I made multiple calls to both hospitals and spoke to Marine Liaison staff over the course of two days who stated they wanted the cards but could not accommodate a face-to-face distribution. I found such an attitude troubling as I conveyed the desire that many of the retired Marines requested an initial contact and then they would be ok with just having the cards distributed by staff. Please know that since the hospital staff was so busy, albeit they did acknowledge their schedule did not cover a 12-hour day, I am sending the cards with a personal letter to the SgtMaj of the Marine Corps asking him to deliver the gifts.

In closing, I find the attitude of these select active duty SNCOs disturbing given the fact that the people who gave the cards and those receiving the gifts participated in combat, which is our raison d’etat and runs against an undercurrent from those distributing the cards who do not lean forward enough in the foxhole due to VIP schedules while in a garrison environment. Perhaps the senior Marine enlisted can observe how his Marines are taking care of their own so people don’t confuse rhetoric with what portends to be a game of charades.

Cip