FASTPORT CEO Bill McLennan celebrated the Marine Corps’ 240th birthday at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C. on November 10, 2015. Following a tradition began in 1921, the birthday party included a formal ball where two slices of cake are cut for the youngest and oldest Marines attending the occasion.

 Hiring Our Heroes Senior Communications Manager Jack Norton cut the cake with a Mameluke sword to present the slices to the service members. Traditionally, the sword stands as a reminder that the Marines are warriors who committed to carry the sword to protect and serve the rest of the nation. The cross hilt and ivory inlaid Mameluke is the time-honored sword of the Marines since Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon’s battle in Derna, Tripoli in 1805 when he won the governor of the city’s weapon.

This year, the oldest and youngest Marines receiving the first slices of cake were Don Esmond, co-chair of the Hiring Our Heroes Veteran Employment Advisory Council and Sergeant Jessie Calderon who is stationed at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. Norton passed the first piece of cake to Esmond to signify the honor and respect due to his military experience. Esmond then passed a second piece of cake to Sergeant Calderon. By passing the youngest Marine in command the cake, Esmond demonstrated how generations of Marines have cultivated and led new Marines as they enter and renew the Corps.

Sergeant Major Bryan Battaglia, the nation’s highest ranking NCO (noncommissioned officer), and Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Dakota Meyer anchored the celebration by expressing their gratitude for the Marine Corps, USMC service men and women and Veterans, and the companies that are working to provide them with real economic opportunities when they exit service.

FASTPORT CEO Bill McLennan added his thanks for the birthday celebration: “As Marines, we are proud to see the generations of Marines come together to celebrate the birth of the Corps. As an organization older than the United States itself, the Corps’ long history has shown its Marines are disciplined, loyal, hard-working men and women who are dedicated to the security of our nation. I am grateful that FASTPORT and the trucking industry have the opportunity to provide these service members with great career opportunities when they exit from service.”

To learn how your company can help lead the trucking industry and hire men and women with military experience, including current and former Marines, visit http://fastport.com/veterans.html.