72's and 96's: Marines love them all too well but does anyone understand the real purpose behind them? Just in case you don't know, a 72 and a 96 is a three- and four-day weekend, respectively. Currently, we have MLK Day on our hands. This means we have a three-day weekend because it's a federal holiday. Marines will say it's so that we can get more sleep which in a sense is true but in reality... it's kinda true.
The purpose of federal holidays are to recognize the great deeds and sacrifices of those that the days are named after. MLK, Veteran's Day, and Memorial Day; all of these holidays aren't meant so that we could get days off from work, but instead to show just how great of people they were.
Now, a Marine's stand point. The fun part. The week is coming to a close, it's Friday and everyone is tired but alas! It's a 72 weekend! Everyone's spirits are immediately raised. We go home and we thank whoever gave us this day, and then we sleep, or drink or whatever else we do when we ain't got shit else to do.
Where I come from, my father was in the Air Force and both grandparents were in the Navy so I understood what federal holidays were and why we celebrated them. What I didn't realize until I joined the Corps (Semper Fi) was what happened during them, or what doesn't happen. What doesn't happen you may be asking? Work. Ain't shit happening when we leave the shop.
Some of this may be run off from last week's article so we'll call this round two. But in all seriousness, federal holidays are serious things and it's good we have them. It memorializes the sacrifices these men and women have made and how great they were. In closing, you know what's gonna happen... Semper Fi and skate on.
