RAAHHH THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR JUST PASSED. NOVEMEBER 10TH THE MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY!!
All U.S. Marines in COD x USMC Birthday Ball
| Word Count: Not sure its a lot w/ videos| SFW
A/N: *Rips someone into two pieces with my bare hands* Shit makes me so happy that im a U.S. Marine. RAH. Keegan please be my date to the ball <3 Sgt Russ and Sgt ****** <3
Context: Every year throughout the month of November we have our Marine Corps Birthday Ball. There's a ceremony and fancy dinner and of course a lot of alcohol and tabaco. Enlisted wear our Marine Corps Blues uniform and get to show off all our fancy awards and medals. The officers wear their sick uniform as well. Guests wear a formal suit or dress!! We get drunk, have cake, and dance. Its fun and one of the many traditions we have in this service. This year it was the 248th Birthday!! Let me give you the run down for todays event <3
Military Lingo Key at the end
1845 - Venue doors open
1900 - Cocktail Hour
2000 - Cocktail Hour ends all bars are closed
2005 - 5 Minute warning for the ceremony
2010 - Ceremony begins
2100 - Ceremony ends
2110 - Dinner service starts and Bars reopen
2200 - Dance floor opens / DJ starts
0130 - Venue doors close
Okay now that we have the schedule down. Lets list all the Marines in COD. Were gonna pretend everyone's alive and in the same unit for tonight. Whos going to be your date for tonight? Skip past the photo when you're ready.
All unnamed Marines <3 (damn npcs)
-MARSOC Marines, 2nd MarDiv
1st FRP (MW1) Source for info below click here and here (<- Has character pictures as well for some)
-Lt Vasquez, Cpt Pelayo, Sgt Paul Jackson, SSgt Griggs, Pvt Massey, Pvt West, Pvt Royzewicz, LCpl Lopez, and LCpl Gaines
DRT Stalker Units With Air Squadrons (All games) Information Source click here
GHOSTS Platoon prior Force Recon Platoon (COD GHOSTS) Information Source click here
Sgt Keegan Russ, Sgt Alex Johnson, and Cpt Gabe Rorke
Lemme know if I forgot anyone!!
Okay, you have your date or friend group that you're going with. You as the guest are in your formal attire. Lets get this party started! (Every year and in every venue its the same setup, same ceremony, and same food)
1845-1900
You show up to the venue with your date. The ball room is set. There are about a dozen round tables draped with a beautiful white table cloth. There is a round red and gold table cloth in the center of the table. On it sits two pitchers one with water and the other with iced sweet tea. In front of each seat is a set of silverware for each course, a wine glass, a water/tea glass, a pamphlet with tonight's events, and a neatly folded napkin. Each section is sat with each other. A chair left empty next to your Marine for you of course.
Usually the Commanding Officer or Executive Officer will put money down for everyone to get one free drink. The venue offers two bars. Both the lines are a bit long but you can just chat while you wait. There plenty of people to be introduced too and everyone is saying "Happy Birthday" to each other. If you're stationed in an allied country like Japan there are guests from their military as well.
The bar has a wide variety. Wine, shots, mixed drinks, and juice if you arent drinking. They even sell cigars. You and your date get your drinks and socialize. You get to meet their peers and squad members. This is also the time to take pictures! You walk towards the entrance of the venue with your date. There is always a professional Photographer waiting. The American flag and Marine Corps flag are proudly displayed in front of a royal red backdrop. The backdrop has accents of gold.
The photographer asks if you want their pictures or just on your phone. You both pose and smile. The pictures came out amazing. Your Marine will take some photos with their shop and then you'll head back into the venue. Another drink?
2005
Man that hour went by fast! The five minute warning has just been called. You and your Marine go to your seats and wait for the ceremony to begin.
2010
The ceremony starts. Everyone is seated and quiet. There's always one rushing back to their seat from the bathroom. (You can watch a full ceremony from last year here but im going to summarize it. Im speaking from my experience overseas but the video is stateside Marine Corps)
The band does their introduction segment commencing the start of the ceremony. The march forward turn and march back. Next comes the sword detail. There are 4 pairs that walk through. There are both Enlisted Marines and Officers in the sword detail. They march in pairs to their position and once are all in place the Commanding Officer, Sergeant Major, and XO march past the sword detail to the front of the stage. Everyone stands when they walk by to show respect. Next comes the color guard with the American Flag and Marine Corps flag and two rifles march onto stage. Everyone stays standing to honor the colors are they pass. The National Anthem is played followed by Anchors Away and then the Marine Corps Hymn. Which every Marine sings!!
The cake is then marched onto stage while the band plays. A traditional speech is made. Then the CO cuts the cake with the NCO sword giving a slice to the guest speaker. The another slice to the oldest Marine. The oldest Marine takes a fork full and passes it to the youngest Marine for a fork full. This symbolizes the passing of traditions!
After that the color guard marches off stage followed by the cake detail and oldest and youngest Marine. The CO, XO, and SgtMaj exit the stage. Then the sword detail. The guest speaker will then give their speech and then the birthday message will play. I have it linked below. It was fire this year!!
2110
The ceremony ends and the bars open. Half the Marines there rush to the bathroom and the other half to the bar. The venue staff start to bring out a shrimp cocktail appetizer. After 15 minutes they bring out a salad. Then after about another 15 minutes they bring out the main course. There are four options chicken, steak, fish, and vegetarian.
2200 - 0130
The dance floor opens. You are free to leave at this time if you want. The venue service starts clearing off the tables and the DJ starts playing music. Marines go outside to smoke cigars others hit the bar for the 4-5th time. The dance floor gets crazy. The CO will even bust some moves on the dance floor. Medals come off so no one looses them (Plus they are so freaking expensive) and everyone has fun till the venue closes.
I hope you enjoyed your ball <3
Happy Birthday Marines!! Semper Fi
Military Lingo Key:
Section - who you work with basically
Sword detail - you can read about that tradition here
