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
ESPRITPage23ByYMSgtDerekMasseyLewisClarkWAIamamazedwithandgratefulforhowmuchIhavegainedfromtheYoungMa-rinesprogram.Ithashelpedmeonthreeseparatelevels.Firstandmostimportantlyithasboostedmycondenceinabigway.Secondithashelpedshapemycharacter.FinallyithasprovidedmanyopportunitiesthatIneverwouldhavehadbefore.WhenIrstjoinedtheYoungMarinespro-gramIwasaboutasshyasanyonecouldbe.Iwastooscaredtospeakorsoundoff.Evenaftergraduatngfromrecruittrain-ingIstayedinthebackoftheplatoonandremainedquiet.AfterIhadbeenintheprogramforaboutayearmyPlatoonSergeantlefttotrainthenewrecruitcycle.SheputmeinchargesoIcouldgetusedtosoundingoffcallingcommandsandmarching.IwasnervousatrstbutafterawhileIbecamemorecondentandfeltmoreincontrol.NowIamalwaysreadytobeincharge.AsaresultofYoungMarinestrainingIamoverallabetterperson.Irespectpeo-plemuchmore.ForexampleIopendoorsforpeopleandsaysirormaamtoadults.IamabetterstudentbecauseIhavegainedalotofself-disciplinewhichhasenabledmetolistenworkhardandgetgoodgrades.Ivealsolearnedtoarguelesswithmyparentsandgetthingsdonewhentheyaskmethersttime.TheYoungMarinesprogramhasopenedupdoorsforme.BeforeYoungMarinesIhadneverbeenonaplanebeforeIewtoAviationChallengeinHuntsvilleAlabamaandmetalotofgreatpeople.OurunitewtoCaliforniawherewevisitedCampPend-letontheUSSMidwayandDisneyland.IvealsobeentoJuniorLeadershipSchoolmultipleovernightcampingtripsahugeaquaticcenterandtonsofotherevents.OverallYoungMarinesisagreatprogram.Ithelpsbuildcondenceshapesyourchar-acterandoffersmanydifferentopportu-nities.IcantwaittoseewhatthefutureholdsWhatIHaveGainedfromtheYoungMarinesProgramByYMLCplZahrianMinnerOregonCascadeYoungMarinesORBeingoneoftheeightfemaleYoungMa-rinesintheOregonCascadeunitIhavebeenaskedbyfriendsandfamilywhyhaveIbeenaYoungMarinesince2009.Theyveseenmebechallengedandpushedtomylimitsmentallyandphysicallyandwanttoknowwhatkeepsmegoingandkeepsmecomingback.WhenIwasyoungeritusedtobetheawardstheribbonsandtheideaofpromo-tions.NowIndwhatkeepspullingatmeandbringingmebackeveryweekendasidefromthefactthatthisismyextendedfamilyistheknowledgethatIamabletoteachmyyoungerpeers.Igetafeelingofsatisfactionandfullmentteachingthemtheconceptofourcorevaluesleadershipqualitiesandimportantlessonsregardingthebenetsofchoosingandmakingcorrectchoicesintheireverydaylives.IfeelasifIamabletogivebackwhatwasgiventomeandfeelcondentthattheknowledgeIampassingonwillimpactandempowerthemtohavethestrengthandcouragetostandupforwhatisimportanttothem.Iamveryclosetocompletingmyrequire-mentsforbeingaCorporalandlookingfor-wardtoattendingmyrstleadershipschoolduringmySpringvacation.AsIearnmoreleadershippositionsmyhopesarethatwhatIpassontomypeersandsubordinateswillprovidethemwithastrongfoundationfortheirfuture.WhyIAmStillInYoungMarinesLeftZahrianMinnerassistsduringaToysforTotsevent.ByYMSgtKevinChristensonOregonCascadeORInNovemberof2009amonthbeforemytwelfthbirthdayIjoinedtheOregonCascadeYoungMarines.IwasnervousandafraidIneverthoughtIwouldbewhereIamtoday.IhavelearnedmanynewskillshowtobealeaderandhavemadeeverlastingfriendshipswithotherYoungMarines.Ichangedfrombeinganintrovertedboywhodidnotwanttotryanythingbecauseofthefearoffailure.Ihadbeenhumiliatedsomuchinschoolthatmythoughtswereverynegative.NowIamawell-maturedsixteen-year-oldYoungMarinewhoisalwaysstriv-ingtobecomethebestateverythingItrytoaccomplish.IcouldnothavedonethiswithoutthetrainingandskillsIhaveacquiredthroughmypar-ticipationandserviceintheYoungMarines.IhavebeentoldthatIbringpeopletogether.Whetheritisworkingonaschoolassignmentoraccom-plishinganorderfromasupe-riorintheYoungMarinesIhavelearnedthevalueofteamwork.Iamlookingforwardtothenewopportunitiesthatarecominginmyfuture.IhaveforeverbeenchangedbymyexperiencesintheYoungMarinesandithap-penedinlessthanfouryears.YoungMarinesWhataDifferenceinLessThanFourYearsLeftKevinChristensonafewshortyearsagoandAboveKevintoday.