A Brief Thought
Keith Nightingale
Dedication is the sinew that binds all Soldiers and Marines to their unit and their people. It is the hallmark of their service and sacrifices. They had little idea of what that word meant when they took their oath of enlistment or commission but very quickly it became the lodestone of their lives. The sense of dedication caused them to do things they never thought possible and to bond with their brothers with an unshakable connectivity.
For those in combat, that dedication caused actions beyond description to preserve that bond of brotherhood. This soldier marches with his name unknown but his strength of purpose and his pride in his task shows clearly in his face. He has learned to endure that which he cannot control in a service to a greater good than himself. He has a sense of self-discipline he found one day when he put on his uniform and joined his comrades in common cause. He has no specific name-but we all know who he is. He is You and he is Us.