--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being in the Marine Corps was the best…" description: "\"Being in the Marine Corps was the best thing that ever happened to me. It can do a lot for a young guy. I owe a lot to the Marine Corps. If I had a son..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/tom-monaghan-48283_army_being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-t_2582959.png" --- # Being in the Marine Corps was the best thing that ever… ![“Being in the Marine Corps was the best thing that ever happened to me. It can do a lot for a young guy. I owe a lot to the Marine Corps. If I had a son, I'd want him to be a Marine.” quote by Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/tom-monaghan-48283_army_being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-t_2582959.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/tom-monaghan-48283_army_being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-t_2582959.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/tom-monaghan-48283_army_being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-t_2582959.png) > “Being in the Marine Corps was the best thing that ever happened to me. It can do a lot for a young guy. I owe a lot to the Marine Corps. If I had a son, I'd want him to be a Marine.” [Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Celebrates the Marine Corps as a formative, character‑building institution that imparts discipline and purpose. **In simple terms:** The Marines can positively shape a young man's life. Key Takeaway Respect and support the values learned in service. Themes military service personal development leadership Mood proud reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career transition - youth mentorship - family tradition - community service Key Concepts discipline camaraderie service ethic Questions to Reflect On - What lessons from the Corps can apply elsewhere? - How does service influence family expectations? A Different Perspective May not reflect all experiences; military life can be challenging and not universally beneficial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Best thing that ever happened to me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/) [Best things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-things/) [Marine corps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marine-corps/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) ## Related quotes > [“Too bad I don't want to be an actress. Or a reality TV-star or something,'Quinn said. 'This would be such a great opportunity.' 'Yes,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith-this-is-what-happy-looks-like/too-bad-i-don-t-want-to-be-an-actress-or-a-reality-tv-star-or/) Jennifer E. Smith This is what happy looks like > [“You want to be a marine; you need to learn how to fuck like one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/you-want-to-be-a-marine-you-need-to-learn-how-to-fuck-like-one/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [It's true -- I am a bisexual. But I can't deny that I've used that fact very well. I suppose it's the best thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/it-s-true-i-am-a-bisexual-but-i-can-t-deny-that-i-ve-used-that-fact/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [When I got traded to the California Angels, I really wasn't that excited about going to the Angels because it meant changing leagues and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/when-i-got-traded-to-the-california-angels-i-really-wasn-t-that/) [Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/) > [Losing the future is the best thing that ever happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/losing-the-future-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [The best thing that ever happened to me was losing last year in the Finals. I had to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-was-losing-last-year-in-the/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [Being sectioned was the best thing that ever happened to me,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bruno/being-sectioned-was-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/) [Frank Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bruno/) > [And I'm a believer that you take a negative and turn it into a positive, and as it turned out, it was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/and-i-m-a-believer-that-you-take-a-negative-and-turn-it-into-a/) [Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/) > [Getting older is the best thing that ever happened to me. I wake up every morning rejoicing that I'm still here with an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/getting-older-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-i-wake-up/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [People expect you to change when you become a mother, and of course my priorities changed when I had Violet. She's number one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-may/people-expect-you-to-change-when-you-become-a-mother-and-of-course-my/) [Imelda May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-may/) > [I read a lot of comic books and any kind of thing I could find. One day, a teacher found me. She grabbed my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/i-read-a-lot-of-comic-books-and-any-kind-of-thing-i-could-find-one/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [One of the best things that ever happened to me was Rocky Horror being a total flop in New York as a play. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-curry/one-of-the-best-things-that-ever-happened-to-me-was-rocky-horror/) [Tim Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-curry/) > [The best thing that ever happened to me is that nothing happened in writing. I ended up working for engineering companies, and that's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-is-that-nothing-happened-in/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Star Trek is perhaps the best thing that ever happened to me, in a career sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deforest-kelley/star-trek-is-perhaps-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-in-a/) [DeForest Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deforest-kelley/) > [It has been the best thing that has ever happened in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novak-djokovic/it-has-been-the-best-thing-that-has-ever-happened-in-my-life/) [Novak Djokovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novak-djokovic/) ## More by Tom Monaghan > [I believe everyone on earth has a certain goal/dream in life. I also believe anyone can achieve this if they set their minds to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/i-believe-everyone-on-earth-has-a-certain-goal-dream-in-life-i-also/) [Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) > [I sometimes compare my brainstorming on paper to the drilling of oil wells. The only way to strike oil is to drill a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/i-sometimes-compare-my-brainstorming-on-paper-to-the-drilling-of-oil/) [Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) > [A Marine is never intimidated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/a-marine-is-never-intimidated/) [Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) > [I owe all my success to stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/i-owe-all-my-success-to-stupidity/) [Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) > [In regard to dogs, my most memorable thoughts concern my daughter's dog and her fondness for them. In fact, one day while working at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/in-regard-to-dogs-my-most-memorable-thoughts-concern-my-daughter-s/) [Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) > [You always get negative reactions. If you worry about that, you would never do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/you-always-get-negative-reactions-if-you-worry-about-that-you-would/) [Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) > [No matter what an individual decides to become, hard work and determination is very important in today's competitive world. You may also encounter hardships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/no-matter-what-an-individual-decides-to-become-hard-work-and/) [Tom Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) [Explore all 8 Tom Monaghan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being in the Marine Corps was the best thing that ever happened to me. It can do a lot for a young guy. I owe a lot to the Marine Corps. If I had a son, I'd want him to be a Marine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Monaghan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Army" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/tom-monaghan-48283_army_being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-t_2582959.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/tom-monaghan-48283_army_being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-t_2582959.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/tom-monaghan-48283_army_being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-t_2582959.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being in the Marine Corps was the best thing that ever happened to me. It can do a lot for a young guy. I…” — Tom Monaghan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Monaghan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-monaghan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being in the Marine Corps was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-monaghan/being-in-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```