Marines Archives | kids Speak for America

Memorial Day a Day of Remembrance

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Memorial Day is a day when we remember the Men and Women of the military that have died serving our country. Way to often, many kids and adults have looked at Memorial Day as a break from school and work.

Due to the COVID-19 virus, most kids are out of school and many adults are out of work. Many states and communities have been shut down with the citizens of our nation experiencing the nasty taste of excessive government control.

At this point, many of us are looking for normalcy. Some states and communities are now loosening their grip on the community with local parks and businesses are slowly reopening. In some states and communities the lock down has continued for an undetermined time.

There is not a better time, than now for each of us to reflect upon the true history of the United States of America. Each one of us should take the time to think about what our nation’s past. Think about what our country would be like today if it were not for our often-forgotten military heroes. Think about what it would be like if we continue to allow our elected officials to change us to a Socialistic society under their control.

Today more than ever, we must protect the freedoms and sacrifices that were made by many of our parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, friends, and neighbors. They made these sacrifices so that we may live in the United States of America as a free society.

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Meet the Young Marines

Seth Leave a Comment

Emerald Empire Young Marines in Veterans Day Parade

The Young Marines are a Drug Demand Reduction and leadership program supported by the United States Marine Corps. The Young Marines are sponsored by the Marine Corps League. Overall the Young Marine program teaches you leadership, responsibility, knowledge, respect, patience and how to live a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

The Young Marines were founded in 1959 in Waterbury Connecticut. Now Young Marine units are found all over the United States and Internationally.

Some of the activities we do include camping, field training, parades, first aid, CPR, map, navigation, shelter building, survival, drug resistance training and a lot more.

The rank structure of the Young Marines is based on the rank structure of the United States Marine Corps. A young marines starts out as a Young Marine Recruit and on completion of basic training becomes a Young Marine Private. You can move through the ranks with the highest rank being Young Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant. There are also billited ranks of Young Marine First Sergeant and Young Marine Sergeant Major.

I just completed basic training and am now a Young Marine Private working towards my first advancement of Young Marine Private First Class. A Young Marine who earns the rank of Young Marine Sergeant will be promoted a pay grade upon graduation from United States Marine Corps boot camp.

In the Young Marines we can also earn awards, ribbons and medals for personal, achievement, service and qualification awards for things like personal achievement, courage, hunter safety, swimming, first aid, CPR, PT Score, sportsmanship, navigation, boating and a whole lot more.

On Veterans Day weekend our unit Emerald Empire Young Marines marched in the Albany, Oregon Veterans Day Parade and the Springfield, Oregon Veterans Day Parade. The parades were a lot of fun while marching, The kids and adults were really nice.

I have learned that you want to respect others and say sir, ma’am, miss or you will be doing a lot of pushups.

You get real good with shoe polish and how to shine your boots until you see the reflection of your face.

To learn more about the Young Marines visit YoungMarines.com

Is the Word Guns Graphic Violence?

Seth 8 Comments

A couple of days ago at school we had an assignment to write a biopoem. A Biopoem is a poem that describes a person in 11 lines. There is a specific formula to use when writing a bio poem. After submitting my poem the writing teacher refused it and said to me, “Your poem is all about guns and is borderline graphic violence and you have to get your mind off it.”

In my biopoem I had mentioned guns, bullets or ammo several times. The teacher had said she wanted our biopoem to tell about us so that is what I gave her. My dad and I like guns and I want to be a competition shooter and a Marine Scout Sniper.

One of the questions asked what I appreciate. I replied that I appreciate electricity, guns, ammo and friends.

Another question asked what I wonder about and I answered that I wonder how bullets do so much damage when they hit big things even though they are small.

In another question I had replied that I believe in nukes if you have to use them, conservatism and guns.

To one of the questions I had replied I want to make it in politics and I want to make it to the Marines Scout Sniper unit.

And in one of the final questions I had answered that I love sports, guns and video games.

Okay, maybe I am into guns more than most but she asked and I answered. I appreciate guns for lots of reasons. You can target shoot and hunt with them and you should still have one for self protection. Some people don’t like guns but does that give them the right to force their belief on others?

While this teacher may not like guns did this give her the right to refuse my poem and tell me that mentioning guns to the extent I did is borderline graphic violence?

My father explained to me that schools are hypersensitive about guns, weapons and violence because of school shootings like Thurston and Columbine. Though I understand this I do not like it because some people just don’t understand guns. If a teacher does not want something listed on a biopoem they should tell you in advance or not ask the question to begin with.

Please leave me a comment as to what you think about that situation. Feel free to state whatever your belief is.

Walk Across America

Seth 2 Comments

24 year old Mark Klodzinski is walking across the entire United States. He started walking 4 months ago to raise money for veterans. Mark has 2 brothers in the military and he wanted to help too.

Mark got the idea for his walk when he read Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins. He said this was a real old book on his parents book shelf. When he read the book he wanted to do a walk instead of just chilling and got this idea.

Mark is going to walk about 4500 miles all the way from New York to California with lots of stops. I want to be a Marine and love to run but that is sure a long walk!

When I saw Mark get interviewed on Fox News he had already walked from Wllicottville; Pennsylvania to Philadelphia to Washington DC to Richmond, Virginia to Camp Jejune South Carolina Marine base to Charleston, South Carolina and then to Parris Island and from there Savannah, Georgia to Jacksonville, Florida to Tallahassee, Florida and probably some other places too.

Mark said he has gone through a whole lot of shoes but has raised about $100,000 to grant wishes for veterans. He is raising money for the Warriors Wish Foundation and has granted wishes like sending a veteran’s family to Disneyland and Universal Studios which is pretty cool. OoRah for Mark.

Mark said if you want to help you can do it at www.patriotwalkusa.org

I am sure glad we have a recorder on the television set so I could get all of this information. And regards of what Lars Larson says about spell check being used for Oregon school test I am sure glad I had it for all of these big words. And thank you grandpa for helping me write everything down.

Memorial Day a Day of Remembrance

Meet the Young Marines

Is the Word Guns Graphic Violence?

Walk Across America

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