Building Better Citizens: How the Young Marines are Transforming Texarkana’s Youth
Written by: Michelle Horton
It is a Monday evening in Texarkana, and while most kids are glued to screens, a different kind of energy hums inside the VFW Post on East Ninth Street in Texarkana, Arkansas. Kids in crisp uniforms call out “Yes, ma’am” and “No, sir,” jog laps, and prepare for the night’s lesson on leadership, history, and healthy living. It is not boot camp—it is the Young Marines, and according to Torie Johnson, this youth program is shaping a generation of disciplined leaders who are ready to make their mark on the world.
Torie Johnson, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Senior Vice Commandant and Adjutant of the Marine Corps League 1149, and Unit Commander for the Texarkana Young Marines, explains that the Texarkana unit began with a few determined members of the local Marine Corps League who wanted to do more for the community. “We were all members of the Marine Corps League, and one of our former members came across the opportunity to start the Texarkana division of Young Marines. The group researched the national organization, obtained a charter, passed background checks, and recruited youth. We started with our own kids, and then it grew from there,” she says.
Now, the Texarkana Young Marines meet every Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the VFW post on the Arkansas side. What began as a small, local effort has evolved into a growing youth force with a significant mission: to cultivate healthier, drug-free citizens grounded in discipline, respect, and service.
The national organization, Young Marines, was founded in 1959 in Waterbury, Connecticut, when a handful of former Marines established a youth program reflecting the values and structure they believed in. Their vision was to offer leadership education, life skills, and moral guidance to boys. Over time, the mission expanded, and the program was also opened to girls.
By October 17, 1965, the organization formally received its charter from the Marine Corps League. Throughout the decades, the Young Marines gradually evolved, increasing in size and sophistication while retaining its founding principles of leadership, discipline, and service.
At its core, the Young Marines’ goal is to strengthen youth by teaching mental, moral, and physical development, with a focus on leadership, teamwork, self-discipline, and a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The key values of the organization include self-confidence, academic achievement, honoring veterans, good citizenship, community service, and living a drug-free life. The national motto succinctly captures this purpose: “Strengthening the lives of America’s youth.” The Young Marines also explicitly adopt the Marine Corps’ core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment, while layering its own values of Leadership, Discipline, and Teamwork.
In an era when youth face pressures of drugs, social instability, and lack of direction, the Young Marines offers an alternative path of structure, mentoring, and purpose. Its achievements — national awards, thousands of service hours, and real youth transformation — underscore its relevance.
The Young Marines model demonstrates how a youth organization can balance discipline and service, encouraging young people not only to obey rules but also to internalize values and carry them forward into adulthood. Since the Young Marines’ humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 200 units, serving more than 5,000 youth and over 1,950 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Okinawa, Japan, and with affiliates in other countries.
So, what does a Monday night at the Texarkana Young Marines look like? Johnson admits the group follows a structured schedule. “The first Monday night of every month is reserved for any promotions, awards, or anything of that nature,” she explains. “The next Monday is when they do their actual classes. During these classes, the Young Marines learn about Marine Corps history, public speaking, rank structure, camping, and customs and courtesies. The classes themselves are modeled after Marine Corps education but adapted for kids. The following Monday is PT prep, and the fourth Monday is DDR—Drug Demand Reduction training. If there is a fifth Monday, then they participate in PT games, which are physically fit games that help prepare them for their PT test.”
Physical fitness is a massive part of the Young Marines’ mission. Johnson explains that the kids’ PT test includes a one-mile run, push-ups or pull-ups, and crunches. To prepare, the group designs workouts that build strength and endurance. “We do different kinds of PT to prepare them,” she says. “Last time, we did a circuit—it was more of an endurance and upper-body strength circuit. They ran to cones, did push-ups, arm presses, and repeated the exercise. It is just about keeping them in shape with things they can even do at home.”
For Johnson, PT is not about competition—it is about confidence. The program teaches kids to take pride in their physical and mental growth. “They start seeing that they can do more than they thought,” she says. “That is when the real change happens.”
