Almighty Father, whose command is over all and whose love never fails, make me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and deed and helping me to live so that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones, and Thee without shame or fear. Protect my family.

Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me the courage to be proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superiors and to the duties my Country and the Marine Corps have entrusted to me. Help me to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions which I must uphold.

If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again.

Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer.

“This Is My Rifle”

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I WILL…

My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. WE WILL HIT…

My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. WE WILL…

Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. WE ARE THE SAVIORS OF MY LIFE.

So be it, until victory is America’s and there is no enemy, but peace!

by Major General William H. Rupertus (USMC, Ret.) (written following the attack on Pearl Harbor) Every Marine is a rifleman.

The Marine Corps League was formed by an Act of Congress in 1937 by the Seventy-Fifth Congress as a 501.C4 Non-Profit Veterans Group. Our league is of voluntary membership, limited to Honorably Discharged Marines and Navy Corpsmen and our Associate Members are composed of the families and friends of the aforementioned. Our members donate their time and energy to help the community in every way possible. Many of our Members offer their Professional Trades at no charge to assist other Members and fellow Veterans. Our contributions to the community are numerous. Examples of things we do (but are not limited to) the following:

1. Toys for Tots

Each year the Marine Corps League combines efforts with the Marine Corps Reserve for the goal of collecting toys and funds for toys to help underprivileged children identified by the Department of Social Services and local Churches. In 2008, our end result was nearly 16,000 toys which we distributed to children, locally. NOTE : 2,395,874 were collected Nationally w/ a whopping $1,191,786.92 and given to 747,584 needy children.

2. Disabled and wounded Marines

Wounded Marines hospitalized in Bethesda, MD, Balboa-San Diego, CA, San Antonio, TX and the Wounded Warrior Barracks at Camp Lejeune, NC. We also provide support for the VA Hospital in Salisbury, NC.

3. Assisting LOCAL former Marines and their families

In our Detachment, we have Marines from every conflict since WWII. Many of them are on a fixed budget and often times struggle to afford groceries, utilities, or transportation to medical and personal appointments due to their various handicaps. We assist these Veterans and their families with meeting the necessary demands of daily living.

4. Assisting LOCAL Marine families while deployed

While LOCAL Marines are deployed for combat or other military missions, the family is left behind to do the best they can. Extremely tight budgets result in trouble paying bills, providing for their children, and dealing with every day demands.

5. Young Marines Program

Established in 1958, the Young Marines is a youth education and service program for boys and girls, ages 8 through completion of High School. This program promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on character building, leadership, and promotes a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Graduates of the program excel in everything they face as they age. The Young Marines Program is the focal point for the U.S. Marine Corps youth Drug Demand Reduction efforts.

6. Eagle Scouts and Gold Award Programs

The Marine Corps League has long regarded the Boy Scouts of America & Girl Scouts of America as supportive of the Preamble of the Constitution of the League. We support both the Boy and Girl Scouts of America as they promote traditional family values to America’s youth. We participate in Scouting through assistance with Units, Districts, Councils, in community projects, merit badge programs, and special recognition of those Scouts achieving their Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts) and Gold Award (Girl Scouts). Scouts who achieve their respective highest ranks are presented with a Citizenship Award. The ceremony is usually held in conjunction with his/her respective Troop’s Court of Honor ceremony.

7. Funeral Assistance

When a local Marine or Corpsman has passed, we assist the families with viewing and funeral specifics to include uniformed members of our Detachment as well as Marine Corps League and/or United States Marine Corps Color Guards whose presence is offered in honor of our fallen brother/sister at no charge or expense to the family.

While everyone in our community is important, it needs to ne noted that Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) has been dropped by many Counties statewide due to the lack of funds. The focus has shifted to keeping kids out of gangs. Without D.A.R.E., there is one less force in place whose purpose is to help our children avoid the dangerous lifestyle choices so readily available to them. We consider it our personal responsibility to aggressively implement all of our programs for children in the hopes that they will not make the WRONG choices due to lack of better choices.

We do not and have never received any local, state, or federal dollars in support of our League. Our growth has strictly come from donations of time and financially from those who believe in upholding and defending the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America and the Marine Corps League.

Our membership continues to grow and we are always welcoming qualified Applicants.

ARTICLE 1. – NAME

Section 1 – Name

The name of this Corporation shall be known is “Percy John Fulton Detachment #1075, Marine Corps League, Inc.”

Section 2. Location

The meeting place of the Percy John Fulton Detachment #1075 shall be at the American Legion Building located at 111 Miller St. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, or at a place designated by the Commandant and approved by the membership.

ARTICLE II – MEETINGS

Section 1. Meetings

The Percy John Fulton Detachment #1075 shall meet the fourth Monday of each month at 1900 hours at the American Legion Building (or designated place) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Detachment Charter, or a copy thereof, the National and Marine Corps Colors and a Bible shall be displayed at all regular meetings.

Section 2. Rules of Order

Parliamentary Authority. The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not in conflict with the National Bylaws and National Administrative Procedures and any special rules of order National may adopt. In the event of a conflict, the ruling authority is the National Bylaws, then the National Administrative Procedures, then the Department Bylaws, and then the Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 3. Quorum

A minimum of 15 members of the Detachment must be present, including a majority of the elected officers, to constitute a quorum at a monthly meeting.

