Students of South Kitsap and Bremerton High School got the U.S. Marine treatment during “Devil Dawg” Days, held at
Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor, May 2.
Devil Dawg Days are used give Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) students the opportunity to experience
military life and training with Marines of Marine Corps Security Force Company (MCSFCo), Bangor.
During the day, Marines of the company tried to instill the discipline as well as show the JROTC cadets what it is like
to be a “Devil Dawg.”
“This is a long standing program with more than 276 schools participating around the world,” said Sgt. Maj. Carl Brooks,
South Kitsap naval science instructor. “This training can help them become better leaders and may help them through difficult
situations they may encounter.”
Some of the things the students learned included excerpts from the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), which is a
mixture of numerous martial arts teachings given to service members to better prepare them for hand-to-hand combat situations
in the field. The course was scaled down to a few hours for the JROTC students, but they were able to get to get an indoctrination
of the course.
Along with learning hand-to-hand combat, the students were drilled on muster formations and got a taste of “Devil Dawg”
physical training. Some of the JROTC cadets had experienced the training and believe it is good to have whether you are pursuing
a career in the military or elsewhere.
“During your time in the program, you are hardened,” said Cadet Commander Josh Glavier, of Bremerton High School. “You may want
to go home at first, but once you are completely done with the training, you won’t regret doing it.”
Glavier has received an NROTC scholarship and hopes to become a Navy pilot. He said with the training he received during the previous
“Devil Dawg” Days, he was better prepared for other military-oriented programs around the region.
“This gives you a lot of discipline,” said Glavier. “Recently, there was a basic leadership training given at NB Kitsap, Bremerton and the
students who participated in this event were better suited than the people who hadn’t. We were better at sounding off.”
Members of MCSFCo were happy to lend their experiences to the cadets and believe this program may help them in the future.
“I always enjoy talking to anybody about the military, what we do, our Marines and Sailors, because I’m proud of them,” said MCSFCo.
Sgt. Maj. Brent Cook. “It gives the young people a chance to receive discipline and it is not just for those planning on entering the military,
but people who want to get confidence.”