The Marine Corps has been, and will continue to be, America's Expeditionary Force in Readiness - ready to respond to today's crisis, with today's Marine forces, today.

Why wouldn't female Marines come forward? Because they don't trust us. They don't trust the command. They don't trust the leadership.

Tell the truth. Do your best no matter how trivial the task. Choose the difficult right over the easy wrong. Look out for the group before you look out for yourself. Don't whine or make excuses. Judge others by their actions and not by their race or other characteristics.

The Marine Corps has been, and will continue to be, America's Expeditionary Force in Readiness - ready to respond to today's crisis, with today's Marine forces, today.

There's a mindset of flexibility and adaptability that comes with us. We don't mind hardship. We don't mind somebody saying, "Go in and do this nasty job." Whatever the job is, we can do it. That's why the nation has a Marine Corps.

A Marine is a Marine. I set that policy two weeks ago - there's no such thing as a former Marine. You're a Marine, just in a different uniform and you're in a different phase of your life. But you'll always be a Marine because you went to Parris Island, San Diego or the hills of Quantico. There's no such thing as a former Marine.

I'm not out for quotas. I'm out to attract the best young men and women of our nation.