Oorah! The Lana Learn team attended the Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Hanoi.
The Lana Learn team participated the birthday celebration of the US Marine Corps this November.
Cocktail hour started at 6pm which gave the Lana Learn team a chance to meet Embassy staff as well as other government employees, US and foreign alike. The main event started off with a recorded presentation by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David Berger. In addition, US Ambassador to Vietnam, Marc E. Knapper, had a few words to say. Then, Major General Eric Austin informed the ball attendees of, “a very important word in Marine Corps language” that is – “Oorah!”
The speeches were followed by the entrance of Marines in dress blues, carrying their colors, a ceremonial cutting of the Marine Corps Birthday Cake with a sword, and the playing of the Marine’s Hymn. Following the ceremonies, dinner was served, and the event was open to music, dancing, and socializing.
For most of the Lana Learn team, this was their first Embassy event. Emile felt that the MeliáHotel was a nice location for the ball and was impressed at the work put in by the Volunteer Ball Committee. Cedric said it was an occasion full of gusto and pomp, and it was great to spend more time with Tina and the other partners involved in the project. Given that his father was a USMC Veteran from Da Nang, Caleb said that going to a Marine Corps event under such different circumstances had a personal significance – as if things had come full circle.