R 181537Z DEC 24
ALMAR 035/24
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/HOLIDAY MESSAGE 2024//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. To all Marines, Sailors, Civilian Marines, and
our families, I want to wish you a very joyous holiday season. This
past year has been a great one for our Corps. We have made
incredible progress in modernizing our technology and strengthening
our amphibious capabilities. We also met our recruitment goals,
exceeded our retention goals, and even grew the start pool for our
Delayed Entry Program. And we owe all of those successes to you,
our people who are our Corps' most valuable asset. I sincerely
appreciate the invaluable contributions you each make to our Corps
and our great Nation.
2. What you do matters. Every member of our Marine Corps team
plays a crucial role in ensuring that we are able to carry the
legacy of warfighting excellence into the future. Twenty years ago,
Marines commemorated the holiday season on the battleground of
Fallujah. Today, we honor those who go into harm's way so that
Americans can celebrate the holidays in peace, and we thank all who
are deployed around the world. We hope that all our deployed
Marines will be able to enjoy holiday celebrations with your
extended Marine Corps family. We are also truly grateful for the
support of our families. You are an essential part of our team, and
we could not do what we do without you. Thank you for your
tremendous efforts and the sacrifices you continue to make on behalf
of our Corps.
3. For those traveling this holiday season, we need you to be safe.
I am confident that you will all make smart choices and take care of
each other like Marines do. With our characteristic engaged
leadership and strong bonds, I know we are capable of getting every
member of the team safely back to duty after this holiday season.
4. No one should be alone during the holidays. If you know of a
fellow Marine who may not have a place to go for the holidays,
consider asking them to join you and your family for the day. I am
proud to serve alongside each one of you, and I hope you enjoy a
memorable and relaxing break.
5. Happy Holidays! Eric M. Smith, General, U.S. Marine Corps,
Commandant of the Marine Corps.//