Marine Corps League

In accordance with the traditions and esprit de corps of the United States Marine Corps and as directed by the Marine Corps League’s Mission Statement, we provide assistance and support to Marines, FMF Corpsmen and FMF Chaplains and their families in the greater Houston area through:
• Financial assistance to Marines, FMF Corpsmen and FMF Chaplains and their families in times of need
• Funeral Honors as a final farewell to the fallen Marine
• Guidance to available resources beyond our capabilities
• Education and financial support to local high school JROTC units
• Promotion of celebrations and commemoration of historical events
Our focus is to ensure continued operations for the long-term through recruiting new members and securing the funding necessary to carry out our mission.

Our long-term success is based on the core strength of membership and financial capability. We are targeting our recruiting efforts through active and reserve Marine units as well as the Veterans administration and word of mouth. While most of our members are former Marines and FMF Corpsmen, we also recruit associate members. Associate members play an important role in fulfilling our obligations throughout the year.
We have developed the Friends of the Fallen program as the cornerstone of our fundraising effort. We also raise money and recruit through an annual raffle. Money raised each year is used for the following year commitments.
We constantly build relationships with local organizations, military and civilian. Our website and newsletter are key to disseminating information to all audiences.
Many of our members are retired and can dedicate more time than those still working. To meet our long-term goals, we must accommodate the schedules and capabilities of a younger group of working members through flexibility and organization. We are modifying our procedures to attract younger members to meet this need.

We have a diverse membership dedicated to our mission. Just like our time in the Marine Corps all have a common goal, Marines helping Marines. The cumulative military and civilian expertise provide a unique perspective.
In addition to personnel, we have accumulated equipment needed to expand services we offer. This includes full funeral honors and color guard capabilities. We have a WWII jeep for parades and events. We partner with the local Marine Corps Reserve Unit (1/23) and local funeral homes to provide funeral honors. We provide funeral honors for 30 – 40 fallen Marines, FMF Corpsmen and FMF Chaplains per year. We coordinate with the Veterans Administration to assist veterans in need. We organize and carry out historical commemorations throughout the year including Iwo Jima, Okinawa and in 2021 a commemoration for the War on Terror. We recognize local law enforcement when they assist in the care for local veterans. We partner with local JROTC units to fund a portion of their activities and offer Marine Corps history classes. The history classes, taught mostly by veterans that were present for the events discussed, are a great asset to the students.
All funds are used to further our commitment in the local community. The fact that we are an all-volunteer organization and no funds are used to pay any salaries or individual expenses testifies to the commitment and dedication of the Detachment.
We are strategically positioned to continue operations with a focus on expanding our reach in the community as resources allow.

Since the 1940’s McLemore Marines have been serving in our community. Our current and future members are carrying on that effort today and will continue in the future. The continuity of our efforts is defined by the service of our members. One of us served in the Korean War, several, both Marines and Corpsmen fought in Vietnam, and others participated in the “War on Terror”. Many defended our country during times that were not defined by specific conflicts. However, all of us served our country and want to continue that service.
The Detachment has provided Funeral Honors for deceased Marines for many years and participates with the local Marine Corps Reserve unit to provide funeral honors today. The Detachment is a resource to the Veterans Administration social workers providing financial assistance to cover gaps in VA programs. The Detachment donated over $25,000 to Marines impacted by Hurricane Harvey. We just sent $2500 to another Detachment to assist Marines in Lake Charles, LA that suffered financial loss due to Hurricane Laura. We have donated recreation supplies, books and magazines to veterans in local long term care facilities. We conduct a “cake cutting” ceremony for the Marine Corps Birthday at the VA Hospital and assist in a Christmas program at that facility.
The Detachment is active in the community representing the Marine Corps and the ideals of freedom and brotherhood that our country exemplifies. Since 2015, we have conducted a ceremony on the Battleship Texas to commemorate the battle of Iwo Jima and hosted a dinner for veterans of the battle and their families. We provide the Firing Detail for the USS Houston Memorial Service each year. We actively participate in other community events including driving our vintage 1953 jeep in the Houston Veterans Day Parade. In addition to providing financial support to Marine JROTC units at Pasadena, Dayton, Ridge Point, Atascocita and Estem High Schools, our members have taught history, provided support for unit fund raising efforts and participated in ceremonies at the High Schools
Our response to what’s next is simple. The things we have done in the past still need doing and we are committed to continue them. However, we recognize that we need to do more. In that light, we are instituting a new fundraising program that will provide additional funds to allocate to our various programs. The Detachment is organizing a Memorial Ceremony to remember “The War on Terror” and to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of our younger veterans. We will seek out other opportunities to fulfil the mission of the Marine Corps League