Marine Cpl. Jesse Johnson Carson Brinkley, a fourth-grader at White Oaks Elementary, beats Marine Cpl. Henry McNeil of 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at the last hurdle of the obstacle course at a field meet, June 2. Marines of 2⁄6 volunteered at the event.

West, platoon sergeant with 2nd Platoon, E Co., 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, and approximately 50 fellow Marines from 2⁄6 spent the day conducting a field meet with children and faculty at White Oak Elementary School in Cape Carteret, N.C. The Marines of 2⁄6 returned late March from a seven-month deployment to the Persian Gulf with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

White Oak Elementary students participated in various physical education stations throughout the field meet. Marines assisted in the setup, execution and supervision of events as well as interacted with the children, sometimes competing with kids through the events.

‘‘It’s very important that the Marines are out here interacting with the children,” said Kathy Hines, physical education teacher at White Oak Elementary. ‘‘Some children have parents in the military; others have no contact and no clue about it. It’s a good community service for the school.”

Marines’ encouragement of physical activity was a key aspect to their participation in the field meet.

‘‘Being out here and running around and being active is very important for kids today,” said Marine 2nd Lt. Nicholas M. Thompson, platoon commander of 2nd Platoon, E Co. ‘‘This event is telling them about exercise and being active. It’s good to see them doing these things out here.”

But Thompson was quick to point out the event benefitted the Marines almost as much as the kids. He said participating in the event helps the Marines break their routines and do something different.

‘‘It’s good for the community and the Marines,” Thompson said. ‘‘It’s good for the Marines to interact with the community and not the same Marines they see every day. The kids look forward to each event and interacting with someone they don’t normally interact with.”

Hines said that the Marines’ behavior at the event set a good example for the kids.

‘‘The Marines are respectful,” Hines said. ‘‘They have manners. I like the kids to see that. Our kids need to see that, respect and showing manners. They’re perfect role models.”

West said it only took a short set of instructions to ensure the Marines knew what was expected of them.

‘‘I told them [to] mind their Ps and Qs,” West said. ‘‘They made some jokes on the bus on the way out here, but once they got on deck, they had their game faces on.”

Marine Cpl. Aaron M. Minot, a squad leader with 3rd Platoon, G Co., stressed that setting a good example for the children would have long-lasting benefits.

‘‘We wanted to show you don’t have to be crazy to have fun,” Minot said. ‘‘[We wanted] to show eighteen and nineteen year old guys who are respectful, not all punks. We’re still kids having fun.”

Carson Brinkley, a fourth-grader at White Oak Elementary, said he admires Marines, ‘‘because they do really good. They’re good because of working with kids and saving our country and showing us how not to be bad.”

Fellow fourth-grader Anna Pearson agreed she enjoyed the Marines’ visit and help with the field meet.

‘‘It’s very important because we need exercise to have healthy bodies,” she said. ‘‘[The Marines] are helping save our country and our lives.”