As almost any Marine Corps veteran can attest, as the recruiting poster which says, “The change is forever,” is true. Of all the accomplishments in my life, probably the proudest moment came in April 1970 when, after three months on Parris Island, I earned the title of “United States Marine.” It seems the older one gets, the more those years meant. Which is why, from the lowest enlisted Marine to the Commandant, active, reserve, or retired, “there is no such thing as a former Marine.” Just ask Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
This sometimes fanatic dedication, observed by most and understood by few, may seem to border on the cultic. But, it is what it is, which is why the smallest military component in the nation’s arsenal, has the most bumper stickers on cars and motorcycles, flags on homes, and USMC shirts, ball caps, and jackets on veterans.
One of the manifestations of that continual loyalty is the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball. On every base around the world where there are Marines and in thousands of locations stateside, the event is observed by active and veteran Marines alike. This year is no different.
On Friday, Nov. 6, the Sgt. Clyde Thomason Medal of Honor Detachment #1325 of the Marine Corps League is hosting its annual United States Marine Corps Birthday Ball in celebration of the Corps’ 240th Birthday.
The guest speaker will be best-selling author and hero physician Dr. Richard Jadick. Dr. Jadick was an officer with the Marine Corps for six years prior to attending medical school. In the spring of 2004, at age 38, Jadick, now a doctor with the United States Navy, volunteered to go to Iraq with the 1st Bn 8th Marines as the unit’s battalion surgeon. He deployed five days after the birth of his daughter.
What awaited was Iraq and the hell that was the historic battle for Fallujah. On the very front lines he established a forward aid station and was credited with saving the lives of 30 Marines and sailors during the second battle of Fallujah.
Dr. Jadick was awarded the Bronze Star with “Combat V” device for heroic valor in January 2006 and is considered the Iraq war’s most decorated physician. Dr. Jadick’s story was first documented in a Newsweek cover story titled “Hero, M.D.” He later published his own account of his experiences in a book called “On Call in Hell: A Doctor’s Iraq War Story.”
Richard Jadick, D.O., earned his Bachelor of Arts in biology from Ithaca College and his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree (D.O.) from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, N.Y. He completed his residency training in urology at the Medical College of Georgia and retired from the U.S. Navy in June of 2013 after 23 years of service. Dr Jadick finished his Navy career as the Chief of Urology at the Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Fla., after returning from a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan in October 2012.
He is board certified with the American Board of Urology and he and his wife, Melissa, who is a pediatrician, have three children: MacKenzie, 9; Eva, 6; and Gregory, 4. Dr Jadick’s interests include volunteer work with the Independence Fund, a veteran-led 501c3 that provides assistance to all injured warriors looking to regain physical and mental independence following injury.
The Marine Corps Birthday celebration will be at Peachtree City’s Flat Creek Country Club. Cocktails and hor d’oeuvres will be offered between 6 and 7 p.m. The ceremony and dinner will begin at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and include a choice of entrees, two sides, and dessert.
This year the detachment, which boasts some 90 members, has donated $10,000 to several charities, including: The Marine Corps Foundation, Healing 4 Heroes, The Semper Fi Fund, The Fisher House, Toys for Tots, and the Shepherd Center Share Initiative. The detachment is also involved in assisting homeless veterans and working with the Veterans Administration.
Although Marines are welcome, one does not have to be a Marine or Marine veteran to attend the celebration. The Marines are looking for a few good men and women to celebrate their 240th birthday with them. For ticket information, call 678-827-1235 or email bdayball@MCL1325.net. For detachment/membership information, log on to www.MCL1325.net.
[David Epps is the pastor of Christ the King Church, Sharpsburg, GA (www.ctkcec.org). He is the bishop of the Mid-South Diocese which consists of Georgia and Tennessee (www.midsouthdiocese.org) and the Associate Endorser for the Department of the Armed Forces, U. S. Military Chaplains, ICCEC. He may contacted at frepps@ctkcec.org.]
