Young Marines recruit early

[thedrifter]

Young Marines recruit early

By BLANCA E. SANCHEZ, STAFF WRITER

CHINO HILLS - They may only be between 8 and 17 years old, but some members of the Chino Valley Young Marines have chosen to take part in the boot camp-style program because they like it.
Regardless of why they participate in the group, once they are in, there is no turning back. They have to work hard to survive the sessions, which approximate the real thing.

"I better see white walls (heads shaved) when you come in here," Vince Burciaga, executive director for the Chino Hills-based unit, told some potential members of the group on a recent night. "When you come back here, first thing out of your mouth is "Yes sir, No sir.' No more street talk."

Burciaga stood in front of four boys who were planning to enlist in the Chino Valley Young Marines unit this month for the first boot camp-like class in January.

"You have to be committed. Your parents have paid a lot of money for you to have the opportunity to be a Young Marine," Burciaga said. "Once you start this, you are not allowed to quit. Your job is to get good grades at school, do your chores and be a good citizen. I'm proud of you. It takes a special kind of kid to want to do it."

Jon Kerby, 12, of Ontario, was liking the idea of joining the group, even though it sounded tough.

"It's strict," Kerby said. "It looks pretty cool. I've been yelled at by my dad, so I'm used to it."

The Chino Valley Young Marines was established in June as part of the Marine Corps League. Prior to the group's formation, many Chino Valley boys and girls were enlisted in the Pico Rivera unit. After the unit opened in the Chino Valley, some transferred over, said Pat Hagler, staff member of the unit and former Marine.

Staff leaders in the unit are all former Marines, except for Ryan Hill, who is a Marine reservist. Staff members include Bill Kruger, commander of the unit and also the mayor of Chino Hills; Barry Fischer, a Parks and Recreation commissioner; Hagler, the city's public facilities and operations director, and her brother Toby Oakley, who lives in Chino and has three boys in the program who transferred from the Pico Rivera unit.

The staff members decided to start up a unit in the valley because there was a demand for it, Hagler said.

There are now 18 Young Marines in the program who finished their training in November.

The program's goal is not to recruit for the Marines, but to provide a program where young people could learn skills such as discipline, leadership and socialization. The program's training is based on a military structure, such as that of the Marine Corps, Hagler said.

"It's not for everyone," Hagler said. "The child has to want this. The basic training is tough. They get yelled at and they have to study and learn things that are completely foreign to them. This is not a place for a parent to place a child for discipline. We do see them becoming leaders and we see the leaders emerging almost immediately."

Sarah Raish, a 15-year-old graduate of the program's November class, said she enlisted because Hill is her cousin and she thought it would be something to do. She doesn't plan to enlist in the Marines. Instead, she wants to be a police officer.

"They yell a lot," said Raish of La Habra. "I used to be quiet and shy. Now I am more outgoing than I was. I used to have really low self-esteem. We learned about taking charge, being a leader and teaching other kids."

On the other hand, Young Marine graduate Anthony Solares, 17, of Chino, said he got involved because he really wants to be a Marine.

"I loved it," said Solares, who plans on enlisting in the Marine Corps next year. "I wanted to be here. I like the screaming, getting yelled at. If they put fear into you, you are most likely not to do it again."

The program is for children as young as 8 and as old as 17 or at least while they are still in high school.

Thomas Oakley, 16 of Chino, transferred from the Pico Rivera unit and began the program when he was about 11. He is a senior instructor for the unit.

"My leadership skills are off the wall," Oakley said. "I was almost raised with their leadership skills. I am used to it. It's all I know. I would have been a slacker. I know I was going to be lazy. I probably would have dyed my hair."

Blanca Sanchez can be reached by e-mail blanca.sanchez@dailybulletin.com or by phone at (909) 483-4644.


The Drifter's Wife

Ellie

[perfectcircle]

In my early teens I remember researching on the net for something like that. I wanted to go to boot camp so bad, I asked my mom to sign me up for Military school, the closest thing I could find to what I was looking for. I wanted challenge so bad. I needed it for myself. It's good to see a program like that out there, and even better to see kids actually joining. Good find!

[femalemarine_89]

Yeah I think the programs are awsome. I have been working with the Marine Corps fitness program with the schools.. I want to get back into it heavy again and bring it to the schools here in Washington.. I got into it thru my father and a friend of his.. It takes the Marine Corps values and fitness to kids in school.. They can actually participate nationally for awards and can get awards locally as well

[Cole11]

the Corps is a good foundation to build kids futures on

[wrestler07]

im in the program here in arizona and i love it the instructors take us rappeling and we go on encampments and learn some basic survival skills and then some

[ashley clark]

I'm a Sgt. in the Young Marines and it can be very similar to the real Marine Corps . We get great opportunities to go on trips to military bases in the summer. The last two years we stayed at Quontico.

[AshleyMS]

Cole11 I agree with you, kids now a days really need that kind of discipline and the values that they will be able to use through out their lives. I wish that I could have been able to do something like that when I was a child, but I didnt really need to, my stepfather was in the Corps for many years, I was always around Marines, enlisted and officers, so I knew how to act and I learned alot from them. Now I have already been in and realized how much that actually helped me while I was in bootcamp. I am thankful for what I learned and the values that was brought into my life so many years ago when my stepfather was in. Now I am trying to go back into something that I have always loved and have a passion for...the Marine Corps!! Semper Fi

[fallafel]

lol...young marine bootcamp was fun...i can remember the kids crying...

former YM Ssgt. yeeeeeeeeea boi

[James F. Owings]

I was in the Young Marine Program in Washington State 1965-67. One Saturday a month we met at the Marine Reserve training area at Sand Point Naval Air Station.

At first some of the 1930s service types spent half their efforts at political struggles. We then got a Gunny from a reserve rifle company in Tacoma and the program took off. (My heart soared when we were told that we could lose the leggings and wear combat boots!)

From camping in the Cascades to sorting out a hanger filled with Toys for Tots toys, we had a great time. Only at the end of my time did the program start taking kids younger than junior high.

-Jim-