Latonia teen, Benjamin Papp, was among 36 12–14-year-old Young Marines from units across the country who attended and successfully graduated from NASA’s U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge® Mach II in Huntsville, Alabama.
All participants completed a fast-paced, military-inspired program where young leaders are evaluated in their knowledge of aerodynamics and teamwork.
Papp is a member of the Northern Kentucky Young Marines from Latonia.
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 they can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
The Young Marines were chosen from units across the country to participate in this exciting and competitive curriculum. Trainees took part in hands-on activities based on the design principles of modern air systems in flight simulators and performed air combat maneuvering training to prepare for mission scenarios. They also learned search and rescue skills to rescue a downed pilot.
Former NASA Astronaut, Kenneth D. Cameron, (Col. USMC, Ret.) interacted with the campers in hands-on activities. Selected by NASA in May 1984, Cameron became an astronaut in June 1985. A veteran of three space flights, Cameron has logged over 561 hours in space. He served as pilot on STS-37 (April 5-11, 1991) and was the spacecraft commander on STS-56 (April 9-17,1993) and STS-74 (November 12-20,1995). On his third mission, Cameron commanded Atlantis on STS-74, NASA’s second Space Shuttle mission to rendezvous and dock with the Russian Space Station Mir, and the first mission to use the Shuttle to assemble a module and attach it to a Space Station, validating the procedures to be used in assembly of ISS. STS-74 launched on November 12,1995 and landed at Kennedy Space Center on November 20,1995.
“Completion of this difficult course is a major accomplishment and a life-changing experience for these Young Marines,” said Col. William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “Our Young Marines enthusiastically answered the challenge that the NASA camp put before them. With purpose, creativity and strategic thinking, our Young Marines completed every task assigned to them.”
Over the six days, graduates’ main accomplishments included:
• Learning about aeronautics, propulsion, and aviation history.
• Flew in a UAV drone simulator to reinforce lessons learned at static displays and artifacts.
• Mastered aerial combat and competing to be the best of the best in ‘Top Gun.’
Since the Young Marines began in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 200 units with over 5,000 youth and 1,950 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan (Okinawa), and affiliates in a host of other countries.
Young Marines