 Well, thank you. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. To say the least, it's an honor to be your happy birthday, Marines. And in general, watching thanks for that, I unfortunately, I think most of us in this room, have buried our heroes. I am not a hero. I consider myself a very average Marine. That's not false modesty. The average Marine in my book stands pretty high. But I would tell you, do you sailors and Marines, and especially the beautiful ladies here, there is no place else on earth I would rather be tonight than here with you. So I thank you. I thank you for inviting me to share the Corps' birthday with you and here with the First Marine Division. I mean, as soon as I say the words, all these flashing pictures go through of young lads going into the brawl. The old breed, the blue diamond, the no better friend, no worse enemy. I actually copied that off a dead Roman. But I would tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that this is a national treasure, especially in these uncertain times. For you are certainly the finest, greatest warfighting outfit in the world. No doubt about it. We've all heard the assessment by a very famous writer that Americans can sleep peacefully because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. Well, I will tell you, there is no outfit on the planet that has taken on a greater share of the rough work of defending freedom than our magnificent blue diamond. In desperate times, your Marines have paid their patriots dues in the front lines fighting for life while never losing their nerve. And all you have to do is take snapshots of the division's history and past November's that show our combat team in the fight. November 1942, Guadalcanal, handling the Japanese army its first defeat in World War II. November 1944, fighting a dug in enemy on Bloody Pelallu. November 1950, fighting our way to the fateful chosen reservoir, and on the way out, we would shatter eight enemy divisions. November 1968, fighting in Vietnam, outside a little known town that would become very well known, a town named Huay City. November 1990, in the Saudi desert, preparing to breach minefields and liberate Kuwait. November 2001, after 9-11, our troops in the hangar decks final preparations for the attack into Afghanistan. November 2002, headquarters battalion, First Marine Division in Kuwait, preparing for the invasion of Iraq. And then those following years in Fierce L. Anbar and Bloody Helmand, Marines always in the most difficult sectors. In these snapshots and the hundreds of more fights that our division has fought, we were always ready. We were never caught flat footed. The enemy's first contact with Blue Diamond always sent a shock wave back through the enemy's ranks. Marines are unapologetic defenders of our nation. As the World War II Blue Diamond Marine Corporal E.B. Sledge put it, our country didn't need to be perfect to be worth fighting for. And fight we did because we were ready in body, mind, and spirit. Because in peacetime, the First Marine Division is always considered each week our last week of peace and prepared accordingly. With all hands focused on the mission of being at the top of our game, ready for a brawl, if that's what it takes to defend this great, big, wonderful, vibrant experiment that we lovingly call America. And for that, we pledge a blank check to the people of America, one payable with our lives to defend our experiment. You are the energetic young steward of our corps. With discipline and balanced professionalism, you will build an even stronger Marine Corps. And for it is discipline that separates the varsity, the elite, from the pretenders who will never withstand the shock of combat. You, the Blue Diamond's tough sailors and Marines, took on the enemy after 9-11. An enemy composed of maniacs who really thought that by killing innocent people in New York and Washington on 9-11 that they could scare us. Well, the Blue Diamond doesn't scare. And America doesn't scare. We're not made of cotton candy. No? Our corps is not confused in the least about why we exist. We exist to fight and fight will and to ensure that if we are threatened by foes who think democracies are weak because we argue openly, then the US Marines will hand them their longest and worst day proving them wrong. Much of our corps' reputation and even its wisdom come from troops too young to buy a beer legally in California. I recall a Lance Corporal in Afghanistan saying to me one night on a perimeter, this is a perfect war general. They want to die and we want to kill them. He summed it up real well. For in our war fighting corps, a Marine's highest honor is to fight alongside his fellow Marines. More than anyone, we know the tragedy of war. We know it very well, the cost of comrades, our closest friends, killed or grievously wounded and the never-ending burden shouldered by our Gold Star families for the sacrifices their families laid on the altar of freedom. We hold our lost shipmates forever in our hearts, repeating their names on nights like this and many others as we commit our lives to their memories, the finest way to show our