Douglas County teen attends Marine Corps youth program

A Douglas County teenager has returned from Southern California where he took part in the Marine Corps Devil Pups Youth Program at Camp Pendleton.

Erik Jacobson, 16, was one of 600 other recruits who went through the program to experience ten days of teamwork, discipline and education. It is a demanding physical and academic good citizenship program for youth.

Jacboson, who is a member of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Explorer Program, experienced a lot of what a Marine recruit will including receiving uniforms, haircuts, conditioning, and classes in first aid instruction, leadership classes, organized recreation, swimming and camping outdoors. He attended lectures on the importance of self-confidence, teamwork, drug and alcohol abuse and the importance of goal setting in life. Erik learned of the mindset of ways to push himself and always perform at his very best.

"My life is better because I participated in this program and I will continue to achieve bigger and greater goals for myself," said Erik. "I earned the title Devil Pup, and I take pride in the title, and no one can ever take that title away from me.”