Rose City Young Marines recently graduated its inaugural recruit class on May 22, with 21 Young Marines.

The Young Marines recently started a new unit in Tyler, the Rose City Young Marines.

The organization is for boys and girls ages 8 through 18, or until high school graduation. They focus on character building, leadership, self-discipline, teamwork and promoting a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

Members take part in local civic activities such as providing color guards for athletic events, engaging with local veterans, marching in local parades and promoting good citizenship.

The Tyler unit is led by volunteer and Unit Commander Brian Leach.

Leach got involved with the program because he was looking for something for his own kids to do. His family has been a part of the Young Marines for three years and they wanted to bring it to East Texas. He and his wife, who are both Marines, worked to start the program together in Tyler.

“Being a prior service Marine, it gets me connected back into those core values that I learned in the Marine Corps and I’m able to pass that off to the next generation,” Leach said. “We don’t push military service at all, but those ideals that we learn in the Marine Corps are good for everyone to have and good for these kids to have when they go into adulthood.”

In addition, there are local and national leadership schools as well as travel opportunities for Young Marines, such as visiting Pearl Harbor, participating in National Navajo Code Talkers Day and joining National Young Marines summer events that focus on different activities each year. Some examples of summer events include wilderness adventures, space camp, flight academy, working at a cattle ranch, white water rafting, scuba diving, sailing and visiting American historical sites.

“Rose City Young Marines focuses on disconnecting youth from electronics and connecting youth to each other,” Leach said. “We emphasize teamwork, leadership, and self-discipline. We believe in challenging our youth both physically and mentally, constantly raising the bar with new challenges.”

His daughter Faith Leach, who is a member of the Rose City Marines, said she went to a drill for another unit and fell in love with the program.

“Being a part of the Young Marines is taking good kids and making them great leaders so when they come in, they may be shy or timid, and we teach them how to contribute to our community,” Faith Leach said.

She said since her father has started a Tyler unit of Young Marines, their family bond has grown stronger.

“[He’s] a great example of what adults should be doing in the community and giving back to the youth,” she said.

Rose City Young Marines recently graduated its inaugural recruit class on May 22, with 21 Young Marines.

“Brian Leach displays impressive leadership skills and a strong commitment to youth,” said Col William P. Davis USMC, national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “I have no doubt that the Rose City Young Marines is off to a great start, offering unique experiences to youth in the Tyler, Texas area.”

The Rose City Young Marines meet every other week on Saturday afternoons at the Smith County Peace Officers building.

Enrollment for the next recruit class begins in October. For more information visit the unit website at www.youngmarines.org/unit/rosecity/page or call Leach at 903-343-7692.

The Young Marines is a national nonprofit that promotes mental, moral and physical development. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork, and self-discipline so that members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.