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WestTexasServicewasthewordofthemonthinAprilfortheWestTexasYoungMarines.TheystartedthemonthbyvolunteeringwiththeFortBliss9thAnnualMCCASAWalktheabbrevia-tionstandsforMilitaryChildChildAbuseandSexualAs-sault.Theunitledthewarm-upstretchingexercisesforthe500peopleparticipatinginthewalkandthenshowedtheirOoh-rahattitudebykeepingwalkersandrunnersmotivatedthroughcadencesandofcoursetheirenthusiasm.LaterinthemonththeunitvolunteeredtosupportGlobalYouthServiceDayKickoffalsoatFortBlissleadingthePledgeofAllegianceandhelpingwitheventtear-down.TheYoungMarinesalsoenjoyedthemselvesattheeventbyjoininginthelinedancesandgames.TheyalsogottomeetthemayorofElPasoMr.JohnCook.TheyendedthemonthbycompletingtheirserviceprojectforGlobalYouthServiceDaywhichisthelargestone-dayser-viceeventintheworldandtheonlyworldwideservicedaydedicatedtochildrenandyouth.TheWestTexasunitsproj-ectwasabirthdaypartyforhomelesskids.TheYoungMarinescollectedpartyitemssokidsinhomelessshelterscouldhavebirthdaypartiesandsortedalltheitemsandpreparednearly40birthdaybags.ForthemonthofApriltheWestTexasYoungMarineswerecommunityservicesuperstarswhoshowedthatserviceisnotjustanyworditsanactionword.ServiceWastheWordoftheMonthBySeanMarlandUnitCommanderGeigerVAGeigerYoungMarineshadauniqueexperienceduringtheunitencampmentheldatCampUpshuratMarineCorpsBaseQuanticoinVirginia.Saturdaymorningbeganwithanintro-ductionandsafetybriefattheVirtualCombatConvoyTrainerwhichconsistsoffourtrailerunitsconguredwithvehiclesimulatorsthatareusedfortraining.AUSMCinstructortaughtourYoungMarinesaboutthefun-damentalsofrearmsafetyincludingrearmsafetyruleshandlingproceduresandthesafetyrulesusedforthesimu-lators.TheYoungMarineswereabletousetheirleadershipabilitiesteamworkandcommunicationtonavigatethroughsomebasicandintermediatelevelscenarios.AfterwardstheymovedontotheIndoorSimulatedMarksmanshipTrain-erwhereamarksmanshipinstructortaughtthemaboutthebasicpartsandcomponentsofanM16A2servicerieandcoveredtherearmsafetyrulesandhandlingproceduresagain.AfterthesafetybrieftheYoungMarineswereabletoexperiencesomescenariosinbasicandadvancedmarks-manshipshootno-shootjudgmentandmarksmanship.Attheconclusionofthedaywehadadiscussionabouthomerearmsafety.Withtheriseofrearmmishapsandse-riousincidentsacrosstheUnitedStateswewantedtotalkaboutgunsafetywiththeYoungMarinesandfocusonfollow-ingfourruleswhenevertheycomeintocontactwithagunStopwhattheyredoingDonottouchthegunLeavetheareawherethegunisandTellanadultrightaway.TheYoungMarineshadagreatexperienceandmoreim-portantlytheylearnedabouthowtoavoidbeingharmedbysomeonewhodoesntknowhowtohandleagun.LearningGunSafetyFromprofessionalsFourrulestofollowwheneveryoucomeintocontactwithagun1.Stopwhatyouredoing.2.Donottouchthegun.3.Leavetheareawherethegunis.4.Tellanadultrightaway.WestTexasYoungMarinesdoingtheirpartforhomelesskids.24Summer2013ESPRIT