Congratulations and Welcome Home
This MARADMIN is a congratulatory message from the Deputy Commandant for Aviation welcoming home Marines and Sailors from Aviation Combat Element (ACE) units who deployed during the Global War on Terror. It recognizes the extraordinary achievements of all ACE personnel, including those deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and emphasizes the importance of safety during the summer months to prevent unnecessary mishaps.
Issued: June 4, 2003
1. I WANT TO EXTEND MY HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS AND GRATITUDE TO THE MARINES, SAILORS, AND FAMILIES OF OUR AVIATION COMBAT ELEMENT UNITS AND HEADQUARTERS ON THEIR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE DURING THE ONGOING GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR. TO THE MARINES RETURNING FROM DEPLOYMENT, WELCOME HOME! TO THE MARINES STILL DEPLOYED, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.WE ARE VERY PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. 2. YOU ENSURED THE SAFETY OF OUR MARINES AND SAILORS, AND YOU ONCE AGAIN DEMONSTRATED TO THE NATION THAT THE MARINE CORPS IS CAPABLE AND READY TO RESPOND TO ANY CRISIS AT ANYTIME AND IN ANYPLACE. THE ENTIRE AVIATION COMBAT ELEMENT CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO OUR OBJECTIVE OF ATTAINING THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE COMBAT READINESS TO SUPPORT EXPEDITIONARY MANEUVER WARFARE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PRESERVING AND CONSERVING OUR MOST PRECIOUS ASSETS.OUR MARINES, SAILORS, AND EQUIPMENT. 3. ALL ACE MARINES SHOULD BE JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF THEIR GREAT PERFORMANCE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WHEN I SAY ALL ACE MARINES, I AM REFERRING TO THE SQUADRONS THAT DEPLOYED TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, THE SQUADRONS WITH OUR MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNITS AND UNIT DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM, WING SUPPORT AND AIR CONTROL MARINES, AVIATION MAINTENANCE MARINES, AVIATION STAFF MARINES FROM THE GROUP TO HEADQUARTERS LEVEL, BASE AND STATION MARINES THAT SUPPORTED THE FIGHT, OUR KEY VOLUNTEER NETWORK, AND ALL MARINES AND SAILORS THAT SUPPORTED THE ACE. EVERYBODY DID THEIR JOB, AND EVERYBODY DID THEIR JOB RIGHT. 4. NOW THAT THE SUMMER MONTHS ARE UPON US, WE MUST ALL REMAIN PARTICULARLY VIGILANT AND ACCEPT NO UNNECESSARY RISKS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND ENSURE WE HAVE NO NEEDLESS LOSSES BECAUSE OF AVIATION OR GROUND MISHAPS. 5. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE! 6. SEMPER FIDELIS. M. A. HOUGH, LIEUTENANT GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR AVIATION.