Oceanside CA— The Young Marines, a national youth organization, announced the Division 6 Young Marine of the Year – YM/SgtMaj Keira Base, 16, of Long Beach, California. She is a member of the Eagle Young Marines at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. Base is a junior at the Orange County School of the Arts.
Base is the top Young Marine in Division 6 which includes eight states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Over the course of the year, she will travel to other units throughout the division to lead, motivate, and serve as a role model for other Young Marines.
As Division 6 Young Marine of the Year, Base will escort WWII veterans to the annual Reunion of Honor trip to Guam and Iwo Jima in the fall 2021. The island of Iwo Jima is open only one day each year for this special reunion of Japanese and American veterans.
“I feel honored to be able to represent my division, and I’m very thankful for those who have mentored me,” she said. “I’m looking forward to working with my peers, mentoring our future leaders, and having an amazing year.”
Base joined the Young Marines at age eight. She joined because her three older sisters were involved, and she wanted to be like them and experience all the fun activities.
As a Young Marine, she has received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for her service to the nation’s disabled Veterans and their families, and a Commendation of Merit. Base has been named third Battalion YMOY two years consecutively, and she received a USMC Certificate of Appreciation for being support staff at its Christmas festivities and tree lighting several years in a row. She has also received a Certificate of Appreciation for service to veterans from the Marine Corps League.
Base’s art school, OCSA, has conservatory classes after academic classes. She sings classical voice and receives training in vocal control. After high school, she hopes to attend UCLA and become an EMT.
“Keira Base is an extraordinary Young Marine,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “All our division winners show great qualities of leadership and reverence to veterans. Each lives a healthy drug-free lifestyle which is a foundation of the Young Marines program.”
She is the daughter of Katja and Ken Base. Her grandfather, George Base, was a Corporal in the Marine Corps and served on the USS Hancock. All three of Keira’s older sisters have graduated from the Young Marines.
How it works
The Young Marines organization is divided into six divisions across the United States. Each Division Young Marine of the Year must meet vigorous requirements such as graduating from Advanced Leadership School at the Young Marines’ National Leadership Academy, maintaining high academic achievement in school, and maintaining high standards of physical fitness.
Base will represent her division in competition with five other division winners for the title of National Young Marine of the Year.
About the Young Marines
The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501 (c)(3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork, and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
Since the Young Marines’ humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 235 units with 7,500 youth and 2,500 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan, and affiliates in a host of other countries.
For more information, visit the official website at: https://www.YoungMarines.com.