Section 4. Membership

a. Persons who are serving, or who have served honorably in the US Marine Corps for not less than ninety (90) days and persons who are serving or have served in the US Marine Corps Reserve and have earned no less than ninety (90) Reserve Retirement credit points; and those of the other military services who are now or who have served in direct support of US Marines under conditions specified by the National Marine Corps League, shall be eligible for regular membership in the Marine Corps League. Additionally, US Navy Corpsman who have earned the Marine Corps Device (Clasp) worn on the Service Ribbon and those who earned the Warfare Device authorized for FMF Corpsman shall be eligible for Regular membership. Fleet Marine Force Chaplains are also eligible for Marine Corps League membership.

b. Associate, Honorary, Life, and Dual Members shall be accepted as provided in the National Bylaws.

c. The Percy John Fulton Detachment #1075 shall be the sole judge of its membership. It may not accept as members any person whose name has been stricken from the rolls of the Marine Corps League by the Department or National Organizations.

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers

a. The current Detachment’s elected Officers and the Junior Past Commandant shall constitute the Detachment’s Board of Trustees. Action of the Board of Trustees shall be by consensus or by simple majority vote.

b. All Elected Officers prior to election, must be Regular Members in good standing of the Detachment, and may serve in the same position for a maximum of 2 consecutive years.

c. Elected Officers shall be:

Commandant

Senior Vice Commandant

Junior Vice Commandant

Judge Advocate

d. Appointed Officers shall be made by the active Commandant to serve at his/her pleasure under their command:

Adjutant

Paymaster

Sergeant-At-Arms

Chaplain

Jr. Past Commandant

Section 2. Elections

A nominating committee shall be named by the Detachment Commandant in February. Recommendations by the nominating committee and any nomination from the floor shall be voted upon during the scheduled meeting in the month of April.

Section 3. Installations

a. Installation of the elected and appointed Officers of the Detachment shall be conducted within thirty (30) days from the day of the election.

b. The incoming Detachment Commandant may select any installing officer meeting the guidelines established in the National Bylaws.

c. It is the responsibility of the Installing Officer to sign, date, and forward the installation form to National Headquarters, the Division Vice Commandant, and the Department of North Carolina Adjutant within fifteen (15) days of installation.

Section 4. Vacancy in Officer

a. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Commandant or Senior Vice Commandant, the Officer next in line shall automatically succeed to the office vacated.

b. In the event of a vacancy in any other elected or appointed office, the Commandant shall appoint a member in good standing from the membership roster of the Detachment for the remainder of the Term of Office so vacated. Such an appointment must be approved by a majority of the membership.

Section 5. Removal from Office

When a Detachment elective officer fails to attend three (3) consecutive regular monthly meetings, the Commandant shall request by mail an explanation for failure to attend meetings and apparent lack of interest on the part of such officer. If an explanation is not received within ten (10) days after such request is sent to the last known address, or if the explanation is unsatisfactory, the Detachment Board of Trustees may declare such office vacant.

Section 6. Duties of Detachment Officers

The duties of each elected or appointed officer are found in the “Guidebook for Detachment Officers” Published by National Headquarters. Each elected or appointed officer shall be provided a copy of his/her duties upon assuming their duties.

ARTICLE IV – FINANCE

Section 1. Dues

The Detachments portion of membership dues shall be determined by the Detachment Board of Trustees and approved or disapproved by the membership. Total dues shall include the amount set by the Department and National Headquarters.

Section 2. Funds

The Detachment Paymaster shall have charge of all books, ledgers and records of accounts of the Detachment; collect, receive and have charge of disbursements of funds for all reasonable Detachment expenses. The Paymaster will deposit Detachment funds in a bank directed by the Board of Trustees. The Paymaster shall make a written report of the financial standing of the Detachment at each regular meeting and be governed by the Commandant and/or Sr. Vice Commandant. The Paymaster is required to work with the Detachment Tax Representative and provide all records necessary for filing taxes each year to the State of North Carolina and the Internal Revenue Service.
The Commandant is authorized to spend funds up to $250 per expenditure; the authority to use funds of the Percy John Fulton Detachment in excess of $250 for purposes of the Detachment, must present the purpose to the membership for approval. All checks for disbursements of Detachment funds will have proper signature placed thereon (checks of the Detachment’s account) by the Detachment Paymaster. The provisions of Article IV Section 2 do not apply to special programs previously approved by the detachment membership.

ARTICLE V – DISCIPLINE

Section 1. Discipline

Any member of the Detachment who violates these Bylaws or the Bylaws of the Department or National Marine Corps League, or who performs or allows to be performed any act or deed that tends to bring discredit upon the Marine Corps League shall be officially charged as provided in the National Administrative procedures, chapter nine and the Department of North Carolina Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI – CHARTER SUSPENSION, SURRENDERED, OR REVOKED

Section 1. Suspension

Should the Detachment’s Charter be suspended, revoked, or surrendered, the provisions of Article Five, Section 555 and 560 of the Department’s By-Laws shall be adhered to.

ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments

These Bylaws may be revised, amended or repealed by a majority vote of the Detachment members duly convened. Any revision, amendment or revocation must be forwarded, in duplicate, to the Department Judge Advocate for review and approval. Upon approval, the Bylaws are to be distributed to the Detachment members in good standing.