Infantryman's Creed

[angerland]

I first learned this back in the summer/fall of 1990 as a young Private. I remember the power of saying these words then, when we thundered them across the GA swamps in unison at our Drill Sergeant's direction. We felt indestructible, and that we would gladly die defending every word of the creed. 18 years later I am sitting at Camp Ripley going through the motions of being a Sergeant because I have "Been there, done that" and getting a bit tired of the Monotony. Then my 20 soldiers spontaneously erupt into the creed and I find myself joining them. When we were finished, well I won't say we were crying , we don't do that, but there were definetly tightened throats and swollen hearts. Even our 1st Sergeant, meanest, toughest, roughest, son-of a-bitch in the company could only nod and walk away.
powerful stuff.....powerful stuff.
I am the infantry.
I am my country's strength in war,her deterent in peace.
I am the heart of the fight--wherever,whenever.
I carry America's faith and honor against her enemies.
I am the Queen of Battle.

I am what my country expects me to be--the best trained soldier in the world.
In the race for victory,I am swift,determined,and courageous,armed with a fierce will to win.
Never will I fail my country's trust.
Always I fight on--through the foe,to the objective,to triumph over all.
If necessary,I fight to my death.

By my steadfast courage,I have won 200 years of freedom.
I yield not--
to weakness,
to hunger,
to cowardice,
to fatigue,
to superior odds,
for I am mentally tough,physically strong,and morally straight.

I forsake not--
my country,
my mission,
my comrades,
my sacred duty.

I am relentless,
I am always there,
now and forever.
I AM THE INFANTRY!
FOLLOW ME!