President's Welcome

Our cadets had a spectacular year, not just in the classroom, but on the athletic field as well, with championship teams in baseball, basketball, and soccer. They competed nationally and statewide in several other sports and activities - including the rifle team, drill team, band, and swim team. And they participated in community projects here in South Texas as members of the Key Club, Interact Club, and Boy Scouts - where we had more Eagle Scouts then any other troop in the Rio Grande Valley. We were also very pleased that the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, honored us by accepting our Iwo Jima Leadership Award here on campus in April.

What sets the Marine Military Academy apart from other schools is that we are a military academy founded on the ideals of the United States Marine Corps, and our military department is comprised of Marines, most of whom served over 20 years on active duty. We pride ourselves on the wearing of the Marine uniform, and we are one of the largest Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps units in the country. When you see our cadets put on a dress parade in front of our Iwo Jima monument - which was the mold for the famous one in Arlington, Virginia - your heart swells with pride that these young men can look so good. Indeed, every young man who attends this academy undergoes a transformation into a better person.

Our 142-acre campus is meticulously maintained and modern. Our climate is very temperate, and we offer some 19 sports and activities. We are fortunate to be co-located with the Valley International Airport, so many of our cadets walk to and from the terminal. We are easily accessible by air (Southwest and Continental) and highway. Please come down and visit, and see what we have to offer. Your young man will be the ultimate beneficiary!

Semper Fidelis,
(the Marine motto, Latin for "always faithful")

Steve Cheney
Brigadier General, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)