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NOTE: As a corrupt landlord repurposed as a president prepares to abolish a government that dared to use its resources to alleviate its poverty, it is a good moment to look back at a story from 2017 at the system of militarism that so dominates U.S. America's culture and how it indoctrinates youth to the cause of liberal hegemony.
December 1, 2017 / Alexa Keefe / Photographs: Sarah Blesener / National Geographic - Over the past year, photographer Sarah Blesener has been visiting patriotic youth groups around the country, from teens being trained as border guards in Texas, ROTC chapters in New York, a patriotic church camp in Utah, and a young woman in Nebraska preparing to head to the military once she graduates from high school. Her aim has been to explore how different combinations of religion, love of country, and military-style training come together in the teaching of “new Americanism,” which Blesener defines as a renewed embrace of the centuries-old theme of American exceptionalism and manifest destiny.
One group that Blesener followed was the Hanover, Pennsylvania chapter of the Young Marines, a nonprofit group which has 300 clubs around the country. Participation is open to boys and girls ages 8 and up as an after school program. The recruits take part in a military-style boot camp, fitness drills, and weekend encampments, as well as engaging in recreational activities like dances and visiting theme parks and historic sites.
Young Marines pray during a ball at their local VFW in Hanover, Pennsylvania. Students attend with their families and close friends to celebrate the accomplishments of their fellow cadets.
Photograph by Sarah Blesener, Alexia Foundation, Catchlight
“Young Marines is an example of mixing patriotism and militarism, which goes hand in hand with a lot of American culture. For many of the kids, their participation is completely divorced from politics. It’s about camaraderie and providing an important stepping stone for their future.”
While Blesener has approached her project with a critical eye, she is sensitive to the fact that many of the leaders of the groups she photographed were concerned about being put into a box of extremism, especially in the current charged climate.
“At a time when everything feels so divided, it is important to listen to other people and have insight into their worlds as fellow Americans,” Blesener says. “When it comes to young people I want to show this is complicated and nuanced. It is also interesting to look at how these ideals are being developed. ‘Make America Great’ is not a new concept.”
Gavin, a new Young Marines recruit, laces his boots in his bunk after successfully completing his recruit boot bamp weekend in Camp Tuckahoe, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania.
Photograph by Sarah Blesener, Alexia Foundation, Catchlight
Young Marines are timed on how long they can hold their body weight during a physical fitness test in Hanover, Pennsylvania. | Photograph by Sarah Blesener, Alexia Foundation, Catchlight
In the early afternoon, recruits go through the hardest part of their recruit boot camp weekend: changing from their old clothes into their new Young Marine outfit. Camp Tuckahoe, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. | Photograph by Sarah Blesener, Alexia Foundation, Catchlight
In the early afternoon, recruits go through the hardest part of their Recruit Boot Camp weekend: changing from their old clothes into their new Young Marine outfit. Camp Tuckahoe, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. |Photograph by Sarah Blesener, Alexia Foundation, Catchlight
Young Marines attend an airsoft competition in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The weekend encampement is solely for games: the Young Marines do not teach tactical skills, and are not a paramilitary group. | Photograph by Sarah Blesener, Alexia Foundation, Catchlight
Sarah Blesener's project, Beckon Us From Home, is supported by a fellowship from CatchLight with the Center for Investigative Reporting as well as a grant from the Alexia Foundation. She is represented by Redux Pictures. You can see more of Blesener's work on her website and follow her on Instagram.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/article/young-marines-blesener
Resources
- https://youngmarines.org/public/page
- https://nnomy.org/en/military-in-our-schools/young-marines/items.html?cid=390&id=505
- https://revealnews.org/article/youth-camps-shape-new-generations-with-patriotism-pushups-and-prayer/
- The Rise and Impact of Arianism: One of Early Christianity’s Defining Controversies, Stephen Bedard, History of Christianity, March 22, 2025
- The Militarization of Christianity, J. Steven Paul, In Search of Christian Orgins, February 11, 2023
- Backwards Christian Soldiers: The Role of the Religious Right on the Militarization of U.S. Foreign Policy in the Post-9/11 Era, Shannon N. Brown, University of Washington Tacoma UW Tacoma Digital Commons, Spring 2012
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Updated on 12/10/2025 - GDG
