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webecomeapartofsomethingbigger...GrowingandHelpingOtherstoLearnandProsperByYMCplKodyJohnsonMountainViewCOSinceIjoinedtheYoungMarinesin2012therehavebeenmanyamaz-ingopportunitiesthatIhaveenjoyed.Oftheseopportunitiesonestandsout.ItisthateveryweekIhavetheopportunitytolearnandgrowalongsidethoseinmyunit.ThisisimportanttomebecauseifitwerentforthefriendshipsthatIhavegainedIknowthatIwouldnthavetheexperiencestogrowasaleaderandYoungMarine.AsIlookbackIcanseehowIveevolved.Iwentfromdoinglessthansatisfactoryinschoolandbeingoutofshapeandoverweight.Since2012withthehelpfromtheYoungMarinesinmyunitIhaveshedtheweightandachievedmoreinschool.ThroughtheirhelpIhavealsobeenabletolearnthatthisprogramisnotaboutjusthavingindividualgrowth.Itsalsobeingabletoencourageotherstolearnandprosperaswell.IDidntKnowWhattoExpectintheBeginning...ByYMPFCMatthewKrnetaMountainViewCOWhenIrstsignedupIdidntknowwhattoexpectThenatFridaydrop-offtheUCcameoutgivingordersandIwasterriedWehurriedin.AfterawhileIstartedhavingfun.Weplayedgameshadsnacksandwenttobed.ThenextmorningwewoketotheUCgivingorderstodosit-upspush-upscurlupspull-upsandrunamile.AfterthatwehadfunlearningCPRFirstAidandBasic.Igotribbonsforallthree.WewenthomeonSunday.ThenextweekendwelearnedabouttheYoungMarineshistoryandranks.Wetookatest.DuringthisweekendwealsodidFieldDayandIlearnedthatFieldDayisntquiteasfunasitsoundsyouresupposedtocleaneverywhere.AtgraduationIhadthehighestPTscoreinmyclassIscored495outof500.AndthatswhereIreceivedtheribbons.SincegraduationIveenjoyedgoingtodrilleveryMondaybecauseIlearnedaboutDDRandhowalcoholandothergatewaydrugscanbebadforyou.IalsogottoattendtheVeteransDayParadeandhadtheopportunitytorideontheIwoJimaoat.WevebeenswimmingandattendedtheSt.PatricksDayPa-radeaswellastheElkFoundationColorGuardeventwhichwasmyrstcolorguard.InconclusionIvehadagreattimelearningmeetingnewfriendsandfunexperienceseventhoughIdidntknowwhattoexpectinthebeginning.ThreeYearsofGreatExperiencesintheYoungMarinesByYMCplSpencerH.DoyleOPSOYoungMarinesLAIjoinedtheYoungMarineswhenIwas8yearsold.IwasalittlehesitanttogoatrstbecauseIdidnotknowanythingabouttheprogram.MymomsaidIwouldhavefun.becauseIwouldlearnalotofnewthingsandgettomeetalotofnewpeople.SincebeingintheYoungMarinesIhavehadagreatexperienceandIhavelearnedwhatitmeanstohaveleadershipskillsandlearndisciplineandteamwork.Learningthesenewthingshashelpedmealotinschool.YoubeginintheYoungMarinespro-gramasarecruit.Asyoucontinuewiththemyoucanmoveupinrankbyre-ceivingpromotionsbydoingwhatisex-pectedofyouanddoingmorethanwhatisexpectedofyou.Ihavebeeninthisprogramforthreeyears.IamcurrentlyaCorporalandIamhopingtohavetheopportunitytoattendtheJuniorLeader-shipSchool.AsaYoungMarineIhavebeenmadeawareofalotofgreatopportunitiesthatIwouldnothavebeenabletoexperi-enceifIwasnotapartofthisprogram.ForinstanceIhavebeentoPensacolaFloridawhereIhadthechancetoexperi-encewhatitwasliketoliveonamilitarybase.WhilethereIwasabletospeakwithmilitarypersonnelandseeandgoaboardtheUSSDruminAlabama.AnotheropportunityIhadwastogotoBunkieLouisiana.IwasabletogoswimminglearnarcherylearnhowtouseacompassandworkalongsideotherYoungMarinesfromaroundthecountry.IalsohadtheopportunitytomeettheDivisionYoungMarinesandtheNationalYoungMarineoftheYearwhicharethehighesthonorsyoucanachieveintheYoungMarinesprogram.MyexperienceatBunkiewasamazingandveryenter-taining.OneofthemanythingsIlikeabouttheYoungMarinesishowallofthecommandersencourageandguideyouthroughouttheprogram.TheYoungMa-rinesprogramhasbeenagreatexperi-enceformeandIamlookingforwardtomovingupinitsranksTravellingandLearningAboutAmericanHistoryByYMCPLBradleyArranceMountainViewCOMyrstS.P.A.C.E.S.tripwastheGreatAmericanHistoryAdventure.Itwasdur-ingthesummerof2013Itisalsomyfa-voriteexperienceinYoungMarines.WetravelledtovedifferentstatesandIwasabletovisitalmosttheentireeastcoast.IhavesomanygreatmemoriesanditleftanimpactonthewayIthinkofourcountryshistory.TherewassomuchtoseeandwegottoseeeverythingfromthechangeofguardceremonytowalkingaroundTimesSquare.IrecommendeveryYoungMarinetogoonthistripiftheygetthechance.ThisexperiencewasunforgettableandIwishIcouldgoagain.ESPRITPage19