COMMANDANT on the DECK!

“…In this vein, I have determined it is time to act to exclude from our Corps public displays of the battle flag carried by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. In doing so, I am mindful that many people believe that flag to be a symbol of heritage or regional pride. But I am also mindful of the feelings of pain and rejection of those who inherited the cultural memory and present effects of the scourge of slavery in our country. My intent is not to judge the specific meaning anyone ascribes to that symbol or declare someone’s personally held view to be incorrect. Rather, I am focused solely on building a uniquely capable warfighting team whose members come from all walks of life and must learn to operate side-by-side. This symbol has shown it has the power to inflame feelings of division. I cannot have that division inside our Corps. Marines are committed to Country, Corps, and our fellow Marines. While we serve on this team, we must respect the views of other Marines and embody the priorities of the team. Building strong teams requires seeing things through each other’s eyes; walking in each other’s shoes. When we do so, it is not uncommon for us to find that ideas we held in our youth, or language we thought was common, was in fact considered offensive and unacceptable to others. To do my duty and build this team, I must focus on the constant and timeless values that we share with the Navy—Honor, Courage, and Commitment. We must remove those symbols that have the effect of division and not mere disagreement. I am asking every Marine to focus on the team and the symbols that bring us together—the eagle, globe and anchor. The stars and stripes. Our battle colors. Our MarPat uniform. Team over self: that is how we must operate to fight and win. Semper Fidelis,

David H. Berger
General, U.S. Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps

"We the People in My Country 'Tis of Thee in Liberty our Patriotism", THANK YOU SIR!