By YM/ MGySgt Elijah Rico Tarrant County (TX) Every Young Marine knows in the back of their minds, that one day, in their dis- tant future they’ll retire or be discharged from the Young Marines. It might seem like the day will never come and that se- nior year is just a myth. I had no idea that my retirement from the Young Marines would come so quickly. At the same time, it feels like recruit training was centuries ago! The Young Marines that I’ve met throughout the years always seemed to ask me about my story as a Young Marine. Well Young Marines this is my story: My long journey started when I was 9 years old. Recruit training began on December 31, 2009 in San Diego with the Miramar (CA) Young Marines. When I first started, I wanted nothing to do with the program, telling my mom the “horror stories” of what I went through as a recruit. I came to realize that as I went through recruit train- ing, the obstacles I faced and overcame made me stronger and crafted me into a Young Marine. As each day went by, I became more motivated and gained the strength until I became a Young Marine. On March 28, I finally graduated recruit training and became Young Marine Pvt Rico. After a couple of months of being a Private with the Miramar (CA) Young Marines unit, I switched units and became a Young Marine of the San Diego Young Marines unit, proceed- ing with my first promotion to Young Marine Private First Class in September. Unfortunately, in December, I had to move. My dad was a Marine and had got- ten orders, so off we went to Iwakuni, Japan. There are Young Marines units in Japan, but only in Okinawa. For two long years I was inactive as a Young Marine. In November of 2011, I returned to the states, to Temecula, CA, and the Temec- ula Valley Young Marines. Active again, I pushed forward after being inactive so long. Before long, I was selected to go to Junior Leadership School and was pro- moted to Young Marine Lance Corporal in March 2012. In June, I graduated from Junior Leadership School and was promoted to Young Marine Corporal. But yet again, I had to move. I ended up in the deserts of Yuma AZ, where the Yuma Young Marines resided on Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. Within 3 months, I was promoted to Young Marine Sergeant. 4 months of hard work followed, and in February, I was promoted to Young Marine Staff Sergeant. Within my story there seems to be a pattern, one of moving from place to place. In October of 2013, I moved to Colleyville, TX. Not only did I move to Texas, but I would move out of the Young Marines’ Division 6. I would move into Division 4 and continue my journey with the Tarrant County Young Marines. I would move another time to Keller, TX but stayed with Tarrant County. I pushed myself and gained as much knowl- edge as possible to make an impact on my new unit, and by doing so I was selected to attend and graduate from Senior Leader- ship School in Dallas, TX in 2014. I graduated from Senior Leader- ship School as the school’s honor graduate and the Iron Mike. The Iron Mike Award is awarded to the male with the highest physical fit- ness score. In October of that same year, I would be promoted to Young Marine Gunnery Sergeant. In December, I was awarded the Drug Enforcement Administration device. This device is placed on a Young Marines’ Drug Demand Reduction ribbon and takes great effort in public speaking and extensive knowledge in drug demand reduction. As I accomplished this, I opened the gate towards the next rank. In June, 2015 I was promoted to Young Marine Master Sergeant. During the same month was billeted the rank of Young Marine 1st Sergeant and was the Tarrant County Young Marines’ unit 1st Sergeant. In July, 2015, I was selected by the battalion commander of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Texas Regiment to lead five Young Marines units as the Battalion 1st Sergeant.Within in that billet I would visit Young Marines units within my battalion guiding them and empower- ing them with the knowledge to be successful Young Marines. In 2016 I was selected to go to Advanced Leadership School, the National Leadership Academy.Advanced Leadership school is the toughest of the schools as it tests the best people in our program in a two-week academy. I graduated top ten from Advanced Leadership School and was placed on the National Leadership Symposium Board, which I attended in October. I suggested ideas and actions to strengthen Young Marines and the future of the program while attending the National Leadership Symposium. Just a month later I would promote to the final rank of Young Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant. The same month I would become the Tarrant County Young Marines Young Marine of the Year as well as the 2nd Battalion’s Battalion Young Marine of the Year. In November, I would become the 1st Texas Regi- ment’s Regimental Young Marine of the Year and the Regimen- tal Sergeant Major, in charge of 3 battalions and 14 units. In March of 2017, I was selected as the Sergeant Major of the 4th Division’s Junior Leadership School at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, CO. Returning from the Junior Leadership School meant that high school as well as my Young Marines career was coming to an end. On May 27th, 2017, I graduated from Keller High School. By the time this article is published I will have retired from the Young Marines (on June 3). I am proud to be a Young Marine, and I give much credit to the program. I’ve developed into someone I would’ve never imagined and I have been provided with the necessary tools I need to succeed in life, as a United States Marine and beyond. Thank you so much to all those Young Marines, adult staff, and Marines who have touched my mind, heart, and soul. I hope every Young Marine reading this will always strive and prosper in everything they do, and as always, OOH RAH Young Marines! A Motivated Young Marines’ Story: Retirement, Already? 38 • Vol.2 • 2017 • YOUNG MARINES ESPRIT ONLINE EDITION