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 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54Montana to California: A Week of Training (and Fun) By YM/GySgt Shamila Forbes PFC Bruce W. Carter (FL) From the formation of the American nation to the great nation we live in today, our government has changed and progressed exponentially. Through changes (or amendments) made to our Constitution, change in the American society, and changes in response to other nations, America has proven its optimism through constant progress. Since the U.S.Constitution was put into action on March 4th, 1789, it has been amended 27 times. Hundreds of proposed edits have gone to the Supreme Court, but not amended into the Constitution. As Americans, it’s important to understand the phrase in the Constitution, “We the people.” Meaning, the people should have a voice, yet the voice needs the people. Some changes done to the Constitution alter the interaction and structure of the American society currently. As fans watch an NBA game in early September, some play- ers choose not stand during the playing of the National An- them. Backdating in history to 1986, a Supreme Court case was brought up regarding Johnson v. Texas. In this case, an American flag was burned in front of a government building, yet was voted as a constitutional act of speech. Through this may seem like a crime to some, it’s a form of expression to others. Regardless, this example shows that not only does the progression of the Constitution change the society’s reaction, but events recur over time. Another example of change affecting society is the imple- mentation of equal rights to all people. Though equal rights is amended within the Constitution, society chooses to accept individuals, or make them outcasts. Optimism doesn’t always emerge from good doings. Former President George W. Bush once said “Our enemies are innova- tive and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop think- ing about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” As we recently reflected upon the terrorist attacks on our nation on September 11th, 2001, it’s important to remember that the American nation is constantly under construction both defensively and offensively. Since 9/11, security has increased exponentially, while the military and other forces are constantly evolving in their own ways. The change and progression in all aspects of the American society will continue to impact society. As the nation grows and changes it’s crucial to remember the foundation of our country and strive to maintain an optimistic view of the Amer- ican Values. The future lies in you. An Essay: Progress and Change are American Values YM/CPL Merrell Santana Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office (LA) On 10 September 2016, ten Young Marines from the Jef- ferson Parish Sheriff’ Office, were invited to participate in the Out of the Darkness Community Walk,sponsored by the Amer- ican Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The event took place in beautiful Audubon Park located in uptown New Orleans. We assisted with set up, breakdown and clean up. We also learned about the signs of suicide and what we can do if we think someone is having a problem. This is very important, as suicide among teenagers and even younger children has become a big problem in our society. There is also the connection between bullying and suicide, which we recently learned about during one of our drills. We were given the color blue upon our arrival, which means that we support suicide prevention. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention employs a nine-color index to indicate your personal connection to the cause. We also had the opportunity to talk with some of the event organizers about what it means to be a Young Marine, to give them the opportunity to learn about our program. Out of the Darkness Community Walk: Suicide Prevention By YM/SSgt Marco Aasterud Billings (MT) Last fall, I signed up for what I thought was going to be one scary trip. It would be the first long dis- tance trip I have ever made without someone to accompany me. It had been a while since I have been out of Montana. I only seem to leave the state once a year and for the last 3 years, it has been for Young Marines program. I was a little nervous when I arrived at the Logan Interna- tional Airport in Billings, Montana, But I eventually made it to the LAX airport in Los Angeles, California. The staff was there to meet the arriving Young Marines, and they sent a Young Marine to find me, SSgt Jascha J. Ely. I find that when- ever I go somewhere new, the first person I meet will always become my best friend. When the vans drove us to Camp Courage, we got out and introduced ourselves. Our first activity was team-building. We played a game called the Human Tic Tack Toe, it was fun. Throughout the week, we viewed PowerPoint pre- sentations and were given a little hands-on training. We also go to go to National Night Out, an Angels Baseball game, and a tour of most of the LASD (Los Angeles Sheriffs Department) facilities. We also took part in a lot of activities like rock wall climbing, zip-lining, and a lot of other cool things. Throughout the week, I made many new friends from all over the USA. I cant wait to see them again (hopefully sometime soon). 42 YOUNG MARINES ESPRIT ONLINE