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I married into a family of military men. Mark’s dad served in the navy on a submarine during WWII and was fortunate enough to make it out alive. Mark’s brother also served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

My husband, Mark, decided to join the United States Marine Corps after he graduated from high school. He was an excellent trombone player, so naturally they put him in the band while he was stationed in New Orleans. He was off to boot camp first in San Diego and then to Norfolk, Virginia for basic training.

Mark was in the Marine Corps during peaceful times, so the band he was with traveled the country playing for generals and dignitaries. They performed at various ceremonies and parades. Typically, during wartime the bands would stand guard at U.S. Embassies around the world. It was during that time that Mark showed an interest in repairing band instruments and later made it his career.

I met Mark right after he finished his four-year tour. I was interested in Mark from the first moment I met him in church. Since he was already out of the Marines by the time we met, I didn’t get the chance to see him in his uniform for several months.

One evening the doorbell rang at my parent’s house and there stood Mark in full dress blues!! It was at that very moment I thought to myself, “I have to marry this man!” We were engaged shortly thereafter and married six months later.  Even to this day, I am so disappointed we didn’t think to take any pictures of the two of us that night Mark knocked on my door in his uniform!!

Our plan for our wedding was to have several of Mark’s Marine buddies in their dress blues hold swords crisscrossed over us as we walked through. It’s the one reason that our groomsmen were dressed in blue tuxedos. It was a good plan on our end, but just four days before our wedding, they were called to duty. Unfortunately, they didn’t make our wedding at all. That’s the life of a serviceman or woman. Plans can change suddenly when they have to answer the call of duty and their families sacrifice as well. May God bless them all!

They say, “Once a marine, always a marine.” That really is true! Even after 31 years of marriage, Mark is so proud to say he was in the Marine Corps. He has a big plaque that hangs on our wall, Semper Fi, which means: “always faithful” to the United States Marine Corps. And on this day, I say a big happy 239th birthday to the United States Marina Corps and God bless!

Counting our blessings,

Mary Beth Roe