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ColoradoUnitsJoinforTrainingandGraduationByYMCPLFreddieGallegosPuebloCOYoungMarinesOntheweekendofFebruary14-16thePuebloandPikesPeakYoungMarinescametogethertorunanonstop3-dayrecruittrainingevent.VariousmembersofthePikesPeakunitandnumerousre-cruitscametoPueblotohelpus.WhatmadethisrecruittrainingsodifferentwasthatitwasconductedbytenRecruitInstructorsfourfromPikesPeakunitandsixfromPueblo.Thistypeofsituationwastherstforeveryoneattendingtheevent.Whetherteachingclassesconductingphysicalt-nesstrainingorjusthavingfuntheRe-cruitInstructorswerealwayshelpingtherecruits.Recruittrainingconsistedofnonstopwork.TherecruitsspentalotoftimeintheclassroomandoutdoorsdoingPT.Weaddedalittlefuntothemix.Wespentsometimedoingteam-buildingexercisesinordertomakethisalearningexperienceforeveryone.ItbroughtthePuebloandPikesPeakunitscloser.Wedideverythingtogetherwhichhelpedtoshowtherecruitsthevalueofteamwork.Afewweeksafterthisrecruittrainingwasgraduationday.ThegraduationwasheldatPuebloWeisbrodAircraftMuseumonMarch8th.Thiswasajointgradua-tionbetweenthePuebloandPikesPeakunits.TheColoradoSpringsunitalsowaspresentmakingthisagreat3rdColoradoHighPlainsBattalionevent.ThisgraduationwasspecialtoalotofpeoplenotonlybecausetheYoungMa-rineprogramwasintroducingnewmem-berstoourfamilybutbecauseYoungMa-rinesNationalExecutiveDirectorLt.Col.MichaelKesslerUSMCRet.attendedtheevent.Mr.KesslerisanoutstandingleaderandheisoneofthemainreasonswhytheYoungMarinesissuchanamaz-ingprogram.Tostartthegraduationacombinedcol-orguardbetweenthePuebloandPikesPeakunitsmarchedonthecolors.Mr.Kesslerthenspoketothecrowd.Follow-inghisremarksawardswerepresented.YMSgtJack-sonofPikesPeakYoungMa-rinesmarchedontherecruits.Therecruitsthenunbuttonedtheirtopblousebuttonandblousedtheirboots.TherecruitswereintroducedforthersttimeasYoungMarinesandthenewestmemberstoourgrowingfamilies.ThePuebloPikesPeakandtheColoradoSpringsYoungMarineswereallawardedtheMarineCorpsLeagueCommendationAward.TheseawardswerepresentedtotheUnitCommandersbytheComman-dantsofboththeHomeofHeroesMarineCorpsLeagueandthePikesPeakMarineCorpsLeagueDetachments.OurnewestYoungMarineswerethencalledforwardandpromotedtoPrivate.YMPFCAngelinaRobleswaspresentedtheHonorGraduatedistinctionforthePueblounitandYMPFCRichardChavezwaspresentedtheHonorGraduatedis-tinctionforthePikesPeakunit.YMPFCPiperWeingardtofthePueblounitwaspromotedmeritoriously.Mr.KesslerpresentedtheawardsandtheUnitCommandersassistedwiththepinningoftheirchevrons.YMCplJasonMartinezofthePuebloUnitwaspresent-edwiththePerfectPFTawardbyMr.Kes-slerandUnitCommanderMcDonough.SeveralPuebloYoungMarinesalsore-ceivedtheirPerfectAttendanceawards.Aftertheceremonyeveryonewasinvitedtohavebugjuicethatspunchtotherestofyouandcake.ItssafetosaythateveryYoungMarinetherewantedtomeetMr.Kessler.InfactagroupofYoungMarinestookaphotowithhim.Mr.KesslertookthetimetomeetwitheachYoungMarinestaffmemberandpar-entwhowantedtimewithhim.Therecruittrainingandgraduationmarkedanewbeginningformany.Theseeventschangedlivesandbecamealearningexperienceforeveryone.MostofallitwelcomednewmembersintoourawesomeandgrowingfamilyofYoungMarines.AboveJusttwoofmanyphotostakenongraduationday.AnAppreciationofOurAdultVolunteersEverywhereByYMGySgtAlliEscamillaOregonCascadeORFebruaryisVolunteerAppreciationMonth.Iwouldliketothankeveryvol-unteerinmyunitandotherunitsaroundthecountrywhohavemadetheexperi-enceinYoungMarinesoutstandingformeandforthousandsofYoungMarineslikeme.Ihavemadesomanymemoriesandformedwonderfulfriendshipsthatwilllastmylifetime.Theseopportunitiesex-istbecauseoftheselessgivingofourvolunteersstaffandparents.OurunitusesthemottoPreparingforSuccess.Thisissotrue.Ihavebeenintheprogramforsixyears.InthattimeIhavenotonlygrownasaYoungMarinebutalsoasanindividual.YoungMarineshastaughtmesomuchaboutmyselfandmyabilitieshasgiv-enmeamazingopportunitiesandhasstrengthenedmeforthefuture.Ateveryturnduringthesepastsixyearstherehasalwaysbeenavolunteeren-couragingmehelpingmesupportingme.Ihaveworkedhard.butnoharderthanthosevolunteerswhogiveofthem-selvestomakeitallpossible.Forevery-thingweasYoungMarinesseeanadultvolunteerdoingtheyaredoingmorebehindthescenes.Theyaretheultimateexamplesofleadership.Iamblessedbeyondmeasuretohavebeenapartofsuchagreatprogramandexperiencerst-handthedifferenceotherscanmakeinourlives.OneofthegreatestlessonsIhavelearnedthrough-outmytimeasaYoungMarineisthevalueofgivingforthebenetofothersPage24ESPRIT