day 96: collection

Military 30-Day Photo Challenge - Day 20: Post a pic of a military-related collection you/your Marine has and tell a story about one of the items in that collection

Without pulling out each and every piece and counting, I honestly don't know which collection is larger: the Marine Corps t-shirts, or the Marine Corps challenge coins. But, for the sake of being able to tell a story about one, I'm going with the coins.

Pictured above are just a few in ASC's collection. Some he's bought, but most have been given to him. I never set out to collect them, too, but I have my own little stack going, unintentionally, of coins given to me by others. See the one in the bottom left-hand corner? Gold with red around the edge? Even though both ASC and I have one of those, he's jealous of me for how I got mine...

It was 2001 (I think), and Memorial Day weekend. That means only one thing here in Indy: race time. Not sure why, but I went to the 500 parade downtown on that Saturday, and Marine Corps Commandant, General James L. Jones, was also in town for the festivities, and of course, he was part of the parade. And very un-like Indiana at that time of the year, it was chilly, which I only remember because I wore a USMC sweatshirt that day (my memory is odd like that, remembering obscure details at random times).

When General Jones went by in his car, I naturally stood up and applauded. The General himself pointed at me, whispered something to his assistant, and then waved at me. The next thing I knew, his assistant (okay, I know he's probably got a better title than that, but forgive me for not knowing it, and I know when ASC reads this, he'll add a comment on to correct me, as well as probably give me the dude's name) was right in front of me. "The Commandant wants you to have this, ma'am, and he said to thank you." In my hand appeared the Commandant's personal coin.

ASC and some other Marines from his unit had the chance to hear the Commandant briefly speak to them, and they all received his coin as well. But when he arrived home and heard my story, mine beat his. By a long shot.

(P.S. Happy Father's Day, Aaron. Thank you for showing your daughters what a real dad is like, even from thousands of miles away. You heard them tell you this on the phone this afternoon, but you are their hero. Mine, too. I love you.)