Fairfax Teen Named Young Marine of the Year

The Young Marines, a national youth organization, named its Division 2 Young Marine of the Year – YM SgtMaj Lauren Loria, 16, of Fairfax, Virginia. She is a member of the Col Wesley Fox Young Marines which meets in Sterling, Virginia. Loria is a junior at Chantilly High School.

Loria is the top Young Marine in Division 2 which includes five states: Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Over the course of the year, she will travel to other units throughout the division to lead, motivate, and serve as a role model.

"I feel greatly honored and empowered being named Young Marine of the Year for Division 2,” Loria said. “This has been something I thought was unattainable as a young private, but now that I look back, each step in my Young Marine career has led me to this point.”

Loria joined the Young Marines at age eight and is in her eighth year in the program.

“I first joined the Young Marines, because my brother had been in it for a few years,” Loria said. “After I spent some time in the program, I developed a passion for teaching other Young Marines and being a part of a team.”

Loria received the Commendation of Merit for an outstanding job as 1st Sgt. during Division 2's Frozen Chosen. She also earned a Distinguished Order of Merit for dedicating a park bench in honor of Col Wesley Fox. Loria has been entered in the Congressional Record for her numerous community service hours.

Outside of the Young Marines, Loria plays soccer and the flute. In addition, she enjoys painting and creating jewelry.

Her goals after high school are to enroll in Northern Virginia Community College to earn an associate degree in Engineering and continue to Ohio State University to become a mechanical engineer.

“The Young Marines definitely helped me in identifying a career,” she said. “I believe I have the leadership skills and confidence to pursue it.”

As Division 2 Young Marine of the Year, Loria will escort WWII veterans next spring to the annual Reunion of Honor trip to Guam and Iwo Jima.

One of Loria’s biggest supporters is Terri Loria who is not only her mother but the commander of the Col Wesley Fox Young Marines. Her brother Alex Loria was a Young Marine for nine years, and he was awarded the Jimmie Trimble Scholarship.

“The Young Marines has taught me how to teach others and accomplish more as a member of a team,” Loria said. “It has shaped me into the confident leader I am today.”

How it works

The Young Marines organization is divided into six divisions across the United States. Each Young Marine goes through a series of selection processes starting at the unit level, going through battalion, regiment and on to the division. Then one Young Marine of the Year is selected from each division.

Loria will represent her division in competition with five other division Young Marines of the Year for the title of National Young Marine of the Year which will be announced at the Adult Leaders’ Conference on Saturday, May 11, in San Antonio, Texas.

"I am very proud of the 2018 division winners," said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. "Each winner radiates qualities of leadership, self-confidence, and good citizenship. In addition, each lives a healthy drug free lifestyle which is a cornerstone of the Young Marines. It will be quite a challenge to select just one as the National Young Marine of the Year."

About the Young Marines

The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501c (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 270 units with 9,000 youth and 2,600 adult volunteers in 41 states, the District of Columbia, Japan and affiliates in a host of other countries.

For more information, visit the official website at: http://www.YoungMarines.com.