Woodbridge Local Received The Major Norman Hatch Award For Documentary

Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines, and David Harl, president of Pinnacle Productions, received the Major Norman Hatch Award from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for a 60-minute documentary titled, “Tomorrow’s Leaders” (trailer).

Davis and Harl attended the awards ceremony on Saturday, April 30, at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia. They received a gold medallion, an engraved brick to be installed in the Museum's Semper Fidelis Memorial Park, and a cash prize.

The documentary explores youth leadership training by learning from the past. Cameras followed youth members of the Young Marines, as they honored and met America’s veterans in Washington DC, Pearl Harbor, Guam, and Iwo Jima. In Arizona, cameras captured the poignant meeting between youth and the remaining WWII Navajo Code Talkers.

“Tomorrow’s Leaders really shows the impact of veterans sharing their experiences with youth to shape a better tomorrow for our country. Young Marines are especially engaged with veterans across the country, learning history firsthand,” said Col Davis. “We are extremely proud to have our efforts captured by Dave Harl and to be recognized with the Major Norman Hatch Award.”

"It was an honor to produce the film and to meet and work with the youth as we traveled the world together,” said Harl, who filmed and produced the documentary. “These young people are so impressive. They are the ones who tell the story and interact with the people and events that changed history.”

By honoring military hero’s past and present, the documentary showcases youth accomplishments in their mission to honor and preserve military legacy by recognizing and supporting veterans of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, and heroes of the War on Terror.

The film was sponsored by the Marine Corps League, the Iwo Jima Association of America, and the American Legion.

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 high school graduation. 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 238 units with 6,100 youth and 2,100 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://youngmarines.org.