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NAVAL AIR STATION JOINT RESERVE BASE NEW ORLEANS, La. – The
elementary school gym echoed with the screams and laughter of dozens
of children racing to their seats. As they chattered animatedly,
their Cub Scout leader, in a khaki shirt embellished with patches
and insignias, called for their attention and raised a hand with two
pointed fingers, the universal salute of the Cub Scouts. Almost as
if by magic, the gym full of children went silent as they returned
their revered salute.
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Lance Cpl. Joshua Pineset, a Marine Forces Reserve
administrative specialist and color guard member, demonstrates color
guard rifle manual for Cub Scout Pack 454 at Belle Chasse Academy
here, Sept. 12, 2013. Marines from the MARFORRES color guard
attended the pack's first meeting of the school year to demonstrate
and teach proper color guard skills and procedures. (U.S. Marine
Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tiffany Edwards)
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Marines from the Marine Forces Reserve color guard
visited Belle Chasse Academy on September 12, 2013 to demonstrate
and teach official color guard techniques to the Cub Scouts
of Pack 454.
“With this being our first meeting of
the year, we felt it was very important to take a symbol
like the U.S. flag to really emphasize patriotism for the
scouts,” said Maj. Arthur Houghtby, former MARFORRES aide-de-camp and one of
the leaders of Pack 454. “So we wanted to set a lasting
impression on our scouts, on how to conduct a flag ceremony
properly with reverence and respect. We thought the Marines
would be the perfect example."
Sgt. Arrens Cange, the
MARFORRES color sergeant, has his own two sons in the pack
and his wife volunteers as a pack leader.
“We came
here to educate and get the kids to understand the color
guard and why it's very important,” Cange said. “My heart
was filled with joy when I saw the energy and enthusiasm
those kids had for this, and I was able to give it right
back to them and show them the precision of how we do
things.”
This was the first time ever that the
Marines of the color guard had the opportunity to perform a
color guard for children.
Lance Cpl. Olivia
Goncalves, an administrative specialist and color guard
member, said the new experience of working with children was
a bonus.
“Color guard embraces the traditions of the
Marine Corps,” Goncalves said. “You take pride in what you
do, and everything that Marines do is to instill good order
and discipline. I think our main mission was to show these
kids what we as Marines stand for. I had a little boy come
up to me and say ‘Thank you for being a Marine,' and it made
me want to do what I do even more.”
The Boy Scouts of
America is one of the nation's oldest and largest
youth-development organizations that focuses on character
building, physical fitness, patriotism and participating
citizenship.
As the Marines answered each question
from different children about Marine Corps history, culture
and traditions, American tradition was passed on to a new
generation through the combined effort of the Boy Scouts and
the Marines of the MARFORRES color guard.
By USMC Lance Cpl. Tiffany Edwards
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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