Outside of being in a major orchestra or being a spy, the Foreign Service is probably one of the only jobs where it’s a good idea to purchase and maintain a Tuxedo. Why you ask? Well, every year, just about every embassy and consulate hosts a Marine Corp Ball around the annual birthday of the U.S. Marine Corp.
We do this because the U.S. Department of State and the Marine Corp maintain a very close relationship with one another. U.S. Marines maintain a brigade of Marine Security Guards that are placed in just about every embassy and consulate around the globe as a means of providing protection and security at U.S. Embassies. Considering that the U.S. Marine Corp predates our declaration of independence (founded Nov 10th, 1775), it is an evening full of pomp, ceremony, and booty shaking. It’s basically Prom for Adults, and finally gave me an excuse to purchase this fancy little number from back home:
In most corners of the globe, the Marine Corp Ball is one of the premier events of the year, where diplomats, ministers, military officials, and prominent locals join in to celebrate the birth of our Marines. It’s definitely a fun look at how diplomacy can be as simple as sharing a toast with another ambassador, or doing the Cha Cha Slide with a host nation official. It also definitely helps humanize people from a variety of cultures. In the end we all really just want good food, good company, and good conversation.
The Marine Cop Ball was another one of those surreal moments that seem to keep popping up at this early stage in my career. I would never have guessed during my graduate studies that my education and path would lead me to a healthcare related job that would demand a tuxedo and allow me to converse with some of the most interesting and well travelled people on the planet. It was also just great to celebrate with our marines, a fine group of ladies and gentleman that I have gotten to know quite well during my time here.
I’ll leave it this week with a few more photos from the festivities. Happy Birthday Marines! Oorah!!!! –Nick
