Relay for Life - Marine Style

5 Jun 2004 | Staff Sgt. Chris D. Hale Marine Corps Recruiting Command

Marines from Recruiting Station Portsmouth participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Greater Manchester.  But, like just about everything Marines do, they didn’t do it the “normal” way.

The Relay, which began in 1985 in Tacoma, WA, is typically conducted by a team of walkers or runners, each taking turns on a track for a period of 24 hours.  In 1985 it was just one man, Dr. Gordy Klatt, who walked and ran 83 miles around the track, raising money and awareness for the American Cancer Society.  The following year, more than 200 people had joined his cause and the Relay for Life was officially born.

Today, the Relay for life of the Greater Manchester area is just one of more than 3,800 that take place in communities across the nation and around the world.

For the nine Marines of RS Portsmouth who participated in the Relay, June 4th started like every other day.  They put their uniforms on and worked a full day.  At the end of the day, about 5 p.m., some of them went home for an hour or so, some kept on working.  But at 7 p.m., they all stepped off from Portsmouth, beginning what would turn out to be a 14-hour, 43-mile hike that would eventually join the rest of the Relay in Manchester.

Along busy highways and through bustling downtowns, down dark country roads and over too many hills, the Marines carried their own guidon as well as the banner for the American Cancer Society, gathering honks and cheers and waves and thank-yous all along the way.

When the Marine team finally arrived at the track in Livingston Park in Manchester the following morning, they were greeted by hundreds of cheering people who had been at the track all night doing the “normal” Relay.

“When we marched that last three miles with a police escort through Manchester, we all thought we were going to die,” said Maj. T. Shane Tomko, RS Portsmouth commanding officer.  “But when we walked up to the stadium and were greeted by all of the people and cancer survivors, I thought I was going to cry.  They cheered so much, that even though we all were in incredible pain, we had no other choice but to run a victory lap around the track to show these people "their Corps."  Hordes of people thanked us for our contribution.  We were kind of awestruck, in that we didn't want the thanks, we just wanted to show these people that we cared about them.”

Some Marines would say that recruiting is the most important job in the Corps.  Recruiters work long, hard hours, often as much as 90 hours a week, looking for the best that America has to offer and beginning the process that will transform them into a Marine.  Tomko said that when he first proposed the idea of the 43-mile hike to his Marines he did it because “I wanted to remind my Marines what sacrifice is all about, and that recruiting is only one part of being a Marine.  The Manchester area has been a huge proponent of the Marine Corps and I wanted them to give something back to the community.  Without the support of our citizens there would be no Marine Corps, this was just one way we could say thank you to them.”

So why the long hike instead of a team circling a track one at a time?  “Because Marines always think outside the box,” said Capt. Gregory Battaglia, RS Portsmouth executive officer.  “It was a challenge, and that’s what Marines live for … it was a real gut-check.”  He also echoed Tomko in that it is vitally important to give back to the community and mirror their support for the Marine Corps.

Tomko said, “We are a very physical organization and I wanted to illustrate to the public just how tough we truly are, and give something back to the community at the same time.  We are your neighbors, your friends and valued members of society.  We are really no different than anyone else, except for one key element, and that element is that Marines are traditionally selfless.”

Staff Sgt. Joseph D. Crust, a recruiter in Waltham, Mass., was part of the Marine team because his mother-in-law died six months ago from cancer and having seen what cancer can do to a person, wanted to be part of the cure.

Staff Sgt. James E. Davis, also a recruiter from Waltham, said the hike was an excellent way to show that Marines go above and beyond.  He lost his grandfather to cancer and said this was an excellent way for himself and the Marine Corps to show their dedication to a worthy cause.  Still wincing with pain from blisters on his feet he responded to the question of whether or not he would do it again next year with a resounding “Hell yeah!”

Marines don’t do things like everyone else.  It was the Germans during WWI who first nicknamed the Marines Devil Dogs for their relentlessness and ferocity in battle.  These Devil Dogs worked a full day, walked all night, and then went back to work on Saturday.  Above and beyond, outside the box or just plain crazy, they wanted to be just as ferocious in the battle against cancer, and this was their way of saying “thank you” to their community.



Marine Corps Recruiting Command