What makes Marines special

DefenseLINK:

The secret to the U.S. Marine Corps’ success is a blending of bedrock principles with innovation, the commander of U.S. Central Command said here last night.

Using two examples from recent history -- the heroism of the last Marine Medal of Honor recipient and the turnaround in Iraq’s Anbar province, -- Army Gen. David H. Petraeus shared his view at an event hosted by the Marine Association Foundation.

“On the one hand, Marines display a stalwart resistance to change in those bedrock values that form the very foundation of what it means to be Marine,” he said. “On the other hand, Marines demonstrate a ready embrace of innovation that allows them to adapt to the environments in which they operate and to the enemies they face.”

Some of those timeless, unchanging truths that describe the Marine Corps include an unflinching devotion to one’s fellow Marines, a ready embrace of hardship and a universal emphasis on the skills and the spirit of the rifleman, he said.

Petraeus said these underlying principles are illustrated in the story of Marine Corps Cpl. Jason Dunham. In 2004, the 22-year-old Marine was killed in action in Karabilah, Iraq, when he used his body to cover a grenade and shield his fellow Marines from the ensuing blast.

Dunham became the 295th Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, which is bestowed for gallantry in action. The Navy will christen a ship named in the fallen Marine’s honor -- the USS Jason Dunham -- next week during a ceremony at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.

Petraeus said the Marines’ actions in Anbar province illustrate their ability to adapt their strategy to meet unique challenges.

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“It is not an exaggeration to say that the Anbar Awakening helped alter the course of events in Iraq,” Petraeus said. “And I believe that generations from now, historians will continue to view it as a great example of the principled application of long-standing counterinsurgency principles.”

I agree. While we should honor the sacrifice and courage of Cpl. Dunham, it was the ability to recognize and seize the opportunity offered by the Anbar Awakening that was the turning point in the war in Iraq. It was a point that many politicians in Washington missed. Thankfully President Bush recognized it and agreed to a change in strategy in the rest of the country that led to victory.