WEBVTT 00:00.819 --> 00:02.930 There is saddle for saddle number 3 . 00:03.190 --> 00:06.260 So when we roll the tree . My name is 00:06.269 --> 00:09.140 Sergeant John Davis . I go by Jack . Um , 00:09.260 --> 00:11.479 I've been on the team for 3.5 years , 00:11.699 --> 00:14.439 uh , coming up . Yeah , pretty much 3.5 00:14.439 --> 00:16.439 years now . So the team prepared to 00:16.439 --> 00:18.606 take the horses from , uh , California 00:18.629 --> 00:21.010 to New Orleans and then Elizabeth by 00:21.010 --> 00:23.177 getting everything ready , making sure 00:23.177 --> 00:25.177 our horses were good to go , making 00:25.177 --> 00:27.177 sure they were healthy , their feet 00:27.177 --> 00:29.343 were done , we had all the equipment , 00:29.343 --> 00:31.510 gear and feed that we needed packed up 00:31.510 --> 00:33.399 in the trailer , um , in order to 00:33.399 --> 00:35.566 accomplish this , uh , feat of a drive 00:35.566 --> 00:37.732 which was a total of about , uh , 3000 00:37.732 --> 00:41.520 miles . The 00:41.520 --> 00:43.742 uniqueness of this trip was this is the 00:43.742 --> 00:45.964 first time that the mounted Color Guard 00:45.964 --> 00:48.369 has participated in a Fleet Week . Uh , 00:48.520 --> 00:50.687 so there's Fleet Weeks happen all over 00:50.687 --> 00:52.798 the country , um , especially for the 00:52.798 --> 00:55.119 America 250th anniversary birthday , 00:55.159 --> 00:57.326 whatever you wanna call it . Um , they 00:57.326 --> 00:59.437 were really emphasizing the amount of 00:59.437 --> 01:01.437 events that they were doing , so we 01:01.437 --> 01:03.437 were able to hop on this one in New 01:03.437 --> 01:05.659 Orleans . We were requested to go there 01:05.659 --> 01:05.230 and to represent the mounted Color 01:05.230 --> 01:07.480 guard the same way we always do , just 01:07.480 --> 01:08.924 in a different location . 01:12.120 --> 01:14.176 We pulled in New Orleans pretty late 01:14.176 --> 01:16.480 and the New Orleans , uh , PD mounted 01:16.480 --> 01:19.000 unit was able to to greet us and 01:19.000 --> 01:21.120 welcomed us with open arms and really 01:21.120 --> 01:23.287 made us feel at home there so it was a 01:23.287 --> 01:25.509 pretty awesome experience , uh , really 01:25.509 --> 01:27.842 great , great facilities that they have . 01:27.842 --> 01:29.787 They have a , a nice big , uh open 01:29.787 --> 01:31.898 arena , a couple covered round pens , 01:31.898 --> 01:33.953 so regardless of the weather we were 01:33.953 --> 01:36.231 able to accomplish , uh , training and , 01:36.231 --> 01:37.953 and really , really be able to 01:37.953 --> 01:39.787 emphasize kind of the newer guys 01:39.787 --> 01:41.898 getting , getting work as well . Oh . 01:43.410 --> 01:45.521 The amount of color guard took , uh , 01:45.521 --> 01:47.799 took part in a lot of different events , 01:47.799 --> 01:49.632 uh , anything from morning color 01:49.632 --> 01:51.799 ceremonies to evening color ceremonies 01:51.799 --> 01:54.021 to , uh , static displays , a couple of 01:54.021 --> 01:56.299 colors presentations all over the city . 