respect and honor are fallen. Again, I quote Corporal Sledge, war is brutish and inglorious. Combat leaves an indelible mark. The only redeeming factors were my comrades' incredible bravery and their devotion to each other. Marine Corps training taught us to kill efficiently and to try to survive, but it also taught us loyalty to each other and love. That esprit de corps sustained us. To the Blue Diamonds veterans here tonight, many with my color hair and many still young in years, know that your spirit, your veteran spirit, animates the current First Marine Division from my talks here this evening. I vividly recall visiting with the assault units the night prior to the attack on Fallujah. Around midnight it was time for generals to get out of the way and leave the mission to the lads. My radio operators and I were walking behind an assault company laying down along the liner departure when the enemy caused a little mischief nearby. This would be the company that went in first to clear out the enemy outposts outside of town. I checked in with the squad leader and he said they'd take care of the problem with the enemy, which they did, and for a little bit we lay there to make sure it all died down. And I heard a young Marine going into his first fight to ask his Corporal Squad Leader, will Fallujah be rough? The squad leader, and I won't give a direct quote because we have ladies present, but he replied basically hush and get some rest. We took Iwo Jima, Fallujah won't be nothing. So if you veterans ever wondered how effective your spirit is, there it was on the front line as they lay there shivering, watching the minutes tick down to the time that they would cross the liner departure. The sprit of our corps, the spirit built on the blood, sweat and tears of our veterans will continue, sustaining our blue diamond troops when it's their turn to stand and deliver. This division's 20,000 sailors and Marines send a necessary message in this imperfect world in these stern times, in an era when storm clouds gather and autocrats commit murderous mischief. By your swearing an oath to support and defend our constitution, you warn our enemies, do not take our raucous politics as a sign of weakness for rough sailors and Marines do stand ready. United in spirit, co-equal across all ranks to carry out the mission and make clear what we stand for and what we absolutely will not stand for. For the Marine Corps spirit is stood undiminished through thick and thin. I recall walking up behind a squad engaged in a firefight in the streets of Ramadi when I was in the first Marine division as its commanding general. And I asked the single, probably the most single, most inane question that any blue diamond squad leader in our illustrious history has ever been asked in the middle of a firefight. I asked him, I said, hey guys, what's going on? The corp that's, he was a sergeant assuming a village idiot had appeared at his side. The sergeant replied, well, sir, we're just taking the fun out of fundamentalism over here. And such is the Marine Corps spirit we celebrate tonight here in Temecula. There is no victimhood in the Marine Corps. There's no cynicism and always that sense of humor that sustains body and soul. I, from my own perspective, was always amazed at our core allowed me to remain in the ranks so long. And much of my character grew out of my repeated tours here in the blue diamond. I honestly felt sorry for anyone who hadn't had the chance to serve in this warfighting division. I'll never forget being alongside some of you here this evening and your predecessors for the rest of you young sailors and Marines. I remember walking down the ranks of lads in an assault company prepared to cross the liner departure or walking among blue diamond Marines donning their gear in the hangar bay on their way to the debarkation stations. We're taking one last deep breath before our breaching teams went forward into the minefields. Those memories are as much a part of me now as my arms and legs are. And through it all, I had the confidence that when I gave the word to blue diamond Marines, they would always move against the enemy and fight like hell. So tonight we know that when that cruel auditor called war next comes knocking, the Marines will again move swiftly against our enemies and I salute every one of you for your devotion to our country and what you represent. Tonight, our country's birthday is also a salute to America the beautiful with confidence that our country's sailors, soldiers of the sea will always move against the enemy. It's my privilege, ladies and gentlemen, to be back with you, you great sailors and Marines cunning and brave and high spirit out always. Alongside you, I'd do it all again. Battle hardened staff, NCOs and officers, high spirited junior troops, you are the honest advocates of our nation's freedoms even in the face of our enemies. I'm humbled to salute you who carry on the blue diamond tradition, you who will build on our veteran's sacred legacy that is now entrusted to you and in your very, very capable hands. So happy birthday Leathernecks, long live the United States and Semper Fi.