Washington D.C. (PRWEB) June 10, 2013
The Young Marines youth organization named the Orlando Devil Dogs from Division 3 in Florida the national Unit of the Year. Under the command of John Gionet, the unit meets in Orlando, FLA. The announcement was made at the annual Adult Leaders Conference held May 18, 2013, in Reno, NV.
In addition and at the same conference, the Orlando Devil Dogs was named one of six unit winners of the Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Award which was presented by William Walker, deputy assistant administrator and special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This award honors six Young Marines units for their drug demand reduction education efforts through community education and peer-to-peer role modeling.
The Young Marines organization is divided into six divisions across the United States. Each Young Marine unit is led and guided by adult volunteers, some of whom have had careers in the military.
The Orlando Devil Dogs is composed of 50 Young Marines and 19 adult volunteers. According to unit commander Gionet, the unit made a commitment to work as a team on drug demand reduction education far more than the minimum required which is 3 hours per quarter per Young Marine.
We strongly believe in the tenets of the drug awareness program, so we decided to give it intense focus and our very best effort, Gionet said. Each Young Marine gave far more than the minimum, averaging 20 or more hours annually, and we put in more than 1,000 hours on Red Ribbon Week alone.
National Red Ribbon Week, held each October, teaches school children and youths to avoid drug use. It was established in memory of Enrique Kiki Camarena, an agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who was murdered in the line of duty in 1985.
The Orlando Devil Dogs ramped up its awareness campaign which gets information to the general public about the dangers of drug abuse. In addition, seven adult volunteers in the unit became Project Alert-certified instructors in drug awareness, and several senior Young Marines are actively seeking certification.
It is these efforts that resulted in the unit being named the national Unit of the Year and a winner of the Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Award.
The Orlando Devil Dogs put forth an amazing effort this year, and I congratulate the units Young Marines and adult volunteers on being named national Unit of the Year, said Mike Kessler, national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. They clearly demonstrate the spirit and work ethic needed to create the critical mass necessary to reduce destructive social norms and promote positive social behaviors.
The five other division units named as Units of the Year are:
Orlando Devil Dogs Named Young Marines National Unit of the Year and a Winner of the DEAs Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Award is a post from: Intervention Therapy