Also, if you are planning on running the 41st Marine Corps Marathon, consider running with TMP. We have 50 charity partner bibs and you can purchase one now instead of waiting on the lottery!

With February being African-American History Month, we would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge a momentous occasion in the history of the Marine Corps--the awarding of the first Medal of Honor to an African-American Marine, Private First Class (PFC) James Anderson Jr.

PFC Anderson was born in 1947 in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from high school, PFC Anderson spent a year and a half at a Los Angeles-area junior college before enlisting in the Marines in early 1966.

After completing recruit training at MCRD San Diego, PFC Anderson was assigned to Camp Pendleton for further training before arriving in Viet Nam in December of 1966 to serve as a rifleman with the 2nd Platoon, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division.

To all the Marines and Sailors of 2/7 (OEF, 2008),

March-December 2008. What do these dates mean to you? To me, these were some of the best and worst days of my life. The best in the fact that I had the honor to be the Sergeant Major of 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and got to serve alongside all of you. The worst in the fact that, while deployed, we lost 20 of our brothers (including our 1 terp) and had over 150 of you wounded. No matter what I do from this point on, my time with 2/7 will be the highlight of my Marine Corps career. I am proud, as each of you should be, of all the battalion accomplished while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The entire battalion fought with such honor and courage each and every day. All of you have my upmost respect and admiration, and I will forever consider each of you my brothers. Thank you for all you did and continue to do for our Country and Corps.

This sentiment is reflected in our Marine Corps Career icon to the right. From the time your future-Marine is a poolee, through boot camp, the school of infantry and military occupational schooling, permanent duty stations and deployments, and then after your Marine's time in the Corps or if he or she is recovering from wounds or injuries sustained while serving, we have information for every step of the journey.

Whether you're brand new to life with a loved one in the Corps or you're an old hat, we strive to provide the most relevant, up-to-date information to help you know what to expect as your Marine navigates his or her career in the Marine Corps. Below you'll find information on each of our outreach services for each stage of the Marine Corps career and how we support you and your Marine. Our staff and volunteers look forward to knowing you and taking this journey with you!.

"Being big, strong, having a certain body mass, gives you an advantage," Neller said. "One of the things I've heard as I've gone around and talked to female Marines is, 'Hey, I'm out working out. I'm lifting weights. I'm getting bigger. And now I'm outside the height-and-weight standards. Are you going to change the height-and-weight standards?'"

In a brief interview following his meeting with the Senate Armed Services Committee, Neller told reporters that he has called for a review of male and female standards to be completed by July 1 and will assess a variety of criteria, including the service's height-and-weight standards and how Marines will be scored on two fitness tests. According to Neller, it's "important" to make sure that fit Marine's are not penalized.

"It is clear from all the testimony we've received and from the information we've received from the Army that this could break the Army,"  said Turner, chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on land and air forces, when asked by reporters. 

"...[T]his could significantly hamper the next president of the United States in their opportunities and capabilities for our military to protect the country," he said. 

The deployment comes in the midst of rising tensions across the globe, particularly in the Middle East, and calls by the Pentagon for more troops in Iraq.

“There’s always that potential when we deploy our sailors and Marines to these dangerous areas that they will have to engage, that they will have to interact,” said Navy spokeswoman Dawn Stankus. “The main reason for the sailors and Marines to be there is to provide that forward presence and that deterrent, so that in case something would occur we can respond in a timely manner.”