The Young Marines of the Marine Corps is a year
round youth organization for boys and girls ages 8 through high
school. We have 240 units with over 19,000 youth, 2,900 adult
volunteers throughout the United States, Japan and Germany. Our emphasis is directed toward today's
youth.
We accept any young person as a candidate for
the Young Marines. This is important as the candidate does not
have to fit any preconceived category for membership. We are
not recruiting for the Marine Corps. We do not teach weapons
and combat tactics.
The Marine Corps esprit and pride are
used to instill our Young Marines with self esteem, self confidence,
leadership and a vision of positive life style. A large part
of this is encouraging positive choices and a healthy life
style. This encompasses positive physical, mental and moral
choices. Today's youth are blasted with a number of
choices. Many of these choices are not all positive. We
want our youth to be able to make correct choices. We are proud to be the Marine Corps
Youth Drug Demand Reduction program. We reach into the
community and educate our Young Marines on the dangers of narcotics,
illegal drugs, and substance abuse. We reinforce this message
by surrounding our Young Marines with positive peer groups and role
models.
Our goal is to form a partnership
with the Marine Corps and communities to enable today's youth to
grow, mature and become productive citizens.
Obligation:
"From
this day forward, I sincerely promise, I will set an
example for all other youth to follow and I shall
never do anything that would bring disgrace or
dishonor upon my God, my country and its flag, my
parents, myself or the Young
Marines. These I
will honor and respect in a manner that will reflect
credit upon them and myself."
Training:
Young
Marines Recruit Training, or
Boot Camp, is a 13 week course with recruits generally
meeting for several hours each week. A recruit
does not earn the title of "Young Marine" until
he or she has graduated from this program.
Although the Boot Camp is meant to be rigorous, it is
not a reflection of Marine Corps Recruit
Training.
While training reflects a military
character, such as drills, customs, and courtesies for
example, other martial subjects like self defense are not
taught. Young Marines Recruit Training is meant
to give each member a solid, basic knowledge of what is
expected of him or her as a Young
Marine.
The Young Marines tries to
influence its members to display positive character
traits in all aspects of their lives. There are
nine areas of youth development that make up the
training of the Young Marines: citizenship,
leadership, physical fitness (a special program
designed for youths), school, home and outside
activities, personal habits, character guidance, close
order drill, and a drug free lifestyle. Members
of the Young Marines are expected to be well behaved
not only while engaged in unit activities, but also at
home, school and elsewhere. Report cards must be
brought in for review by Young Marine
adult
leaders. If a Young Marine is not performing
well, he must explain why. Members are not
harassed, but there is a no-nonsense approach taken
which fosters honesty and the acceptance of personal
responsibility; character traits that are often
sorely needed in American young people.
Young Marines also have fun
through a wide variety of exciting activities designed
to reinforce the principles set forward in their
charter. They have more opportunities than other
youth groups to participate in interesting and
exciting activities because of the relationship the
program has to the Marine Corps, and with it, military
professionals and Marine Corps facilities. The
possibilities are endless!
Pride, accomplishment, honor, a
sense of duty to oneself and one's country, these are
the kinds of things the Young Marines are developing
in its members. The Young Marines cannot solve
all of the problems of America's youth, but it
continues to encourage many to strive for greatness
and to reach their true potential.
The Young Marines of the Marine Corps is a year
round youth organization for boys and girls ages 8 through high
school. We have 240 units with over 19,000 youth, 2,900 adult
volunteers throughout the United States, Japan and Germany. Our emphasis is directed toward today's
youth.
Young
Marines Recruit Training, or
Boot Camp, is a 13 week course with recruits generally
meeting for several hours each week. A recruit
does not earn the title of "Young Marine" until
he or she has graduated from this program.
Although the Boot Camp is meant to be rigorous, it is
not a reflection of Marine Corps Recruit
Training.
The Young Marines tries to
influence its members to display positive character
traits in all aspects of their lives. There are
nine areas of youth development that make up the
training of the Young Marines: citizenship,
leadership, physical fitness (a special program
designed for youths), school, home and outside
activities, personal habits, character guidance, close
order drill, and a drug free lifestyle. Members
of the Young Marines are expected to be well behaved
not only while engaged in unit activities, but also at
home, school and elsewhere. Report cards must be
brought in for review by Young Marine
adult
leaders. If a Young Marine is not performing
well, he must explain why. Members are not
harassed, but there is a no-nonsense approach taken
which fosters honesty and the acceptance of personal
responsibility; character traits that are often
sorely needed in American young people.