Culture of the United States Marine Corps

As in any military organization, the official and unofficial traditions of the Marine Corps serve to reinforce camaraderie and set the service apart from others.The Marine Corps Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment have gained increased prominence in recent years.[4][5] As an emphasis on performing morally on and off duty, the concept of core values has infiltrated into many aspects of Marine life, beginning in recruit training and continuing into combat.[12] On 22 June 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an executive order which approved the design of an official seal for the United States Marine Corps.The seal had been designed by Felix de Weldon at the request, and with the assistance, of the Commandant Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.[13] The seal consists of the traditional Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem in bronze; however, a bald eagle replaced the crested eagle depicted on the 1868 emblem and is depicted with wings displayed, standing upon the western hemisphere of the terrestrial globe and holding in his beak a scroll inscribed with the Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" with the hemisphere superimposed on a fouled anchor.It was adopted in 1883 when Commandant Charles McCawley added it to the seal, before which the traditional mottos were "Fortitudine" (With Fortitude); "By Sea and by Land", a translation of the Royal Marines' "Per Mare, Per Terram"; and "To the Shores of Tripoli", which was later revised to "From the Halls of the Montezumas to the Shores of Tripoli" and formed the first lines of the Marines' Hymn.75705--21The celebrations were formalized by Commandant Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. in 1952, outlining the cake cutting ceremony, which would enter the Marine Drill Manual in 1956.Formal ceremonies, such as the Marine Corps Birthday Ball, a change of command, or a retirement, will almost always incorporate some form of close order drill.The Marine Corps uses close order drill to teach discipline by instilling habits of precision and automatic response to orders, increase the confidence of junior officers and noncommissioned officers through the exercise of command and give Marines an opportunity to handle individual weapons.[26] Except for the annual celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday, no social function associated with the smaller of America's naval services is more enjoyed, admired and imitated than the mess night.In addition, height and weight standards and body fat percentage ensure that Marines are fit and present a good military appearance.[37][38] For decades, Marines learned a variety of martial arts and other methods of hand-to-hand combat, but these were irregular processes that varied greatly between units and eras.[7] The Marine Corps Martial Arts program is an eclectic mix of different styles of martial arts melded together and consists of boxing movements, joint locking techniques, opponent weight transfer, ground grappling, bayonet, knife and baton fighting, non-compliance joint manipulations, and blood restriction chokes.Every year of the Gallup poll has shown that the American public regards the Corps as the most prestigious of the four branches of the armed forces of the Department of Defense.
Card given to recruits bearing the Core values
A rendition of the emblem on the flag of the U.S. Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps seal
A recruiting poster makes use of the "Teufel Hunden" nickname.
A bulldog mascot
A Marine performs pull-ups
United States Marine CorpsUnited States Armed Forcesresident aliensesprit de corpsCourageCommitmentrecruit trainingMarines' HymnChapultepechistory of the CorpsEagle, Globe, and AnchorCommandantJacob ZeilinBritish Royal MarinesSemper Fideliscrested eaglebald eagleWestern HemisphereDwight D. Eisenhowerexecutive orderFelix de WeldonLemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.Department of the Navyflag of the United States Marine CorpsJohn Philip SousaSemper Fidelis Marchthe official march of the CorpsCharles McCawleyRoyal MarinesContinental MarinesRifleman's CreedUnited States Marine Corps noncommissioned officer's swordMameluke swordshamshirPresley O'BannonBattle of DernaFirst Barbary WarArmy's Model 1850 Foot Officers' Swordnon-commissioned officerModel 1840 swordChief of Naval Operationschief petty officerscutlassUnited States Marine Corps birthday ballSecond Continental CongressTun TavernSamuel NicholasRevolutionary WarJohn A. LejeuneClose Order DrillMess NightBritish ArmyHistory of the United States Marine CorpsVietnam Veterans MemorialHistory DivisionTraining and Education CommandNational Museum of the Marine CorpsMarine Corps Base QuanticoFlying Leatherneck Aviation MuseumMCRD San Diego Command MuseumMarine Corps Air-Ground MuseumMarine Corps Legacy MuseumParris Island MuseumWWII/Korea LVT MuseumWaterhouse MuseumMarine Corps War MemorialArlington National CemeteryRaising the Flag on Iwo JimaIron MikeUSS Arizona MemorialNavy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumUnited States Naval AcademyNational World War II MemorialMarine Corps LeagueMarine Corps AssociationYoung MarinesMarine Corps GazetteLeatherneck MagazineMarine Corps TimesnicknamesDevil DogBattle of Belleau Woodstormtrooperbulldoghigh and tightjar lidportmanteauLeatherneckCrayon-eaterbattle cryhooyahetymologiesGung-hoSemper GumbyAlfred M. Gray, Jr.pull-upsUnited States Marine Corps Physical Fitness TestCombat Fitness TestMarine Corps Martial Arts Programbody fat percentagePhysical Fitness TestJames T. Conwaytracksuitmartial artsLINE combat systempeacekeepingboxingjoint lockingopponent weight transfergrapplingbayonetchokesSilent Drill PlatoonMarine BandDrum and Bugle Corpsdepicted on many filmsHarry S. TrumanStalin'sGallup pollsDepartment of DefenseIraq WarCulture of the United StatesList of U.S. Marine Corps acronyms and expressionsSmall Wars Journalabout.comPittsburgh Post-GazetteLejeune, Major General John ACommandant of the Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps History DivisionMarine Corps UniversityHistorical BranchTask & PurposeMilitary TimesConway, General James T.The Gallup OrganizationStars and StripesWayback MachineSecretary of the NavyUnder Secretary of the NavyAssistant Commandant of the Marine CorpsSergeant Major of the Marine CorpsMilitary Secretary to the Commandant of the Marine CorpsMarine Corps four-star generals1942–19592000–20092010–presentUS CongressHouse Armed Services CommitteeSeapower and Projection Forces subcommitteeSenate Armed Services CommitteeSeapower subcommitteeOrganization of the Marine CorpsHeadquarters Marine CorpsMarine Forces CommandII Marine Expeditionary ForceMarine Forces PacificI Marine Expeditionary ForceIII Marine Expeditionary ForceMarine Forces ReserveFleet Marine ForceAtlanticPacificMarine Corps Combat Development CommandTraining & Education CommandUnited States Marine Corps Warfighting LaboratoryMarine Corps Systems CommandMarine Corps Cyber AuxiliaryMarine air–ground task forceBattalionsRegimentsBrigadesDivisionsMEF/CorpsMarine aviationMarine expeditionary unitMarine Security GuardSpecial OperationsMarine RaidersMarine Raider RegimentDivisionRank insigniaNotable MarinesHistorical MarinesMarine AstronautsCriminal Investigation DivisionJudge Advocate DivisionChaplain of the Marine CorpsSchool of InfantryOfficer Candidates SchoolThe Basic SchoolMartial Arts ProgramUniformsAwardsBadgesWeaponsVehicles and aircraftIndividual equipmentHistoryAcronyms and termsBirthdayColor Sergeant of the Marine CorpsHorse MarinesMarine OneColor GuardWhite House SentriesService NumbersMarine DetachmentsNational MuseumHistory of Hispanics in the USMCHistory of women in the USMCWomen's ReserveHonorary MarineToys for TotsGung ho