2010 Reunion
General Boomer's 2010 Reunion Comments
Marines of BLT 2/3 and our guests. We said on Thursday evening this would not be a reunion on speeches but time to renew old friendships and spend time together. So all of our remarks tonight will be very brief. There will some informative presentations however, that I think you will enjoy.
It is appropriate that we once again thank those without whom this reunion would not have occurred. Many of you helped but there are 2 couples who went above and beyond; Colonel and Mrs. Napier, Kip and Kathy and Colonel and Mrs. Steed, Bill and Jean. We owe you such a debt of gratitude. Please stand and be recognized.
Two special guests joined us today, Brigadier General Paul Slack and his wife Katy. Then Colonel Slack was the Commanding Officer, 3rd Marine Regiment and my boss in Hawaii. Thank you for joining us Paul and Katy.
It has been so special for me and Sandi to be with you. I have been asked several times this week, “What was your favorite tour of duty in the Corps?” Well I’m not sure favorite is the right word. There were 3 special tours for me. The first was Commanding Officer, Company H, 2nd Bn, 4th Marines in Vietnam in 66-67. The second was Commanding Officer 2nd Bn, 3rd Marines and the 3rd was Commanding General, Marine Forces Central Command during the first Gulf War.
It has been gratifying and heart-warming to reconnect with you and to watch you reconnect with each other. All of you went on to bigger and better things, whether it was in the Corps or in civilian life. I am very proud of you and its obvious you are proud of each other.
But we have one thing that will always connect us ---we are U.S. Marines. Something deep in your soul, even if you did not know it, prompted you to join the Marine Corps, and then a flame was lit in your heart that will never be extinguished until you pass from this earth. Sometimes it burns bright, like tonight, at other times it is a mere flicker, but it never goes out. That flame in your heart that burns forever for you Corps and for each other, brought us to Phoenix this weekend.
It has been wonderful to see all of you!
Until the next tme---Semper Fidelis.