The Legacy of 250 Years: How the Marine Corps Made Me a Good Man and a Better Woman
The icy Afghan wind cut through me as our convoy wound its way across the Shomali Plain north of Kabul. Gripping the belt-fed machine gun mounted on the turret, I anxiously scanned the low, khaki hills for any sign of threat. At 24, fresh out of the Midwest and chilled to the bone, I could never have imagined the life that lay ahead: a career at Apple during the golden age of tech, work with some of Silicon Valley’s most exciting startups, motherhood, and the opportunity to build a multimillion-dollar PR agency.
The Marine Corps is one of the world’s most remarkable institutions—its legacy built on fierce warfighting, timeless wisdom, exceptional leadership, and legendary courage. As the Corps celebrates its 250th birthday this year, I can’t help but reflect on how it shaped me—not just as a Marine but as a person—and how those lessons continue to influence the way I live and lead today.
As a young Marine, I was lucky enough to serve in some of the world’s most complex environments: across Africa, Asia, Europe, and during a wartime deployment to Afghanistan. These experiences taught me to live with audacity, adapt when chaos hit, and make the tough calls when others hesitated.
In Africa, I learned to find common ground in culturally diverse and often tense situations. In Afghanistan, I saw the power of strategic preparation paired with quick thinking during moments of chaos. Each deployment and mobilization was a masterclass in grit and ingenuity, taught not by PowerPoint but by necessity and reality.
More than a decade ago, after returning from an international security exercise as a Combat Correspondent, I received what remains the greatest compliment of my life. Sergeant Major Terry Jessip looked me in the eye and said, “Davey, you’re a good man and a better woman.”
That moment stays with me. I hope I can always live up to that vote of confidence.
Today, as the founder of a fast-growing PR agency, I draw daily on the lessons the Corps taught me. Building a business requires the same calculated risks, adaptability, and mission-driven focus that the Marine Corps instilled in me.
This year, as we honor the Corps’ 250 years of honor, courage, and commitment, I celebrate its ability to forge audacious lives. I am forever grateful to the Marines whose wisdom shaped me (Mattis, I’m looking at you) and to those I served with—including, remarkably, a multi-year assignment at MCAS Cherry Point alongside JD Vance, now our Vice President. Their legacy fuels my work and inspires me every day.
Here’s to the next 250 years of enduring values and the lives transformed by them.
Semper Fidelis.
About the Author
Lydia Davey is a founding partner at Attentio PR, where she uses storytelling to help the world’s most interesting startups drive growth. She previously led global public relations and brand communications at Hipcamp and prior to that served as a content marketing manager at Apple. A former U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondent, Davey volunteered for a wartime deployment to Afghanistan. She holds a BA in Communications from Indiana University.
