23 Left: Ermey with SgtMaj Micheal Barrett, 17th SMMC (Ret.), Col Bill Davis, USMC (Ret), Young Marines National Executive Director, Sgt Maj Gene Overstreet, 12th SMMC (Ret.) and SgtMaj Ronald Green, 18th SMMC. Below Left: A tireless fundraiser, Ermey accepts a donation to the Young Marines from Glock. Right: R. Lee Ermey publicity photo as Young Marines celebrity spokesman. The Young Marines mourns the passing of R. Lee Ermey, 74, who died of complications of pneumonia on Sun- day, April 15, 2018. For decades, Ermey was the celebrity spokes- person for the Young Marines, lending his name and his strong support to the youth program. “We are deeply saddened by Lee Er- mey’s death,” said Mike Kessler, former national executive director of the Young Marines. “We felt so fortunate that he fully supported the mission of the Young Marines. He was such a great role model for our youth members, and his presence heartened us all.” Ermey was a frequent guest at the Young Marines’ adult leadership confer- ence, motivating and inspiring the adult volunteers of the program.Ermey helped raise tens of thousands of dollars to sup- port the mission of the Young Marines as the emcee of the charity auction at the annual Young Marines Golf Tourna- ment. In addition, Young Marines always enjoyed meeting Ermey at the GLOCK Sport Shooting Foundation’s Annual Shoot and Gunny Challenge. Ronald Lee Ermey was in the United States Marine Corps for 11 years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and later,after serving 14 months in Vietnam and two tours in Okinawa, Japan, he was bestowed the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Marine Corps. Medically retired in 1971, he used his G.I. Bill benefits to enroll at the Univer- sity of Manila in the Philippines where he studied drama. Francis Ford Coppola cast Ermey in a featured role in “Apoca- lypse Now”. He went on to star or appear in approx- imately 60 films. Ermey’s most famous role was Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” in 1987, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He won the Best Support- ing Actor award for the same film from The Boston Society of Film Critics. In addition, Ermey appeared in nu- merous character roles in such films as “Leaving Las Vegas,” “Se7en,” and “Dead Man Walking.” “Gy Ermey was a true friend of the Young Marines and supported us in every way possible,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), National Executive Director of the Young Marines. “He was more than a spokesman; he cared about our youth. He always made time for the Young Ma- rines and enjoyed being with them. He would always encourage them to be proud of themselves, stay healthy, get good grades, and be good representa- tives of our program. I can’t say enough about his service to our country, our vet- erans, and the Young Marines program. We send our heartfelt condolences to Lee’s family.” Lee Ermey, meet the Young Marines In 2003, Lee Ermey was the guest speaker at the Young Marines Adult Leaders Conference held in Biloxi, Mis- sissippi. The next morning, Mike Kessler, then the National Executive Director of the Young Marines, asked Ermey if he would consider being the program’s celebrity spokesperson. Enthusiastically, he agreed. He appeared in a few public service announcements for the Young Marines and the Navy, Marine Corps Relief So- ciety. The next year, the Young Marines partnered with the NMMRS to create the R. Lee Ermey Celebrity Golf Experience, which included two rounds of golf at Renditions Golf Club in Maryland. Ermey has participated in almost ev- ery Young Marines golf outing, both at Quantico and Camp Pendleton. In addi- tion, he has attended most of the Young Marines Adult Leaders Conferences. When he was unable to attend the Young Marines’ 50th anniversary event in Waterbury, Connecticut, he sent a vid- eo shot on a tank while he was filming a Mail Call special. “He was always very proud of his as- sociation with us because he believed in our mission,” Kessler said. “He met hun- dreds of Young Marines and was gracious with each one. Moreover, he appreciated our efforts to instill our youth members with a keen sense of patriotism and re- sponsibility.”  “Listen Up, People...” Young Marines Mourns the Passing of R. Lee Ermey, Celebrity Spokesperson