The cover of the Sept-Oct. issue of Semper Fi, the magazine of the Marine Corps League, is devoted to LtCol. Timothy Maxwell, founder of the Corps’ Wounded Warrior Regiment. Grievously wounded in an IED attack that sent shrapnel into his brain, LtCol. Maxwell battled ferocious odds to regain motor skills and mental capabilities. During his long recovery, he realized wounded Marines needed to be together to share their travails and triumphs. He organized the Wounded Warrior Barracks aboard Camp Lejeune, NC, which grew into a full-fledged regiment. LtCol. Maxwell retired in June, but has not given up fighting to help Wounded Warriors of all services. His story is an inspiration to all.

Elsewhere in this issue, we are honored to present a previously untold story of the efforts to treat and save the wounded American servicemen who survived the 23 October 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Al Sandrik was a Sailor aboard the USS Iwo Jima; an EMT in civilian life, he was called on to help the injured in the terrible hours following the terrorist bombing. His account of the life-saving efforts makes gripping reading.
Robots and unmanned aerial vehicles will never totally replace Marines, but the Corps is intensely exploring ways to use these devices in potentially highly dangerous situations, such as resupplying Marine patrols in country and evacuating wounded. Our feature on the Corps’ Warfighting Lab illuminates how the Corps is testing means to protect Marines while enabling them to inflict maximum damage on our enemies.
The Marine Corps League, for whom we publish Semper Fi, recently held its 86th National Convention in Rochester, MN, home of the Mayo Clinic. While having fun, the attendees also spent days working on the business of the League, from Bylaws to uniform changes. Semper Fi gives League members who couldn’t make it a look at what they missed.