Irene Loewenson
@iloewenson
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Once a @marinetimes reporter | @Harvard_Law '27
Washington, DC
Joined June 2019
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Gen. Eric Smith, the Marine commandant, yesterday warned "those that are in the area" against targeting the Marine expeditionary unit deployed to the Middle East: "If you target them, someone else will raise your children."
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The Marine Corps has outdone itself with this acronym 🙌
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Marines (including Gen. Berger and Sgt. Maj. Black) ran from the war memorial to the Pentagon this morning as an early birthday celebration. Not pictured: me learning firsthand about the Slinky Effect and almost crashing into the guy in front of me
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10 minutes into a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the military's recruitment shortfalls, and both Sen. Tillis and the Pentagon's deputy assistant secretary for military personnel policy have already in part blamed the media for people not wanting to enlist.
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With
@JournoGeoffZ
:
Military leaders blame various factors for the recruiting crisis. But some recruiters say one big cause is missing from the conversation: MHS Genesis, a new screening system that pulls applicants' old medical records.
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Today is my last day at Military Times. I have loved reporting on the Marine Corps for the past two years. To my editors, to my colleagues, to the many Marines who have let me tell their stories: I am deeply grateful.
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Personal news: After a wonderful 2 months as an editorial fellow
@MilitaryTimes
&
@defense_news
, I start today as a reporter at Military Times’
@Marinetimes
covering the Marine Corps. Excited to keep working with the MilTimes team and to report on issues that matter to Marines.
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Other official Marine Twitter accounts: Naval Integration staff talks are held biannually to align naval leadership, discuss opportunities for increased cooperation, and improve interoperab--
1st MARDIV Twitter account:
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Marine unit leaves Kuwait exercise early because of ‘emerging events’
A spokesperson for the 26th MEU(SOC) didn't specify what those "events" were. The MEU(SOC) was specially trained on a wide range of scenarios, including noncombatant evacuations.
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I was honored to receive
@MarineCorpsFdn
's Major Megan McClung award on Saturday, for reporting about Marines overseas. My story was about the Marine air traffic controllers who played a crucial role in ensuring the safe exit of refugees from Afghanistan in 2021.
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Kaya, a service dog who helped Marine veteran Cole Lyle advocate for the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act, died on Saturday. But she was not only a compelling lobbyist — she also changed Lyle's life.
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A Marine corporal who took on a leadership role in his motor transport unit got an unexpected medal from the acting commandant.
After giving an off-the-cuff speech about the transience of life, he ended the day as a sergeant.
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The award for best headline of a DoD press release goes to this, about a master sergeant who rescued a sea turtle caught in a fishing net:
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Lance Cpl. Chesty XVI rocking his dress blues at the Modern Day Marine conference today
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An annoyed Sen. Josh Hawley rails against substandard Army housing. “We’re past the point of continuing to kick this down the road.” And then he changes gears to pronouns in the Air Force.
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Today, I had the privilege of meeting the Marine Corps’ top dog, Pvt. Chesty XVI. He declined to comment but agreed to be scratched behind the ears.
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I’m departing Marine Corps Times in 2 months after a wonderful 1.5 years covering the military’s proudest branch. If you want to take on a fascinating beat, work with talented colleagues and write a wide range of stories, apply for my job.
#journalismjobs
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Pro tip: Don’t attempt a heist on a jewelry store that’s next door to a Marine recruiting office, especially if one of the applicants who happens to be there has a background in martial arts.
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Celebrity sighting at the
#SeaAirSpace
conference: Private Fur-st Class Chesty XVI, official Marine Corps mascot
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For the first time, a woman will be heading the Silent Drill Platoon, one of the Marine Corps' most elite ceremonial units.
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The Marine Corps' CENTCOM component canceled its birthday ball, citing "unforeseen operational commitments and the nature of our current mission."
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The DC Circuit heard arguments yesterday in a case about Sikh men who wish to wear their articles of faith during Marine boot camp.
If women can wear their hair long and some men can grow beards, why can't Sikh men? the judges asked.
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Pfc. Jaskirat Singh, who graduated from Marine boot camp Friday, said other recruits had questions for him about his turban and beard. He didn't mind answering.
