Marine Corps League

Good Morning Readers! I say this because it is currently 0630 hours and I am drinking coffee and writing this in my dining room. Nobody else is awake. The house is silent. The only noise is the occasional sound of the heat cycling plus any random noise I make. The sun is just starting to come out and it is a crisp and frosty morning. No clouds. It reminds me and possibly anybody who served in the military and may be reading this, of those weekend mornings spent in the barracks. You know the ones. The mornings where you have just gotten back from a night out. Or perhaps you woke up early out of habit. Maybe you even woke up early to get breakfast because like me, you never missed a meal.

You walked outside and saw a handful of people getting ready to start their weekend day. Maybe they were finishing up their night from before. They may be getting off a guard rotation or might be in the middle of one. These half-awake people doing the zombie march to get their cup of joe. Sound familiar? Maybe it has a certain nostalgia to it that you miss? Alot of us do. I know I sure did. I left the active duty ranks 20 years ago. I went right into a civilian life that I just kept filling with Marine Corps familiarity. Coffee, haircuts, etc.

A little over a year ago, I was on social media when I saw a USMC buddy of mine posted a strange photo. He was wearing a short-sleeved white shirt, dress blue trousers, shiny shoes and a red soft cover. It looked just like a USMC dress uniform, but a little different. I asked him what the deal was, and he told me he was part of the local detachment of The Marine Corps League. He then went on to explain to me what the MCL is and does. The MCL is a group of honorably discharged Marines, Navy Corpsmen, and Navy Chaplains. We get together at least once a month for various things. There is always a monthly meeting (kinda like a board meeting). Sometimes we have community events. Other times we go out to breakfast and just jaw jack for a while.

There is just something about being around a group of like-minded idiots that brings out the best in each person. The shared bonding over scrambled eggs is just awesome. Talking about our time in service and sharing stories along with just being with each other reignites that fire. Stoking the forge and creating a bond with others has a certain magic to it. It reminds me of all of the USMC television commercials, and it feels like they are all rolled into what we were, are, and will always be. Plain and simple, being a part of our local detachment reminds me of what it's like to be a Marine.

Some folks will say "once you are a Marine you will never forget what it's like." That is true, but your feelings will dull over time. Getting into an environment where I get to interact with guys and girls from all different combat eras ranging from Korea to present day re-sharpens those feelings. It rekindles that sense of purpose. Being with these people reminds me of what it's like to know that at a moment's notice, we could go out and take over an establishment, spend all of our money, have a great time, and leave a lasting impression. Let's face it. Nobody creates an image the way Marines do. We are cocky, but at the same time humble. Foul-mouthed yet polite and respectful. Aggressive yet kinda relaxed. When we show up in uniform, we are definitely noticed.

Our detachments want and need more like-minded idiots. The feeling of being complete again is indescribable. If you think you miss it, you probably do. Come find us. We are easy to locate. You can search us on the web, or just message me or comment and Ill link you up. If you don't want to join, that's cool too. We have a variety of events you can come watch and be part of just as something fun to do.

Anyhow, Semper Fi and have an awesome day.

War Machine