From the Founder
Nicholas Edmond Baucom — Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Two Marines Moving
In the United States Marine Corps, most awards recognize individual service or achievement.
The Presidential Unit Citation is different.
Not an individual award
Not about personality
Not about rank
About a unit
And that distinction matters.
What the Presidential Unit Citation Is
The Presidential Unit Citation is one of the highest unit-level awards in the United States military. It is awarded to military units that display extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. The standard is intentionally high.
The standard is comparable to the Navy Cross — if performed by an individual.
But unlike individual decorations, the PUC recognizes collective excellence rather than individual acts. That is a significant distinction.
What the Presidential Unit Citation Is Not
A participation ribbon
A deployment marker
A leadership badge
A reward for rank
A reward for longevity
Many Marines will serve honorable, difficult, and meaningful careers without ever belonging to a unit awarded a Presidential Unit Citation.
That reality reflects the standard. Not the Marine.
What the PUC Actually Signals
Within Marine Corps culture, the Presidential Unit Citation communicates something very specific.
The unit was tested
The unit held together
The mission got accomplished
Standards endured
Trust endured
Discipline endured
The PUC does not necessarily mean every Marine performed a cinematic act of heroism. What it often means is something equally important.
The system worked.
People did their jobs. Leaders led. Marines followed. Everyone carried weight. Nobody quit. The team held.
That is why unit awards carry a different kind of gravity.
Why Unit Awards Matter
Individual Awards
Usually recognize moments — a single act, a single day, a single decision under fire.
Unit Awards
Recognize systems — training, leadership, discipline, communication, accountability, and culture that held under pressure.
Those lessons tend to stay with Marines for the rest of their lives. A Marine who has served inside a Presidential Unit Citation organization often develops a deep appreciation for:
- Teamwork
- Standards
- Discipline
- Reliability
- Quiet competence
No one succeeds alone.
Nicholas Baucom's Presidential Unit Citation
The founder of Two Marines Moving, Nicholas Edmond Baucom, earned a Presidential Unit Citation as part of 1st Marine Division (Reinforced) during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. At the time, Baucom was a Marine Reservist mobilized with his infantry unit and integrated into a larger wartime formation.
Unit
1st Marine Division
Reinforced
Operation
Iraq 2003
Invasion of Iraq
Status
Marine Reservist
Mobilized Infantry
That context matters. The Presidential Unit Citation does not distinguish between active-duty Marines and reserve Marines. It does not distinguish between ranks. It does not distinguish between titles.
It recognizes collective performance when the stakes are real.
Everyone either contributes to the success of the team or they do not. The PUC recognizes the team.
Why the PUC Means So Much
Baucom also earned the Combat Action Ribbon, an individual award recognizing satisfactory performance while actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy. That ribbon matters. It is respected. And it should be.
But if asked which award carries the most personal significance, the answer is often the Presidential Unit Citation. Not because it is "greater." Because it represents something different.
Combat Action Ribbon
Recognizes an individual's presence under fire. Individual participation.
Presidential Unit Citation
Recognizes an entire organization functioning effectively under extraordinary conditions. Collective excellence.
Teams Matter More Than Heroes
One lesson many Marines carry with them into civilian life is that teams are more important than individual heroes. The Marine Corps certainly values exceptional individuals. But military success is rarely achieved through individual effort alone.
The mission succeeds because:
- Teams communicate
- Teams trust each other
- Teams maintain standards
- Teams execute
No single Marine earns a Presidential Unit Citation. Units earn them.
Why This Matters at Two Marines Moving
Two Marines Moving is not a military unit. But it was deliberately built as a team — not as a loose collection of individuals.
Shared standards
Mutual accountability
Disciplined execution
Teamwork
Contribution over recognition
Quiet competence
Those values mirror the lesson embedded inside the Presidential Unit Citation.
- If one person breaks discipline, the entire team feels it.
- If one person performs exceptionally well, the entire team benefits.
That is true in combat. It is true in business. It is true in life.
The Bottom Line
The Presidential Unit Citation is not about glory. It is about collective excellence. It recognizes units that were tested, remained disciplined, trusted one another, and performed when it mattered most.
For Marines who understand what the PUC represents, the lesson is simple:
Teams matter.
Standards matter.
Trust matters.
And no meaningful mission is accomplished alone.
That lesson helped shape how Two Marines Moving operates today. Different mission. Same appreciation for disciplined teams.
Individual effort. Team accomplishment.
Mission First. Team Always.
Semper Fidelis,
Nicholas Edmond Baucom
Founder & Chief Executive Officer — Two Marines Moving
Related Posts
Questions About Your Move?