WEBVTT

00:01.225 --> 00:03.936
- Thing I'm most proud of
is just knowing that I had

00:03.936 --> 00:06.643
an opportunity, I was
afforded the opportunity,

00:06.643 --> 00:09.143
to work with, for, and amongst

00:10.579 --> 00:12.912
some of the greatest Marines

00:13.420 --> 00:17.087
that I've had the
privilege of serving with.

00:17.974 --> 00:20.585
I'll tell you one thing that
really resonates with me

00:20.585 --> 00:22.056
being part of 8th Marine Corps District,

00:22.056 --> 00:25.306
our mission is forever for the Marines.

00:25.335 --> 00:27.433
That I will take back and
will help me forever is

00:27.433 --> 00:31.766
I really, really enjoy going
out with the recruiters

00:32.156 --> 00:34.323
and going to a high school

00:34.364 --> 00:36.364
or going out doing A.C.,

00:36.735 --> 00:40.902
seeing how these Marines
well-received by parents,

00:42.194 --> 00:43.694
by city officials,

00:45.547 --> 00:47.797
by local civil influencers,

00:49.031 --> 00:51.399
and just seeing how their contributions

00:51.399 --> 00:54.553
to the young man or young
woman that they've interviewed,

00:54.553 --> 00:57.328
had an appoint with, conversed with,

00:57.328 --> 00:59.329
to see if he or she
qualified to be a Marine.

00:59.329 --> 01:03.662
I've truly enjoyed seeing
not only that interaction,

01:04.019 --> 01:07.269
but the most rewarding piece of that is

01:07.796 --> 01:12.134
personally seeing those Marines
come back from boot camp,

01:12.134 --> 01:15.509
coming to the R.S.S.
with tears in their eyes

01:15.509 --> 01:17.527
and with their parents,
with their influencers,

01:17.527 --> 01:19.147
with their girlfriends, with their mom,

01:19.147 --> 01:20.342
dad, it didn't matter.

01:20.342 --> 01:22.948
And saying to the recruiter,
shaking their hand, saying,

01:22.948 --> 01:25.578
"Sergeant Staff, Sergeant
Guddy, thank you.

01:25.578 --> 01:27.794
"Thank you for having the
faith, trust, and confidence

01:27.794 --> 01:32.294
"in me to be able to join
this family of the Marines."

01:32.883 --> 01:35.916
That has truly been something
that has resonated with me.

01:35.916 --> 01:38.583
That's something I'll never forget.

01:38.583 --> 01:39.919
When I think about the district and where

01:39.919 --> 01:41.504
is the district going,
here's what I'll tell you.

01:41.504 --> 01:45.462
We're only scratching at the
surface of our full potential.

01:45.462 --> 01:47.799
We're the upper trajectory as it

01:47.799 --> 01:50.299
pertains to continued success.

01:52.255 --> 01:55.276
I don't think there's one
Marine or one civilian

01:55.276 --> 01:58.250
in this district that thinks otherwise.

01:58.250 --> 01:59.639
And that's kind of cocky to say,

01:59.639 --> 02:01.722
but it's not being cocky.

02:01.761 --> 02:04.172
It's just confident in our abilities,

02:04.172 --> 02:05.615
very confident in our abilities

02:05.615 --> 02:07.839
and what we bring to the table.

02:07.839 --> 02:09.551
I think and I know that
every Marine out there

02:09.551 --> 02:11.801
who dons the 84 X.S.M.O.S.,

02:13.664 --> 02:17.247
they know when the
Corps needs more people,

02:19.275 --> 02:22.211
quality young men and
women, there's a multitude

02:22.211 --> 02:24.922
of different other places
they can go to ask,

02:24.922 --> 02:27.564
but at the end of the day,
I would summon to say that

02:27.564 --> 02:28.989
I would believe the 8th
Marine Corps District's

02:28.989 --> 02:32.116
at the top of that list
because of our culture,

02:32.116 --> 02:34.604
our history of being able
to accomplish the mission

02:34.604 --> 02:36.324
and do it with great quality.

02:36.324 --> 02:41.141
So I see 8th Marine Corps
District with continued success.

02:41.141 --> 02:44.974
This success doesn't
come cheaply; it doesn't.

02:45.007 --> 02:46.901
I spoke about quality;
we have great quality.

02:46.901 --> 02:49.174
We have great Marines, by
great Marines, Marine leaders,

02:49.174 --> 02:51.813
but none of what we do,
none of what they do,

02:51.813 --> 02:55.646
to be able to endure 36
months is challenging.

02:56.504 --> 02:57.671
Bills from month-to-month,

02:57.671 --> 02:59.159
got the good months and bad months.

02:59.159 --> 03:02.795
But our success and what
the Marines do would not

03:02.795 --> 03:05.423
be possible without the
continued love, support,

03:05.423 --> 03:08.090
and admiration for our families.

03:08.531 --> 03:09.473
They're the ones in the shadow

03:09.473 --> 03:11.146
that are really the support system.

03:11.146 --> 03:13.623
They're the columns that are
keeping this district up.

03:13.623 --> 03:15.216
Without the continued
support of our families,

03:15.216 --> 03:17.634
their involvement, day in and day out,

03:17.634 --> 03:19.691
we wouldn't be able to be successful.

03:19.691 --> 03:21.382
I say thank you to all
our families throughout

03:21.382 --> 03:24.711
8th Marine Corps District,
to the husbands, the wives,

03:24.711 --> 03:27.846
the children, the grandma,
the grandpa, everyone.

03:27.846 --> 03:30.263
Family is family. Thank you.

03:32.334 --> 03:35.251
(orchestral music)