The recruits' typical reaction, according to Singh: "Yo, that’s pretty cool. That’s dope."
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Sens. Hirono and Warren ask about whether a sexual assault scandal in JROTC programs is affecting recruitment. They note that
@nytimes
broke the story but don't blame the journalists for breaking it.
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Aaand now Air Force Lt. Gen. Caroline Miller (deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services) blames "negative publicity"
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Pvt. Chesty XVI prepares to ascend to private first class. Lots of paw-mp and circumstance here at 8th and I today.
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I blended right in! It was a great opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge about ditties and the Slinky Effect
I once invited media to a
@USMC
b-day run from Pentagon to the War Memorial, met with laughs and “yeah rights” from Press. Except one.
@iloewenson
was like, “I’m new, can I come?” She showed up in purple among a sea of green on green. It was the start of a great relationship.
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I’m taking a few months off before starting at Harvard Law School in August. I’m excited for the next chapter, but I will miss the people (and dogs — looking at you, LCpl Chesty XVI) who have made these last two years so special.
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The USMC may be the only military branch (other than the Space Force! one mustn’t forget about the Space Force!) to meet its recruiting goals by the end of the fiscal year tomorrow. That’s thanks to unusually high retention.
with
@lehrfeld_media
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A longtime friend of Collazo who served with him in the USMC Reserve: “If you needed something and you’re broke down on the road, you know you could call him and he could pull you out or whatever. He has no hate in his heart. Always just been a good dude.”
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In fairness: These speakers are also pointing to things like the hot labor market and difficulties posed by COVID.
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Cpl. Gage Barbieri became the second Marine corporal since at least 2008 (and maybe ever) to receive the Meritorious Service Medal. The truck mechanic fixed costly, potentially dangerous issues with technical manuals for a tactical vehicle when he was 19.
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In writing this piece on a Marine who is the world champ in burpees per minute, I fell down the rabbit hole of burpee history. Did you know that burpees were invented in the 1930s by an American physiologist named Royal Huddleston Burpee? I sure didn’t!
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3 Marines were at a Chick-fil-A, finishing up an extra order of fries, when they saw a fight break out. Then one of the teens involved in the melee allegedly pulled out a knife.
"Our Marine brain just kind of kicked in."
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Gen. Berger will end his term as commandant in the summer. So I tried to answer: When will his successor be named? Who legally *can* be named as his successor? What's next for Berger?
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My extremely serious coverage of Chesty XVI's promotion to Pfc. I got confirmation from official sources that the E-2 is a very good boy.
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At 3/6, the Marine unit that lost two rifles in 2019, an M18 pistol is missing.
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Marines’ camouflage uniforms are supposed to be difficult for enemy eyes to find. But these days, they’re difficult for even Marines to find.
A look into the uniform shortage:
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Gen. David Berger, the top Marine, wrote a (paywalled) op-ed over the weekend seeking to change perceptions of military service. Unlike most recruitment messaging, it's aimed not at Gen Z but rather at parents, teachers, coaches, etc.
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Huge news in the world of fashion: Marines in the Pentagon are wearing camouflage again! Unless they're in front offices. Or they're attending important meetings. Or it's Friday.
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Marine generals say at
#SAS2023
that the DoD's tendency toward secrecy makes it harder to train alongside allies (but, according to the commandant, DoD is working on it)
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Sen. Tuberville blames "woke" advertising campaigns for the Army's recruiting challenges.
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“It’s OK that life doesn’t go as planned,” USMC vet Annika Hutsler says. “You can make a life that’s so great, even after tragedy, even after illness. There’s still life to be lived, even when you think that your plans all went wrong.”
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Ever wondered what JADC2 is?
One Marine full-bird has got you covered:
"Probably the best example I can give you is a buddy of mine — he’s got a Traeger … Wi-Fi-enabled pellet smoker sitting in his backyard."
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Despite his at times unsat behavior on field day, Manny made corporal a month before his handler, who during that period had to stand at parade rest while the noncommissioned officer ate chow.
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Marine infantry school on West Coast fires its sergeant major
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Two stories for your Friday Force Design fix.
