Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
ByYMCplJoelAbzunSouthlandCAInthepastIhavehadtheblessingtobeabletoattendthegrandeventwhereaNationalYoungMarineoftheYearischosenfromamongtheDivi-sionYoungMarinesoftheYear.IbelievethattheseYoungMarineshaveworkedhardthroughouttheyearstogettothatposition.Theyhavebeenloyaltotheprogramandtheircommunities.Beingatthiseventhasmademedreamofonedaynolongerbe-ingaspectatorbutoneofthesix.IamdeterminedtoworkharderandgivemybesteffortbecauseweareallcapableofbecomingthenextDivisionYoungMarineoftheYearifwekeepinmindthatweareYoungMarines247.Thisthoughtisoneofthemanythatmakesmewanttobepartofthepro-gramandinspiresmeeveryday.InspiredtoGiveHisBestEveryDayJoelAbzunfrontwithDivisionYoungMarinesatthe2013ALC.FriendshipsandAlltheFunByYMCPLJohnMcKennaMountainViewCOWhatkeepsmeintheYoungMa-rinesprogramisallthefunstuffwedoasaunitandwithotherunitsparadesrecruittrainingNavajoCodeTalkerDaycom-munityserviceandmore.ItissomuchfungoingtoalltheeventsandmakingnewfriendswithinotherYoungMa-rinesunits.Iliketohelpencour-agemyfollowYoungMarinesatalltheevents.ThefriendshipsthatIhavemadeIwouldnotgiveupfortheworld.IwillalwaysrememberthefunthatIhavehadsinceIjoinedlastyearandIwillalwaysdoasmuchasIcantobeencouragingtomyfellowYoungMarines.ByYMPFCKevinEnglishOregonCascadeWAWhydoesbeingaYoungMarinedrivesomanypeopletocomebackevenifthedaywashardandexhaustingTheYoungMarinesprogramdrivespeopletokeepcomingbackbecauseofthewaytheyaretreated.ForexampleIhadaconversationwithoneofmycloseYoungMarinefriendsaboutschoolandhowitwasgettingmedown.HesaidTherewillalwaysbesomethingyouwillnotknow.Determi-nationandpassionarethethingsneed-edtoadvanceevenwiththesimplestoftasks.Pushwithallyourmightandevery-thingwillcomeasareward.Thatgavemeadifferentoutlook.With-outthatYoungMarinesadviceIwouldhavebeenfailingallofmyclasses.ThewayIseeitiswhenIamwithotherYoungMarinestheycaneasilytellifthereissomethingwrong.Thesenseofimpor-tancethereisoverwhelming.EveryYoungMarineiswillingtostepuptothebatandcareforeachothernomatterwhatthecostis.ItdoesnotmatterwhichYoungMarinedivisionyouchoosebecauseYoungMarinesstandunitedde-spitewheretheycomefromwhotheyareorhowtheythink.YoungMarinesprovidesthatspecialspotforanyonewhoneedstheextrasupportofothers.TheWayTheyAllSupportEachOtherMoreConfdentByYMPvtLindsayGallegosClovisCAIenjoybeingintheYoungMa-rinesprogram.Iwasrstintro-ducedtotheYoungMarinesbymymother.Shesaidthattheyteachleadershipdisciplineandteamwork.Alsoshetoldmethatoccasionallywewouldgoonencampments.TherstencampmentIwenttowasatMr.Silviasranchfortheweek-end.Wewentandlearnedmanythingstheresuchashowtostartasafecampreinthewil-derness.WiththeYoungMa-rineswealsowenthiking.TheYoungMarinesisimportanttomebecauseithasmadememorecondentinmyself.YMGySgtMaryWessellandYMLCPLAshleyLimestollAshtabulaCountyOHTheimpactthatweasYoungMarineshaveonothersisincredible.Oneofusrecallsthetimewhenawomanlookedupwithtear-lledeyesasshewaspresentedwithanAmeri-canaginhonorofherlatehusbandsserviceandafter-wardsshooktheYoungMa-rineshandandexpressedhersinceregratitude.ShewentontoexplainhowtheYoungMarineshadgivenherasenseofprideintodaysyouth.RecentlysomefellowYoungMarinesvolunteeredwithusatalocalnursinghome.WewererunninggamesfortheresidentsannualcarnivalandRonaldMcDonaldevengaveusavisitTheseniorsreallyenjoyedbeingtheresharingsto-riesandplayinggamesandtheamountofappreciationtheyhadforuswasamaz-ing.Sowerethelaughsthatweshared.ThisiswhyweareYoungMarines.Sothenexttimeyouputonyouruniformthinkabouttheprideyouareportrayingtoourcountry.Thinkabouthowyouarerepresentingsomethingmuchlarg-erthanyourself.TheJoyofBeingPartofSomethingBiggerESPRITSummer201311