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What you need for your unit's 2026 Birthday Ball

MARADMIN 423/26·September 22, 2026·2 min read·Official source

The Marine Corps has released its annual birthday content MARADMIN for the 251st Birthday. It covers three things: the Commandant's video, his written message, and downloadable ceremonial music. If anyone in your unit is putting together a Birthday Ball, this is the resource list they need.

Heads up: If your ball is before November 1, you cannot pull the video from DVIDS yourself. Your COMMSTRAT office has to get it via SharePoint.

Who it affects

Anyone planning or supporting a Birthday Ball, whether that's an events coordinator, an S-6 pulling AV together, an NCO running the ceremony, or a unit OIC signing off on the program. This is logistical awareness content, not a policy change.

What you need to do

If your ball is on or after November 1:

  1. Create a DVIDS account before November 1 at https://www.dvidshub.net so you can download the video for offline playback rather than streaming it the night of the event.
  2. Pull the Commandant's video from DVIDS after 1000 EST on November 1: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/CMCBirthdayMessage251
  3. Download ceremonial music from the Marine Band site: https://www.marineband.marines.mil/Audio-Resources/Ceremonial-Music
  4. Read the Commandant's written birthday message at: https://www.cmc.marines.mil/birthday

If your ball is before November 1 (operational schedule, venue constraints, etc.):

  1. Contact your local Communication Strategy and Operations (COMMSTRAT) office. They are the only ones authorized to pull the video early via a restricted SharePoint site.
  2. If you need the video on disc, COMMSTRAT can fulfill that request based on their own capacity. Ask early.

Key dates

  • 1 Nov 2026, 1000 EST: Commandant's birthday video goes public on DVIDS.
  • Before 1 Nov 2026: Register for a DVIDS account now if you plan to download the video for offline use. Don't wait until the night of the event.

The official version

This guidance is published in MARADMIN 423/26.

POCs: Captain Isaac Lamberth at isaac.lamberth@usmc.mil / 703-614-2093 (video and written message). William Perry at william.a.perry@usmc.mil / 703-614-1405 (recorded music).

This is written by a reservist, for reservists. It is not an official publication of HQMC or MARFORRES. Always verify guidance with your command or unit S-1 before acting on any article or summary.

Resources & references

The documents this bulletin points to, with a plain-English note on why each matters. Links marked CAC required need a government login.

  • Commandant's 2026 Birthday Video (DVIDS)

    The link to the Commandant's 2026 Birthday video on DVIDS is currently broken and returns a page-not-found error. Until the link is fixed, reservists will need to search DVIDS directly at dvidshub.net to find the video.

  • Birthday Video Early Access via SharePoint (for units with early balls)CAC required

    Units holding birthday ball celebrations before 1 Nov 2026 due to operational or scheduling needs can have their local COMMSTRAT office pull the video from this SharePoint site ahead of the public release.

  • U.S. Marine Band Ceremonial Music Downloads

    This document provides official U.S. Marine Band audio and video recordings that can be downloaded and used for ceremonies such as Birthday Balls, Changes of Command, Mess Nights, and funerals. Reservists planning or participating in formal military events can use these recordings to ensure they are using the correct, official music for each occasion.

  • Commandant's 2026 Written Birthday Message

    This is the official written birthday message from Commandant Gen. Eric M. Smith marking the Marine Corps' 250th anniversary on 10 November 2025. It also links to related resources including the video message, ceremonial music, and MARADMIN 451/25 for units planning Birthday Ball events.

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