MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY BALL CEREMONY

Events Command 10 minutes before ceremony starts

NARRATOR "Ladies and Gentlemen. The ceremony will start in 10 minutes. Please go to your tables." At this time all ceremony participants move into position (except musical unit).

5 minutes before ceremony starts

NARRATOR "Ladies and Gentlemen. The ceremony will start in 5 minutes. Please take your seats." Band takes position.

NARRATOR "Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the ____________ 2__th Marine Corps birthday Celebration. A message from the Commandant of the Marine Corps."

NARRATOR (After reading the Commandant's message or the video tape has finished) "Ladies and Gentlemen, will you please rise as Chaplain ____________ leads us in prayer."

START TIME

SOUND ATTENTION

ADJUTANT Band sounds "Attention."

SOUND ADJUTANTS

CALL ADJUTANT Band sounds "Adjutants Call"

FORWARD, MARCH

COT First two escorts step off as band starts to play.

Eight counts later, next two escorts step off and so forth. When last escorts have reached position, band stops.

Guest of Honor and Senior Marine (i.e. Sergeant Major for Staff NCO Ball) enter between line of escorts, proceed halfway down line and halt.

PRESENT, ARMS

COT All hands Present Arms. Band plays appropriate

Ruffles and Flourishes. Guest of Honor and senior Marine proceed to head of Escort Line (without music) and reverse.

ORDER, ARMS

COT All hands Order Arms.

MARCH ON THE

COLORS

COT Band sounds "Attention." Color guard enters, halfway down Line of Escorts and Halts.

COT PRESENT, ARMS

All hands Present Arms while band plays National Anthem.

COT ORDER, ARMS

All hands Order Arms (except Color Guard)

COT POST THE COLORS

SENIOR COLOR BEARER REVERSE, MARCH

Color Guard reverses, marches to end of Escorts, reverses, come to order arms and extends.

COT FORWARD, MARCH

Band sounds Attention and plays slow, Marines Hymn while cake is brought in through line of Escorts, followed by Oldest and Youngest Marines and Adjutant move to head of cake cart. Adjutant stops behind cake cart and about faces. Music stops.

SENIOR CAKE ESCORT EXTEND, MARCH

Cake Escort extends. (3 left or right steps, halt, and face inboard towards cake cart).

NARRATOR "Ladies and Gentlemen. Please be seated."

COT PARADE, REST

ADJUTANT Reads General Lejeune's Message.

NARRATOR Introduces Head Table, and reads Guest of Honor's biography.

NARRATOR "Ladies and Gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to introduce our Guest of Honor, _________." Steps back from microphone.

COT DETAIL, ATTENTION

Oldest and Youngest Marine come forward.

SENIOR CAKE ESCORT Steps forward, takes sword from the cake cart, and passes it over his/her left forearm, grip forward, to the senior Marine.

NARRATOR AND BAND First piece of cake to Guest of Honor. Second piece to Oldest Marines, third piece to Youngest Marine. (See Cake Cutting info). The Oldest and Youngest Marine moves between cake and the Adjutant.

SENIOR CAKE ESCORT CLOSE, MARCH

Cake escort march back to position and face about.

ADJUTANT FORWARD, MARCH

Cake escorts, Oldest, Youngest Marine and Adjutant leave.

COT RETIRE THE COLORS

SENIOR COLOR BEARER

CLOSE, MARCH;

CARRY, COLORS;

FORWARD, MARCH

COT

PRESENT, ARMS

(Cot gives command as soon as Color Guard halts

midway through Escort Line.) Sword detail holds salute until Guest of Honor and senior Marine leave.

COT ORDER, ARMS

Individual Escorts Carry Arms, take 3 steps forward, halt, face and leave in steps of twos.

When last Escort is out, Band stops.

NARRATOR

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this concludes our ceremony. Enjoy the Ball. Happy Birthday Marines." Narrator leaves.

CAKE CUTTING SCRIPT

(The following are three separate and slightly different cake cutting scripts. There does not appear to be a set-in-stone script.)

EXAMPLE #1

It is customary at Marine Corps birthday celebrations worldwide to cut a traditional cake in celebration of the birth of our illustrious Corps. The first piece of cake is given to our guest of honor, . The second to the oldest Marine present he was born on and enlisted in the Marine Corps on .

Upon receiving the second piece of cake, the oldest Marine will in turn pass it on to signifying the passing of experience and knowledge from the old to the young of our Corps. will then receive the third piece of cake further emphasizing the fact that we care for our young Marines before we look to our own needs. (Pause) and so it must be.

EXAMPLE #2

The Marine Corp’s birthday cake-cutting ceremony is important to all Marines, as it is an annual renewal of each Marine’s commitment to the Corps . . . and the Corps’ commitment to our nations quest for peace and freedom worldwide.

The birthday cake is traditionally cut with the Mameluke sword, as a reminder that we are a band of warriors, committed to carrying the sword, so that our nation may live in peace. The Mameluke sword gets its name from the cross hilt and ivory grip design, similar to swords used for centuries by Ottoman warriors. The Marine Corps tradition of carrying this sword dates from Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon’s assault of Derna, Tripoli, in 1805, where he is said to have won the sword of the governor of the city. (Pause)

As is our custom, the first piece of cake will be presented to our guest of honor. By tradition, the second piece of cake is presented to the oldest Marine present. Ladies and Gentlemen . . . the oldest Marine present is . was born in . The third piece of cake is presented to the youngest Marine present. Ladies and Gentlemen . . . The youngest Marine present is . was born in .

EXAMPLE #3

Traditionally – Regardless of location – Marines pause to observe our birthday by sharing a cake and usually, a holiday meal. A sword is used to cut the cake as a reminder that we are a band of warriors, committed to carrying the sword, so that our nation may live in peace. The first piece of cake is presented to the Guest of Honor. The second piece is presented to the oldest Marine in the command, signifying the honor and respect accorded to experience and seniority. The oldest Marine this evening is , who was born on . Symbolically, the eldest Marine present passes a piece of cake to the youngest Marine present, just as for years our experienced Marines have nurtured and led young Marines that will fill our ranks and renew our Corps. The youngest Marine present this evening is , who was born .

Birthday Ball Music

Detailed Instructions for creating your own CD or audio cassette

Song Title Track

Attention 23

Adjutant's Call 24

"French Foreign Legion" March - Dugat 25

"Semper Fidelis" - Sousa 26

Attention 27

One Ruffle and Flourish - Flag Officers March ** 28

Two Ruffles and Flourishes - Flag Officers March ** 29

Three Ruffles and Flourishes - Flag Officers March ** 30

Four Ruffles and Flourishes - Flag Officers March ** 31

Attention 32

National Anthem: "The Star Spangled Banner" - Smith/Key 33

Attention 34

The Marines' Hymn (slow version) - traditional 35

Auld Lang Syne - traditional 36

"Semper Fidelis" - Sousa 37

Anchors Aweigh/Marines' Hymn - Zimmerman/traditional 38

** PLEASE NOTE: This sequence includes four sets of "Ruffles and Flourishes - Flag Officers March" (tracks 28-31), ONE of which may be chosen if honors are required, and the other three not programmed for play. If honors are NOT required in the sequence, all four tracks (28-31) should be excluded.