Here’s my favorite highlight:

Of course, honor, courage and commitment are always in short supply. But the Marines teach personal responsibility and accountability by example, that any chain is only as strong as the weakest individual link. As a unit, we are stronger working together than the individual members can separately be.

Marines take care of their own — and they take care of their fellow Marines before themselves. The well-being of the country and of the Corps is more important than our individual well-being.

This may best be stated in the hard-and-fast Marine rule: “Officers eat last.” The Marine officer does not eat until after his subordinates for whom he is responsible — the corporals and privates — have been fed. Marines live by the rule that loyalty goes both up and down the chain of command. Would not our country be a more just and human place if the brass of Wall Street and Washington and executive suites believed that “officers eat last”?

Yes, these are some of the values that are instilled in our Corps.  Imagine this nation if these were common values.

OOORAH!

However, we should be seeing more of it.  Instead of heading for retirement later this year, Gen. Mattis has been tapped as Commander CENTCOM.  This is a Marine who understands warfighting, he understands the middle eastern mindset, and he speaks very clearly.  There is absolutely no misunderstanding what his message is.

Now, let’s contrast that to this 5 point tutorial on how to get things done over at Major Pain’s.

See any differences in the approach to getting things done?

Against GySgt Wallgreens request I recorded his speach in secret….. the result is this awesome video with the last words we heard before boarding helos and heading into the heart of Marjeh. Have you ever wondered how Marines get pumped up? This video will show you how true leaders inspire their Marines to do the unthinkable.– description w/video on YouTube

Damn I miss this.

1. Natural disaster strikes.
2. US immediately sorties assets to evaluate situation.
3. Concurrently follow on assets readied to address anticipated logistical requirements.
4. US forces recalled, deployed, and diverted from current missions to assist.
5. International community complains loudly about US controlling and monopolizing the logistics train.
6. Affected locals complain about insufficient assistance, and slow support.
7. Celebrities and news crews on site for “in depth” coverage and photo ops.
8. US picks up costs of effort without comment.

Now all of this is necessary, and given the magnitude of the event it takes some time to get assets in place, assistance moving, and the situation stabilized.  That is the nature of anything that impacts so many people.  But, to stabilize the situation and get to the point that widespread basic services can be restored, and long term rebuilding can begin these steps have to happen.

But there is that short term period of time before the supply chain gets rolling where small teams of individuals, with the right mindset, the right skill set, and the support of a grass roots team can make all the difference in the world.

This is the story of Team Rubicon, the Marines, soldiers, and volunteers that are making a difference.

Gang-

It’s been a very busy couple of weeks around our neck of the woods. Bad guys getting froggy, temperatures dropping, and ill tempered mice massing in large groups! …It’s all good, no worries.

Your Marines are doing great things around the area. With continued operations that pin the enemy back into unmaneuverable positions we continue our progress forward. Many people ask me, “Are we really making a difference here?” Being the second go around for me here, I can tell you it’s 100% better than the first time I was here. In a more closer look to the area, I can tell you that local leaders have and continue to make great gains in their local economic and life support structures throughout their region.

When you have local civilians begin to inform you of IED emplacements and continue to stand up against the enemy threat, when you have people that want to make their area better without intimidation and, although scared, continue to work with Coalition Forces, those are signs of progress in the area.  Not how many Marines are in a square foot but more so of what those Marines do and how they carry out their actions that defines progress.  Yes, there is progress in Afghanistan and your Marines are leading the way.

Mail is arriving, however, I did just now get a letter sent before Thanksgiving. Its hit & miss at times. All of you out there please know, because of the austere conditions, limited computer networks, our fighting position, email and even slow snail mail isn’t available much of the time. We have received your care packages and I want to send out a HUGE thank you for all of you that have sent packages and letters of support. You don’t know how much that helps.  We don’t have a PX, our chow hall is a burnt out building so we don’t have the “luxuries” of many large bases. Mail gets to us when it “gets to us” .

We are maximizing and validating the techniques, tactics and procedures of the concept of “light infantry fighting”….and it’s working very well!

Time for a stoagy, Semper Fi!