Sean C. Morgan
Don Austin has spent decades working with youth. He’s been involved in the Boys Scouts and church youth ministries. Most recently, he has actively worked with youth between the ages of 10 and 18 through the Linn-Benton Young Marine Detachment, which he started in 2008.
In recognition of his efforts, the Linn County Veterans Commemorative Association named Austin, 69, Veteran of the Year based on an insatiable desire to work with youth.
Austin didn’t make the annual Veterans Day Parade in Albany, where he would have been one of the featured participants, though, because he was on a hunting trip in Montana. (A reporter’s efforts to reach him prior to the parade date proved futile because he was out of cell phone range.)
“It’s humbling really,” Austin said of the recognition. “My real feeling is when an award like this is given, it’s representative of all veterans – not just one. I just feel really honored that I get to represent all the veterans.”
Austin grew up in Minot, N.D., and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1961. A machine gunner, he served as an advisor in the Republic of South Vietnam at age 20.
He served six years in the Marines, following in the footsteps of four uncles, who served as Marines in the South Pacific during World War II.
He was honorably discharged from active service and transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve in 1964.
Austin received numerous awards during his service, including the Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one campaign star, a Republic of South Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (individual and unit) with palm and frame, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Marine Corps Rifle Sharpshooter Badge.
He returned to Minot, where he became active working with young people, including the Boy Scouts, the AWANA program and Sunday School.
He married his wife, Peggy, in 1966, and they moved to Montana where he continued active service in his church and started a new AWANA youth group, which focused on memorizing Scripture. Ten years later, they moved to Oregon.
He made a career selling building materials and later in management for Stanley Tools.
He retired in 2000 and moved to California with his wife. In Tehama County, he and other Marines started a Marine Corps League Chapter. He assisted starting a Young Marines program there.
“We were discussing the young people and the challenges they have today,” Austin said. John Menton told the league members they could complain or get involved. The members challenged him to start a Young Marines program in Red Bluff.
“I was his first registered adult,” Austin said.
In 2006, the Austins moved to Sweet Home, where he started another Young Marines program after getting involved in the Marine Corps League in Albany.
Austin said he was compelled to start the local program after reading The New Era police report and seeing how many people are involved with marijuana and meth.
“These kids have to have a good example,” Austin said. He put the group together in September 2008. “”more””
“We started it then, and I’ve no regrets,” Austin said. The group has had a lot of youth go through the program, with an average participation of 1 1/2 years. They drop out when they get busy in other things, such as sports.
His goal is to get the foundation laid, he said.
Austin also serves as the regimental executive officer of the Northwest Regiment of the Young Marines and program coordinator for the Regional Marine Corps League Toys for Tots.
“Donald Austin’s pride in his country and community are evident with his desire to work with youth, instilling core values of teamwork, leadership and discipline in the Young Marines he leads,” according to the association program. “His devotion and tenacity to the betterment of our youth are documented by the Linn-Benton Young Marines accomplishments in their short tenure.”
“There are no bad kids, just bad role models and, sometimes, just no role model at all,” Austin said.
He is just doing what everyone should be doing, making the community and country a better place, he said, and there’s no better starting place than with the youth.
Austin is most interested in instilling values like those in the Young Marines, he said, and he encourages youth to seek more, to know better what they want, avoiding service in the military or delaying it.
“When I served, it was a different time, a different place,” Austin said. A member of a large family, he had to go somewhere or join the military. He didn’t have many options.
“What I want to encourage these young people to do is know what you want to do with your life,” Austin said. They graduate and don’t really know what’s going on in the world, and then they find themselves in training at Ft. Sill or Camp Pendleton.
They should have a foundation first, he said. “Get a little living under your belt first. Get to know for sure what you want to do before you put yourself in harm’s way.”
Somebody’s got to do it, he said, but they should be sure before they do.
“It was very hard on me being a dumb farm kid from North Dakota,” said Austin, noting that he went from being 18-year-old farm boy to a 20-year-old man in the jungles overnight.
“It just isn’t the way to go, I think,” he said.
Life has improved for the current generation of veterans, he said.
“We’re treating our veterans with respect. We’re finally getting them what they have to have to succeed in a combat situation.”
And the nation is not paying them too much either, he said. “These kids are signing a blank check.”
The quality of today’s soldiers is better too, Austin said. “They’re better educated than we were, and I believe that they’re more disciplined than we were because we had the draft.”
Austin has a nephew who has served three tours in the, and he takes his hat off to him, he said.
Austin continues to work with the Young Marines, and he is always seeking adult volunteers to assist. The adults do not run the program, but they do supervise and assist.
Volunteers must have three letters of reference and pass an FBI background check.
For more information or to apply, call Austin at (541) 367-9822 or visit on the Web at linnbentonyoungmarines.com.