San Diego Young Marines

About the Young Marines

The Young Marines is a youth education and service program for boys and girls, ages 8 through completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on character building, leadership, and promotes a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The Young Marines is the focal point for the U.S. Marine Corps' youth Drug Demand Reduction efforts.

Our Volunteers

Young Marine units are community-based programs lead by dedicated adult volunteers. Many of these volunteers are former, retired, active duty, or reserve Marines who believe passionately that the values they learned as Marines had a positive affect on them. It is through these caring adults that Young Marines learn the inner values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. Adult volunteers are individually screened by the National Headquarters based on background information and recommendations provided with each person's registration.

Our Sponsors/Supporters

Special thanks to our sponsors and supporters, Rosebud Military Surplus, San Diego Military Outreach Ministries and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar 3D Marine Aircraft Wing (3D MAW).

History

The Young Marines was founded in 1958 by members of the Marine Corps League in Waterbury, Connecticut. The official charter was issued on 17 October 1965 and thereafter the program spread throughout the country. In 1975 membership was extended to females to participate so all youth could benefit.

In 1980 the IRS granted the Young Marines Non-Profit Status under 501(c)(3).

In July 1993 the United States Marine Corps designated the Young Marine Program as "the Focal organization for fulfilling its participation in the Department of Defense's Drug Demand Reduction Activities" Marine Corps Order 5000.20 officially recognized the Young Marines and published policy to support the program.

Membership

The Young Marines is open to all youth ages 8 through completion of high school. The only membership requirement is that the youth must be in good standing at school. Since the Young Marines’ humble beginnings, in 1958, with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 240 units with 10,000 youth and 3,000 adult volunteers in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and, Germany, Japan and affiliates in a host of other countries.

Training Location

The San Diego Young Marines main training facility is located on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and is sponsored by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. It is located about 10 miles (16 km) north of downtown San Diego, California, United States. The airfield is named Mitscher Field after Admiral M.A. Mitscher who was the commander of Task Force 58 during World War II. The station is best known as the location of the TOPGUN training program and the movie of the same name. In 1996 the school was relocated to Naval Air Station Fallon in western Nevada. During the heyday of TOPGUN at NAS Miramar the station was nicknamed "Fightertown USA".

SPONSORS