Albany Young Marines named National Unit of the Year
ALBANY – The Young Marines, a national youth organization, has named the Albany Young Marines as the National Unit of the Year – the top honor for all units in the U.S.
The honor was announced during the Young Marines' 2025 Adult Leaders Conference in Dallas on April 26. Albany's Unit competed with more than 200 units from across the country for the recognition. The local unit was recognized for its dedication to the Young Marines mission, committing to community service and engagement.
'The Albany Young Marines continue to raise the bar — not just for Division 2, but for the entire organization,' said Col. William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. 'Their energy, consistency, and deep-rooted commitment to service make them a standout unit.'
The Young Marines is a national nonprofit youth leadership and development program for boys and girls, ages 8 through high school graduation. It promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members with focuses on leadership, teamwork and self-discipline. Eric Crump leads Albany's Unit of 30 members. The group has volunteered thousands of hours of service to the community and area veterans organizations.
'It's exciting,' Crump said. 'For us, it was surprising because our unit has been kind of reborn over the last five years. The national program recognizes that improvement and the engagement we have with the community.'
Albany's Young Marines Unit is a longstanding local program that at one point, Crump said, had more than 100 members. The program shrunk after leadership changes and the COVID-19 pandemic. Five years ago, when Crump took the program over, there were only two members.
'COVID was detrimental for all kinds of youth organizations, for schools, as well as extracurriculars,' Crump said. 'But, we knew there was a need for this kind of program.'
So Crump and his wife stepped up to the plate, growing the program and reconnecting with the community. The group they've formed is dynamic. They go beyond attending monthly meetings and consistently step out to serve the community.
The Young Marines partner with active-duty marines from Albany's Marine Corps Logistics Base as well as the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Committee.
They place American flags around the community for various patriotic holidays. They engage with local veterans through initiatives like Wreaths Across America, which honors veterans through wreath-laying ceremonies on National Wreaths Across America Day.
'We're a very veteran-rich community, and we want to make sure that the youths have the opportunity to give back to those that have given so much to us,' Crump said.
One of the Young Marines' core tenants is remaining drug-free. The Albany unit places special emphasis in this element through its Drug Demand Reduction program. The group partners with the local DEA office as well as the Albany Police Department. Each October, the unit hosts Red Ribbon Week to place emphasis on preventing drug use.
It was this extensive service that made the unit stand out even against units from large cities like Washington D.C. or San Antonio, Texas.
'A lot of those other units, they already have established programs that have been around for a long time,' Crump said. 'They've done a lot of amazing things, but the thing that really stood out for Albany is that re-engagement with the community and the program's growth.'
Dan Gillan, the CEO of the Albany Area YMCA, said it was no small feat for Albany's Young Marines to be recognized at such a high level.
'Here we are, living in rural southwest Georgia … it helps put us on the map,' Gillan said. 'It's a testament not only to the Crump family but also the support of the community. Seeing all of that dedication and perseverance and commitment pay off with this national recognition; I mean, that's huge.'
Gillan engages with the Young Marines in several different ways. As the chairman of the Chamber's Military Affairs Committee, he's been vocal about promoting the Young Marines during chamber board meetings and various events. Albany's Young Marines often serve as the color guard that raises or carries the flag for local ceremonies.
As the CEO of the YMCA, Gillan said he hosts the Young Marines once a month on Sunday afternoons. They use the space to hold their monthly meetings and do training, including learning drills from active-duty marines.
'I'm a retired U.S. Marine, so the Young Marines have a place in my heart. Similar to Scouting, the young Marines is an organization that instills leadership and a sense of excellence in what they do,' Gillan said. 'They provide opportunities and experiences for boys and girls in a safe, nurturing environment that results in learning about leadership at a young age.'
Gillan said the 30 members who make up the Albany unit put in the work, the sweat and the motivation to excel. Their national recognition is just the beginning for the group.
'Our whole thing was never about winning the competition,' Crump said. 'We've always just wanted to do the best that we can do, and by doing that, we've been rewarded.'
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