The Softer Side of the Corps

Been busy the last few weeks, so I couldn't throw up a post last weekend after our latest volunteer event at 1/9. I have to tell you, the Marines and Sailors of the Walking Dead continue to show there is more to being in the military than going out in the field and training for war. Last Friday (June 22nd) we all headed to the USO in Jacksonville to bag meals for an organization called Stop Hunger Now who has an amazing program to provide meals to school children around the world. Since 1998 they have packaged an amazing 70 Million (Yes, you read that correctly!) meals and shipped them all around the globe. What is really phenomenal about the program is those meals have arrived in Haiti and Afghanistan, both countries where the Marines of 1/9 have participated in helping people on the ground. It was great to have them make a difference in a different way at the start of humanitarian assistance. I also learned that the founder of the organization served in Vietnam with the Marines as a Chaplain's Assistant. So it was great to have Marines helping a humanitarian group founded by a fellow Marine.

We are working to coordinate a larger event for as many Marines and Sailors (and their families) from the Carolina MAGTAF as we can handle. Hopefully, we can get everything organized at some point in the near future and hold a great event for a great organization. And for all the 1/9 families that read this blog, please keep asking your Marine about volunteer service as we want the families to come out and help as well, especially as Stop Hunger Now is for anyone over the age of 4.

Some photos of the event: