The Marine Corps is looking for its next recruit: small in stature and between 8 and 16 weeks old by the time paws meet yellow footprints.
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, put out a solicitation this week for a purebred English bulldog puppy to fill the role of its next mascot.
The puppy should have white and brown markings, be of “sound and stable temperament” and come from a lineage with “genetic tolerance to the heat and humidity” unique to the swampy Parris Island environment.
The request notes that the future mascot must be a female and registered with the American Kennel Club by the Dec. 1 to Dec. 15 delivery window.
The Parris Island mascot attends parades, ceremonies and other events across the depot to boost morale for recruits, Marines and their families.
The current Parris Island mascot is Cpl. Opha Mae II — named after the first woman to enlist in the Marine Corps, Opha Mae Johnson — who reported for recruit training in March 2023 and graduated two months later.
New mascot recruits are obtained no less than three months before the retirement of the incumbent mascot to avoid a gap in service, according to a 2021 MCRD order.
Interested vendors are instructed to provide the puppy’s cage code, socioeconomic status and a Breeders Capability Statement that shows the satisfaction of all requirements.
Responses to the solicitation must be submitted by Oct. 1.
Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veteran affairs and more. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024 where she assisted the newsroom in breaking news across Sightline Media Group.