The Marine Corps 250th Birthday
I formed some of my fondest memories of the Marine Corps in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in the summer of 2008. It was not a casual experience. The conditions were unequivocally severe. The pace of combat was relentless. Our supply lines were cut frequently. Ammunition was sparse. Close air support was unavailable. The situation was grim, but morale was high despite mounting casualties.
My Force Reconnaissance platoon worked tirelessly to disrupt Taliban attacks in our area of operations by neutralizing their leadership. We did most of our work at night. This presented multiple tactical advantages but made it difficult to rest between missions. It was nearly impossible to sleep in the daytime. The camouflage netting rigged between our vehicles did little to ease the discomfort of the oppressive heat.
The 10th of November that year started like any other. Our Marines did their best to recover from an evening of pitched battle before turning to their priorities of work. The air was heavy with the smell of CLP gun cleaning fluid and unwashed Marines. Tattered pictures of Taliban leaders were taped to a white board, their eyes glaring at us through the red x’s drawn across their faces. We huddled around a tactical radio and anxiously waited for reports of our new target’s location.
The lack of intelligence that evening earned us a short respite from combat. We feasted on locally procured food that night. Our Marines cooked the meat to perfection on a make-shift grill fashioned out of a HESCO protective barrier. My platoon sergeant called our Marines to attention after we finished eating and read General Lejeune’s birthday message from 1921. We sang all three stanzas of the Marine’s hymn before he cut a carrot cake tray ration into individual slices with a KA-BAR knife. It wasn’t the finest dessert I’ve ever had, but we all had a bite. We passed the evening in tactical revelry, drinking warm sodas and smoking care-package cigars. I was halfway through mine before a voice on the radio sent us running to don our armor and load our vehicles. It is highly appropriate that we book-ended our Marine Corps birthday celebration with camaraderie and combat.
I can’t wait to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Corps with you this November. There is nothing quite like the pageantry and ceremony associated with our Marine Corps Birthday celebrations. Our finest tradition, however, was not built on fine china. Marines forged the esteemed reputation of our Corps through their heroism and sacrifice in faraway places like Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, and the Helmand Province. This November I encourage you to raise your glasses and toast the young men and women who celebrated the birth of our Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan. Semper Fidelis, Marines!
About the Author
Colonel Byron Owen began his career in the Marine Corps as an infantry officer in 2003 before transitioning to military intelligence in 2010, and later to cyberspace warfare in 2017. He deployed twice to Iraq as an infantry platoon commander with 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. He also deployed to Afghanistan twice, first as a platoon commander with 1st Force Recon Company and later as a company commander with1st Battalion, 3rd Marines.
Col Owen served as the commanding officer of 1st Force Reconnaissance Company, Combat Mission Team 1, Cyberspace Warfare Task Group 1, and 3d Radio Battalion. He is presently the Deputy Director for Intelligence at the National Military Command Center. He holds degrees from the Naval Academy, Naval War College, and National War College. His personal decorations include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Valor device, and the Purple Heart (third award).
