1997 YOUNG MARINE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

ADJUTANT: Sound Attention

NARRATOR: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN PLEASE TAKE YOU SEATS AS THE CEREMONY IS ABOUT TO BEGIN

ADJUTANT: "Sound Adjutant's Call"

NARRATOR: "Young Marines, GUESTS AND Families, WELCOME TO THE Quantico Young Marine CELEBRATION OF THE 32nd BIRTHDAY OF THE Young Marines. Our celebration tonight is about the leadership and camaraderie, integrity and growth of these young people, which we hold so dear. We believe this is what distinguishes all those who have worn the uniform from all other YOUTH GROUPS in the world today."

MUSIC: Begins playing "The Marines Hymn."

YOUNG MARINES HONOR GUARD: Enter room by two’s, march to position, halt and face inboard.

MUSIC STOPS AFTER ALL ESCORTS ARE IN PLACE

MUSIC: Sound Attention

COLOR GUARD: Enter room and march halfway down the floor and halt.

MUSIC: SOUND ATTENTION

MUSIC: NATIONAL ANTHEM

As National Anthem Starts SENIOR HONOR GUARD COMMANDER: COMMANDS - PRESENT ARMS

SENIOR HONOR GUARD COMMANDER: AFTER MUSIC FINISHES NATIONAL ANTHEM,

COMMANDS -"ORDER ARMS"

COLOR GUARD: COUNTERMARCH AND EXIT ROOM

MUSIC: BEGIN HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG (SLOW)

OLDEST AND YOUNGEST MARINES: FOLLOW CAKE ESCORT AND HALT

SENIOR ESCORT: COMMANDS - PARADE REST

ALL PARTICIPANTS: PARADE REST

MUSIC: Begin AULD LANG SYNE

NARRATOR: THE CAKE CUTTING CEREMONY IS A TIME HONORED TRADITION

OBSERVED BY YOUNG MARINES ON OCTOBER 16th TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF THE Young Marines. THREE PIECES OF CAKE WILL BE CUT AT THIS PART OF THE CEREMONY.

THE FIRST PIECE OF CAKE WILL BE PRESENTED TO LAST YEARS QUANTICO YOUNG MARINE OF THE YEAR.

YOUNG MARINE OF THE YEAR FOR 1996 WAS YOUNG MARINE:

WHO WAS BORN ON:

AND ENTERED THE YOUNG MARINES ON:

THE SECOND PIECE OF CAKE WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE YOUNGEST YOUNG MARINE PRESENT WHO REPRESENTS THE FUTURE OF THE YOUNG MARINES

RECEIVING THE SECOND PIECE OF CAKE WILL BE THE OLDEST YOUNG MARINE WHO WILL IN TURN PASS IT ON TO OUR YOUNGEST YOUNG MARINE, SIGNIFYING THE PASSING ON OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE FROM THE OLD TO THE YOUNGEST OF THE YOUNG MARINES.

THIS EVENING, THE YOUNGEST YOUNG MARINE PRESENT IS:

Who WAS BORN ON:

AND ENTERED THE YOUNG MARINES ON:

THE THIRD PIECE OF CAKE IS PRESENTED TO THE OLDEST YOUNG MARINE

PRESENT, SIGNIFYING THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE YOUNG MARINES WHO HAVE PROUDLY SERVED GOD, FAMILY, COUNTRY, AND CORPS IN DAYS PAST, AND ALLOWS TODAY'S YOUNG MARINES THE OPPORTUNITY TO REDEDICATE THEMSELVES TO THE PRIDE, HONOR, AND TRADITIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN PASSED ON TO THEM BY THE MARINE CORPS AND YOUNG MARINES SINCE 1775.

THIS IS YOUNG MARINE:

WHO WAS BORN ON:

AND ENTERED THE YOUNG MARINES ON:

THE CAKE HONOR GUARD CUTS THE CAKE, GIVES A PIECE FIRST TO THE YOUNG MARINE OF THE YEAR, SECOND TO THE OLDEST YOUNG MARINE WHO PASSES IT ON TO THE YOUNGEST YOUNG MARINE AND THIRD TO THE OLDEST YOUNG MARINE WHO KEEPS IT.

*****PAUSE***** wait for cake cutting to finish

WHEN EVERYONE HAS RECEIVED THEIR CAKE, THE OLDEST AND YOUNGEST MARINE FACE ABOUT AND EAT THEIR CAKE. THE CAKE ESCORTS MAINTAIN THEIR NECESSARY POSITIONS.

AS YOU ENTERED THE ROOM, YOU SHOULD HAVE NOTICED TWO TABLES, SET

IN A PLACE OF HONOR. THEY ARE EACH SET FOR ONE, YET THERE ARE

MANY WHO SIT IN EACH CHAIR. PLEASE LET ME EXPLAIN. THE

YOUNG MARINE WAY OF LIFE IS FILLED WITH MUCH SYMBOLISM, THESE TWO

TABLES PROVIDE A WAY TO TELL US THAT MEMBERS OF THE YOUNG MARINES

WHOM WE CALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US THE

EVENING. THE FIRST TABLE WHICH I WILL ADDRESS IS DRAPED IN BLACK

SYMBOLIZING THE COLOR OF MOURNING, THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, A

TABLE SET IN HONOR OF OUR COMRADES WHO HAVE DIED.

THE SINGLE LIGHTED CANDLE - REMINDS US OF THE FLAME OF ETERNAL

LIFE. THAT THE MEMORY OF OUR COMRADES BE WITH US ALWAYS.

THE IDENTIFICATION TAGS - BLANK, YET THEY COULD BEAR THE NAME

OF ANY OF US HERE TONIGHT. THE DINNER SETTING - INVERTED, THEY BREAK BREAD WITH US IN SPIRIT

LIGHTS CANDLE AT FALLEN COMRADES TABLE.

MUSIC: ECHO TAPS

NARRATOR: THE SECOND TABLE SET FOR ONE IS SMALL - SYMBOLIZING THE FRAILTY OF ONE MISSING CHILD, A PRISONER ALONE AGAINST HIS OPPRESSORS. THE TABLECLOTH IS WHITE - SYMBOLIZING THE PURITY OF THEIR INTENTIONS TO RETURN HOME. THE SINGLE RED ROSE - REMINDS US OF THE FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES OF OUR MISSING CHILDREN WHO KEEP THE FAITH AWAITING THEIR RETURN. THE YELLOW RIBBON - TIED SO PROMINENTLY TO

THE VASE IS REMINISCENT of THE RIBBON WORN ON THE LAPEL AND BREASTS OF THOUSANDS WHO BEAR WITNESS TO THEIR DETERMINATION TO FIND OUR MISSING CHILDREN. A SLICE OF LEMON - IS ON THE BREAD PLATE TO REMIND US OF THEIR BITTER FATE. THERE IS SALT UPON THE PLATE - SYMBOLIC OF THEIR FAMILIES’ TEARS AS THEY WAIT.

THE GLASS IS INVERTED - THEY CANNOT TOAST WITH US TONIGHT.

THE CHAIR - THE CHAIR IS EMPTY, THEY ARE NOT HERE.

AT THIS TIME WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE

SENIOR ESCORT: COMMANDS - ESCORTS, ATTENTION

MUSIC: BEGINS SEMPER FIDELIS

MARCH DOWN THE FLOOR AND OUT OF THE ROOM

Narrator: YOUNG MARINES AND GUESTS, THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE CELEBRATION OF THE 32ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE YOUNG MARINES. THE YOUNG MARINES OF QUANTICO HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THE CEREMONY HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING - HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND SEMPER FIDELIS.