The United States of America ..... exists because of you and your predecessors. 
If it were not for the soldier, sailor and law enforcement this nation would
still be a colony of another nation... or maybe the indians would have won and
we would not even be here.

In 1492 Columbus sailed West to find a shorter way to the East Indies. 
Instead he discovered a group of islands that came to be called the West Indies. 
In 1607 English settlers and explorers landed on the shores of this city that
came to be called Virginia Beach... then they sailed inland and established
Jamestown.  The Plymouth colony and the Mayflower Compact followed soon
after and we took root as a New World.  Colonies spread inland from many
spots on the East coast of this New World and the settlers came to exhibit a
new attitude of desiring reedom from the taxes and troops of an absentee king
and the idea of a new nation was germinated.

The colonists fought many times in many places to bring us into being as a nation
within itself independent from the government of a far away nation... or any
other nation that had thoughts of taking over and subjugating these fiercely
independent people.  These settlers wanted to determine their own destiny
as a people and as a nation... a war of revolution was fought... fought through
much hardship and privation... and won, defeating the greatest army in the world
with aide from the French who were no longer our enemies but our allies.

The independent spirited people spread to the West... constantly pushing the
frontier before them until the Pacific Ocean became their only barrier. 
In the process of all of this pushing, spreading, exploring and settling the
soldier was a major instrument of progress.  Following the soldiers and
the settlers came the sheriffs,constables and marshals.  In the cities,
there were constables and then forces of law officers were established.

In every place where the explorer went... the settler followed... and the selfish
quick rich thieves, robbers and pillagers followed the settlers... so laws and
enforcement of those laws were established when the army was no longer available
or was not able to undertake local law enforcement.  Some most unusual
and prominent men rose to the challenge throughout our history.  We even
became a mighty military and sea power and went to the aid of other nations
in great conflicts.
Copying the greatest military power of the time... when our navy was born our
marines were born right along with it... The U.S. Marines became a force that
was not just there to assist in sea battles but to develop into one of the fiercest
fighting forces ever known in history with honor, traditions and codes never
seen before in such a large, fierce fighting force.  One young Marine puts
it into words this way:

(This is a poem being sent from a Marine to his Dad.
For those who take the time to read it, you'll see a letter from him to his
Dad at the
bottom. It makes you truly thankful for not only the Marines, but ALL of our
troops.)

THE MARINE

By: Corporal Aaron M. Gilbert, US Marine Corps
USS SAIPAN, PERSIAN GULF
We all came together,
Both young and old
To fight for our freedom,
To stand and be bold.
In the midst of all evil,
We stand our ground,
And we protect our country
From all terror around.
Peace and not war,
Is what some people say.
But I'll give my life,
So you can live the American way.
I give you the right
To talk of your peace.
To stand in your groups,
and protest in our streets.
But still I fight on,
I don't bitch, I don't whine.
I'm just one of the people
Who is doing your time.
I'm harder than nails,
Stronger than any machine.
I'm the immortal soldier,
I'm a U.S. MARINE!
So stand in my shoes,
And leave from your home.
Fight for the people who hate you,
With the protests they've shown.
Fight for the stranger,
Fight for the young.
So they all may have,
The greatest freedom you've won.
Fight for the sick,
Fight for the poor
Fight for the cripple,
Who lives next door.
But when your time comes,
Do what I've done.
For if you stand up for freedom,
You'll stand when the fight's done.
March 23, 2003
Hey Dad,
Do me a favor and label this "The Marine" and send it to everybody on your email list. Even leave this letter in it. I want this rolling all over the US; I want every home reading it. Every eye seeing it. And every heart to feel it. So can you please send this for me? I would but my email  time isn't that long and I don't have much time anyway. You know what Dad? I wondered what it would be like to truly understand what JFK said in His inaugural speech.