Captain Patrick Huete was the honoree at the MCJROTC celebration of the 239th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Throughout the world, Marines gather each year to celebrate the birthday of the United States Marine Corps with its traditional birthday cake-cutting ceremony. For Jesuit’s MCJROTC, that ceremony took place twice on Monday, Nov. 10. A lunchtime ceremony was held for all Jesuit students to attend, while an evening ceremony allowed friends and family of ROTC cadets to be present.

Each year at the ceremony, Jesuit’s MCJROTC honors one person during the ceremony. This year, Captain Patrick Huete was honored. Captain Huete is the Commanding Officer and Professor of Naval Science at Tulane University Naval ROTC. Read Captain Huete’s remarks.

The traditional ceremony calls for the birthday cakes to be cut with a sword by the commanding officer. The first piece of cake was given to the honoree. The second and third pieces go to the oldest and youngest cadets present at the ceremony, senior Nick Pajares and pre-freshman Dylan Davidson. During the ceremony, a special message from the Commandant of the Marine Corps was also read.

Since Nov. 1, 1921, the Marine Corps birthday celebration has served, by the order of then-Commandant Gen. John A. LeJuene, as a reminder of the accomplishments of the Corps’ service. The Jesuit MCJROTC celebrates it each year in accordance with that tradition.

Read the 239th birthday message from the Commandant of the Marine Corps.