BIRTHDAY CAKE
Birthday cake isn’t very good for you, but I like it.
Birthday cake plays a significant role in today’s Marine Corps Birthday celebrations.
Every Marine Corps unit across the globe will celebrate the birth of Our Corps.
There’ll be the parties and the revelry. There’ll be formal Marine Corps Balls with everyone wearing their dress uniforms or tuxedos. It’s a fun mix of activities meant to pay honor to the birth of the Marine Corps on November 10, 1775, and to give special remembrance to the exploits of Marines throughout our 234 year history.
There will be great food, bands and music and dancing and such at the Marine Corps Ball. I never danced at the Ball. Not because I can’t. (Oh, yes … I can cut a rug. I got moves!) I just thought it was undignified for Marines to flail about in uniform. (Slow dancing is OK!) But “backin’ that thang up” in Dress Blues is just wrong.
Every good birthday party has a cake and the Marine Corps birthday is no exception. In fact, there’s a special ceremony connected to the cutting and eating of the birthday cake. The first two pieces of the cake, cut with a Marine Corps sword, go to the youngest and the oldest Marine present in that unit. After that, everyone gets some.
My first Marine Corps birthday occurred while I was in boot camp at Parris Island, SC. Along with the evening meal that day, each of us received a piece of Marine Corps birthday cake on our trays. We filed through the chow line and quickly took our places at our table, waiting for our Drill Instructor to give the command “trays … DOWN!” (All trays would come down at the exact same moment on the table so that there would only be the sound of ONE tray being placed on the table.) Then the Drill Instructor would give the command “SEATS!” (There would be the sound of only ONE butt hitting the bench as everyone sat down at exactly the same instant and froze in positon.) And then the command, “EAT!”
As I stood there waiting for the command to sit, I stole a glance at my piece of Marine Corps birthday cake as it sat on my tray looking up at me like the money I could be saving with GEICO. It looked delicious. And since we hadn’t had any sweets in several weeks, that piece of cake looked especially yummy!
But instead of the command “SEATS!” … the Drill Instructor yelled, “PICK UP THE BIRTHDAY CAKE! PICK IT UP NOW!!! AND GO THROW IT AWAY!!! … NOW!!!!”
What?? You’ve GOT to be joking!
By this time Platoon 398 was a well oiled machine, instantly and willingly giving obedience to all orders. Without hesitation each of us picked up our cake and went quickly to the big garbage cans in the mess hall and threw our cake away.
So sad. Such a waste. I hated Senior Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Warren for that.
We quickly returned to our tables, now waiting for the command to sit. But instead, our Senior Drill Instructor began to lecture us. We were told that we were not worthy to eat Marine Corps birthday cake. We were not yet Marines. We had not earned the right. We were only Marine recruits. We were candidates for the title, “Marine.” We weren’t Marines. Until we had earned the title by successfully completing Marine Corps boot camp, we were the lowest form of human existence, nothing be maggots, scum, worthless excuses for human beings. Nothing worthy of honor or praise.
When that grand and glorious day finally came, my Drill Instructors gave me my Marine Corps emblem to put on my uniform for the first time … shook my hand, and said, “Congratulations, Marine!”
I was speechless and choked up with emotion. It gave me a sense of pride and belonging that I still have to this day and which has never been eclipsed by anything else I’ve ever done or accomplished since.
Platoon 398 began with 80 recruits. Three months later only 32 of us earned the title “Marine.”
The Marine Corps makes no apologies for being the hardest of all of the branches of the service. Marine Corps boot camp is the longest and the most difficult of the four branches of the military. As the army, navy, and air force continue to shorten the length of their boot camps and to make them less strenuous, less stressful, and more “civilian friendly,” the Marine Corps is doing just the opposite. “The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat,” is the Marine Corps way.
The term “boot camp” is used a lot these days. There are “sales boot camps,” and “computer boot camps” and “chef boot camps.” I even saw an advertisement for “salsa boot camp!” The term is used a lot in fitness circles too. It’s trendy. I get that. “Boot camps” spring up all the time at health clubs and other venues. Last week’s aerobics instructor is this week’s boot camp “drill sergeant,” — or something like that — touting some sort of phoney toughness and hardcore theatrics … with no experience or training in the military. It’s all rather silly to me. Seems that if you lead a “boot camp” fitness program with a military facade, you should have actually been to REAL boot camp.
As a member of USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP you are part of a special group, a unique community, a proud corps. A culture of accomplishment and tradition, training and toughness, high expectation and esprit de corps that goes back 234 years! In other words, the real deal. On this 234th birthday of The Corps, I recommit myself to giving you the same kind of training and challenges that have marked the success and glory of the United States Marine Corps! I will continue to honor the title “Marine” by giving you reason to be proud of yourself!
Semper Fi!
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Balance: The Key To Running Injury Free
Running Seminar sponsored by Fleet Feet & Los Locos Triathlon Team
Date: Monday, November 16
Time: 7-9
Location: Fleet Feet Sports, Laurelwood Plaza
Lucia Colbert, author, Structural Integration Practitioner, USA Triathlon All-American, Ironman World Championship finisher
Susan Ruch, Physical Therapist, USAT All-American, Ironman World Championship finisher
Refreshments provided by Panera Bread & Grateful Palate
Cost: FREE
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HALF MARATHON TRAINING THIS SATURDAY!!
Our St. Jude Half Marathon Training continues on Saturday, Nov 14 at 8 AM!
We will meet in front of the Visitor’s Center at Shelby Farms!
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0645 and 0830 CLASSES ARE ACTIVATED!!
The 0645 and 0830, both MWF classes, are back in session!
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TUESDAY & THURSDAY EVENING CLASS
The Tuesday and Thursday evening classes meet at St. Mary’s track. Those classes begin at 5:45 PM. St. Mary’s is at the corner of Walnut Grove and Perkins. In the event of rain, these cardio only classes will be canceled.
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NO MT. FUJI WORKOUT THIS MONTH!
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NEW WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM!
Soon I will be announcing a partnership with a very successful and results oriented weight loss program endorsed by John’s Hopkins Hospital! Stay tuned for more details!
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HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
We will have one workout on Wednesday morning November 25 at 0530. After that we will stand down until Monday morning November 30th.
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HIRING?
A former boot camper is looking for a job. She’s got experience in marketing, sales, copy writing, and real estate (she’s got her license). If you know of something that might work for her, let me know.
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KNEE UPDATE:
A number of you have asked about my recovery. Thanks guys! It’s slow going. You really can’t hurry healing, but and I’m happy to report that I’m on track and maybe even a little ahead of schedule. Surgery was 6 weeks ago this coming Friday to repair a torn quad tendon (no scope for this, I’m afraid) and a torn meniscus.
As of today, I’m at 113 degrees of knee bend and just added some very basic strength training to my physical therapy. My surgeon, Dr. Robert Miller (husband of our own Nancy Miller) gave me permission to sleep without the brace! (wooohoooo!) AND he’s given me permission to swim without kicking. So for now, swimming laps will be my only cardio exercise.
Thank you all so much for your kindness and words of encouragement!
To your continued good health and fitness!
Tony
Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
Memphis, TN
901-644-0145
www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com
