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ByYMPvtJacenLewisGettysburgPATheGettysburgYoungMarineshadtheopportunityinJulytoattendthereenactmentoftheBattleofGettysburg.Thisreenactmentwasspecialbecauseitwasthe150than-niversaryofthebattle.Ontherstdaywewereabletogetsigna-turesfrombothreenactorsanddescendantsofthosewhoactuallyfoughttherelongago.Ourrstsigna-turewasfromthegreatgreatgreatgrandsonofConfederateGeneralGeorgeE.Pickett.Oursecondsignaturewasfromareenactorplay-ingtheroleofJohnIdola.k.a.Greastull.WewerealsoabletogetasignaturefromanotherreenactorwhoplayedtheroleofConfederateGeneralHenryHeath.Onbothdayswewereabletowatchdifferentreenactments.OnSaturdaywewereabletoseeacavalrybattlerepre-sentingthemomentwhenConfederateGeneralJebStuartarrivedonthebattleeld.Unfortunatelyduetoaschedulechangewemissedthelivereexerciseafterthebattle.OnSundaywewereabletoseethereenactmentofPickettsCharge.Bothofthesewereexcitingbecausewegottoseewhathappenedinhistorytakingplaceinfrontofoureyes.OnbothdayswewerealsomanningatabletohelpshowsupportfortheU.S.troopscur-rentlyserving.Atourtablewehadpostcardsandbannersforpeopletosign.Whilesomeofusmannedthetableothersofuswalkedaroundlettingthevisitorsknowtheyhadtheopportunitytogotothetableandshowsupport.Weallhadagreatexperienceandfunweekend.Wearelookingforwardtothenextyear.TheTurningPointoftheCivilWarRecreatedBeforeTheirEyesA19thcenturydepictionofGeneralPickettschargeduringtheBattleofGettysburg.ReprintedwithpermissioncourtesyofAdamCuerden.ExperiencesThatChangetheWayYouViewtheWorldByYMMGySgtAlexLoriaColWesleyFoxVAThispastsummerhasbeenveryeventfulforme.IthashelpedmediscoverthingsaboutmyselfthatImayneverhavelearnedwithouttheYoungMarines.FirstwastheSPACESCattleDrivewhichwasthemostlife-changingex-perienceofall.Itwasalsoanopportunitytostrengthenmyleadershipskills.Itsoundsstrangebutwhenyourework-ingwithananimalinthiscaseahorsethatcanonlyun-derstandyourbodylanguageitforcesyoutolookathowyoucommunicatewithoutusingwords.Ilearnedthatnon-verbalcommunicationisjustasimportantasverbalcom-munication.Thenextofmylife-changingexperiencesthissummerwasnotwiththeYoungMarinesbutamissiontriptoPhila-delphia.ThistripwasaneyeopenerbecausealthoughIknewthatpovertyexistsIhadneverseenitrsthand.Ihadtheopportunitytospeakwithandhelpthoselessfortunatethanmyself.IndoingsoIbecamealotlessarrogantabouttheconditionsthatsomepeoplehavetoliveinandmoreappreciativeofthethingsthatIhave.Ideeplyenjoyedthechancetohelpthoseworseoffthanme.MythirdandnalexperiencewastheNavajoCodeTalk-ersDayinArizonawiththeYoungMarines.IhadneverbeentothiseventbeforenorhadIheardabouttheCodeTalkers.Ilearnedaboutthiselitegroupofwarriorsfromournationshistorywhooftengetoverlookedinhistorybooks.WemetandservedtheveteranCodeTalkerswhilewelis-tenedtothestoriestheytold.Theirculturewasinterestingaswell.Allinallmysummerwasfullofoutstandingandincred-ibleexperiencesthatIwillrememberfortherestofmylife.IlovetheYoungMarinesfortheopportunitiesitoffersandIcantwaittillnextsummer.DISCOVERINGHISTORYOurNationsESPRITFall201311