After 14 months of planning and emails, this year the Temecula Valley Young Marines were approved to lead the House of Representatives in the Pledge of Allegiance. We were finally approved 16 hours before our unit’s departure to Washington, DC. We were able to gain access with the help of Mrs. Mary Pritchard and Congressman Darrell Issa to the gallery above the house floor. Yes, the house where all of the voting takes place. Where Congress meets and takes care of our country’s business. According to Mrs. Pritchard the Guards did some research and as far as they could see in the books we were the first youth group to ask for and receive permission to lead Congress in the Pledge of Allegiance. Upon arrival at the Capital, Mrs. Pritchard and an aide were waiting outside in the rain for us. The drivers dropped us off and away we went. The Sergeant at Arms was waiting for us. It was a rainy day so all of our Young Marines were in their all weather coats and ready to go. They had been up since 0500 to make it to the Capital on time. We rushed up to the Gallery floor and stepped inside. It was really quiet so the Young Marines took their places in front of their chairs. We waited and then heard “All Rise” the house erupted with the Pledge of Allegiance. Normally, I was told, you could barely hear the pledge. But today you could hear it downstairs on the floor of the House of Representatives. It was not annoyingly loud it was just loud enough so that all of those on the floor looked up at the Young Marines and smiled. When the Pledge was completed we stayed for a little while so the Young Marines could see what really happens in Congress. After a little while we all quietly got up and headed down to the Rayburn Room down on the main floor. Here we all sat around by the fireplace and warmed up. The Young Marines took off their all weather coats and relaxed. They were waiting for Congressman Darrell Issa and the National Executive Director Mike Kessler.
Congressman Issa entered the room and talked with CO Guiles for a few minutes and then started talking with the Young Marines 
. The Young Marines asked some really great questions to Congressman Issa, which I think took his breath away for a minute. Congressman also told the Young Marines about his time that spent as a Lieutenant in the United States Army as an EOD technician and a Tank Commander. The CO was informed that on this rainy day in Washington DC Congressman Issa left early from a breakfast meeting with a Three Star General to be here with the Young Marines. This made his visit with us all the more special. He explained that the General told him he had to go once he found out who he was meeting. We had only a few minutes before Congressman Issa had to go into Congress for a special meeting and we had one final task. We had a Young Marine that had waited for 6 Months to be promoted his promotion which was held abeyance by the Commanding Officer due to not keeping up with the unit’s GPA standards, but now was his time. Young Marine Staff Sergeant Nicholas Guiles was not expecting his promotion and of all the places, especially not inside the United States Capital and not by his Congressman. The Commanding Officer called the unit to attention and then asked Young Marine SSgt. Guiles to step forward. The CO read off the Young Marines promotion warrant 
and then to make it official CO Guiles asked Congressman Issa if he would sign the warrant, Congressman Issa said, “Of course,” and signed the warrant 
. Young Marine 1st Sgt. Katie Aguilar came forward and took her old Gunny chevrons out of her pocket and handed one to Congressman Issa. She and the Congressman pinned one chevron on each 
. Congressman Issa congratulated 
, 
the newly promoted Gunnery Sergeant the CO shook the now Gunnery Sergeant Guiles’ hand and told the Young Marine to post. The whole time Gunnery Sergeant Guiles looked as if it was some sort of surreal trick that was being played on him, with a stunned look on his face he did an about face and posted to the rear of the unit. The unit was placed at ease and Congressman Issa wanted to stay and talk to the Young Marines some more but he had to rush off to the House floor for his meeting. The National Executive Director, LtCol. Kessler asked the Young Marines to sit for a moment and he talked with them for quite a while before he had to rush off to a meeting as well. As the unit was leaving Legislative Correspondent Peter Dorsch from Congressman Issa’s Office took our unit on a tour of the United States Capital. Outside of the Capital the Young Marines were in formation and ready to go… Their next stop would be their last before redeploying back to California. They were going to the Marine Corps Museum. CO Guiles received word that again as far as anyone could tell looking through the books they could not find a Young Marine that had been promoted inside the United States Capital and even then by their Congressional Representative. A couple of firsts for our unit and for the Young Marines Organization, Ooh-Rah Young Marines and Semper Fi to Congressman Issa, Mrs. Pritchard, and Mr. Dorsch! Thank you for topping off our unit’s 8 day deployment to Washington DC. To read more about Congressman Issa please visit his link here