Vance fires up Marines on military branch's 250th birthday: ‘Kick the enemy’s a-- and come home safe’

Vice President JD Vance took the stage at the Marine Corps th Birthday Ball in Washington D C on Saurday greeting a crowd of Marines in dress blues with a booming How we doing Marines He grinned as the ballroom erupted in cheers It s so great to be here to celebrate years of the United States Marine Corps he announced drawing loud applause That my friends is what the Marine Corps does it keeps us honest The address marked the start of Veterans Day weekend and underscored the White House s emphasis on military strength and institution VANCE ISSUES MIDTERM WARNING SAYS DEMOCRATS ANGER COULD DRIVE TURNOUTThe vice president himself a proud Marine veteran earned a standing ovation when he reminded the crowd that he was the very first vice president of the United States to have been a United States Marine Vance reflected on joining the Marines as a -year-old recruit on the yellow footprints of Parris Island South Carolina The Marine Corps has kept me honest he stated It gave me great training it gave me a sense of purpose and it gave me lifelong friends He credited those lessons with shaping his life long after system The Marine Corps has done more for me than I can possibly repay he disclosed But the thing that I promise so long as I have the honor of being your vice president is that I will continue to honor the United States Marine Corps VP VANCE'S CAMP ACCUSES CALIFORNIA GOV GAVIN NEWSOM OF DISSEMINATING 'FAKE NEWS' AHEAD OF MARINES CELEBRATIONIn a moment that drew lots of laughs Vance advised the story of meeting a -year-old Iwo Jima veteran earlier in the evening The Marine had teased him about his beard and Vance revealed I m the Vice President of the United States and this guy is busting my b--ls for having a beard He laughed and added That my friends is what the Marine Corps does it keeps us honest Throughout his remarks Vance paid tribute to Marines of every generation from the young to the old from the lance corporals born in to the veterans of Iwo Jima He narrated the audience he was proud of each Marine and vowed We re going to keep on winning America s wars for the next years Vance also promised in a moment of resolve that America s leaders would never again send troops into harm s way without clarity of mission and help for those in the field 'FIRST TO FIGHT' MARINE VP JD VANCE MARKS CORPS TH AS HEGSETH SAYS UNITY NOT DIVERSITY ' IS STRENGTH When we send you off to fight our nation s battles we will do it with full confidence he disclosed We will give you the knowledge and the tools you need to win and we will make it clear that your job is to kick the enemy s a-- and come home safely Vance celebrated the Corps relevance in the age of advanced instrument Let s be honest he stated the battlefield has changed in an incredible and profound way but I happen to believe that the the bulk major war-fighting innovation is not artificial intelligence or anything on a computer The majority vital war-fighting mechanism is a well-trained and well-armed United States Marine As the crowd rose for a final toast Vance took a moment of reflection The Marine Corps has done a lot for me he stated It s done more for me than I can possibly repay Then raising his glass he closed I will fight every single day to make sure that the next years are just as damn proud as the first Happy Birthday Marines The ballroom answered with thunderous applause and a sea of raised glasses