01:56.299 --> 01:58.521 I mean , we were really , really trying 01:58.521 --> 02:00.688 to get our , our image and , and group 02:00.688 --> 02:02.854 out there . We drove all over the city 02:02.854 --> 02:04.854 through the French Quarter with the 02:04.854 --> 02:07.021 trailers . I mean we went everywhere , 02:07.021 --> 02:09.021 but we participated as much as , as 02:09.021 --> 02:11.077 much as they would allow us to . One 02:11.077 --> 02:11.029 horse for a set amount of time . Like 02:11.029 --> 02:13.140 I've been riding Sonny since probably 02:13.140 --> 02:15.509 last August . My name is Lance Corporal 02:15.509 --> 02:17.899 Tristan Walker . I'm a stableman at the 02:17.899 --> 02:21.149 mounted Color guard . Most 02:21.149 --> 02:23.949 rewarding part of the trip for me 02:24.610 --> 02:28.029 was . Being able to get put into the 02:28.029 --> 02:29.973 ceremonies , being as new as I was 02:29.973 --> 02:32.190 before I went on this trip , so like 02:32.190 --> 02:35.610 the morning and evening colors and uh 02:35.610 --> 02:38.149 different static displays we did the 02:38.149 --> 02:40.260 parades , so that was that was pretty 02:40.260 --> 02:43.869 rewarding . My first trip with the 02:43.869 --> 02:46.520 mountain Color guard taught me to be 02:46.740 --> 02:48.990 self-reliant and team reliant so that 02:48.990 --> 02:51.910 we can all be successful as a whole by 02:51.910 --> 02:54.021 relying on each other and ourselves . 02:54.029 --> 02:56.910 Teardrop . Mark . 02:59.830 --> 03:01.830 Try to get a little more collection 03:01.830 --> 03:05.029 there , Walker . My name is Sergeant 03:05.029 --> 03:06.949 Lauren Lynch . I've been with the 03:06.949 --> 03:09.005 Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard for 03:09.005 --> 03:11.171 about 2 months now . I grew up working 03:11.171 --> 03:13.116 with horses probably since I was 6 03:13.116 --> 03:15.550 years old , and since then I'd also 03:15.550 --> 03:17.717 said I wanted to be a Marine . So when 03:17.717 --> 03:20.029 I got the chance to apply and was then 03:20.029 --> 03:21.918 accepted , and now I'm having the 03:21.918 --> 03:24.550 chance to represent the Marine Corps on 03:24.550 --> 03:26.439 horseback , presenting the colors 03:26.439 --> 03:28.661 across the United States , it's like my 03:28.661 --> 03:30.494 two favorite things , and my two 03:30.494 --> 03:33.460 passions colliding . So it , it really , 03:33.470 --> 03:34.748 it means a lot to me . 03:44.669 --> 03:46.891 Going into my first trip we were unsure 03:46.891 --> 03:49.470 of what performances I was going to be 03:49.470 --> 03:51.949 part of , but moving forward and 03:51.949 --> 03:54.171 proving myself with the help of my team 03:54.171 --> 03:57.309 members , those expectations changed as 03:57.309 --> 03:59.110 we went along , and I ended up 03:59.110 --> 04:01.054 participating in a lot of events . 04:05.029 --> 04:07.899 I think the moment I felt proudest to 04:07.899 --> 04:10.139 represent the Marine Corps as a stable 04:10.139 --> 04:12.195 keeper and part of the Mounted Color 04:12.195 --> 04:14.279 Guard in general was my first time 04:14.279 --> 04:16.989 going out for a colors presentation at 04:16.989 --> 04:20.799 the Elizabeth Stampede , um . I 04:20.799 --> 04:23.480 was a color guard during that time and 04:23.480 --> 04:27.220 was doing sword manual on Rubio and 04:27.709 --> 04:29.931 For my first performance , my heart was 04:29.931 --> 04:32.390 beating out of my chest and it was just 04:32.390 --> 04:36.390 unreal . The memory that will stay with 04:36.390 --> 04:39.570 me the longest was , I believe , my 3rd 04:40.220 --> 04:43.190 rodeo . A young girl came out to sing 04:43.190 --> 04:45.301 the national anthem and her voice was 04:45.301 --> 04:47.301 just insane while we were out there 04:47.301 --> 04:49.468 presenting the colors , and I think it 04:49.468 --> 04:51.746 was the first time that I actually was . 04:53.239 --> 04:56.059 Fully eased into what we were doing . 