The Young Marines is a youth education and service program for boys and girls, ages 8 through completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on character building, leadership, and promotes a healthy, drug-free lifestyle and teaches the value of truthfulness, fairness, respect, courage, attention to duty and love of God and Country. The Young Marines is the official youth program of the U.S. Marine Corps and the focal point for the Marine Corps' Youth Drug Demand Reduction efforts.