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SEMPER FIDELIS TO ALL,

(rec’d from unknown source) (Editor's note:  One of our readers has informed us that this is not true.  Sorry!)

AS YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER BACK EIGHT YEARS AGO THAT THEN PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS NOT RETURNING THE SALUTE OF THE MARINES WHEN HE GOT ON OR OFF THE PRESIDENTIAL HELICOPTER OR WHEN ENTERING HIS RESIDENCE. IF YOU NOTICED THE MARINE ALWAYS RENDERED A SHARP SALUTE AS MARINES ALWAYS DO. BUT ALSO THERE WAS ONE VERY SMALL THING THE MARINES DID OR DIDN'T DO THAT MAY HAVE GONE
UNNOTICED BY MOST.

NEXT TIME YOU WATCH THE NEWS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT WATCH THE MARINE. CNN THIS MORNING SHOWED PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH LEAVING HIS HELICOPTER.

THE MARINE AT THE FRONT STEP SALUTED, PRESIDENT BUSH RETURNED IT, AND AS HE WALKED AWAY, THE MARINE EXECUTED A RIGHT FACE TO STAND FACING PRESIDENT BUSH’S BACK...SOMETHING THAT WAS MISSING IN EIGHT YEARS OF THE CLINTON PRESIDENCY.

THE TRADITIONAL MARINE CORPS MARK OF RESPECT WAS RENDERED TO THE NEW PRESIDENT. THIS GOES BACK TO THE DAYS IN THE RIGGING, WHEN THE MARINE ORDERLY TO THE SHIP'S CAPTAIN ALWAYS FACED HIM, NO MATTER HIS DIRECTION
OF MOVEMENT, TO BE READY TO RECEIVE AN ORDER.
LEAVE IT TO THE MARINES TO SPEAK SO LOUDLY WITHOUT EVER UTTERING A WORD.

CRAIG W. FAIRBANKS