Military service is steeped in tradition. Some customs, like saluting as a sign of respect and adding battle streamers to a unit’s flag, are embraced by all U.S. military services. Others, such as referring to floors as “decks” and bathrooms as “heads,” are part of the traditional vernacular of the sea-going services. Still others – such as the naming of Navy vessels, serenading the Commandant of the Marine Corps on New Year’s Day and designating the Coast Guard’s Ancient Mariners, are specific to the individual service and help define its cultural identity.
These time-honored traditions are often rooted in our nation’s history and help strengthen each service’s ties to its past. Heritage influences uniforms, ceremonies, weapons and even inter-service rivalries. But it’s about more than that. History, heritage and tradition form the very foundation of the esprit d’ corps enjoyed by each branch of service.
Former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Joe Campa summed it up when he included a knowledge of Navy heritage among his expectations for first class petty officers in 2008. He sought to “weave [heritage] into daily events, so our Sailors understand that a commitment to excellence is a time-honored tradition that connects our past while forging the foundation of our future." About that same time, the Navy began evaluating its chiefs on their understanding and use of naval history in “Block 39” of the chief petty officer evaluation form. In response, the Navy’s History and Heritage Command has created content on its website specifically related to Block 39. Visit http://www.history.navy.mil/block39/block39-index.htm to read.
A portion of the Coast Guard's advancement tests are also focused on the service’s heritage, history and traditions. Knowing the story of the Coast Guard’s only Medal of Honor recipient or the significant role the service played in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill help shape the service’s culture and legacy, according to Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Michael Leavitt.
In order to foster that sense of pride, military leaders in the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard have taken steps to teach and stress the importance of military heritage. Each of the Sea Services has a division or command dedicated to preserving its history and heritage, including archives of photos and documents. Both officer and enlisted leaders encourage, and in some cases require, personnel to read books from service-specific recommended reading lists that include historical titles.
General James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, believes honoring history is also a way to acknowledge the contributions of those who’ve gone before. As an example, Amos worked to make certain a particular chapter of Marine Corps history was not lost. He made a personal commitment to ensure the Corps’ first African-American Marines were “anchored in our Corps’ history … in such a way that every young man or woman joining our Corps today clearly understands [their] contributions. It’s important to all Marines, past and present, that we honor selfless service and sacrifice and fully embrace [those] contributions to the history of our Corps.”
ET1 Nathaniel Roach, who teaches naval heritage at Naval Station Great Lakes, sees tremendous value in teaching service history. “Teaching naval heritage creates a sense of pride and esprit d’ corps throughout a Sailor’s career and lives. And although Sailors respond to the material in various ways, I believe most of them truly feel a sense of pride. One student recently told me he was worried that he wouldn’t be able to live up to what the Navy meant. He said, ‘The navy is so much bigger than me.’ I love to see that light bulb come on when students realize what it really means to put on the uniform of the world's most powerful Navy. It’s amazing.”
The demand for information related to military history is being met by numerous public and private enterprises that offer a broad range of historical content in a variety of formats, including television networks, magazines and websites. Many of these resources have subcategories, such as aviation, ship types, combat theaters or specific battles. There are even companies that offer tours to sites that have military and historical significance.
How relevant are old traditions to today’s mission and service members? How important is military heritage to you? Please tell us at http://www.fra.org/survey
Online resources:
General Military History
Military History Online
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/
Military History (magazine)
http://www.historynet.com/magazines/military_history
The Military History Channel
http://military.history.com/
Military Historical Tours
http://www.miltours.com/
Navy History
Naval Heritage Foundation
http://www.navyhistory.org/
Naval History and Heritage Command
http://www.history.navy.mil/
Marine Corps History
USMC History Division
http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD
Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
www.marineheritage.org
Coast Guard History
U.S. Coast Guard History
http://www.uscg.mil/history/h_index.asp
USCG History and Images
http://semperparatus.com/
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