Updated Tuesday, February 16, 2010 -
The Inaugural Tehama County/California Regiment/6th Division Drug Demand Reduction conference will be held Friday, February 19 - Sunday, February 21 at the State Capitol Building in Sacramento. Senior Young Marines from Washington, Oregon and California will attend. It will be taped with two Young Marines signing it for the hearing impaired and hopefully it will also be subscripted in Spanish - in order to reach a larger audience. Copies of this DVD will be sent out to anyone who request so in writing. Cost is $2.50 to ship.
Spring Boot Camp Series 20-01 will begin promptly at 0400 (4 a.m.), Tuesday, April 6 at the Sacramento River Discovery Center in Red Bluff (near the Diversion Dam). Recruits are to begin arriving at 0330 (3:30 a.m.. No others will be allowed to enter or otherwise take part in the training unless authorized in writing. No parents will be allowed in during the four days training. Graduation will be on Friday, April 9, at 1500 hours (3 p.m.).
For more training dates and to request an application please contact our Training and Education Officer, Mrs. Toni Bennett at 527.5325 or
benneettfam@cleawire.net. No application will be accepted after Friday, March 26. All new recruits and at least one parent/guardian must attend two enrollment dates prior to March 26 - dates will be given to those parents individually.
July 22, 2009, Pentagon, Department of Defense, Washington, D. C.:The Tehama County Young Marines were announced as the 2009 recipients of the prestigious national award - the Fulcrum Shield. The Fulcrum Shield is presented to the youth group associated with the Department of Defense that promotes a healthy, drug-free lifestyle and who successfully conveys this message to their community.
"The award is designed to recognize the best youth anti-drug outreach group that has a military affiliation. The nominations shall recognize the youth programs involvement in spreading the “anti-drug” message throughout their local community for the Fiscal Year 2008/9."
After the official announcement at the Pentagon the word was passed down the Chain of Command to Lt. Col. Mike Wilson, USMC (ret), Division Six Commander, who called Unit Commander, Sgt. John Minton, Marine Veteran.
Another call was placed to the 14 year old Young Marine who spearheaded the project in Tehama County, Staff Sgt. "Fulcrum Shield" Carlin Bowles. "Carlin, we have some bad news this morning. You're not going to Disneyland." (Pause). "You're going to the Pentagon!" (Huge breath, "Oh, MY GOD!" Screams, tears, laughter).
SSGT. Bowles was accompanied by two other Young Marines who worked with her on the project - 15 year old Sgt. Debbie Ortiz and 17 year old Master Sergeant Annie Bennett and Unit Adjutant Karin Bowles and Commander Minton.
The Tehama County Young Marines held their Christmas party on December 12 and the Guest of Honor was National Executive Director, Lt. Col. Mike Kessler, USMC (ret). He traveled from National Headquarters in Washington, D. C. to re-present the Fulcrum Shield to the unit in front of the local community. Sixth Division Commander, Lt. Col. Mike Wilson, USMC (ret) and his wife Patricia were also invited as special guests. It was Mike Wilson who inspired Carlin and Debbie and Junior Leadership School to work on the Fulcrum Shield.
Tehama County Sheriff Clay Parker also accepted a special invitation to the party. Sheriff Parker is the Presdient of the California Sheirff's Association and was repsonsible for the association in making a special state wide proclamation about the Young Marines leading the efforts in the war on drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gangs and violence. He is a major supporter of youth programs.
The Ray Jacobs Battalion of the Young Marines of the Marine Corps League, are looking for a few more boys and girls, between the ages of 8 and 16, who want to make a commitment to a healthy lifestyle by claiming victory over drugs, alcohol,tobacco, gangs and violence. Our national motto is: "Strengthening the lives of America's youth."
We serve our communities by leading the fight in drug demand reduction efforts, attaining good grades in school and assisting in numerous community service projects.
Our Core Values are:
HONOR, COURAGE, COMMITMENT,
TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP, DISCIPLINE
The Young Marines were first formed in 1959 in Waterbury, Connecticut and in 1965 the Marine Corps League incorporated the Young Marines and became the official sponsors. We are a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit youth educational program. Our number one commitment is to educate our youth about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gangs and violence.
Read more by clicking on the "Location/Chain of Command" page.
The lead unit in the battalion, the Tehama County Young Marines, was formed on October 6, 2005, and are sponsored by the Marine Corps League, Detachment 1140, Tehama/Red Bluff. Many of them are active in their support, including financial and technical, and these members give their time with a lot of love. They believe in our youth.
Sgt. Ray Jacobs was the last surviving member of the 1st Flag Raising on Mt. Surabachi, Iwo Jima, 1945. He was in that photo of the first raising of our Colors, in the far left corner with a radio on his back. He served the Bay Area (KTVU) as a newsman for 40 years and died in 2008. He is buried at the Northern California Veterans Cemetery, Igo, in Shasta County. His soul reported to St. Peter and he is now guarding the Gates of Heaven.
His family is a huge supporter of the Young Marines and the Marine Corps League. They live in Redding and are an inspiration to us all.
The young Marines is a national patriotic youth group. They serve as the Color Guard at many veteran funerals, parades and for the 9/11 observance at the Tehama County courthouse each year.
Also each year on the Marine Corps Birthday, November 10, the Marine Corps League and the Young Marines honor the memory of Pvt. France Silva,
who was wounded at the Boxer Rebellion in Peking, China, 1900, and received the Congressional Medal of Honor.
He is buried at the Sunset Hills Cemetery in Corning.
The Young Marines also serve as the Color Guard in Parades and at various functions such as the dedication of the new school gymnasium at Payne's Creek.
The third week in October (in some locations the last week) is nationally dedicated as Red Ribbon Week and the Young Marines partnered with the Prevention Program of the Tehama County Department of Education to ask the City Council and County Board of Supervisors to officially proclaim the week as Red Ribbon Week and also to explain the life of DEA Special Agent and Marine veteran Kiki Camerena, who was murdered by the drug cartel for seizing the largest shipment of marijuana to the United States in the early 1980's. Youth groups who are affiliated with the military throughout the United States compete for the Fulcrum Shield Award.
This award is designated as the Department of Defense's youth drug demand reduction program and the winning group receives funds to continue the fight.
Young MarineSSgt. Carlin Bowles lead this effort in Tehama County. Carlin, Sgt. Debbie Ortiz and Msgt. Annie Bennett have been to the Pentagon to receive this prestigious award from the Secretary of Defense's Program Director for Red Ribbon Week, Army Colonel Ronald Shippee, and to help proclaim the third week in October as Red Ribbon Week. The unit will attempt to be the first Young Marine unit or any other group to repeat winning the award in 2010!
Even if the unit doesn't repeat in the award each of them hopes that more units and youth groups get more involved in leading other youth in all communities across America in the war on drugs.
Already Young Marines from Virginia, Alabama, California, Colorado and Oregon have expressed interest in combining efforts to share in the award! We call this Teamwork.
Young Marines are recognized all of the time for their efforts in educating the youth in the community about living a healthy drug-free lifestyle.
Debbie Allen lost her 17 year old daughter to alcohol poisoning and she and her husband, Steve, visit youth groups to tell them about Shelby's Rule: "Secrets Kill." Visit www.shelbysrules.com for more information.