One of the cornerstones of the Young Marines is DDR—Drug Demand Reduction. “It is one of the big parts of the program,” Johnson says firmly. “We actually have one of our adult volunteers, Sergeant Darrell Klink, from the Miller County Sheriff’s Office, who teaches those classes.” DDR sessions are not lectures—they are interactive lessons led by community figures, rehabilitation experts, and law enforcement officers. “We have had the K-9 unit come in, people from Bridging the Gap, and other sobriety programs,” Johnson explains. “The goal is to teach them not only how to say ‘no’ but how to recognize the dangers of addiction and hopefully prevent them from being in that position.” She emphasizes that many of their youth come from at-risk homes, where exposure to addiction or instability is part of daily life. “We just want to prevent them from ever having to face that path,” Johnson says. “We want to give them the tools to be stronger.”
While drug prevention is central, the program’s message of health and wellness goes hand-in-hand. Johnson says this focus is vital in today’s America. “Our country is unfortunately obese or overweight, and it is a huge struggle to remain healthy,” she explains. “We teach the kids how to find healthy foods and drinks. I taught them a class on nutrition—how to read labels and how to recognize healthy options.” For her, it is all part of raising informed citizens who care for their bodies and communities.
Another powerful element of the Young Marines is its commitment to honoring veterans. Johnson says her team is launching a new initiative to connect young members with veterans in nursing homes. “We just got a database established for veterans who are in nursing homes,” she says. “We are going to start providing cards, sending letters, and visiting during the holidays.” As a veteran herself, Johnson feels this work is deeply personal. “It is about making them feel like they are not alone,” she explains. “We want the kids to understand service, gratitude, and giving back.”
The Texarkana Young Marines welcomes kids ages eight through eighteen or until high school graduation. Johnson notes that while the physical standards differ slightly for the younger ones, the core instruction remains consistent. “They all get the same information,” she says. “We sugarcoat what we need to, but for the most part, it is raw, unfiltered information they need to know.”
Respect and character development are woven into every activity. “The Young Marines learn how to speak respectfully and how to conduct themselves,” she says. “It is about shaping behavior, not just teaching rules.”
When asked who makes a great candidate for the program, Johnson says it is simple: “Anyone between the ages of eight and eighteen who is in good standing with their school. They cannot be on academic probation or have major behavioral issues.” While the program welcomes kids who might have had minor discipline problems, Johnson says chronic issues are a no-go. “They have to want to be here,” she adds. “That is the most important thing.”
Running such an active, hands-on youth program requires community support. Johnson says donations are essential because the Texarkana Young Marines decided early on that they would not charge families for participation. “Each kid has a $50 registration fee every year, but we take that on ourselves,” she says. “We also pay for their uniforms. The only thing parents have to provide is boots. Donations are a huge help, along with volunteering and, of course, bringing your kids to join.” Those interested can donate at youngmarines.org by clicking the blue “Donate” button in the top right and selecting “Unit – Texarkana Young Marines” from the dropdown box labeled “Select A Fund.” Cash donations may also be turned in at the VFW post located at 4700 E 9th St, Texarkana, Arkansas.
Volunteers are also needed! “To be an adult volunteer, you need to complete the background process on the website—no felonies, no drug issues,” Johnson explains. “Young Marines wants to make sure all adults around our kids are safe.” Once approved, volunteers assist in running meetings, organizing events, and supporting community activities.
When asked what she hopes to see in the program’s graduates, Johnson pauses, her voice warming. “Maybe it is because I am a Marine myself,” she says with a grin, “but I would love to see some of them go to the Marine Corps.” Then she adds, “Really, I just want to see the growth—from when they were young to when they graduate. I want to see them go out, be productive, give back, and make a difference.” Growth, she explains, comes in many forms. “Some of them have behavioral issues, some lack confidence,” she says. “But watching them come out of their shell—it is amazing. One of our kids blew me away recently. His confidence was through the roof, and that is what it is all about.”
Behind every uniform, salute, and push-up lies something bigger—a belief that young people, given structure and purpose, can rise above the noise of modern life and become something greater. The Young Marines, Johnson insists, is not just about discipline or drills. It is about building character, community, and hope. As she puts it, “We just want to raise better citizens—kids who will make a difference in our country.”