Young Marines Mission

Our Authorization. The Young Marines were originally chartered by, and remain an affiliate of the Marine Corps League and is operated as a youth educational, not-for-profit organization under Internal Revenue Service Code 501(c)(3), with contributions to the Young Marines being tax deductible by the donor. The Young Marines Federal Tax Identification Number is 38-2346425.

The National Headquarters Location. The principle offices of the Young Marines is located at the Young Marines National Headquarters in Building 172, Room 202C at the Washington Navy Yard in Southeast Washington, DC.

The program was founded in 1958 to promote their mental, moral, and physical development of young Americans. The Young Marines mission is to offer a variety of activities specifically designed to develop greater self-esteem, discipline, and self-confidence in themselves. Character building is one of the most important objectives of the Young Marine program and all of its activities emphasize the importance of honesty, courage, respect, loyalty, dependability, and a sense of devotion to God, country, community, and family. In July 1993, the United States Marine Corps officially designated the Young Marines program as "the focal organization for fulfilling its participation in the Department of Defense's drug demand reduction activities."

The Young Marines Program provides an alternative for youth by seeking to instill a sense of pride in themselves, in their community and in their country. Both youth and adult staff help to police their own ranks because it provides the opportunity for our youth to develop self-discipline, leadership and motivation by exposing them to positive adult role models, instruction and guidance. Young Marine enlistment is open to boys and girls ages 8 to 18, The advocacy of a drug-free lifestyle is particularly important given the persuasiveness of the drug threat to our children today and the resulting violence and moral corruption that drugs lead to by nature. In view of the damage that illicit drugs do to children and to American society as a whole, the need to mobilize all available resources with which to fight the battle against their use is obvious.
The Young Marines Motto is "Our Youth is Our Future."

Wildwood Young Marines Official Mission
Cleveland,Ohio

  • The Young Marines Program educate and inspire the youth within our communities by promoting a healthy and drug free lifestyle through instructional and adventure activities. We develop responsible citizens using volunteer resources of a civilian and military partnership.

  • To instill in its members the ideals of honesty, fairness, courage, respect,loyalty,dependability,attention to duty,love of God and fidelity to our country and its institutions.

  • To stimulate an interest in,and respect for,achievement and the history and traditions of the United States of America

  • To promote physical fitness through the conduct of physical activities, including participation in athletic events and close order drills

  • To advocate a drug-free lifestyle through a continual drug prevention education program

  • The Teamwork andEsprit de Corps enjoyed by Young Marines help each other discover the hero within.

    • Guiding Principles

  • The health, welfare and safety of the Young Marines are paramount.

  • We value our volunteers and will provide them with the tools they need to succeed.

  • We will never forget that this program is for our youth. We will uphold the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.

  • We pledge to the parents to serve as positive role models to their children.

  • We get by giving.

    • The vision of the program
     To impact America's future by providing a unique youth leadership program that nurtures and develops it's members in our communities, instilling the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.

    The Young Marines Obligation
    From this day forward, I sincerely promise: I will set an example for all other youth to follow and I shall never do anything that would bring disgrace or dishonor upon my God, my Country, and its Flag, my parents, myself or the Young Marines. These I will honor and respect in a manner that will reflect credit upon them and myself.
    SEMPER FIDELIS
    Always Faithful

    Under Meet the Staff: Wildwood Young Marines Commanding Officer, Ohio Regiment,
    1st Ohio Battalion, Fox Company
    Master Sergeant Robert Jeffrey, USMCR Retired