04:57.260 --> 04:59.427 Something I hope people would remember 04:59.427 --> 05:02.459 is um a huge part of the Marine Corps 05:02.459 --> 05:04.681 is carrying on history and traditions , 05:04.681 --> 05:07.089 and that is one of the great things 05:07.089 --> 05:09.059 that we get the honor of doing is 05:09.059 --> 05:11.290 carrying on traditions that date back 05:11.290 --> 05:14.769 all the way to 1967 , um , and we're 05:14.769 --> 05:17.420 carrying it through today to 2026 and 05:17.420 --> 05:19.587 hopefully even further down the road , 05:19.630 --> 05:21.352 um , but as well as all of the 05:21.352 --> 05:23.574 opportunities that the Marine Corps has 05:23.574 --> 05:23.239 for you . 05:28.559 --> 05:30.781 Representing the Marine Corps on a trip 05:30.781 --> 05:32.519 like this , it's a very unique 05:32.519 --> 05:34.741 experience that not a lot of people get 05:34.741 --> 05:36.797 to do , right ? There's not a lot of 05:36.797 --> 05:38.963 people that get to ride horses for the 05:38.963 --> 05:41.130 Marine Corps . I'm sure in the last 20 05:41.130 --> 05:43.186 years there's maybe been less than , 05:43.186 --> 05:45.463 less than , uh , 50 , I would say , um , 05:45.463 --> 05:47.241 that have had the ability to do 05:47.241 --> 05:49.463 something like this . It's a very niche 05:49.463 --> 05:51.989 thing and it's a very , uh , cool and 05:51.989 --> 05:54.156 amazing part of , uh , my Marine Corps 05:54.156 --> 05:56.929 experience that I've had . The impact 05:56.929 --> 05:59.096 of the mounted color guard goes deeper 05:59.096 --> 06:01.950 than just Marine Corps . Um , horses , 06:02.269 --> 06:04.510 they teach you how to be humble . They 06:04.510 --> 06:08.149 teach you how to , uh , be a leader in 06:08.149 --> 06:10.429 a way that that nothing else could 06:10.429 --> 06:12.829 prepare you for . So the impact of the 06:12.829 --> 06:15.019 mounted Color guard is , you know , 06:15.230 --> 06:17.397 both the Marine Corps , being a marine 06:17.397 --> 06:19.730 and being a horseman , those two things , 06:19.730 --> 06:21.952 uh , kind of . Meet ahead at some point 06:21.952 --> 06:24.445 and you have to overcome that challenge 06:24.445 --> 06:26.612 and figure out the type of person that 06:26.612 --> 06:28.864 you're gonna be so I'd say the impact 06:28.864 --> 06:31.031 that the amount of color guard has had 06:31.031 --> 06:33.364 on me is just making me a better person , 06:33.364 --> 06:35.197 a better leader , um , accepting 06:35.197 --> 06:37.475 humility because there's a lot of that , 06:37.475 --> 06:39.586 uh , on horses , you know , they have 06:39.586 --> 06:41.753 the , uh , tendency to humiliate you , 06:41.753 --> 06:41.704 but it's , it's how you recover from 06:41.704 --> 06:43.871 that is the most important thing and I 06:43.871 --> 06:45.871 think that's what's impacted me the 06:45.871 --> 06:47.704 most . I , I hope that the newer 06:47.704 --> 06:49.704 marines will learn the same lessons 06:49.704 --> 06:51.815 that I've learned , you know , how to 06:51.815 --> 06:54.179 be a leader , uh , and how to lead not 06:54.179 --> 06:56.649 only yourself but , uh , you know , the 06:56.649 --> 06:58.705 four legged animal that's underneath 06:58.705 --> 07:00.927 you . It's got its own own mind and own 07:00.927 --> 07:03.205 way of thinking , you know , trying to , 07:03.205 --> 07:05.260 uh , increase that bond and increase 07:05.260 --> 07:07.420 that communication to , uh , be in 07:07.420 --> 07:09.587 charge of the situation at all times . 