SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As the United States turns 250 years old, retired Lt. Col. Leonard M. Howard reflects on the sacrifices made for the nation and his 31 years of service in the United States Marine Corps.
Howard is now a docent at a Marine base in San Diego, teaching the next generation of recruits. The base, which saw its first recruits in 1922, was known for training men only, but in the last few years, it has welcomed women.
"This is San Diego on V-E Day, and this is what the base looked like during World War II and some of the training that went through in that time frame," Howard said.
"Not to mention the fact that the docents themselves are a manifestation of the principle that once a Marine, always a Marine," Howard said.
While Marine training is tough, Howard remembers the most difficult battles were on the front line.
"There is not a single individual who comes to our ranks who thinks that earning the title Marine going through boot camp is going to be easy," Howard said.
"We all expected to deploy to Vietnam, and we knew it was a dangerous situation, but it meant a lot to us," Howard said.
He holds onto memories from his deployment that he will not forget.
"A priest came out and gave us, those of us who were Catholics, gave us a mass out in the woods, and there we were with our weapons kneeling," Howard said.
"Being there looking to my left and right, my fellow Marines, and, uh, there we were kneeling in, in this forest, and it was a very special moment for me," Howard said.
Howard said the country's 250th anniversary is a full-circle moment for the Marine Corps because they have contributed to the defense of the country since its inception in 1776.
"The most valuable asset that this country has, and that's the young Marines who come through. We're given a little piece of time with them to try and pass on the, uh, the heritage of our corps, and for that I am eternally grateful," Howard said.
While he teaches recruits the principle of "once a Marine, always a Marine," Howard takes pride in knowing the blood, sweat, and sacrifices made for the nation are the reasons the country is able to celebrate 250 years.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
