Before we can start with the events surrounding my platoon betweenMay and December 2010 in the Nawa District of Helmand Province,Afghanistan, it is my platoon's duty to dispel all rumors and falsehoodsby explaining in our own thoughts and words exactly who and whatUnited States Marines are.

When people hear the word Marine, they immediately recall scenesor quotes from the famous movie Full Metal Jacket. Viewers can connectwith this movie because they get a sense of the rigors young civiliansface as they undergo the fundamental transformation process it takesto become a United States Marine. This movie is timeless in the sensethat although generations change, the brotherhood and camaraderie inthe Corps remain the same, if not grow stronger over time.

In this movie, viewers can look into the eyes of Gunnery SergeantR. Lee Ermey as he plays the role of the fearsome Senior Drill InstructorGunnery Sergeant Hartman and feel as if they are his recruits in bootcamp. Observers feel Hartman's ice-cold gaze mentally projected uponthem and hear his frightening yell. They can almost smell his rottenbreath that tastes of death as he motivates his Marines and chokesout Private "Gomer" Pyle, the platoon "fat body." Viewers feel theintensity and stress associated with boot camp and catch a glimpse ofthe harsh reality seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds go through as theyare voluntarily plucked from the civilian world and begin the transitionand evolution to become our nation's fiercest and most elite warriors—UnitedStates Marines.

People may hear the word Marine and remember another movietitled A Few Good Men. Jack Nicholson's portrayal of a Marine Officer inthe movie and his famous line, "You can't handle the truth," earned thismovie notoriety and fame. People see Nicholson's neat and clean uniformand steadfast bearing as Tom Cruise (a United States Naval Officer)questions him during a military trial. During the movie, the audiencecan physically see the divergence between the different branches of themilitary and can see the discipline, loyalty, and obedience portrayed bythe Marines in the movie. Although this movie depicts Hollywood'sinterpretation of the Corps, Marine Officers strive to be the antithesisof Nicholson's character and will give their lives to fight for the enlistedmen of whom they are in charge.

Much of what people visualize a Marine to embody stems from bothpersonal knowledge and Hollywood's depiction of us. Movies like TheSiege of Firebase Gloria; Ears, Open. Eyeballs, Click.; Heartbreak Ridge;Generation Kill; Jarhead; The Pacific; and The Marine all display a uniquecharisma and attitude in their depiction of Marines. An objective viewercan distinguish between reality and fiction; however, there is alwaysenjoyment in the depiction of Marines as Titans or Spartan-like warriorsdefeating the enemy in an intense battle.

There is a fraternity-like bond commonly shared between allMarines that is uncommon in the other branches of service. We takepride in our education, history, and those who came before us. Weremember the Marines who gave some, and we honor the Marines whogave all. No matter what generation of Marine we are, we will alwaysbe brothers to one another. The same determination, motivation, anddiscipline is ingrained in us through constant hardships and sacrifices.These commonalities set us apart from the rest and make us truly elitewarriors.

When people hear the word Marine, they may think of the holidaysor Christmas season and identify a United States Marine with theToys for Tots program, handing out gifts to our nation's unfortunatechildren who otherwise would not receive any. They may also think ofthe numerous volunteer projects and networks we as a Corps conductand recognize our determination to ease the pain and suffering of thenoble warriors who were injured or killed during the Global War onTerrorism and previous wars.

Other patriotic Americans may view us as the men and women whoguard the President of the United States of America, with our squaredjaws, bulldog-like faces, and sharp dress blue uniforms that perfectlycomplement our Spartan-warrior-shaped bodies. Everyone knows ofand recognizes all the prestige, glamour, and glitter that are bestowedupon us. Our roars of "Oorah" and the Latin catch phrase "SemperFidelis" are both feared and respected by everyone around the world.

Ninety-nine percent of the population in the United States has neverstood in the historic yellow footprints located at Parris Island, SouthCarolina, or at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California.Those footprints ultimately mark the start of the transformation fromcivilian to Marine. There are even fewer who make the choice tobecome Commissioned Officers in the United States Marine Corps bycompleting Officer Candidate School located in Quantico, Virginia.

Even fewer individuals who make this life choice actually survivethe rigorously intense second-to-none physical, mental, and spiritualeducation and training it takes to transform into a United States Marine.However, the lucky few family and friends who see their sons or daughterson graduation day witness and feel the transformation their loved oneshave gone through to shed their societal images and civilian beliefs inorder to live, act, and breathe as and become a United States Marine.

