WASHINGTON, DC --
“Old breed? New breed? There’s not a damn bit of difference so long as it’s the Marine breed.” – Chesty Puller
The "New" Corps
Over the course of time there has been a tendency of the older generation of Marines to view the newer generations as not measuring up. Interestingly, those Marines were told the same thing when they were “boots”. Each line in the sand calls into question the ability of aspiring leaders to serve with as much honor, courage, and commitment as the last. These “lines in the sand” stretch from Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir, and Hue City all the way to Fallujah, Marjah, Sangin, and countless other battles. Like previous generations, this “New Corps” has made their own historic contributions to our legacy and proven their mettle in the crucible of combat.
I entered the Marine Corps in 1988 at the end of the Cold War and immediately learned the value of lessons passed on from one generation of Marines to the next. President Ronald Reagan was still in office and many of my instructors at Infantry Training Battalion were Vietnam veterans. When I arrived at my first duty station, many of my battalion’s leaders were also Vietnam Vets. While their tales of combat were inspiring, those warriors were skeptical of us and thought my generation was soft because we grew up in the 1980’s. Regardless of their personal feelings, and to their credit, those combat experienced leaders focused their efforts on training us to a high standard. Ultimately, my generation served together with many of them to achieve success in Desert Storm. They understood that giving the individual Marine challenging training, firm leadership, and instilling a disciplined approach to all tasks were essential if we were to be successful on the battlefield, regardless of how our generation was labeled.