07:09.587 --> 07:11.809 So I hope they learn how to become good 07:11.809 --> 07:13.753 leaders , good horsemen , and good 07:13.753 --> 07:13.600 marines . 07:19.619 --> 07:21.730 Yeah , the fact that this is my final 07:21.730 --> 07:25.470 trip , it , it really , uh . It was an 07:25.769 --> 07:27.769 emotional thing for me , you know , 07:27.769 --> 07:30.102 I've been doing this for 3.5 years , so , 07:30.102 --> 07:33.489 um , to , to do it for the last time , 07:33.809 --> 07:35.920 uh , it didn't really hit me until we 07:35.920 --> 07:38.031 were driving back and I realized that 07:38.031 --> 07:40.198 that was the last time I was gonna get 07:40.198 --> 07:42.253 on a horse in uniform for the Marine 07:42.253 --> 07:44.420 Corps , uh , but it was , uh , overall 07:44.420 --> 07:46.365 amazing experience , great place , 07:46.365 --> 07:48.587 great place to have the final , final , 07:48.587 --> 07:50.809 uh , rodeo , you know , great people in 07:50.809 --> 07:52.865 Elizabeth , Colorado , they all were 07:52.865 --> 07:54.920 very welcoming and , uh . You know , 07:54.920 --> 07:56.920 made me , made me feel at home . We 07:56.920 --> 07:58.976 want to bring him into the arena and 07:58.976 --> 07:58.500 kind of give him a big surprise here 07:58.500 --> 08:00.611 because he didn't know this was gonna 08:00.611 --> 08:02.833 happen . Sergeant John Davis has been a 08:02.833 --> 08:04.778 member of the United States Marine 08:04.778 --> 08:06.833 Corps since 2018 , has been with the 08:06.833 --> 08:09.000 Marine Corps Mount Color Guard for the 08:09.000 --> 08:11.820 last 3 years . It is rather special for 08:11.820 --> 08:13.987 Sergeant Davis as he has completed his 08:13.987 --> 08:16.230 tour of duty with the Marine Corps , 08:16.540 --> 08:18.899 and this afternoon actually will be his 08:18.899 --> 08:21.579 last ride . Let's all give Sergeant Don 08:21.579 --> 08:23.135 Davis a round of applause . 08:27.420 --> 08:29.253 Representing the Marine Corps on 08:29.253 --> 08:31.476 horseback is one of the most unique and 08:31.476 --> 08:33.753 awesome experiences that I've ever had , 08:33.753 --> 08:35.976 you know , getting to hold the American 08:35.976 --> 08:38.309 flag on the back of a horse in a Marine , 08:38.309 --> 08:40.531 you know , Blues uniform , uh , there's 08:40.531 --> 08:42.753 nothing that'll top that in my book . I 08:42.753 --> 08:42.530 mean that's gonna be something I talk 08:42.530 --> 08:44.808 about forever , you know , it's just a , 08:44.808 --> 08:48.260 a completely . Uh , amazing experience 08:48.260 --> 08:50.427 and like that standing ovation you get 08:50.427 --> 08:53.039 whenever that , that flag rolls in , um , 08:53.090 --> 08:55.201 and the , the way that the crowd kind 08:55.201 --> 08:57.423 of lights up at the end of the national 08:57.423 --> 08:59.646 anthem you could feel that , you know , 08:59.646 --> 09:01.812 deep down and , and that's one feeling 09:01.812 --> 09:03.923 that I'll never forget . This is just 09:03.923 --> 09:06.090 an awesome program , an awesome , uh , 09:06.090 --> 09:08.312 group of people that I get to work with 09:08.312 --> 09:10.534 and . Um , you know , work for , um , I 09:10.534 --> 09:12.830 just hope that horsemanship and , and 09:12.830 --> 09:14.941 everything else maintains that up and 09:14.941 --> 09:16.830 up and people are really , really 09:16.830 --> 09:18.719 staying after it and the mountain 09:18.719 --> 09:20.719 killer guard lives on for years and 09:20.719 --> 09:19.479 years to come .