FORT LEE, Va. -- (Nov. 13, 2014) A celebration of the United States Marine Corps' 239th birthday here Thursday featured a cake-cutting ceremony and warrior's dinner attended by the 580-plus military personnel assigned to the USMC Detachment at Fort Lee.
The actual Corps birthday was Monday, but the detachment decided to conduct its celebration after the Veterans Day observance. Lt. Col. Thomas H. Gilley IV, the unit's commanding officer, opened the evening event with remarks.
"Whether this is your first Marine Corps birthday celebration or you have been doing it for a while, I promise you there probably isn't another organization in this country that is so adamant and passionate about celebrating its birthday," he said to the Marines standing in formation outside of their training dining facility. "For the students here today, it's a brief introduction into a brotherhood. Marines love what they do and celebrate through a cake-cutting ceremony and special meal each year."
After Gilley cut the cake, the first piece was presented to the oldest Marine present -- Sgt. Maj. Eric B. Sutton, the detachment's sergeant major -- and he passed it to the youngest Marine present, Lance Cpl. Karla Morales, Food Service Course student, to signify the passing of traditions from one generation to the next.
After the ceremony, the detachment members ate a warrior's dinner prepared by students from the Marine Corps Food Services Course at the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, U.S. Army Quartermaster School, here. The main entrees included steak and lobster. Detachment leaders said that aspect of the celebration also was noteworthy because it served as a valuable training opportunity for the students who were able to demonstrate their culinary skills while preparing and hosting the dinner.
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