there is my "Happy Birthday" story.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 25 at 2015 10:27 AM

2015-11-25T10:27:53-05:00

Sir, the other services do not give tradition the attention that Corps does. It doesn't bother me if a soldier doesn't remember the particular day that our service came into being, but it does bother me if a soldier doesn't know the basic facts behind the establishment of the National Guard and the US Army. Most Guardsmen I know consider 13 Dec 1636 as our birthday, and somebody will almost certainly say something about it at December drill. The difference between a Marine and myself? I researched our history because I felt it was important. A Marine has it drilled into him from day one. And I had to look up the day, because I could only remember Dec 1636 off the top of my head.

Response by TSgt Gwen Walcott made Nov 25 at 2015 3:47 PM

2015-11-25T15:47:30-05:00

"Get to Work!"

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Nov 25 at 2015 5:55 PM

2015-11-25T17:55:10-05:00

That's a personal thing Sir. Personally when 14JuneAnyyear comes along it IS my birthday before my "Birthday". So with that I along with my brothers and sisters somewhere rejoice in the fact that we've successfully secured the world, let alone this country for 240 years and many more to come. Other than that, we also celebrate 240 of being mentors and heroes to the Marines who many will realize they too want to be future and heroes when they too become Soldiers. They get extra confused though being the Army's birthday is first, they're third, then they have their personal birthdays in there somewhere.