 On behalf of all those in the MEF, congratulations, you're the best in battalion in the Marine Corps. Here you go. General, we'll take good care of your cup, but I think the biggest reward that the Marines and sailors of this battalion... I am Lieutenant Colonel Jim Armstrong, commanding officer, Second Battalion Six Marines. So we're recognizing the battalion for being the recipient of the Two MEF Chesty Puller Award for the best large unit within the MEF. The battalion Six Marines was deployed forward as part of the 22nd MEW throughout 2022. During that time, they were involved in operations up in the Baltics, down in the Mediterranean, and spread across the European theater. They conducted missions with partner nations. They conducted all kinds of operations that really advanced the mission in a very important time in a very important theater, reassuring our partners and allies. Additionally, they built a strong unit that hit the mark in a lot of the things that we say are important for units. First and foremost, they took care of each other. They were well-disciplined, didn't have issues with conduct, and they liked each other so much they decided to re-enlist and to stay Marine. And so we built a really strong unit that went out and when asked to execute the mission did it well, and they were recognized for it. So this is a historic award that is awarded annually to various units throughout the MEF. There's three categories for the small, medium, and large unit. Second Battalion Six Marines falls in the large unit category, and this award recognizes the unit that achieves the or sets the standard in the things that determine a good organization. Two Six is special because of the legacy. This is a storied battalion and more importantly it's because of the people that are in it. This is the tribe. It's built with the Marines, the sailors, the families, the friends and loved ones that support us and the fact that we rely and depend on each other and that we count on each other. I took command in December, December 15th of 2022, so about six months now. We built a culture based off trust. We trust the individual that they're competent, that they're proficient, and that they're a mature individual who's going to make good decisions when they're put forward. You entrust people with responsibilities and they generally exceed your expectations. And when you see that across the unit and you see that recognized and rewarded, you build a unit that's capable of doing amazing things. That's what this unit has done consistently over and over again over the course of the last year. I think you saw it out here today. You saw it out here with the recognition of the individuals who contribute to the fight. There's not a single individual in this battalion who does anything that's more important than anybody else. It truly is the effort of the team working together in the way that we foster that sense of tribe. We pull in the families. It's not an individual out here ever on their own. It's always together. I tell you, there's no better job in the Marine Corps than serving in an infantry battalion and being part of 2-6 is like the pinnacle of being in an infantry battalion. And it really is. It's the people of this organization that make this the best place to be. The most valuable experience is getting to know the Marines and sailors that make up this battalion, spending time with them in the field, getting down with them in their shops, and just hearing who they are. We've got a wide variety of experiences and expertise in the battalion. We've got Marines and sailors from all over the United States and several foreign countries, and each of them comes with a story. And it's those individual stories that make this unit together, one of the best units in 2MF. So what I tell you, what makes 2-6 special and why do people want to stay Marine when they're part of 2-6? I think it boils down to trust, attitude, and discipline. We do what we say we're going to do, and we don't do what we say we're not going to do. And when you can count on the person to the left and the right of you to do what they say they're going to do, then you trust them. And when you build trust, it's cyclical. It breeds further trust. And so you get to do the things you want to do. You get to control your own destiny, which really goes to attitude. And we talk about, you know, attitude is the one thing that you always control. People can make you do a lot of things, but the attitude with which you approach the problem, that's always up to you. Now, fortunately, we got a lot of Marines and sailors in this battalion with some fantastic attitudes. The motto of the battalion is, we're the ready battalion. And we've talked a lot about what being ready means. It means being lethal, first and foremost, if we get asked to execute our mission in combat. But it means able to respond. It means able to take care of something before it becomes an issue. And then the motto of the battalion is never to quit. And we try to embody that with everything we do. The Spartans of 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, they lead the way. When we send these Marines and sailors out to schools, they come back as honor grads. They come back with additional skills, and they immediately turn to and teach those that are part of this. And so we're talking about, you know, links in the chain of a legacy. And 2-6 has a long legacy. We're proud of it. We're proud of what the battalion's done in its history. We're humbled to be a part of what it's doing today. And we look forward to be in the next chapter in establishing, adding to the great reputation of this battalion. These are the captain. OK, so how was this unit, right? And I'll just tell you this straight up. I sat in on that board. If you'd have lined up 2-6 and any. I think about units being a part of an outstanding unit. And I've been a power of a lot. Really joyful time here. And I can feel the energy, and it's really magnificent. Like Sergeant Major said, I felt the need to make sure that you recognize winners. It's OK. Not everybody gets a damn trophy. But we recognize winners. This is different. And I went back to what my leaders had taught me and said, this is where I need to go. We will go this way, because that's what right looks like. The second unit, every day, I looked left, and I looked right, and my advice to you is take a moment and enjoy where you are. Large portion of you will leave this unit, PCS, go back into where in this great country we belong. Some of you will move on to other organizations. Some of you will be the unit of basis for the next beginning of building up Spartan. But on behalf of all those in the MEPH, congratulations you're the best in battalion in the Marine Corps. Here you go. General, we'll take good care of your cup, but I think the biggest reward that the Marines and sailors for this battalion, with one, is that when the mission comes down, and somebody's getting feisty and you're looking for the ready battalion, that yellow diamond comes to mind. Because you'll find the Spartans ready. Stand up. Understand. Stand up. All right. All right. First Lieutenant Nelson, you stand in here. There's the guy.