Why Congress Should Support the Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary Coin Act

The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

Today's Marine Corps has come a long way from its humble origins in a Philadelphia tavern in 1775. First established as a landing force for the Navy, Marines fought to secure the independence of our nation in the Revolutionary War. The Marine Corps has gone on to safeguard our freedom in every clime and place and in every war our nation has fought since then. Many have heard of battles in places like Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, Chosin, Khe Sanh, Fallujah and Marjah.

Since those early days, Marine Corps capabilities have evolved in ways our founders could have never imagined, and our Marine Corps today is an integrated air-ground team, capable of rapidly deploying to any conflict or crisis in the world. However, one thing has remained constant: the men and women of the Marine Corps. Always faithful, they have been our nation's finest examples of honor, courage and commitment for nearly 250 years.

Right now, Congress has the opportunity to help Americans honor the Marine Corps legacy of bravery and selfless service on a national scale, in a way that won't cost taxpayers a single cent. A bipartisan group of Marine veterans serving in Congress -- Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Reps. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Jack Bergman, R-Mich. -- introduced "The 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Commemorative Coin Act" to instruct the Treasury Department to issue more than one million coins in 2025.

As the number of veterans in our country, and serving in our Congress, has gotten smaller over time, preservation of our Marine Corps story is more important than ever. The creation of this coin will support the understanding and appreciation of a very special part of our nation's history.

We have a world-class example of how powerful a commemorative coin can be for creating the resources needed to tell America's story through the eyes of Marines. A coin minted in 2005 for the 230th anniversary of the Marine Corps was one of the most popular in U.S. Mint history. The revenue that coin produced helped fund the construction of the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Since its opening, millions of Marines, Marine Corps families, grateful Americans and visitors from around the world have experienced the museum. They have stood mere inches from the iconic American flag raised over Iwo Jima, felt a jolting blast of cold air as they walked through the immersive Chosin Reservoir exhibit, and smelled gunpowder in the air as they watched a reenactment of the Battle of Belleau Wood.

These visits have conveyed the Corps' rich history and created indelible memories for the visitors, in part made possible by the revenue of the commemorative coin. However, until now, the museum experience has largely been restricted to only those who could visit the physical building. In honor of the Marine Corps' first 250 years of service, we want to expand beyond the museum walls to reach members of the Marine Corps community and grateful citizens across the nation. The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, which led the campaign to build the museum, is prepared to produce traveling exhibits and virtual programming that will make the museum experience more accessible to all.

The commemorative coin will give every American an opportunity to show their support for the Marine Corps. All proceeds raised from the coin sales, after the initial cost of designing and issuing the coin are paid for, will be used specifically to support the educational, historical and cultural programs of the National Museum of the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Heritage Center.

Currently, the bill resides in committee in both the House and the Senate. At least 67 Senate cosponsors and 290 House cosponsors must be secured before a floor vote can be scheduled. Time is pressing. I strongly urge every member of Congress to consider taking action in support of this cost-free legislation to preserve and share the Marine Corps' legacy and honor every American who has earned the title "Marine."

-- James W. Lukeman is a retired Marine Corps major general, and president and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.