Nominee: Temecula Valley Young Marines

 

Military Affiliation: United States Marine Corps

 

Location: Temecula Valley, California

 

Unit Commanding Officer: Mr. Michael Guiles

 

Official Address: Vail Lake Resort

38000 Hwy 79 S.

Temecula , CA 92589

 

Time period covered: October 1, 2005 – September 30, 2006

 

Nominating authority: LtCol Micheal Kessler, USMC (ret)

National Executive Director, Young Marines National Headquarters

 

Mission Statement: “To positively impact America’s future by providing quality youth development programs for boys and girls that nurtures and develops its members into responsible citizens who enjoy and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle”.

 

Motto: “Strengthening the lives of America’s youth”

 

 

Description of overall program:

 

Military Association: The Young Marines is the U.S. Marine Corps’ official youth program to the Department of Defense for Youth Drug Demand Reduction efforts. The type of support that the Marine Corps itself is willing to provide for the Young Marines is detailed in Marine Corps Order 5000.20 (enclosure #1). This order authorizes Marine Corps Bases and Stations, including Reserve Centers, to provide facilities for meetings, accommodations, demonstrations (such as Red Ribbon Week), and other types of support on a not-to-interfere basis.

 

The Temecula Valley Young Marines frequently have U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton, CA, visit their unit to talk to their youth members about the harm that drugs can do to their body. As a registered unit with Young Marines National Headquarters, the Temecula Valley Young Marines are privileged to the benefits provided in Marine Corps Order 5000.20.

 

DOD Red Ribbon Participation: On a national level, Young Marines units across the country participate in Red Ribbon Week activities, to include the Red Ribbon observances at the Pentagon. The Temecula Valley Young Marines participated in Red Ribbon week last October by having classes in their community and also shared articles with their community newspaper written by the youth membership (specifically on Underage Drinking and Driving). This came about when the volunteer staff asked the Young Marines what they would like to do for Red Ribbon Week and they said they would physically like to get their anti-drug message out to their community so that they could be not only heard, but seen living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

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Temecula Valley Young Marines

 

Description of the overall program: The Young Marines program offers its members training in Leadership, Discipline and Teamwork while maintaining a focus on living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Among many of the objectives of the Young Marines program, most importantly, the Young Marines program advocates a healthy, drug-free lifestyle through continual drug prevention education and physical fitness activities. Drug prevention education and strong anti-drug messages are visible in all aspects of the Young Marines program.

 

Temecula Valley Young Marines’ (TVYM) unique approach at Drug Demand Reduction efforts: As mentioned in the endorsement letter, the work that the volunteer staff has done in keeping their Young Marines drug free has been taken to new levels. On their own, the volunteers of the Temecula Valley Young Marines have produced several documents, for their youth membership, their parents and for their adult volunteers that deal with the dangers of drug use and abuse. These works are incredibly detailed, and parallel at anything that has been seen at any unit level of the Young Marines organization … and they did this on their own, without any outside funding or support. That’s how important it is to these adult volunteers to educate their Young Marines, and their community on the consequences of drug use and abuse.

 

The volunteer staff of the Temecula Valley Young Marines, with the help of SSgt Guevera, who is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and an Oceanside, CA police officer with national narcotics accreditation, have created anti-drug booklets for not only their Young Marine youth membership, but for the Young Marines’ parents as well (see enclosure #3). The Temecula Valley Young Marines believe strongly that keeping their Young Marines drug-free doesn’t stop at just educating the youth in their program but to also include the parents and their community in the process. According to Michael Guiles, Commanding Officer of the Temecula Valley Young Marines, the parents appreciate the anti-drug education they receive which enables them to have the knowledge to talk candidly with their children about the dangers of drugs and the importance of living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

 

The booklets created by the volunteers of the Temecula Valley Young Marines show the graphic nature of the harm that can be done by abusing drugs. While graphic in nature, the books are age appropriate. They also made copies of 3 books from the United Nations World Fact Book on Drugs and the National Defense Threat Assessment on Drugs, accessible to the parents of all 60 of their Young Marines. The Temecula Valley Young Marines also made these books accessible to any family member or friend that was interested in receiving them. This is solely at the cost of the Temecula Valley Young Marines, which is a non-profit organization. The Young Marines of Temecula Valley work hard with fund-raising activities in their community in order to cover the cost of these educational tools because of their deep commitment in spreading the anti-drug message.

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Temecula Valley Young Marines

What these books show is how serious the drug problem truly is. They use the UN world fact book as a reference to highlight certain aspects of the drug situation around the world and how drug problems are not just a United States epidemic. When the Temecula Valley Young Marines have their recruitment classes (also commonly referred to as Young Marine “Boot Camp”), and at community service events, these manuals are made available to the community. They inform the parents, and the community, on how serious the Temecula Valley Young Marines are in their commitment of keeping kids drug free.

 

The Temecula Valley Young Marines takes their anti-drug message out to the community in a variety of venues as well. At unit meetings, the youth of Temecula Valley Young Marines are taught public speaking and leadership skills. With this training, they are able to be good role models to their peers at school and in their community. Many of the youth have taught anti-drug classes at their schools. The Temecula Valley Young Marines instills the values of being a leader, not a follower. They teach their youth to encourage their friends to follow them on a life-long journey that is free of drugs, which in turn, the youth pass on this knowledge to their friends, family and their peers. On a national level, all Young Marines are committed to live a healthy drug-free lifestyle and encourage family and friends to share in their commitment. The Temecula Valley Young Marine unit is the premier role model for the entire Young Marine organization for Youth Drug Demand Reduction efforts.

 

In addition, when the Temecula Valley Young Marines participate in parades in their community; or, when they put any advertisements out in their local newspaper they always start off with "The Young Marines promote a healthy drug free lifestyle". Their Young Marines are frequently interviewed by members of the media and the Young Marines tell the reporters as well that Young Marines do not do drugs.  The adult membership of the Temecula Valley Young Marines feel strongly that by having the youth making these comments their community hears them very loudly and sees them as a positive anti-drug force.

 

In addition, last year the Temecula Valley Young Marines had the Marine Corps DARE unit come out and talk to the youth with their police dogs. Commanding Officer Michael Guiles always asks any Police Officer that visits with his Young Marine unit to tell them "If you want to be a Police Officer, Fire Fighter or Marine don't do drugs". Finally, the Temecula Valley Young Marines worked hard over the course of this reporting period towards earning their Young Marines Drug Demand Reduction Ribbon (Levels I, II and III), which will be awarded to them in June 2006 (see enclosure #2).

 

The Young Marines is a 501c (3), non-profit youth education and service organization for boys and girls ages 8 through completion of high school. To learn more, visit the Young Marines official website at: www.YoungMarines.com.