The Temecula Valley Young Marines busy Saturday

 

On June 18 th, The San Diego Armed Forces YMCA asked for support from the Temecula Valley Young Marines to help with their effort in providing the “Christmas You Missed Event.” Scheduled for June 25th. On June 23rd 30 – 40 Volunteers were needed to help set up this event. The YMCA staff was worried that they would not have enough help to make this event happen. Then CO Guiles received an email requesting our assistance for the event’s set-up on the 23rd of June, which was the weekend of the unit’s planned survival encampment. The Temecula Valley Young Marines restated their motto: “First there was the word, and then the word changed” and they caravanned down to the YMCA in Murphy Canyon, San Diego. 35 Young Marines, 3 TVYM staff members and 5 Parent Volunteers were there to help the YMCA set up for the “Christmas You Missed Event.” The event was for the 500 troops and their families who deployed during the 2006 holiday season. At this event Christmas was recreated and the new babies were recognized solely for those deployed and separated families. Each military family participant received a gift.

The Temecula Valley Young Marines arrived at 0900 and stayed until 1330, during this time the unit decorated the rooms ,, made posters and paper chains , , packaged gifts , , , , stuffed stockings with little toys and treats, hung banners, rearranged the furniture (to make each corner look like a living room during Christmas) and made and signed Christmas cards , , , . With the task complete Brittany L. Catton, Director of Development and Public Relations for the San Diego YMCA. told the Young Marines that had they not volunteered to help out when they did this event may not even have been possible. Before the Young Marines left they took a picture with the YMCA staff . OOH-Rah Young Marines! You supported your community and the military in a very positive way!

After the event in Sand Diego the unit caravanned back up to their training site at Vail Lake. The unit set up camp , , and the CO gave classes. First up was dehydration, then came the nasty crawling bugs class and after they had the “it’s going to eat you class” about the big carnivores on Vail Lake and then they finally discovered fire safety in the woods. While all of this was going on the CO had YM/CPL’s Fitzpatrick and Hedlund make a Land Navigation course . When the YM/Cpl’s completed the Land Nav courses (3 in all and each one completely different) they planted 12 MRE’s on the course 2 at each site. The CO explained to the Young Marines, “If you want to eat dinner you will have to find it.” Before Land Nav began the CO taught a class on how to dig a Dakota fire pit and the use of a magnesium fire starter. After the Young Marines dug their pits the CO sent the teams out to gather kindling and small pieces of wood. With that task complete the CO showed all of the Young Marines how easy it was to start a fire with a Magnesium fire starter and a little patience and perseverance. The Young Marines were given 3 chances to start their fires after which the CO would start it for them. The groups had to keep their fire going and if it went out they had to work as a team to make it ignite again. The rule was the CO had to walk to everyone’s site at least once and their fire had to still be going , , , , , , . It was a challenge and a lot of fun. After that it was Land NAV time. The CO and YM’s Cpl. Fitzpatrick and Cpl. Hedlund went across to the middle of the Land Nav site . They could see the Young Marines taking off and the staff could see the CO. Constant contact remained to ensure the Young Marines safety. This way if someone was disoriented the Cpl’s could easily be dispatched to help the other Young Marines find their way , , . After each group found their 2 MRE’s the CO sent them to the Chow tent to draw the remaining 2 MRE’s for the rest of the team.

The NCO’s set up the fire watch roster with 30 minute shifts so every Young Marine could stand it. YM/Cpl’s Fitapatrick and Hedlund posted themselves by the camp fire with CO Guiles and the LO Mrs. Aguilar. The security force asked if they could sleep by the fire in case the CO needed to use them. The CO agreed and in deed used them all night. With the Coyotes coming closer the CO made his rounds around the camp as did the fire watch. The Security force was put to use by ensuring the male Young Marines were awakend when it was their turn to stand fire watch. The CO set reveille at 0600 at 0550 the CO woke everyone up (his watch runs faster than everyone else’s, that’s “CO Time”). The Young Marines had breakfast Muffins, Cereal, milk, Fresh Fruit, Sunny Delight, Fish and Fish eyes. What!! Fish eyes? Yes, 8 Young Marines jumped up and swallowed a fish eye as tradition in our unit’s survival course , . The ones that were disappointed? The girls who did not make it to the whole fish eye event.

The next thing the Young Marines had was a Class by our unit’s outdoor specialist Ms. Martie Aguilar. Ms. Aguilar gave a very good class on surviving off of the land and at the end of the Class the CO had her hand each and every Young Marine a slice of Noplitos (Cactus). The Young Marines did not have to eat it but they did have to taste it. Ms. Aguilar also told everyone how to obtain water from a barrel cactus and different ways to prepare the Noplitos cactus. The encampment ended after a class by Mr. Boudreau on under age drinking and its effects. The CO then had a moment and held a question and answer with the unit to hear what adventure they would like the CO to put on their training schedule. The CO has since started to re-modify the training plan for the end of this year and next year. Lots of fun things coming our way and it was all generated by the imaginations and thoughts of our Young Marines. Like the CO said, “We are always thinking outside of the box.” But our Young Marines will tell you that the CO tore the box up and hid it so no one can find it to put us back in it. Ooh-rah!!! Thinking and living outside of the box!!!!!