1) Marine littoral regiment fends off traditional regiment in exercise
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The Marine Corps had been the only branch that didn’t let Sikhs go through recruit training with their articles of faith.
A federal court has just ruled that Sikhs can maintain their religious beards while serving their country in the U.S. Marine Corps. Now, three Sikh recruits, who had previously been denied religious accommodations, can enter basic training.
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My theory is that Jared Leto chose the name Twentynine Palms for his skincare products because brands with spelled-out numbers automatically sound fancy.
On that note, I’m thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of my fragrance line, Dee Dee Two Fourteen.
Famously eccentric actor Jared Leto is launching a desert-inspired skincare line that shares its name with a famously unpleasant Marine installation
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Looser hair rules for female Marines! Still no ponytails, though.
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"Be bold. Be brief. Be gone" was one of Maj. Megan McClung's mottos, both for dealing with the press and for living life.
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There's a newish Marine Reserve unit in New York State that's helping the Corps find tech for its sweeping modernization, Force Design 2030.
The idea is: Get reservists who've gained tech knowledge from their jobs, and have them apply that to the Corps.
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One officer says he’s now stuck in the Marine Corps because of an audit by Marine human resources officials of cyber lieutenants’ contracts, which resulted in two dozen of them having their service lengths extended.
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Senators Warren and Blumenthal are requesting answers from Secretary Austin about whether a medical records system, Genesis, is hindering military recruiting.
The senators cited
@MilitaryTimes
reporting by
@JournoGeoffZ
,
@rachelkaras
,
@davis_winkie
and me.
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SCOTUS heard arguments yesterday about whether vets with disabilities can collect decades’ worth of retroactive VA benefits. The case could have huge implications for service-disabled vets, including those who were subjected to secret chemical tests at Edgewood Arsenal. (1/x)
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📢New Marine PT uniform prototype announced
Unfortunately, the Marine Corps has confirmed that the halcyon days of super-short silkies must forever remain but a cherished memory.
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Two Marine Raiders are on trial for homicide, four years after an altercation in Iraq that (may have) led to the death of a retired Green Beret. Here's my coverage from the trial. (1/4)
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The Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Christopher "Moe" Mahoney to be assistant commandant of the Marine Corps. He'll lead the service while the commandant, Gen. Eric Smith, remains hospitalized following an apparent heart attack.
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The Marine Corps released another big strategy document, this time on installations and logistics. I wrote about installations…
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Gen. Eric Smith is confirmed as commandant of the Marine Corps by a 96-0 vote.
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For those who served in Fallujah, what does it mean to have a ship named after it?
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Thread time:
I’ve seen some confusion on the interwebs about what hairstyles are and aren’t allowed for female Marines under the new rules. Are ponytails OK now, or aren’t they?
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Gen. Berger went from a midshipman at Tulane who drove a souped-up Mustang to one of the most influential—and controversial—service chiefs in recent history. A look back at his 42 years in the Marine Corps, and at what comes next now that he's retired:
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How a gift from Marine reservists inspired a 9-year-old girl to follow in their footsteps:
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The Marine Corps will soon-ish (possibly a few months from now) let some people with in-demand skills join or rejoin at higher ranks than they otherwise would have. Lateral entrants won't skip entry-level training, officials stressed.
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This kid is doing a great job of reading an excerpt from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” as FLOTUS and POTUS look on at a Toys for Tots event. Way to keep cool under pressure!
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At oral arg yesterday, Chief Justice Roberts seemed open to banning affirmative action in civilian universities and not service academies. He’s often drawn to narrow, compromise-y rulings (at least relative to his peers). (1/x)
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The service academies and many colleges with ROTC programs practice affirmative action in admissions. On Monday, the Supreme Court will hear two cases that may change that.
What could that mean for the military?
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How Marines brought order to the skies during the Kabul airlift
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A tidbit from
#ModernDayMarine
#MDM23
: The Marine Corps might rethink how it allocates jobs for officers. Maybe.
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4 Marines were accused of halting the Skyfari gondola ride at the San Diego Zoo by shaking one of carts. But could there have been an underlying issue with the ride?
