17 Units Gather for Divisional Encampment

This page is from The Website for Young Marines

By John Bacon, Commanding Officer,
Young Marines of Quantico (Virginia)

He's 44 inches tall and weighs all of 40 pounds. Eight-year-old PFC Mark Lamonica of the Tustin Young Marines was just one of the more than 360 who descended on Camp Pendleton in California for seven days in August for the West Coast Divisional Encampment. It was good, it was bad, and it was ugly. However, the good far outweighed the bad and the ugly. The esprit de corps exhibited by these Young Marines from 17 different units was an example for all to follow.

The 17 units came from four states: Camp Pendleton, Chosan, Commerce, El Toro, Green Knights, Hi-Desert, Inland, Modesto, Juniper, Saddleback, South Bay, Tustin, and Ventura from California; Olympic and Tri-City from Washington State; Wenden from Arizona; and Quantico from Virginia. There were 67 female and 294 male Young Marines ranging in age from 8 to 18.

Part of the event was financed by Marine Corps/Department of Defense funds authorized by Congress to reduce the demand for illicit drugs among young people. The training schedule induded a lecture by an official from the Drug Enforcement Agency on drug demand reduction and a presenta- tion by Marines who use trained dogs to catch drug users and smugglers.

But the Young Marines is a youth edu- cation program, so drug demand reduc- tion is not the only focus. A large empha- sis is put on leadership and character. The Young Marines themselves ran the encampment under the supervision of the adult staff. Sgt Maj Rehan Rudy, for- merly of the Quantico Young Marines and now with the Camp Pendleton unit, was the senior youth in charge. He supervised all forma- tions, trips to chow and back, daily PT, work details, and frre watch. He used the Young Marine SNCOs to carry out the plans of the day. Most of these leaders carried some sort of two-way radio for communication.

At the end of each day, the Young Marines returned to their racks in the Quonset huts. God was smiling on the group, as the sun that had been baking Southern California subsided and they enjoyed perfect training and sleeping weather.

Saturday, August 15. The advance party of Hi- Desert and Inland Young Marines arrived early to set up for the rest of the division. Quantico joined them late in the day. Before the sun had set, everything was ready.

Sunday, August 16. Units arrived throughout the day. Once a unit was set up, all its members were then involved in dasses and drill and occasional free time. By taps all the units had arrived and were settled in.

Monday, August 17. At 0dark30, active duty Marines could hear the cadence of voices ranging from soprano to alto to tenor to bass as these 361 highly motivated, highly Size do^nl matter- dedicated Young Marines marched a half-mile to chow. That was followed by PT on the soccer field, and then a trip to the O-course. The afternoon saw the Young Marines sharpening their drill skills. The evening was spent getting to know each other and going over plans

Tuesday and Wednesday, August 18 and 19. The division was broken into two groups, and each went its separate way. Group A went rappelling and group B spent the morning at the O-course and the afternoon at the LCACs. Each group received lectures from the DEA on drugs. The following day they switched places.

Thursday, August 20, was spent at Sea World in San Diego, and
Friday, August 21, was spent at the beach. Saturday saw the pass in review parade and then everyone headed home.

During the encampment, the Young Marine leaders were encouraged to make sure their charges had received and understood an instruction and were capable of completing it before any lecturing was done. The youth leaders were reminded that, if they focus on educating the Young Marines, then instilling discipline will come naturally.

Taken from "Young Marine Espirit" magazine - Fall 1998 issue

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