Ventura County Detachment 597
Commandant's Inaugural Message

February 4, 2004

From: Commandant, Marine Corps League, Detachment 597, Ventura County
To: All Members

Subj: COMMANDER’S INTENT

1. First, allow me to express my sincere and humble gratitude to each of our Marines, and Sailors of Detachment 597 for granting me this opportunity to serve as your Commandant.

2. As a member of Detachment 597 I have created friendships with some of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met in my life. These men and women have served our Nation and our Corps from the Islands of the Pacific in World War II, to the deserts of Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

3. I come before you this month to personally declare my commitment and promise to each of you that I shall faithfully fulfill my duties as your Commandant with dignity, respect and honor. The detachment has a long and illustrious history of service, sacrifice and dedication. It is our job to carry on those rituals and to preserve the essence of the League for our Marines and Sailors of the past, present and future.

5. Service in the name of our Detachment has a direct link to the service of our Nation and our Corps. I believe that the Commandant’s Oath of Office is no less as binding than the Oath of Office I swore to as an Officer of Marines.

6. I hereby charge and direct the Detachment Officers and all members of Detachment 597 to join with me in placing their highest values of Comradeship, Dedication, Loyalty and Esprit de Corps towards the good of our League.

7. Be prepared to carry on the traditions of General John A Lejeune, 13 th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps who established the Marine Corps League in 1923, “ for the purposes of promoting the interests of the U. S. Marine Corps; to provide camaraderie and assistance to Marines, as well as to their widows and orphans; and to preserve the traditions of the U. S. Marine Corps.”

8. Get involved and support our League. Semper Fidelis!

Mark Shuster
Commandant