COLUMBIA, TN

The Marine Network In Motion

The Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon stood guard on Main Street in this quintessentially small town on Saturday. More than 250 people filled the sidewalks and streets, ensuring the Marines knew they were not alone.

“We came to Columbia because it is a beautiful all-American town,” said Iain Mackenzie, director of the America’s Marines commercial.

It was a warm fall day under a bright sun. So tents were put up for shelter, but the crowd quickly exceeded their capacity. There were veterans from World War II, and Marines just back from Iraq. Marines from the Vietnam era swapped stories with lance corporals from the Silent Drill Platoon.

“That’s what Marines do,” said Major David Banning, recruiting station commanding officer. “We know we share a bond, so we start comparing notes to see what we have in common. You find the connections that unite you.”

It was the unofficial Marine network that brought many of them out today. E-mails swapped among buddies, calls from one member of the Nashville Marine Corps League to another.

“I have a shirt that says it best,” said David Gardner, who came to the event in his gold cover, red sports coat and Marine Corps League emblem. “From the outside you can’t understand it. From the inside you can’t explain it.”

But that’s exactly what the Silent Drill Platoon was being asked to do, instill in the general public a sense of what it means to be a Marine.

Gunnery Sergeant Andre Castro, an assistant Marine officer instructor at Vanderbilt University, brought his wife and two sons from Madison, TN, to see the production. He found old friends in the crowd, and talked to high school students wanting to learn more about the Marine Corps.

“The Silent Drill Platoon is perfect for starting those conversations,” he said. “They embody the discipline and attention to detail we stand for.”

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