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Vice President JD Vance took the stage at the Marine Corps’ 250th Birthday Ball in Washington, D.C., on Saurday, greeting a crowd of Marines in dress blues with a booming, “How we doing, Marines?”
He grinned as the ballroom erupted in cheers. “It’s so great to be here to celebrate 250 years of the United States Marine Corps,” he said, drawing loud applause.
“That, my friends, is what the Marine Corps does — it keeps us honest.”
The address marked the start of Veterans Day weekend and underscored the White House’s emphasis on military strength and service.
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Vice President JD Vance arrives to speak at the Marine Ball at the Washington Hilton, Saturday, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
The vice president — himself a proud Marine veteran — earned a standing ovation when he reminded the crowd that he was “the very first vice president of the United States to have been a United States Marine.”
Vance reflected on joining the Marines as a 19-year-old recruit on the yellow footprints of Parris Island, South Carolina.
“The Marine Corps has kept me honest,” he said. “It gave me great training, it gave me a sense of purpose, and it gave me lifelong friends.”
He credited those lessons with shaping his life long after service. “The Marine Corps has done more for me than I can possibly repay,” he said. “But the thing that I promise, so long as I have the honor of being your vice president, is that I will continue to honor the United States Marine Corps.”
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Vice President JD Vance speaks during the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary celebration, Oct. 18, at Camp Pendleton, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
In a moment that drew lots of laughs, Vance told the story of meeting a 99-year-old Iwo Jima veteran earlier in the evening. The Marine had teased him about his beard, and Vance said, “I’m the Vice President of the United States, and this guy is busting my b–ls for having a beard.”
He laughed and added, “That, my friends, is what the Marine Corps does — it keeps us honest.”
Throughout his remarks, Vance paid tribute to Marines of every generation, “from the young to the old, from the lance corporals born in 2006 to the veterans of Iwo Jima.”
He told the audience he was “proud” of each Marine and vowed, “We’re going to keep on winning America’s wars for the next 250 years.”
Vance also promised in a moment of resolve that America’s leaders would never again send troops into harm’s way without clarity of mission and support for those in the field.
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Vice President JD Vance gestures as helicopters fly over Marines during a 250th anniversary celebration, Oct. 18, at Camp Pendleton, Calif. ( Mario Tama/Getty Images)
“When we send you off to fight our nation’s battles, we will do it with full confidence,” he said. “We will give you the knowledge and the tools you need to win, and we will make it clear that your job is to kick the enemy’s a– and come home safely.”
Vance celebrated the Corps’ relevance in the age of advanced technology. “Let’s be honest,” he said, “the battlefield has changed in an incredible and profound way… but I happen to believe that the most important war-fighting technology is not artificial intelligence or anything on a computer. The most important war-fighting technology is a well-trained and well-armed United States Marine.”
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As the crowd rose for a final toast, Vance took a moment of reflection. “The Marine Corps has done a lot for me,” he said. “It’s done more for me than I can possibly repay.”
Then, raising his glass, he closed: “I will fight every single day to make sure that the next 250 years are just as damn proud as the first 250. Happy Birthday, Marines.”
The ballroom answered with thunderous applause and a sea of raised glasses.
