Young cadets marched, shouted “left, right, left” and saluted as they prepared to leave for a three-day trip to Washington, D.C.
“I’m very happy, proud and excited,” said Alirio Orduna, commander and founder of the New York Military Youth Cadets.
Orduna and his cadets were invited to spend the weekend of Friday, August 20 in Washington, D.C. by the Unites States Army. The New York Military Youth Cadets, a non-profit multicultural community-based organization in Corona, will celebrate its 10th anniversary this coming November. The organization provides military based programs for boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18.
Marine Corp. veteran Orduna, 68, started the organization with no money in his pocket and said he established the program to help youths in the community stay away from gangs, drugs and violence.
“A lot of boys and girls get into drugs, nasty violence,” said Orduna. “I wanted to help the youth.”
He said through the youth cadets he hopes to give kids a place to go and hope for the future.
During their trip to Washington, the cadets visited the Pentagon, the Marine Corps Museum, Arlington Cemetery, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Fort Myers Army Base, and experienced first hand physical training at the Navy Yard.
While at Arlington Cemetery the cadets laid a wreath on the Unknown Soldier’s tomb, which contains the bodies of unknown soldiers who died in World Wars I and II. The cadets also spent two nights aboard the destroyer U.S.S. Barry, a former Navy ship.
They returned to Queens on the morning of Sunday, August 22.
“It was outstanding,” said Orduna. “We got to go places people don’t get to.”
