Youth get a taste of military life at Camp Pendleton.

[thedrifter]

Local youth successfully complete Devil Pups encampment
By David Saint-Amand
Description: Youth get a taste of military life at Camp Pendleton.

Saturday, July 29th, Camp Pendleton, California. Ten local-area young men, and two young women marched smartly across the parade ground at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Southern California. They graduated along side three hundred other young men and women of the Devil Pup Company, First Encampment. After ten days under the watchful eyes of Marine Corps drill instructors, all unpaid volunteer camp staff, the Devil Pups were tired, but marched with a pride and precision that most couldn’t imagine they had inside them. Their adventure began on the 20th with a 4:00 AM departure for Camp Pendleton in a van donated by Enterprise Rent-A-Car of Ridgecrest. Upon their arrival they began to experience a small taste of Marine Corps recruit training: a Marine Corps hair cut, identical clothing, miles of marching, and lots of push-ups. It wasn’t just exercise though. They also observed Marine Corps training activities and participated in events that emphasized physical fitness, teamwork, and personal responsibility. By the time they graduated, each had accomplished far more than they could have imagined, and left camp with a feeling of confidence, self-esteem, and an “I can” attitude.

This year’s Devil Pups graduates are: Daniel Bracken from Mount Mesa, Jake Ruschmann from Tehachapi, Deven Canez, Travis Carrasco, Travis Collins, Brennan Foust, Matt Hall, Emily Hill, Cody Meyers, Amber Rice, Jacob Weisbrich, and Derrick Williams from the Indian Wells Valley. Mr. Collins placed in the top ten ranking in physical fitness from out of nearly thee hundred Devil Pups.

The Devil Pups program coordinator for the local area, Lori Casperson, extends a special thank you to Enterprise Rent-A-Car for their generous donation of a van, and to the Ridgecrest chapter of the Knights of Columbus for the use of their meeting facilities for a local award ceremony. Their help is very much appreciated.

The idea for Devil Pups grew out of an incident in 1953, where a group of teenagers at a Southern California High School burned an American flag. A retired Marine, Colonel Duncan Shaw, Sr., decided that something had to be done about building the character of America’s youth. He went to the Commandant of the Marine Corps with an idea for a program to build healthier, more successful young citizens out of teenage boys. The Commandant agreed and a charitable foundation was formed to provide this unique opportunity, and to cover the costs that the United States Government is not permitted to pay. They selected the name “Devil Pups,” a play on the nickname “Devil Dogs” that German troops gave the United States Marines opposing them in battle in World War I, and the first encampment was held in 1954. Devil Pups has grown since then: expanding to include a platoon for young women in 1998. With two encampments a summer, over 45,000 young men and women have graduated from the program.

Devil Pups is not a recruiting program. Any healthy boy or girl that resides in the states of California, Arizona and Nevada, and are between the ages of 14 and 17, is eligible to apply for the program. For more information, please visit the Devil Pups Web site at: http://www.devilpups.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Article Launched: 8/13/2006 12:00 AM
Marines help teens achieve their dreams
Pomona youth attend Devil Pups summer camp
Monica Rodriguez, Staff Writer
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

POMONA -The last 10 days of Jasmine Chovan's life were filled with hard work, chances to overcome deep fears and times when the 16-year-old just had fun.

Jasmine, a resident of the Angela-Chanslor neighborhood in south Pomona, came home Saturday following a graduation ceremony that marked the end of 10 days at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, where she and nine other Pomona teens participated in the Devil Pups Summer Camp 2006.

"It's not just hard work. It was fun, too. And I conquered my fear of heights," she said.

In overcoming her fear of heights, Jasmine jumped off a 25-foot high tower and into a pool, while she received the support and encouragement of fellow campers and camp personnel.

The Devil Pups camp instills and develops good citizenship and physical fitness in teenagers from 14 to 17, according to the organization's Web site. The teens also learn about discipline, goal setting, teamwork and respect for others, said Louis Hernandez, who serves as a local liaison between the organization and the teens and their families.

Jasmine said she would like to return next year as a volunteer.

"I learned a lot from this camp. ... Next year I want to go back and help others learn," she said.

Active duty and reserve Marines as well as volunteers work with the youths at the came.

Devil Pups, a charitable organization, was created in the 1950s by a group of retired Marine reserve officers in Southern California along with active duty Marine officers.

A limited number of teens can attend and those who do must be physically fit and have a deep interest in participating, Hernandez said.

Through the experience, teens "find out there are no limitations - only the ones they set for themselves," Hernandez said.

Among the group that graduated Saturday were six teenagers affiliated with the Fist of Gold youth boxing program and its new site in the Renacimiento Community Center, in the Angela-Chanslor neighborhood of south Pomona.

For many years, the neighborhood has suffered from crime and social problems, but residents, police, community groups and city officials have been working to bring opportunities and change to the neighborhood.

Pomona residents Vicki and John Bustos sent two children to the camp: their daughter Rachel, 14, and David Cabrera, 17, who is under their guardianship.

Both teens train with John Bustos at the center and are in good shape, but that didn't keep Vicki Bustos from worrying a little.

"People had told us it's really hard because they train with the Marines," she said.

Renee Anderson, Jasmine mom, said her daughter, who is in the boxing program, was excited about attending camp.

"She was so pumped up about it and (Jasmine) is already interested in going to the service after high school," Anderson said.

The experience will benefit all teens that attend by fueling their positive attitude, Anderson said.

John Bustos said the program involves a great deal of hard work, but it serves to show the participants that "whatever life throws them they can overcome.".

Monica Rodriguez can be reached by e-mail at m_rodriguezor by phone at (909) 483-9336.

Ellie