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
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps 1899 five Marines held the rank of sergeant major. This continued until 1946, when the rank was abolished, only to be re-introduced in 1954 as part of the Marine Corps rank structure. The post of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was established in 1957 from the order of Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel at Headquarters Marine Corps, Brigadier general James P. Berkeley, as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the first such post in any of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces. In 1970, the rank insignia of the Sergeant