Marines honor 251 years of service in Rapid City

Marines from the Black Hills region met on Friday evening to mark the 251st anniversary of their branch.

The gathering took place at American Legion Post 22 in Rapid City, S.D. Attendees shared a meal, offered a prayer, and ate cake.

A specific ritual governed the first slice of cake. It was served to the guest of honor. That person then gave their portion to the oldest Marine present. The oldest Marine passed it to the youngest Marine in the room. This act symbolizes the transfer of knowledge and tradition from senior to junior ranks.

The speaker for the night was the founder of the Derr Foundation. He discussed his own time in the service and the post-traumatic stress disorder struggles of his brother.

Members of the Black Hills Detachment of the Marine Corps League also attended. This group of former Marines organizes several fundraisers annually to support veteran organizations.

Tim Deml, the commandant of the detachment, said the event helps former service members reconnect. He noted the value of hearing from people who served in different conflicts, including Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan. "It's just neat to talk to the people that were in different wars, from Vietnam, Korea to Iraq, Afghanistan, different deployments around the world and see where they went and their experiences and the people that they got to know," Deml said. The tradition has continued in the Black Hills for more than 20 years. The local celebration always occurs on the Friday preceding the official Nov. 10 birthday.