Freshman cadet Fernando Mejia serves a piece of cake to the guest of honor, Lieutenant Colonel Geary Mason ’79, in the MCJROTC ceremony celebrating the 240th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps on Nov. 10, 2015.

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 Tuesday, Nov. 11, on the eve of Veterans Day. A lunchtime ceremony was held for all Jesuit students to attend, while an evening ceremony allowed friends and family of JROTC cadets to be present.

Each year at the ceremony, Jesuit’s MCJROTC honors one person during the ceremony. This year, Lieutenant Colonel William G. Mason ’79 was honored. Lieutenant Colonel Mason, who served 28 years with the U.S. Army Reserve/National Guard, retired in 2013 and currently is a financial advisor/senior vice-president for Stern Agee and Leach, Inc.

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 Connor Martinez and pre-freshman Noah Seal. 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 240th Birthday Message from the Commandant of the Marine Corps

Watch Video of the 2015 Marine Corps Birthday Message | The Legacy Within