WWL Kristian Garic gets called out re: Semper Fi via email

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Kristian,

You're always pushing your service in the Marines, on your site, in commercials ...when were you in the Marines and where did you serve out of country... Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, the Falklands, Germany...? If you joined up and stayed in the states....then you need to stop punching up your bio about the Marines. Sorry Kristian, that's just being fair...I loved that you served in the Marines, but if you spent your time, hanging in the states, then please stop yourself aggrandizement …please,
drafted Vietnam Vet.

Jerry

P.S. You're a great sports commentator for WWL. To keep busting and endorsing your service in the Marines...a Marine would never use that to better his situation. If you were a true service member, you wouldn't have to keep endorsing this. Your skills are better than your history...

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For those who listen to me on WWL or 3WL 1350am, I sign on and off the radio with “Semper Fi,” which is short for Semper Fidelis. It’s a Latin phrase that means “always faithful.” The phrase is often passed from United States Marines to former and currently serving members of the Corps. I use the phrase for a number of reasons. For one, I’m very proud of the time I spent in the United States Marine Corps from 1997 to 2001. I’m a third generation military service member in my family. My father and grandfather both served in the Army. My dad retired from the Army in 1998, and my grandfather saw extensive military action as an infantryman in WWII.

When I sign on the radio with “Semper Fi,” it’s not rubbing anyone’s face in the fact that I served OUR country. I’m simply paying homage to the men and woman who have or are currently serving OUR country. Semper Fi is a salute of sorts, and I have a great platform at WWL Radio (that reaches 5 states daytime and over 38 states at night) and feel obligated to salute our troops as often as possible. I’ve explained this “Semper Fi” sign on and off before on the radio, and just wanted to put it in writing, especially after this email from Jerry.

I rarely if ever talk about my service in the Marines in commercials, and occasionally manage-ment refers to me as WWL’s “resident Marine.” They are proud of my service, and other military service members should feel good that WWL/Entercom Communications take such pride in trying to highlight and salute our veterans.

To go further in trying to answer Jerry’s questions about my military service here goes:

I served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1997 to 2001, graduating from boot camp in Parris Island South Carolina in 1998 before attending School of Infantry in the spring of 1998. Later I was assigned to 1st battalion 8th Marines (2nd Marine Division) Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. During my time as a 0341 (Mortar man) as a member of Weapons Company in 1/8, I served overseas in Okinawa Japan, returning state side for 2 years, before ripping up my shoulder in a training exercise. Because of a badly torn labrum, I was declared physically unable to deploy for the final 9 months of my 4-year enlistment contract. After shoulder surgery to repair my injury (six anchors in my left shoulder), I completed my 4-year obligation with an honorable discharge in 2001.

I served during peace time; I was fortunate to a degree. I got out of the Marines literally 2 days before 9-11; more on that in a moment. Peacetime or wartime doesn’t make your tour of duty any less significant in my eyes. I signed up with the expectation of potentially going to combat. I knew it was a very real possibility and was certainly okay with that possibility. By in large, I was disappointed that at the end of my four years I didn’t go to combat, or serve in a military operation overseas, because I trained for that moment, and never got a chance to exercise that tough, Marine Corps training.

For those men and woman who have served or currently serving in combat, and certainly for those who paid the ultimate price for our country, you are heroes, honorable men and woman with distinguished patriotism, and valor. Thank you! Jerry served during Vietnam, and to you Jerry I say…thank you! You’re a brave soul. I do believe, however, Jerry is no more or less brave than others who served during peace time, including me. I followed orders, and would have been willing to go to combat, if the order came down. Within minutes of the second plane hitting the World Trade Center in New York on 9-11, I called my command and asked them if I was going to be recalled, and volunteered to go back. My command told me they would call me if they needed me. I never received that call.

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