We are the Northern Kentucky Young Marines, located in Latonia, KY (but open to youth from Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana) and are proud to be a part of our nation’s merit-based, youth-led, award-winning program for males and females ages 8 through 18. The Young Marines strengthens the lives of America's youth by teaching the importance of self-confidence, academic achievement, honoring our veterans, good citizenship, community service, public speaking, and living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. The program focuses on character building and leadership while promoing a lifestyle that is conducive to being productive members of society. The Young Marines is the premier youth organization in its Drug Demand Reduction efforts.

The only membership requirements are that the youth must be in good standing at school and must want to join. Since the Young Marines' humble beginnings, in 1959, with one unit and handful of boys, the organization has grown respectively with units throughout the country and overseas.

Youth must undergo a 26-hour recruit training program, generally spread out over several weekly drills (meetings), and pass 3 tests, in order to become a Young Marine. The youth learn general subjects such as history, customs and courtesies, close order drill, physical fitness, and military rank structure. After graduating from Young Marine Recruit Training, the youth have the opportunity to learn even more new skills, earn rank, wear the Young Marine uniform, and work toward other opportunities. Young Marines can earn ribbons for achievement in areas such as leadership, community service, sports, academic excellence, first aid, drug resistance education, and more.