Less than 1 percent of the country fights for the very same idealsand beliefs that 99 percent of the population feel they are entitled tohave. For this reason, there are disconnects in the understanding andinterest in the military by our civilian population, almost to the pointof indifference and sympathy. Many Americans have forgotten and failto appreciate that their God-given right of freedom is only God-givenbecause men and women have made the sacrifice and died for it.

Our inherent rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happinesswere words our Founding Fathers chose carefully. These specific rightsthat are endowed by our Creator are only apt when people can fightfor them to be in place. If we place the value of these rights ahead ofour inherent duty to fight for and maintain them, our great nation willeffectively cease to be. Thus, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, "Thetree of liberty must be replenished from time to time with the bloodof patriots and tyrants." If it is not, failure to fight for our liberties andrights will result in their loss.

Of the less than 1 percent of the American population serving inthe Armed Forces, the total population of the United Marine Corpsis presently about two hundred thousand strong. By comparison, in acountry of more than 350 million legal Americans and illegal humanbeings, we as United States Marines are a very minute and elite branchof the Armed Services. This happens to be a unique point I continuallystress to my Marines. They are doing a job no one else wants and onlya few can do. We are one of the oldest and most elite fraternities andbrotherhoods in America.

Does this make us better than the 99 percent of the population whochoose different life paths? Some will argue yes, and others will argueno. All I will say is that we are elite warriors, nobly fighting for theordinary men and women who cannot fight for themselves. Whetherbecause of loyalty, determination, family tradition, or patriotism, we asMarines chose the path to become the greatest warriors of our time. Weheeded the call of our great nation and volunteer to fight for our greatAmerican countrymen and women.

We as United States Marines are given the ability to kill the enemiesof this great republic with the realization that we may also be asked togive up our lives while defending it. There is no greater honor or sacrificea person can give to his or her country or fellow warriors than his orher own life.

We as United States Marines are protectors of the American way oflife, holding infinitely true to the United States Marine Corps motto:Semper Fidelis, Latin for "always faithful." Semper Fidelis is our esteemedand timeless quote of the few and the proud throughout the ages. Weare the keepers of more than two hundred years of tradition. We arethe time-traveling life vessels that create and carry on our own historyand legacy.

A Marine by definition is a "Sailor" of the sea. I caution against usingthe word Sailor because Marines aren't Sailors, or Soldiers. A Marine isa warrior, comparable to a modern-day Spartan. A Marine is someonewho is capable of achieving power projection through the mobility ofthe Navy and can conduct amphibious combined arms operations fromthe ocean or sea to a body of land.

In the past, and arguably still to this day, Marines were and arethe Navy's right-hand punch. During battles at sea when two or moreships were close enough for gun battles, close engagements, or hand-to-handcombat, Marines were the ones called in to achieve decisivevictory. This is where the term leatherneck came from. During hand-to-handcombat on Naval ships in the 1800s, Marines would wear leatheraround their necks to protect themselves from the deadly sword slashesof their enemies.

Presently, Marines engage in myriad combat and noncombatoperations. Many of these operations range from conducting combatmissions in the Middle East, disrupting pirates off the coast of Africa, orsupporting humanitarian operations in countries suffering from naturaldisasters or other crises. We as Marines are by precedent required to beat the direct dispersal of the President of the United States of Americawhenever he needs us. We are America's 911 forces in readiness.Therefore, when issues like these occur, Marines are on standby to reactto any number of circumstances, foreseen or unforeseen.

These are still very vague descriptions that do not fully highlight orcapture all the battles, wars, climbs, and places we have been to, foughtat, and won. These descriptions still do not capture every drop of bloodshed over the centuries in numerous terrains, climates, environments,and continents. They still do not fully paint the picture of all the menand women who have fought for the colors of this country and ran tothe sound of the gun when all hope seemed lost.

In making that statement, I asked my Marines during a professionalmilitary education (PME) study class located at Forward OperatingBase (FOB) Geronimo in the Nawa District of the Helmand Province,Afghanistan, to explain in their own words what they believe a UnitedStates Marine is. It is the words of the men on the ground who arefighting for our American freedom and way of life that truly capturewhat a Marine is.

