We have a saying in the Marine Corps and that is 'no better friend, no worse enemy, than a U.S. Marine.' We always hope for the first, friendship, but are certainly more than ready for the second.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the dual nature of Marines as loyal friends and formidable enemies.
John F. Kelly's quote reflects the strong camaraderie that exists among Marines, highlighting their deep loyalty and commitment to one another. It also acknowledges the fierce determination and readiness to confront adversaries when necessary, suggesting that the qualities that make a Marine a great friend also make them a formidable opponent. This duality encapsulates the ethos of the Marine Corps, where honor and duty intertwine with personal bonds.
In practice
During a military ceremony, a speaker might quote this to emphasize the bond between service members.
Those with less of a sense of service to the nation never understand it when men and women of character step forward to look danger and adversity straight in the eye, refusing to blink, or give ground, even to their own deaths. The protected can't begin to understand the price paid so they and their families can sleep safe and free at night.
Unless confronted by an immediate, visible, or uncomfortable crisis, our nation's tendency is to take the security of the Western Hemisphere for granted.
The one thing I was always told is you absolutely have to tell truth to power. Whether you're a second lieutenant working with a captain and a lieutenant colonel, or a four-star general working with the Office Secretary of Defense and the White House, the decision makers have got to have ground truth.
Whether you're a second lieutenant working with a captain and a lieutenant colonel, or a four-star general working with the Office Secretary of Defense and the White House, the decision makers have got to have ground truth. Otherwise, the decisions they make could be flawed - and that can be dangerous.
Since 1945, no one in the U.S. military has liked the end result of the military conflicts we've been in: Vietnam, Korea, certainly Iraq, and probably Afghanistan. But in a democracy, you salute.
One day, you'll get out of the Marine Corps; you'll put your uniform up, but you'll never not be a Marine.
Nothing will ever please me, no matter how excellent or beneficial, if I must retain the knowledge of it to myself. . . . . . No good thing is pleasant to possess, without friends to share it.
We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.
I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.
That's the problem with winning right from the start, thought Ender. you lose friends.
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh?" he whispered. "Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you.
One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession.
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