Ex-Marine runs boot camp for youths By Jeff Munson The Redding Record Searchlight   REDDING, CA (AP) - When Bert Plannette puts on his olive fatigues and black leather combat boots, he doesn't think about his days as a U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor or his three tours in Vietnam. Instead, the 64-year-old grandfather of three is haunted by the faces of children and a battle being waged on the streets of Redding and elsewhere across the country. There is a war going on, Plannette says. A silent one that is slowly, painfully, stripping children from the straight and narrow. That's why he and seven other retired serviceman have volunteered for a new kind of mission. The battlefield is Juniper Academy in Redding. The troops are children. The enemy: drugs, alcohol, gangs and the kind of pervasive low self-esteem that can creep into the lives of children from single-parent homes. ``You look at these kids and you know you can make a difference,'' said Plannette, a drill instructor for the Young Marines, a leadership program that promotes drug-free lifestyles, patriotism, family values and education. Since October, Juniper Academy has been the training ground for the program, the first of its kind in Shasta County. The kindergarten through fifth grade school was also the first in the county to require students to wear uniforms. Judging by the enthusiasm of Juniper teachers, parents and participants, the program is working. Juniper Principal Lorraine Hashey said teachers have noticed that participants have high self-esteem, good grades and relate well with their peers. ``They stand and walk tall and are proud of their accomplishments,'' Hashey said. Twice a week, cadets spend an hour a day marching in cadence and another hour studying from their Young Marine Field Guide. The workbook offers lessons in citizenship, leadership, first aid, physical fitness and personal hygiene. The 18 young cadets come from all walks of life. Some are enrolled in the school's gifted and talented program. Some come from single-parent homes and live in poverty. ``Some of these kids' home lives are not the best,'' said Jim Browne, a retired Marine and program volunteer. ``We want to be role models for these kids. We want to show them that things like citizenship, good grades and staying out of trouble is the way to go in life.'' The program isn't itself militant, but it does require students to follow certain rules. Uniforms are required. So are haircuts for boys. And all cadets must address their superiors as either sir or ma'am. Parents like Sarah Johnston of Redding said they like the idea of strict discipline. Her son Luke Lene, 11, serves in a leadership role as a cadet guide. ``It's something different because it gives the young kids a sense of belonging and teamwork,'' Johnston said. Luke said he enjoys wearing the uniforms. ``They look good, like in the Army,'' said the Juniper fifth-grader. To graduate on to different leadership levels, cadets must take written and oral exams based on what they've read in the manuals. Plannette said he would like to see similar programs at elementary and middle schools throughout the county. But more volunteers are needed. Many of the cadets say they like how the program challenges them. ``It's hard but it's a lot of fun,'' said 11-year-old cadet Amber Patterson. Before she joined the Young Marines, the fifth-grader said she used to use a lot of slang. Now, she says, she doesn't use it at all. Amber's twin sister, April Patterson, said the Young Marines helped her prioritize her time. Before becoming a cadet, she would watch a lot of television and lose track of time. Now Amber says she prefers books over TV. ``I really like reading,'' she said. ``It's fun because you are learning about new people.'' Aside from marches around the playground, participants as a group may be required to do push-ups and sit-ups if they get out of line. But unlike in the real Marines, the children are never singled out and degraded for mistakes. ``You don't yell at them or try to embarrass them because you may lose them,'' Plannette said. If there are problems with cadets, Plannette will pull them aside and talk to them individually. Occasionally there are cadets who will horse around. But most students say they enjoy the rigidity. ``I like the rules,'' said 9-year-old Thomas O'Conner, a fourth-grader. ``When you follow them you get rewards and when you don't, you have to fix what you did wrong.''