by Sean Smothers for the Bitterroot Star
Each summer lots of America’s youth head off to camp of one type or another. From Space Camp to Scouting to sports day there are a myriad of camps available to young men and women.
This July three Montana teenagers from the Bitterroot attended a summer camp that is anything but typical. For the first time in its 70-year history, Devil Pups allowed teenagers from Montana to attend. Until this year, only teenagers from California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona have been able to participate. This year, three Bitterroot teenagers were the first from the Treasure State to attempt Devil Pups.
The name “Devil Pups” is derived from the name given to Marines in WWI by German troops. German troops called the United States Marines opposing them in battle “Devil Dogs” because of the Marine fighting prowess. The success and challenge under stress the Marines are known for is a fitting precursor for the name “Devil Pups.”
In 1953, Marine Corps Colonel A. Duncan Shaw, Sr. became concerned with the direction youth in the Los Angeles area were headed after watching a flag burning at a local high school. Colonel Shaw worked with the Commandant of the Marine Corps to develop a community benefit project that would aid the development of character qualities in young men and women.
Attending Devil Pups isn’t simply a matter of signing up and going. For the Montana teenagers interested in attending, they competed for one of the few available seats. They ran four separate physical fitness tests consisting of a run, sit-ups, pull-ups, and push-ups. Importantly they had to be willing to leave their family and friends for 10 days, fly to San Diego, and spend it under the watchful eye of Marine escorts. The participants, through the Marine escorts, were challenged and tested mentally, emotionally, and physically every minute in a tightly controlled, disciplined environment.
Devil Pups combines outdoor physical exercises, inspirational classroom lectures, and demonstrations of Marine Corps operations into a 10-day leadership course. In addition to the physical exercise, the days were balanced with inspiring classroom sessions. The “Role Model” classroom segments are conducted by an assortment of board members, Lawyers, Doctors, Airline Pilots, Veterans, and Devil Pups alumni.
During the 10-day encampment, the participants were challenged from the moment they wake, to the moment they hit the rack. They ran, hiked, swam, tackled obstacles courses, jumped off a 25-foot tower into a pool, and climbed, more accurately raced, to one of the highest peaks at Camp Pendleton.
The Devil Pups program is more mental than physical, reflecting the ‘whole person’ concept. The program’s foundations focus on activities that are intellectual, spiritual, social and physical.
The program is not a ‘mini boot camp’ or recruiting program for the Marine Corps. In fact, less than 10 percent of Devil Pup graduates enlist in the armed forces. Although the ones who do, perform with distinction.
The Bitterroot Valley Military Program of the American Legion Post 91, Corvallis had many youths well suited for such a summer camp. Five were selected – two were injured and will try to attend in 2025. The three remaining teenagers were ready for their opportunity to attend Devil Pups in July. Unfortunately, one of the three was injured during training and had to return home before completing Devil Pups. Regan White and Ethaniel Lee from the Hamilton area were the first two young men to graduate from the Devil Pups program.
Before White and Lee could graduate, they had to conquer the most challenging obstacle Camp Pendleton has to offer… Ol’ Smokey. It’s one of the tallest peaks on the 125,000-acre Marine Corps Base; the same peak that the new Marines hike to during Marine Combat Training, earning the Devil Pups challenge coin. On the last day of the camp, Devil Pups graduate in a military style ceremony that friends and family are invited to. One proud father, Eugene Lee, made the journey to attend this year’s graduation on Saturday, July 20.
Each Devil Pup applicant had their own reason for attempting Devil Pups. For some, it’s overcoming fears, developing self-confidence, looking for a challenge, or just seeing something through to the end. For others it was to prove something to themselves or their families. Regardless of their individual motivations, participants would become a cohesive team with complete strangers and would get through Devil Pups with two simple words echoing in their heads: “don’t quit.”
Devil Pups is free for young men and women from California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. Businesses from those states donate funds to Devil Pups Incorporated for their state’s youth to attend. For the Montana youths, funds were raised from The American Legion, The Vietnam Veterans of America, the Rapp Family Foundation, and fundraising efforts of the Bitterroot Valley Military Program cadets paid for the cost of Devil Pups and the flights to and from San Diego.
When the Montana Devil Pups return to school in the fall, answering questions about what they did this summer will be easy. More so, they’ll be able to transpose the core values, hard lessons, and life skills they’ve learned to their families, friends, and their peers. Honor. Courage. Commitment.
Interested in attending Devil Pups in 2025? Contact the Bitterroot Valley Military Program at www.bvmp.us