Marines celebrate 234 years of faithful service

Photo By Matt Denny | Gunnery Sgt. Lanny B. Powell reads the Commandant's birthday message at the ball for Company A, Headquarters and Service Battalion, Camp Foster, on Plaza Housing, Camp Foster, Monday.  

11.18.2009

Story by Lance Cpl. Kentavist Brackin 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

Lance Cpls. Matthew A. Denny and Kentavist P. Brackin

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan

Forty two Marine Corps' birthday balls will be celebrated on Okinawa this year. Nov. 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established, and 234 years later the Marine Corps' birthday ball is the biggest celebration in the Corps.

This celebration is not thrown together overnight; it takes months of planning and numerous hours of preparation, said Lance Cpl. Joseph N. Kratzke, a trumpet player for III Marine Expeditionary Force Band.

At every birthday ball, there is a formal ceremony filled with traditions. Traditions at most birthday balls include a Marine band performing the national anthem, Marines Hymn and other traditional songs, reading of the Commandant's birthday message and serving of the cake to the oldest and youngest Marine at the ball.

The first piece of cake is given to the oldest Marine and the second to the youngest Marine.

This tradition symbolizes where the Marine Corps has been and where it is going, said Pfc. Luis E. Arriaga, an administrative clerk for Company A, Headquarters and Service Battalion, Camp Foster.

A lot of the work to put a ball together on Okinawa is done by Marine Corps Community Services which supports all 42 balls at Marine clubs island wide. The first ball of the season was Oct. 29, and the last one is scheduled for Nov. 28.

MCCS support includes seating charts, dinner menus, meals and programs for every ball. The program alone includes birthday messages from six generals and a biography for a ball's guest speaker, said Dianne Villalobos, MCCS account executive.

"We have produced more than 18,000 programs for this year's Marine Corps' balls," she said.

Club chefs, waitresses, bartenders, janitors and dishwashers also play a vital role in making the balls successful, said Alan Burn, MCCS food, beverage entertainment and special events director.

"We are sunk without them," he said. "They are without a doubt the hardest working people during a ball."

This year, club chefs will make about 15,000 meals for the balls, said Burn. That's about 500 more than last year, he said.

On ball night, dishwashers clean about 2,000 plates, 1,000 glasses and countless silverware, he said.

MCCS's Foster Photography will be taking pictures at all Marine Corps' balls, said Maxx Gallo, Foster Photography manager and supervisory photographer.

This year, Foster Photography will have an Asian theme, separating the Okinawa balls from Marine Corps' balls in the states, he said.

MCCS also provides transportation to the various balls. Last year, they transported more then 5,000 Marines to and from balls, said Mark E. Smith, MCCS motor transportation team leader dispatcher.

"We never have a problem getting all Marines home safely," he said.

• Date Taken: 11.18.2009
• Date Posted: 11.18.2009 22:02
• Story ID: 41756