Westover Young Marines
51 Terry Lane  
                                       East Longmeadow, MA 01028                                       



(413) 525-0924

The National Young Marines


The Young Marine program is a year around youth organization for boys and girls ages 8 through the completion of high school. They have over 320 units throughout the United States and five international units in Okinawa, Japan and Germany.

The Young Marines were started in 1958 in Waterbury, CT by the "Brass River Detachment" of the Marine Corps League. They were officially chartered as a national youth program in October 1965 by the Marine Corps League. The Marine Corps League is a co-sponsor along with the US Marine Corps. The Young Marines accepts any young person as a potential candidate as candidates do not have to fit any preconceived category for membership.


About the Westover Young Marines

The Westover Young Marines was formed in October 1996 and has Marine Wing Support Squadron 472, Marine Air Support Squadron 6 and Machine Gun Platoon Anti-Terrorism Battalion as Marine Corps sponsors. The unit is headquartered on Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, MA. The Westover unit is part of the "First Battalion Southern New England Regiment" which consists of three other Young Marine units; Three Rivers and Quinnibaug, CT and White Plains, NY. The unit is also part of the "Southern New England Regiment Young Marines" which includes five other units; Milford, New Bedford, Plymouth and Chelsea, MA and Providence, RI.

New recruiting is conducted once or twice a year with an average of 20 to 30 new recruits per enlistment. The Westover unit is supported by over 30 registered adult staff consisting of active, reserve, retired and former military personnel in addition to civilian adults and parents of Young Marines.

Westover's highly structured, year around program consists of Thursday night drills usually held at the base hanger, as well as special events and periodic weekend encampments. The weekly drills consist of a variety of classroom training which range in topics from Young Marines subjects and military history to fire prevention, DARE, American History and other special topics which can be taught by guest speakers. In addition to classroom training, Young Marines and recruits also practice formations, inspections, drilling techniques and physical training.

Annually, the unit sponsors at least one Battalion and one Regimental encampment weekends. This enables Young Marines to train, observe and compete with fellow Young Marines from other units within the Battalion and Regiment. The weekend structure provides the necessary time for Young Marines to train and compete on obstacle/confidence courses, hold drill competitions and field meets, as well as enjoy the comforts of sleeping overnight in tents.

The program mission...

Promote the mental, moral and physical development of members.

Instill the ideal of honesty, fairness, respect, loyalty, courage, dependability, attention to duty, love of God and fidelity to our country and its' institutions.

Stimulate an interest in, and respect for, academic achievement and the history and traditions of the United States of America.

Promote physical fitness through the conduct of physical activities which include participation in athletic events and close order drills.

Advocate a drug free lifestyle through a continual drug prevention education program.


Although the Young Marines is the US Marine Corp's official youth program to the Department of Defense for youth Drug Demand Reduction, the Young Marines is not a recruiting force for the US Marine Corps. The unit strives to instill the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment adopted by the Marine Corps to each of the members.

For more information, click on the following links for the National Young Marines and the Westover Young Marines.

www.youngmarines.com

www.westoveryoungmarines.com