By land or by sea the United States Marine Corps is known for its ability to improvise, adapt and overcome.

This month the Marine Corps celebrated their 233rd Birthday. Never failing to look back to the day the Continental Marines of the American Revolutionary War were formed at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia by resolution of the Second Continental Congress Nov. 10, 1775.

From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror, the Marine Corps has sought to maintain its own identity and has often been on the front lines in aid and in battle. It serves as the sister service of the United States Navy.

Born and raised in Exeter, Ken Wiesenberger grew up with a strong sense of what community was. Little did he know that this sense of community would take on a whole new meaning as part of the United States Marine Corps.

Wiesenberger enlisted Oct. 7, 1981 and attended ìboot campî at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. Marine recruit training is the longest among the American military services; 12 weeks of instruction and preparation. Wiesenberger then went to Lake Hurst, NJ where he attended Aviation Life Support Equipment School. There he was trained in everything related to safety and aviation from parachutes to life rafts.

After being stationed in Tennessee, Hawaii and California he was deployed to the MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) in Okinawa, Japan; followed by another deployment into Subic Bay, Philippines. While in the Philippines Wiesenberger, guarded the Vice President during his visit and was present during the coup díetat against the government of Philippine President Corazon Aquino.

In 1990, Wiesenberger was deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Shield/Storm where he was there for nine months of what he called ìfun in the sun.î There he transported ground troops seven days a week.

The Marine Corps does not employ any unique combat arms, but has the unique ability to rapidly deploy a combined-arms task force to almost anywhere in the world within days. The basic structure for all deployed units is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) that incorporates a ground combat element, an aviation combat element, and a logistics combat element combat module under a similar command element.

After a sweet homecoming, Wiesenberger was transferred back to Hawaii and then to MCAS in Iwakuni where he was the senior enlisted person and maintenance chief on the search and rescue squad.

He was then transferred to NAS Lemoore and shortly after retired. Returning to civilian life was ìeye-openingî Wiesenberger said.

ìWhen you leave youíre 18 and when you come back youíre 40,î he said. ìThereís a difference in attitude and it was a new concept that people worked only for a paycheck.î

Looking back Wiesenberger said he missed being around the airplanes, followed closely by the people. And itís the people and their familiar faces that have and will always stick with Wiesenberger.

ìThe Marine Corps is not that big, so youíd always know someone wherever you went,î he said. ìIt was just like being from a small town.î

The Marine Corps Anniversary is celebrated each year on Nov. 10. A cake cutting ceremony also includes a reading of Marine Corps Order 47 and a message from the Commandant.

For more information visit www.marines.com.

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