Welcome to the Desert Young Marines, located in Glendale, AZ. We are proud to be part of our nation’s premier, award-winning program for boys and girls aged eight to eighteen. The Young Marines program strengthens the lives of America's youth by instilling the values of self-confidence, academic achievement, honoring our veterans, good citizenship, community service, and living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Our program promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members, focusing on character building and leadership to foster productive members of society. The Young Marines is recognized as the leading youth organization in Drug Demand Reduction efforts.

The Young Marines is open to all youth from age 8 through the completion of high school, with the only membership requirement being good standing at school. Since our humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown significantly, with units across the country and overseas.

Upon joining a local Young Marine unit, youth undergo a 26-hour orientation program called Recruit Training, typically spread over several weekly meetings. During this training, they learn about history, customs and courtesies, close order drill, physical fitness, and military rank structure. After graduating from Recruit Training, Young Marines have the opportunity to acquire new skills, earn rank, wear the Young Marine uniform, and work towards ribbon awards. These awards recognize achievements in areas such as leadership, community service, swimming, academic excellence, first aid, and drug resistance education.