A look into the 3rd MAW investigation I obtained via FOIA:
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I talked with Bill Bee, a Marine whose brush with death in Afghanistan ended up in newspapers across the globe. There's a lot more to his story than the famous photos of the Taliban bullet narrowly missing his head.
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Even with Gen. Eric Smith taking over the most senior Marine Corps post, he still will lack a top deputy, because Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s remaining holds include Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney’s nomination to be assistant commandant.
.
@iloewenson
and I break down today's craziness with senior military nominations and how we ended up with the new Joint Chiefs Chairman getting confirmed tonight:
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Marine wargames offer a look at the future — and fuel dissent
When Marines and Marine veterans argue about wargames, they are also arguing about war: how to prepare for it and how to fight it.
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The phoebe bridgers lyrics bot offers an apt summary of current defense Twitter discourse:
Over the coast, everyone's convinced
It's a government drone or alien spaceship
Either way, we're not alone
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Tweeted by a member of Gen Z from her phone 🫠
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Update: The pilot who dramatically ejected from an F-35B yesterday has no serious injuries. A Defense Contract Management Agency spokesperson tells me that the pilot serves in the Air Force.
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I learned a LOT about grills yesterday
Dogged reporting here:
“Traeger’s vice president of engineering, Dan Altenritter, confirmed to Marine Corps Times that the company’s new Timberline grills have 13 sensors…”
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UPDATE: Quantico released a statement attributing the reported sounds of gunshots to an apparent car backfiring.
Marine Corps Base Quantico ordered a shelter-in-place earlier this afternoon. It has since declared the situation "all clear."
According to an email from the base CO, a white panel van was reported as having "fired approximately five shots in the air."
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“What’s not so cool to talk about: logistics,” Gen. Berger said recently. “But if you were trying to counter the United States right now militarily, I think you would go after our logistics."
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Sgt. Maj. Carlos A. Ruiz will be the next senior enlisted leader of the Marine Corps. He'll be the top enlisted adviser to Gen. Eric Smith if Smith is confirmed as the next commandant.
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The commander of the school where Marines learn to use the amphibious combat vehicle was fired after unspecified information surfaced during an investigation into an October ACV mishap. The firing was not related to misconduct, a Marine spokesperson says.
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This change could ease the burden on Marines' wallets. Constantly dry cleaning a service uniform can get expensive, not to mention the cost of buying, tailoring and replacing all the uniform items. Cammies, meanwhile, can be thrown into a washing machine.
Huge news in the world of fashion: Marines in the Pentagon are wearing camouflage again! Unless they're in front offices. Or they're attending important meetings. Or it's Friday.
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My first article for
@defense_news
! The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office launched its NROL-199 spy satellite mission, the second of its kind in under a month.
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There's a new sergeant major of the Marine Corps:
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Additional comment from the 26th MEU spokesperson:
Marine unit leaves Kuwait exercise early because of ‘emerging events’
A spokesperson for the 26th MEU(SOC) didn't specify what those "events" were. The MEU(SOC) was specially trained on a wide range of scenarios, including noncombatant evacuations.
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“I can only imagine what types of hardships they had to go through,” said one relative of a Montford Point Marine. "But I know that they had no idea that they were making history — which is exactly what they did.”
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“I can assure you, in II MEF, we will never forget.”
That's Lt. Gen. Ottignon, commanding general of II MEF, at yesterday's commemoration for the 241 U.S. troops who died in the Beirut bombing 39 years ago.
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A statement from Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, who has been performing the duties of Marine commandant since the hospitalization of Gen. Eric Smith on Sunday:
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Today at
#ModernDayMarine
#MDM2023
: Gen. David Berger, who will retire July 10, talked about what comes next for him.
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Two Marine Raiders, part of the "MARSOC 3," have been acquitted of homicide, more than four years after the death of a Green Beret vet. They were convicted of just one charge: violating a lawful general order for drinking alcohol while deployed to Iraq.
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A half ponytail is no more a ponytail than a semicircle is a circle.
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@MarineCorpsFdn
@_andreascott
I'm especially honored to receive an award named for Megan McClung, the first female Marine officer killed in combat in the Iraq War, who left an enormous legacy.
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Now here’s Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, in a *ponytail* (NOT AUTHORIZED EXCEPT DURING PT):
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