Archive of 2009 Activities
25 May 2009 – Young Marines and members of the Lt. Alexander Bonnyman Detachment of the Marine Corps League presented a Memorial Day Ceremony at the Sgt. Mitchell Stout Medal of Honor Memorial at Virtue Cemetery in Farragut, TN. A YM color guard presented the colors, others read passages regarding the origin of Memorial Day and other patriotic symbols, presented a wreath at the memorial, and raised the flag to full staff at the end of the ceremony. Members of the Marine Corps League Honor Guard fired a rifle salute during the ceremony and a YM played “Taps” at the end of the ceremony.
23 May 2009 – Fifty-two of the Young Marines in the unit showed up at the TN State Veterans Cemetery on Lions View Road to put flags on the graves of the veterans in preparation for Memorial Day. The YM who had been selected to participate in the up-coming Memorial Day event also practiced their parts in the ceremony during the morning.
9 May 2009 – All of the Young Marines in the unit got in some community service hours. About 20 of the YM provided assistance very early in the morning at the 2nd Annual Knoxville Law Enforcement 5K Run by setting up barriers, giving out mid-run times, passing out water and other activities. One of the YM, YM Sgt. Aaron Wade, ran the race as part of the FBI team.
The other half of the unit assisted at the National Guard Armory in preparing the clothing issue for the Knoxville Stand Down for Homeless Veterans which is to take place on 15 May. They put up tables and chairs, hauled clothing out of the storage trailers, separated the clothing by types and sizes, and then arranged the clothing on tables for easy access.
2 May 2009 – During the morning, the YM completed PFTs or presented classes on Drug Demand Awareness while the recruits prepared for graduation. Commencing at 1300, the graduation ceremony for the 2009 Recruit Class began, with LtCol Mike Kessler, the National Executive Director of the Young Marines, as the Guest of Honor. Forty-four of the 58 recruits who started as recruits in March 2009 graduated to become YM. The following recruits were recognized during the ceremony:
- Honor Recruits from each platoon: 1st Plt. – Brandon Gilland, Age 11; 2nd Plt. – Patrick D. McFall, age 13; 3rd Plt. – Brad W. Bohannon, age 17.
- Academic Achievement: 1st Plt. – Brandon Gilland, age 11; 2nd Plt. – Jacob S. Hale, age 12; 3rd Plt. – Brad W. Bohannon, age 17.
- Highest Physical Fitness Test Score: 1st Plt. – Jacob B. Whaley, age 11, who scored a 425 out of a possible 500 points; 2nd Plt. – Joey M. Erwin, age 12, who scored 445 out of 500 points; 3rd Plt. – Victoria L. Davis, age 17, who scored 420 out of 500 points.
- Peer Evaluation Award: 1st Plt. – Gaige A. Guyer/Scott, age 8; 2nd Plt. – Joey M. Erwin, age 12; 3rd Plt. – Devan D. Duckworth, age 16.
- Most Improved: 1st Plt. – Brandon Gilland, age 11; 2nd Plt. – David J. Montgomery, age 13; 3rd Plt. – Colby A. Daniels, age 15.
- Meritorious Promotion to PFC: Brandon Gilland, Patrick McFall, and Brad W. Bohannon (the 3 platoon honor graduates) plus Joshua C. Whited and Victoria Davis.
National Executive Director Lt. Col. Kessler with Unit Commander
Young and Young Marines being honorably discharged
- YM MGySgt Derek W. Reimann started as a recruit in March 2004 and will be graduating from Maryville High School. He was selected as the 2008 Young Marine of the Year for our unit, for the 2ND BN, for the Tennessee Regiment, and for the 3RD Division, representing the Southeast region of the US. He has received $2,500 in scholarship money from the Young Marines and plans to attend Auburn University in the Navy ROTC Scholarship Program.
- YM GySgt Nicholas Hedge started as a recruit in 2004 and will graduate from Clinton High School. He was selected as the 2009 Young Marine of the Year for our unit, for the 2ND BN, and for the Tennessee Regiment. He has enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and will leave for Recruit Training at Parris Island, SC in July.
- YM Sgt Benjamin Deremer started as a recruit in March 2006 and will graduate from Seymour High School. He has enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and reports for Recruit Training at Parris Island, SC on June 8th.
- YM Sgt Micah Smith started as a recruit in March 2007 and will graduate from Berean Christian High School Independent Study Program. His plans are to attend the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in the Army ROTC Scholarship Program.
During the ceremony, Lt. Col. Kessler and Marine Corps League Tennessee Department Commander David Cates presented Unit Commander Young with a Meritorious Unit Citation for all the community service the unit performed in the last year.
