Proud Marine Corps veteran, Vice President JD Vance, led an inspiring hike with the Marines and Camp Pendleton on July 11, 2025. Flanked by the Headquarters and Support Battalion, Vance demonstrated his commitment to military values and showcased his leadership.
For context, during the arduous three-mile hike, which featured hill climbs and weighted backpacks, Vance established his deep connection to the USMC. In a series of inspiring photos, Vance can be seen alongside Mariens, who are clearly in high spirits and highly motivated to keep America safe.
Such was shown when the official account for the USMC posted the inspiring photos of JD Vance on the hike, writing, “#Marines with Headquarters and Support Battalion, @MCIWPendletonCA, hiked with the @VP
of the United States, the Honorable JD Vance, at MCB Camp Pendleton, California, July 11, 2025.”
Continuing the same post read, “Vance, who served in the Marines from 2003-2007, led the hike to reinforce the values of camaraderie and unit cohesion. A fundamental element in Marine training, hiking builds both physical endurance and mental resilience in preparation for future battles.”
From his personal account, Vance added his take on the hike. He stated, “Had a great time hiking with the Marines at Camp Pendleton over the weekend! Semper Fi 🇺🇸” Similarly, the official account for the Vice President’s office, said, “Vice President Vance led the Marines at @USMC Camp Pendleton on a hike this weekend. Once a Marine, always a Marine 🇺🇸”
Vance has often spoken fondly about his time in the USMC, both in his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, and in numerous interviews. In his book, Vance recounted how, “The Marine Corps demanded that I think strategically about these decisions, and then it taught me how to do so.”
Explaining the personal transformation he experienced in the Marines, Vance recounted being completely unprepared for life before his service. The vice president wrote, “When I joined the Marine Corps, I did so in part because I wasn’t ready for adulthood. I didn’t know how to balance a checkbook, much less how to complete the financial aid forms for college. Now I knew exactly what I wanted out of my life and how to get there.”
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Building on this point, he reminisced about the hardships he faced, which would prepare him for a life in politics. Vance said, “It was the Marine Corps that first gave me an opportunity to truly fail, made me take that opportunity, and then, when I did fail, gave me another chance anyway.”
Fleshing out his argument, he described the growth during his time with the USMC promoted. Vance stated, “The experience taught me a valuable lesson: That I could do it. I could work 20-hour days when I had to. I could speak clearly and confidently with TV cameras shoved in my face. I could stand in a room with majors, colonels, and generals and hold my own. I could do a captain’s job even when I feared I couldn’t.”
See the inspiring photos here:
#Marines with Headquarters and Support Battalion, @MCIWPendletonCA, hiked with the @VP of the United States, the Honorable JD Vance, at MCB Camp Pendleton, California, July 11, 2025.
Vance, who served in the Marines from 2003-2007, led the hike to reinforce the values of… pic.twitter.com/Vv5SKrUHRR
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) July 14, 2025
Concluding his remarks, he offered a humorous anecdote that described the fighting spirit of the USMC. The vice president explained, “I was heaving, barely able to catch my breath. ‘That’s how you should feel at the end of every run!’ he yelled. In the Marines, giving it your all was a way of life.”