The Marines of Second Platoon describe Marines as the mostdisciplined, morally and ethically upright, honored, and elite force inthe entire world. A Marine is a subunit of a larger culture known as theUnited States Marine Corps, where history, traditions, and memorieslive on forever. Destiny or not, the ability to become a Marine is eitherpassed through our bloodlines through reproduction or geneticallywritten in our DNA. We are, as Commandant James Conway said, a"breed apart," genetically codified differently than the majority throughyears of hardship, evolution, and natural selection.

We are the leathernecks of ancient ships, the Teufelhunden (devildogs) from Belleau Wood, the destroyers of the Imperial Japanese, the"Walking Dead" from the A Shau Valley, the jarheads from the PersianGulf War, and now America's 911 force in readiness in the Global Waron Terrorism.

All Marines, whether they are male or female, uphold the threeMarine Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment under theumbrella of his or her God, country, and Corps. A Marine wants to bethe best at everything he or she does, and he or she constantly trains andstudies to be the best warrior possible. Marines recognize that when youare the best, someone is always trying to be better than you. Therefore,we are the best and constantly try to be better at every task we do, lestwe give our enemy an advantage over our destiny.

Willing obedience to lawful orders and the ability to improvise,adapt, and overcome any obstacle are traits we live by and continuallyachieve. United States Marines cannot and do not know how tosurrender, and they push themselves to the limits of everything andevery task they encounter.

We as Marines are motivated and dedicated in upholding our honor,beliefs, and values. There is a sense of overwhelming pride that existsamong us that is insurmountably higher than any other branch ofservice in the world because of our love for our heritage, history, andculture. We are masters of our destinies and fate and skilled in the artsof survival and modern warfare. We are the living testaments of time-honoredtraditions and the physical embodiment of the Marines whocame before us.

According to my Marine Corporal Adam Mount, a Fire TeamLeader for Third Squad, "A Marine is an individual who thinks ofothers before himself. A Marine is a leader who motivates, encourages,and always sets the highest standards. He lives to accomplish even thehardest mission. He does not know how to quit and cannot quit, forquitting is failure. A Marine is tough and hardheaded and at the sametime understanding of the sacrifice he is willing to give for others. Hehimself comes last; others come first. A Marine is a true professional."

The views of my Squad Leaders are a little different but along thesame lines. My First Squad Leader and most aggressive Marine, SergeantBrent Olds, says, "We can church up a United States Marine with alltypes of meaningful words and names for ourselves and try to add depthand purpose. When you get right down to it though, United StatesMarines are little red buttons for the government that are pushed whena crisis or emergency arises and an immediate response is needed. We areAmerica's right-hand punch. We guard the sheep from the wolves like asheepdog that has been crossbred with a pit bull and German shepherd.If you try to harm innocent lives, we will be there to stop you. We arethe most morally and ethically upright military that has ever defendeda nation. The only true Marine is an Infantry Marine."

You would have to know Sergeant Olds to understand where heis coming from, because he is the type of Marine who tells you howit is, not what you want to hear. He is like an animal in this respect;he will challenge anything that is different because that is his job andwhat he was trained to do. He is my First Squad Leader, and the alphamale mind-set comes with the territory. This is a rare quality to findbecause many people are afraid to speak their minds for fear of politicalcorrectness. He is right though; we are trained to kill when we haveto, but we are also trained to be ethical and moral warriors capable ofrespecting all human life when the time arises.

My First Squad, First Fire Team Leader, Corporal Matthew Garst—whosubsequently became known as the battalion's "UnbreakableMarine" for actions during Operation New Dawn—describes a Marineas "the individual who grew up being all of the trouble a town couldhandle. Fathers watched him around their daughters, and mothersthought he was a bad influence. When the time came and the drumswere beaten and the trumpet was sounded, he had the courage to becomethe nation's elite warrior who would channel all of his aggression andanger toward an enemy, using large amounts of firepower and violenceamong other brothers with the same mentality." Much like his SquadLeader, Corporal Garst displays the aggressiveness that is fundamentallyinherent in a United States Marine.

My Second Squad Leader and a most methodical Marine, SergeantTyler Brown, describes a Marine and his Marines as "well-trainedwarriors capable of completing any task or mission set before them inany climb or place. Marines are trained to fight on land or at sea and areable to adapt and overcome any situation or obstacle that stands beforethem. He never leaves another Marine behind and lives to fight for hisbrothers to his left and his right." This is a very true description of allthe ways we are capable of fighting and our belief that no one shouldever be left behind during conflicts with the enemy.