The graduation ceremony concluded with a short reception during which a lot of Young Marines got their pictures taken with LtCol Kessler.
25 April 2009 – The recruits prepared for graduation by taking their final Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and the Final Written Exam. They also voted to select the Peer Leadership Award recipient from each platoon and reviewed uniform regulations. Four Young Marines participated as the YM Color Guard in the annual Massing of the Colors in Knoxville while the rest of the YM took their PFT. After the PFT, the YM dispersed to either participate with The Nature Conservancy in handing out literature during the Earth Day festivities in Oak Ridge, TN or to hear a presentation at the Blount County Library from WWII Marine Navajo Code-Talker John T. Holiday.
18 April 2009 – The Young Marines went to the Maryville College swimming pool for an introduction to SCUBA diving by the staff of “Dive With Us.” They were given a beginning class explaining SCUBA diving and then got in the water to try out the equipment. They all had a great time.
In the meantime, the YM Recruits had their Recruit Campout for Training Days 6&7. Beginning on Saturday morning, some of them took a drug survey as part of a national study to assess the effectiveness of the YM Drug Demand Reduction Program. After physical training introducing them to an exercise circuit course, they were given classes on field skills, YM General Orders, standing a firewatch, and YM clothing maintenance. They got a Drug Demand Reduction class from a Maryville Police Department officer and saw a demonstration showing how his K-9 partner finds hidden drugs. They were taught how to put up a tent from shelter halves and then slept in them during the night. For their evening meal Saturday night, they were given Meals-Ready-to-Eat or MREs and shown how to eat them. After their meal, they took turns looking through a night vision scope trying to find a Young Marine hidden in tall brush. Most of them got to take turns standing a shift as a firewatch during the night while the other recruits slept.
After reveille at 0600, PT, breakfast and chapel service Sunday morning, they got a home fire safety lecture from two firemen from the Blount County Fire Department and then participated in an exercise in escaping a house fire with the Fire Department’s “Little House That Smokes.” They ended the morning with classes to prepare them for graduation, drill practice, and an introduction to “Battle Ball” before their parents picked them up at 1300.
4 April 2009 – Recruits went to the Blount County Sheriff’s Office Training Center for Training Day 5. They participated in team-building exercises, ran as teams on the obstacle course used for BCSO police officer trainees, rode with BCSO instructors on the agency’s pursuit-driving course, and practiced drill. They also got a look at the high-ropes and rappelling tower they will get to try later in the year. On the same day, some Young Marines and Adult Leaders went to a former strip-mining mountain-top site near Petros, TN to help The Nature Conservancy re-plant the area. They got a very interesting class on forest preservation and re-forestation before helping plant about 700 trees on the site.
7 March 2009 – The Young Marines received map and compass instruction and then ran a practical compass course. Recruits for the 2009 Recruit Class arrived for Recruit Training Day 1. After being measured for uniforms, the recruits received instruction on the Physical Fitness Test, the Daily 16 exercises, customs and courtesies, YM rank structure, military jargon, and basic drill. They were also able to practice basic drill movements. During the drill, the unit was visited by Debra White, the representative to the YM National Board from the 3rd Division.
On 21 February 2009, at a regular drill, Young Marines heard a drug demand reduction lecture and participated in team-building activities under the leadership of Maryville College instructors.
On 14 February 2009, prospective Young Marines recruits and their parents were given an orientation briefing so that they would have enough information to determine if the youngsters want to join the 2009 Recruit Class.
On 7 February 2009, Young Marines heard from Alex Wyss, the Cumberlands Program Director of The Nature Conservancy, about what they can do to help preserve our planet’s natural resources.
On 31 January 2009, Young Marines NCO’s gathered for a day to discuss leadership skills and how to properly deal with new Young Marines recruits. Young Marine Instructors were selected to work with the recruits in the 2009 Recruit Class under the leadership of Young Marine Senior Instructor MSgt. Benjamin Brott. Young Marine GySgt. Patrick Lawson was also placed into the billet of Young Marine Unit First Sgt., effective with the next drill, replacing Young Marine GySgt. Nick Hedge, who has been serving in that capacity for the last year.
On 24 January 2009, The Young Marines were given Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training by members of the Maryville Fire Department.
On 10 January 2009, during a regular drill, the YM took the Physical Fitness Test, took promotion exams, and appeared before Promotion Boards.
On 20 December 2008, The Young Marines had a Christmas party with the veterans who are residents at the Ben Atchley State Veterans Nursing Home in West Knoxville. They sang Christmas carols with the veterans, shared cake and punch with them, and gave each veteran at the home a Christmas card wishing them the best in the coming year.
