Young Marines take part in disaster exercise Published Aug. 4, 2006 By Capt. Rodney McNany 88th ABW Public Affairs WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Approximately 100 Young Marines from across Ohio and as far away as Johnstown, Pa., marched into the exercise area known as the 88th Civil Engineering Squadron Prime BEEF -- Base Emergency Engineer Force --at Wright-Patterson to support and take part in a disaster exercise. The encampment began the evening of July 21 with a "long march" and concluded the afternoon of July 23 with a drill and color guard competition where awards were handed out. The Young Marines is a non-profit organization that has existed since 1958 under the sponsorship of The Marine Corps League. Boys and girls, age 8 through high school seniors, are eligible for membership in local Young Marine units, which are located in nearly every state of the United States as well as in Japan and Germany. As part of the exercise portion of the encampment, many Young Marines made themselves available as victims of a mock tornado scenario. "Our kid's did a great job play-acting their parts," said Raymond Girard, training officer and organizer of the local Miami Valley Young Marines. "I'm pretty proud of them." Mr. Girard said he "loves the motivation he sees in the young kids, especially as they experience new things." "Moulage for instance was a real eye opener for a lot of the kids," he said. "A tornado exercise is mutually beneficial because it provides the Young Marines a chance to do something close to real world which gives them a sense of satisfaction. And, because they are available, it gives emergency response organizations an opportunity to hone their skills." And he should know; besides wearing his Young Marines Training Officer hat, Mr. Girard was also wearing his Huber Heights Fire Division and Community Emergency Response Team hats. "I have no military experience," said Rebecca Owens, who came out to watch her son compete, "so the parades, drills and discipline stuff is all really new to me." Her son, Zack, who is 11 years old, saw an advertisement in the local newspaper and joined the mid-Ohio unit. "He seems to really like the camaraderie, and I think it's had a positive impact on his self-esteem," Ms. Owens said. For more information on the Young Marines of Miami Valley, visit http://www.miamivalleyyoungmarines.com or the national Web site at http://wwwyoungmarines.com.