Commission to Commander




In August of 2024 my Grandson Ben was told he would be taking command of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines in 29 Palms, a USMC base for desert training in southern California in 2025.
In March he let me know that there would be a "Change of Command" ceremony at the base on May 9th. I found that parents etc. could attend so I made plans to be there. I had been at his commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant and again when he was promoted to Lt. Colonel in 2024


Mom and Dad pinning on his 2nd Lt. bars at Quantico

Both his grandfathers were Marines and attended the commissioning as well.



Duty in Afghanistan



Promotion  to Lt. Colonel at Quantico


At the promotion. in 2024. Proud Mama in front!

May 6 
Well  - the first leg of my flight to Dallas was cancelled due to storms there. No other flights could get me to Palm Springs on Tuesday.  I will  return to Syracuse, stay there again tonight, then fly to Washington DC, Phoenix and finally Palm Springs  tomorrow, arriving there at 11:30 am.


In May 0f 2025 Ben assumed command of a battalion in 29 Palms in southern California

I went out to visit them and see the ceremony of transferring command. 
It was very impressive with the entire battalion, color guard and band.








Normally this is a training area for desert warfare. For a few weeks in the summer Ben was ordered to take the battalion to Los Angeles to assist with some rioting that was going on due to Immigration clamp down.


29 Palms is in a desert part of California and this is an oasis in the area,
The family went for dinner and we enjoyed being around an actual oasis.


Brayden, Stephanie, Ben, McKenna and Flynn in front.

The kids and some old guy

I took a huge gondola to the top of Mt San Jacinto -Beautiful view

a Joshua Tree in the National Park which is near 29 Palms.


Mountaintop view

View of Palm Spring from Mt San Jacinto


A couple desert shots in the National park



Palm Springs airport. Wide open and the prettiest airport I have ever seen



Getting back to the Syracuse airport late due to weather delays, I arrived after the 
shuttle to my car was shut down. I spent the night in the airport and drove home 
after the shuttle started up at 4:30 am next day.




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