Member Salute: General Charles Wilhelm, USMC (Ret)

Member Salute is a series of brief profiles describing the diverse Marine Corps Association & Foundation members from around the world.

Posted June 21, 2013: General Charles Wilhelm, USMC (Ret), has been a member of the Marine Corps Association & Foundation for about 47 years, ever since he first attended The Basic School. He served in the Marine Corps for 38 years and now is involved with the association in his retirement. He said it’s important to support the military and greater community through MCA&F.

“For the first three quarters of my career when I was asked what was the most rewarding aspect of my work, it was making great warriors and for the last 25 percent it was making great citizens,” Wilhelm said. “And I believe the foundation does both. It supports warriors but by the same token it provides both resources and other kinds of support, which propels Marines toward productive enterprises as citizens. So I think the foundation plays a valuable role in all of that and the country needs good, well- rounded and grounded productive citizens.”

Wilhelm also said the Marine Corps Association & Foundation provides a community forum for all Marines to come back to – no matter if they served four or 40 years.

“I think once we instill the Marine Corps values into the young people who join the Marine Corps, it’s something they carry with them for the rest of their lives but they need a way to express that orientation. [MCA&F] makes up the family that we call the Marine Corps and I think it’s an opportunity to sustain and renew all the bonds we have developed over many years. It’s an opportunity to reach across to people I’ve served with before to find points of common interest where we can come together and really assist the association and foundation in the work they do.”