My next door neighbor's son is a young Marine. I have known him for several years. He was in Marine ROTC in high school. When he came back from all his training, he was a changed man, a boy no more. I mean he looks like a poster Marine. He just got to Afghanistan as a Lance Corporal. The Marines do that better than anyone else, for sure. I have served with Marines stateside and overseas, and have always been impressed with their pride, discipline and esprit de corps. In my mind, the entire USMC is an elite force. You EARN that eagle, globe, and anchor. That emblem means a heck of a lot more to me than any ribbon for basic training.