Testimonials

"I am formally a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC and underwent 4 combat deployments with some of the bravest men I know. Over the years, it’s easy to lose contact or just fall out of touch. A few years ago, my wife and I were made aware of a 3/2 Lima Company reunion that takes place once per year and all of us Marines get together and spend time at a lake in Georgia. I was truly amazed the first time we attended how easy we were all just able to pick back up where we left off. Unus Supra spends hundreds or more hours reaching out not only to us but to organizations to help make this happen. We talk about the past, present and the future of our new lives. Some of us have children and some of us don’t but we all have one thing in common, the Marine Corps. There are many activities that we as a group participate in at our own leisure, there is no real schedule so it’s very relaxing. We spend time on the water fishing, boating, swimming, snorkeling or just floating around on a raft relaxing. My wife and I had such a remarkable time spending time with everyone and feel truly grateful that organizations have made this happen. After returning home my wife and I reminisce over each reunion all year about the awesome time that we had but also the stories revisited and especially the new ones. We look forward to these reunions year round and it gives me motivation to continue driving on every single day.  My wife and I look forward to being there again this year and once again, it can’t be over stated how grateful we are to be able to share this special time as a group of Marines together and reflect. Thank you to all who have dedicated their time and money to make this happen Semper Fi."

~Colin Williams Jr.

"I’m not very close with my family for multiple reasons so I don’t celebrate stuff like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Birthdays including my own, etc. anymore. They’re just another day to me. These reunions have given me something to look forward to every year. I’m certain that if it hadn’t been for these reunions I’d be dead already. 

I had decided that I wanted to die. I felt personally responsible for the death of Lcpl Cliff Golla. I was on post the shift before his patrol had went out so I’m pretty sure that the Insurgent that planted the IED that killed Golla, planted it on my watch. I’ve racked my brain for years trying to figure out how I could miss someone getting a f@#$%^& bomb in front of our FOB and to this day I still don’t know how the a@#$%^&@ did it. But they succeeded and as a result three Marines were wounded and one was killed. The guilt I carry to this day was so overwhelming at the time that I felt that the only way I could make up for my f@#$up was to end my own life. I had decided how I was gunna do it but I was struggling to find a good place to do it. I didn’t was to leave a mess behind and I didn’t want my body to be found. I wanted to kill myself in a manner where nobody knew I had done it. I wanted to make it look to everyone that I had just disappeared one day, never to be heard from again. 

By happenstance I get a phone call from my former platoon commander Capt. John McConnell. I almost ignored his call altogether but for some reason I decided to pick up. We talked for a little while and I think he could tell something was off and told me I should come to the 3/2 reunion they had coming up. I don’t make a ton of money so I told him that I appreciated the invitation but I can’t afford to take a trip anywhere, let alone take a trip to see the people that I was all but sure in my mind blamed me for the death of one of our guys. He, by way of Unus Supra paid for my trip to GA and all but made me go.

I’m glad I did. I got out there and I found out that I wasn’t being blamed by his family or his friends for his death. I was even told by Golla’s mother who was attending that it was the enemy that had killed her boy, not me. I got to catch up with some folks I didn’t imagine I’d ever see again, had some laughs, and despite what I had thought before I’d arrived I ended up having a really good time. I’ve been going to these reunions since and I try to get as many as I can to come as well.

 I’m pretty f@#$%^&* hard headed and once I make a decision I’m usually dead set on it. I had decided that I wanted to die. Because of these reunions that isn’t the case anymore."

~Alan Grizzle

"I have been to 2 consecutive reunions so far and my third coming up, it would take something  really serious in my life to ever miss one. These reunions are much needed in my life it gives me something to look forward to every year.

Being able to reconnect with our Brothers in my opinion is like medication for our mental health, it fulfills me and clears my mind every year. These reunions have kept me connected to so many of my brothers and every year there’s more and more, it gets better and better every time I go. It is only us that can sit down and share some of the most vivid, good, and bad times of our lives and everyone understands each other.

What’s also great is that significant others are welcome to join the reunions. I think this is very important because they also get to hear our stories which gives them a better understanding of our past, and what we deal with in a day to day basis throughout our lives. My wife was accepted by everyone as if she met them 20 years ago.

For anyone that hasn’t gone, it’s time to try doing your best to make it, you won’t regret it! I am so thankful to Unus Supra for working so hard year round to make this happen for us!"

~Ron Rinaldi