2005 First Quarter Message
“A Little Nostalgia”

Marines, no matter how Old or Young you are, growing up remember Mom or Dad saying, “I know you hear me but you are not listening.” Then your cheeks are pinched together, your head makes an about face and you come eye to eye with the master. NOW YOU LISTEN.

Does this strike a memory button? I sure hope so, because I am encouraged by the acceptance, understanding and response to the information of the available disseminated through cyber space and snail mail. I know you hear the message but some are not listening. My pledge to you was to visit with all of our detachments in the Department, in one way or another hopefully in person, which I hasten to say, has been successfully accomplished with a few exceptions. Your pledge to the Department, on the other hand was to grow the membership and strengthen our resolve to expand our personal service to the Marine Corps family.

Some of you in positions of authority do not share the total resolve or commitment, or at least indicate you do not share, by non-action.

I have set forth a plan to rally our forces and make a stronger showing at National. We can exercise this on a small scale by making plans to attend the Quin Conference in San Diego. All the info is available on our website which has been meticulously maintained by our webmaster. We are conscientiously adding info to make it easy for all to gain the info necessary for outstanding performance by all officers; this can be shown to our National Commandant. I recommend all newly elected Detachment Officers be installed at Quin by our National Commandant, joining the San Diego Bulldog Detachment new Officers. Commandant Hicks would be ecstatic and so would our Department, and I can have the opportunity to leisurely meet your new officers in an informal setting.

Our next “California Leaguer” has a definitive approach to membership growth, which I am forwarding to Gene Rivers Jr.Vice Commandant to also disseminate and follow up with all Jr. Vice Commandants, hear it, listen and act. Why Jr. Vice Commandant’s, because they are the membership backbone of “The Marine Corps League”. This develops on the plan to have greater representation at National Convention. There are some rewards for action on the subject.

Robert W. (Bob) Sennett, Commandant
Department of California