Happy 237th Birthday Marine Corps!

November 10 is the Marine Corps birthday.  Every year Marines all around the world gather on or around November 10 to celebrate their birthday with a ball.  It is a huge and very formal celebration and typically the social event of the year.  The Marines get dressed up in the most formal dress blues uniform and their wives/significant others dress in formal gowns. 

When Russ first joined the Marine Corps over 11 years ago I dreaded going to the birthday ball.  Whether it was a lack of maturity or a lack of understanding the significance of the event (probably both) I saw it as a pain to have to buy a dress, find a babysitter, pay for expensive tickets, get dressed up and talk to a bunch of people I barely knew.  As I have gotten older and (hopefully) matured the MC Ball has become an event I eagerly anticipate each year.  Over the years I have realized what a unique opportunity it is that for at least one night a year I get to dress in a formal gown while my husband is in his smokin' hot uniform, celebrate an important piece of America's history and hang out with friends.  It is a unique part of military life that is not often experienced in the civilian world.

The Marine Corps Ball in Korea is the social event of the year.  It is one of the biggest balls I have ever been to with almost 700 people in attendance.  While it is mostly Marines, service members from other branches will often buy tickets because they know the Marines can throw a good party.

After we were all ready to go we snapped a few pictures in front of the pretty fall trees (it was really cold and I was freezing while taking these pictures)

See, I told you he was smokin' hot.

The ball was about 30 minutes away from base at the Walker Hotel.

There are very few ballrooms in Seoul that can accommodate this many people.

 There is always a cocktail hour before dinner.  It is a great time to take pictures.

 Every year there is a guest of honor invited to the ball.  This year the guest of honor was the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps General Gray.  Due to the nature of Russ' job we were able to spend a little bit of time with General Gray.  He is 84 years old and still a ball of fire.  The saying "Once a Marine, Always a Marine" very much holds true for General Gray.  I'm not even in the Marine Corps and he was a little bit intimidating to me.  Here is a picture of Russ and I with General Gray.

Russ and I joked that by the time you are 84 years old and have been been a Marine for 40 years you can wear anything you want to the ball and everyone will tell you how great it looks.  The digital cammies suit jacket and bow tie would not have been my first choice. (And while it may look like it, my hand is not on the General's bottom in this picture...but that would explain his big smile.)

A unique part of this ball in Korea was all the Korean military men and their wives that attended the ball.  The Korean women do not wear formal gowns like we do, they wear traditional gowns called Hanboks.  Here is a picture of the Korean ladies in their beautiful Hanboks:

At every ball there is a ceremony and birthday cake cutting before the dinner.  While there are some elements of every ceremony that remain the same no matter where the ball takes place there are other elements that are unique to each ball.  There is a specific tradition to each part of the ceremony.  

The ceremony always starts with an Invocation by a Chaplain:

Next is the Commemoration of Fallen Comrades:

This is an empty table in all black to remember those that have fallen in the line of duty. Here is the speech that is given followed by a moment of silence to honor those that are not with us anymore. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, as you entered this banquet hall, you should have noticed that before us tonight stands an empty chair and a single lone table draped in black, signifying all of our fallen comrades who are not with us this evening because they have given the full measure of devotion to our country and to our beloved Corps.  The single lighted candle reminds us of the flame of eternal life and that the memory of our fallen comrades will be with us always.  The Purple Heart Medal is displayed to reflect the shedding of blood and the ebb of life in battle.  The identification tags are blank, yet they could bear the name of any of us here tonight.  The dinner setting, inverted, they break bread with us in spirit only.

Only a few Americans choose the dangerous and necessary work of fighting our nation’s enemies.  As a consequence of that choice, some have paid the ultimate price, joining the honor roll of heroes who built the noble legacy of our Corps.  For those of us who carry on that legacy, it is our obligation to honor those fallen Marines.  As Marines gather in celebration of our history, we gather in the shadows of greatness – though our fallen can no longer participate in our traditions, they will always be a part of us and who we are.”

During the moment of silence

A unique part of the ball here in Korea was a Historical Uniform Pageant:

They have had Marine uniform replicas made from each of the major conflicts the Marine Corps has participated in since it's beginning.  Marines dressed up in these uniforms and each gave a speech as a Marine from that time.  It was very impressive.  They even had a few Korean Marines speak as well.

Next is the Presentation of the Colors and the National Anthem:

General Regner, General Gray and General Lee (the Republic Of Korea Commandant)

 Ever since Russ has joined the Marine Corps the National Anthem has taken on a new meaning for me.  There are many of my friends, including my husband, that have and will put their lives in harm's way, without a second thought, for our country.  Every time I hear it played it brings tears to my eyes as I think of all the families that are currently separated from each other as their service member defends our country and those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.  There is not a more awesome place to hear the National Anthem then at a Marine Corps Ball, surrounded by all these men standing at attention in their dress blues.  It is a humbling and awesome experience.

Next is the entrance of the birthday cake and the cake cutting:

The cake is cut with a Marine Corps sword.

 The tradition is that the first piece of cake goes to the oldest Marine in attendance and he then passes the piece to the youngest Marine in attendance.  This signifies the passing on of traditions within the Corps from the older generation to the younger.  The oldest Marine in attendance was General Gray who was born in 1928 and the youngest Marine was a Lance Corporal who was born in 1993. (Now doesn't that just make some of you feel old :)

The original birthday message from General John A. Lejeune is read:

General John Lejeune was the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps.  He was born in January of 1867 and joined the Marine Corps in 1890.  LtGen Lejeune is known and revered in the U.S. Marine Corps history as "the Marine's Marine" and "the greatest Leatherneck." (some of you may remember we just came from Camp Lejeune, NC Marine Corps Base)

Next is the Retiring of the Colors:

Look at how perfectly lined up all their legs are during the march.

There are a few speeches by the Commanding General of the unit and the guest of honor:

Major General Regner commander of MARFORK (Marine Forces Korea)

General Gray

 Finally dinner (we are always starved by this point in the evening), dancing and a few more pictures with our friends:

The dark lighting made for some very bad red eyes.  I can't get it any better then this.

I promise we are not Smurfs, the lighting during the dancing made us all look blue.

I DO NOT dance.  I have 2 left feet, no ability to keep a rhythm and am stiff as a board.  In the 11 years of going to MC Balls I have never danced.  My friend made it her mission to get me on the dance floor, and as you can see she did succeed in getting me out there, but I can assure you after seeing me try to dance during one song she will never ask me to come out on the dance floor again. 

This picture is of Russ rescuing me off the dance floor.  I was so thankful to see him.  I think that guy behind me was thankful to see me leave the dance floor as well.

 One last picture of the evening.  This was my favorite picture of the night.