United States Marine Corps off-base, except in transit to and from their place of duty and in the event of an emergency. As in any military organization, the official and unofficial traditions of the Marine Corps serve to reinforce camaraderie and set the service apart from others. The Corps' embrace of its rich culture and history is cited as a reason for its high "esprit de corps". The "Marines' Hymn" dates back to the 19th century and is the oldest official song in the United States armed forces. The Marine motto "Semper Fidelis" means "Always Faithful" in Latin, often appearing as "Semper Fi"; also
Hispanics in the United States Marine Corps the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. On April 25, 2007, SgtMaj Estrada stepped down from his post as Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. Aside from Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, master gunnery sergeant (MGySgt) and sergeant major are the highest enlisted ranks in the Marine Corps; however, there are far fewer master gunnery sergeants than sergeants major. One of the major differences between the two E-9 ranks is that master gunnery sergeants retain their Military Occupational