MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- The Single Marine Program celebrated the 10th anniversary with a night of dinner and dancing at the South Mesa Staff Noncommissioned Officer’s Club here Dec. 8.
Members from Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Marine Corps Air Stations Miramar and Yuma, and guest speaker retired Sgt. Maj. Ron Featherson, attended the event.
Featherson provided encouragement to inspire the young Marines to keep their program alive.
“I hope the program stays for another 10 years,” Featherson said.
Alex De Los Santos, SMP coordinator, said he’s just glad to see the program come so far.
“I’ve been with the program for nine and a half years, from just an idea, to sharing an office, to having a recreational center,” he said. “There were physical and educational programs, but there really wasn’t a program to improve the quality of life.”
De Los Santos said Marines needed a program that could show them how to enjoy themselves and recreate.
Former SMP president Cpl. David K. Rosselli said the future of the program looks promising because of the increase in participation.
“More Marines know about the program than when I first started,” Rosselli said.
Rosselli credits advertising by word of mouth for the program’s successful decade.
The program’s president, Cpl. Zachary M. Foster, said he hopes he can keep providing activities that will keep Marines interested in the program and quell the negative attitude many have toward it.
“The whole point of the program is to get Marines out of the barracks and doing local activities that they normally wouldn’t be able to afford,” Foster said. “(What else lets Marines) go to San Francisco, Catalina (Island), The Grand Canyon or Las Vegas for forty bucks?”
“Any Marine that goes on one of our trips will have a good time while properly representing the Marine Corps,” adding, “I’ve never known someone who has gone and not had fun.”
One Marine, Lance Cpl. Neil D. Simerson, said the program is nothing but fun.
“When Cpl. Navarro first told us about the program, I didn’t know there was such a thing. Then when we went speedboat racing for free, I was (sold),” Simerson said.
Although the program is now older, the council is new, and they plan to take it to new places.
“My plans to improve the program is get more Marines involved with (our) events and community activities,” said executive council Cpl. Melissa A. Wortman. “I think the program is one of the greatest programs they have for Marines and sailors. It helps people be in the community and do things they couldn’t do in the real world.”
With ten year’s under its belt, Rosselli said the program doesn’t to plan to go anywhere.
“This program is here to stay, Marine Corps-wide,” Rosselli said.