Photo By Lance Cpl. Hannah Kear | U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Charles Devoll, a volunteer with Marine Corps University, shows...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – Over 100 children, ages six to 14, enlisted in Marine Corps Community Service’s Future Marine Bootcamp, Sept. 23.
This “boot camp” is designed to give school-aged children a glimpse of life as an enlisted Marine while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of community. In another sense, the event also helped the kids to better understand their parents, family, or friends that serve.
“I think that it is important for kids to spend an afternoon with active-duty Marines and learn about the Marine Corps so that they can experience a little bit of the brotherhood behind it,” said Cpl. Kayli Merritt, an aircraft rescue firefighting Marine with Marine Corps Air Facility. “Events like this show the kids both the physical demands of the Marine Corps, but also the camaraderie and competition.”
The future Marines were processed at Barnett Field on MCB Quantico, where they received some gear and were then assigned to their units and active-duty Marine unit leaders.
Following their processing, the future Marines were briefed by the commanding officer of MCB Quantico, Col. Jenny Colegate, and staff members. For the next two hours they rotated between five zones that included physical exercises, Marine Corps history lessons, leadership evaluations, team exercises, and a simulated shooting range.
“I learned how to be a Marine,” said participant Jacoby Getty II, son of a U.S. Marine major. “I played tug o’ war and learned about the Marine Corps Hymn.”
He claimed that it is important to learn about the Marine Corps, “because my dad is a Marine. My grandparents were both Marines too. I want to be one when I grow up.”
Getty II said that there was a condition for him to join the Corps, though. He said he’d become a Marine “if baseball doesn’t work out.”
These activities, centered around the Corps’ LINKS program, encouraged physical, social and mental well-being, and offered a balance of learning, competition and teamwork. The attendees also learned aspects of Marine Corps traditions and its 250-year history.
“Our hope as museum educators is that the exhibits on display, as well as the stories that accompany them, inspire the next generation of leaders in all walks of life,” said Wes Barta, education specialist at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. “While we hope that the stories of the selfless sacrifices made by Marines around the globe inspire kids to join, we also hope that the lessons that they impart can positively influence children regardless of career path.”
The event highlighted the importance of mutual support and taking care of one another, reflecting the values Marines hold close. Meanwhile, other MCCS programs and sponsors such as the USO, First Command, and USAA, added to the excitement by hosting games and challenges that blended fun with discipline, giving everyone a well-rounded taste of Marine Corps life and the teamwork it takes to succeed.
After the activities ended, all of the volunteers, representatives, and participants gathered for the closing ceremony, the singing of the Marine Hymn, and the graduation of Future Marine Bootcamp.
"I think that inspiring the future generations of Marines is super important,” said Merritt. “Events like this could be the first time kids experience Marines and servicemembers and it could make a lasting impact on their lives, whether they decide to serve down the line or not.”
For information on next year’s Future Marine Bootcamp, or other MCCS events, please visit https://quantico.usmc-mccs.org.
| Date Taken: | 09.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.26.2025 16:13 |
| Story ID: | 549195 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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