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May 14
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Wreaths Across America & Young Marines Enter Partnership

By General Posts

Nonprofits agree to work together to help support common missions of teaching the next generation the values of leadership, citizenship, and freedom.

COLUMBIA FALLS, Me., and ST. CHARLES, Mo. – May 13, 2022 – Yesterday, national nonprofits Wreaths Across America (WAA) and the Young Marines are proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organizations. The signing is to build a stronger awareness for each group’s common missions while supporting educational events throughout the nation.

These events will help teach lessons of character and patriotism to the next generation. WAA’s Director of Military and Veteran Outreach, Joseph Reagan, and Young Marines National Executive Director Col. William Davis signed the MOU live as part of the Young Marines Adult Leadership Conference held in St. Charles, Missouri.

To watch the video of yesterday’s signing, please click here or visit https://vimeo.com/709265876/c5414c677a .

The MOU between the two groups outlines key agreements that establish a framework for cooperation between WAA and the Young Marines. This includes collaborative volunteer efforts to provide opportunities for joint community service activities that bring awareness to both groups’ missions throughout the country, and regular feature interviews on Wreaths Across America Radio. The interviews will highlight youth participants’ academic achievement, community service, good citizenship, and other attributes.

“As a program whose core mission focuses on teaching the next generation the value of freedom, supporting and working with leadership groups like the Young Marines is critical to the future of this country,” said Karen Worcester, executive director, WAA. “These kids are learning not only what it means to be a productive member of society, they are learning that anyone can find a way to serve their community, and what it truly means to be an American.”

“The Memorandum of Understanding solidifies the two organizations’ commitments to citizenship, leadership, and memorializing our nation’s veterans,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “We were especially proud to host the signing at the Young Marines’ Adult Leadership Conference at which hundreds of volunteers were witnesses. The Young Marines and WAA are truly partners who have analogous values.”

Founded in 2007, and headquartered in Columbia Falls, Maine, WAA is best known for its annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and now at more than 3,100 participating locations nationwide. The organization’s yearlong efforts support its mission to Remember our fallen U.S. veterans, Honor those who served, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom.

Young Marines has more than 238 units including thousands of youth members, most of whom have been placing veterans’ wreaths throughout the country for many years. The MOU will only heighten awareness of this task of respect and honor.

The Young Marines is a youth education and service program for boys and girls, aged eight through high school graduation. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members and focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork, and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

About Wreaths Across America: Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, and Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.
For more information or to sponsor a wreath please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.

About Young Marines: The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through high school graduation. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork, and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
Since the Young Marines’ humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 238 units with 6,100 youth and 2,100 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan, and affiliates in a host of other countries.
For more information, visit the official website at: https://youngmarines.org.

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Jul 07
Love0

Motorcycle policy shift stresses mentorship

By General Posts

by Scott Prater from https://csmng.com

FORT CARSON, Colo. — Due to a recent increase in accidents and mishaps, Fort Carson active-duty, military-member motorcyclists must obtain a Fort Carson Motorcycle License, through their unit motorcycle mentor, to ride legally on or off post.

The policy, which affects military personnel only, is effective immediately, though military police and access-control-point personnel won’t begin enforcing the policy until July 15. Military members who are new to the installation will have a 30-day grace period to obtain the new license.

Though the new policy may seem stringent to some at first, it does follow Army regulation, and the process for obtaining the new license is fairly simple.

As part of the policy, most units on post are assigned a motorcycle mentor, who assists riders in obtaining the required rider training and filing the proper paperwork to earn their Fort Carson Motorcycle License.

“This new policy is designed to provide more mentorship to our motorcycle riders,” said Derrick Merriwether, safety specialist, 4th Infantry Division. “We’re training them to the best of our ability to ensure that they are safe on the roads. That’s what this is all about. When a rider joins the program, their unit motorcycle mentor will check the rider’s bike, check their personal protective equipment and their level of experience. Then the mentor will work with the rider to be better prepared for the road.”

All riders seeking a Fort Carson motorcycle license must hold a state issued driver’s license with a motorcycle endorsement, and must pass the post’s Basic Rider Course, hosted regularly by experienced instructors at the Fort Carson Motorcycle Training Range.

“This really affects the new Soldiers — the (privates) through (specialists) — who buy these brand-new vehicles but are not very experienced riders,” Merriwether said. “The policy allows the command to see a rider’s exact proficiency on the motorcycle and then provides that all-important mentorship and knowledge.”

Motorcycle riding is inherently riskier than driving an automobile. Riders have no vehicle protective structure surrounding them, and are less visible to other motorists, so they must maintain awareness of other drivers, obstacles and potential escape paths to help mitigate that risk.

Maj. Chris Horton, the 4th Infantry Division motorcycle mentor, has been riding for roughly two decades and recounts a harrowing experience that occurred early in his riding days.

“I thought I was an experienced rider,” he said. “And after taking a basic rider course, I thought I knew everything I needed to know. I was as confident as I could be … then I had an accident.”

Horton’s description of the incident indicates it could have happened to any rider.

“A vehicle stopped suddenly in front of me,” he said. “I swerved to avoid it, but I ended up driving down into a roadside ditch, where my foot peg caught the side of the hill. I was able to repair the bike, but I injured my shoulder pretty badly and ended up needing surgery to repair it years later.”

In the rider courses at Fort Carson, mentors and instructors teach the best techniques for swerving, something Horton said would have helped him avoid his accident. Mentors also teach braking technique, obstacle avoidance, counter steering and finding escape paths.

“From the time a rider notices a hazard, it takes four seconds for him or her to execute a maneuver,” Horton said. “Executing a maneuver is a skill, and these are skills that can be learned and practiced.”

Skill development is a key part of the mentorship program. That’s why the new Fort Carson policy also requires riders to complete mandatory progressive training.

“We have two advanced courses at Fort Carson, the Basic Rider Course II and the Advanced Sportbike Course,” Horton said. “Required courses can be taken on or off post, but keep in mind that Fort Carson motorcycle training courses are provided to active duty military members at no cost to the service member.”

Early this week, several riders completed the Basic Rider Course at the Fort Carson Motorcycle Training Range on the post’s north side, near the railhead. Horton was on hand to mentor and teach along with other instructors.

Sgt. 1st Class Garret Pool, senior targeting NCO, Division Artillery, 4th Inf. Div., said he purchased a new bike in the last year and picked up motorcycle riding at the urging of friends.

“This has been helpful, even just the familiarization part,” he said. “I’ve learned some important new techniques, and I learned some things I already knew, but was performing sloppy. I’m not as proficient as I’d like to be, but I’m getting more familiar. We’re practicing things I’ve never thought about before, and I can see how they’ll be useful on the road. It’s obvious these instructors are extremely knowledgeable.”

Fort Carson motorcycle licenses are valid for five years. Riders can find more information about the new policy, reporting procedures, licensure and training requirements from their unit motorcycle mentor.