SPRINGDALE, Utah —
Surrounded by mountains, Zion National Park here presents a profound example of Mother Nature's breathtaking beauty.
And, a group of Marines that traveled to the park from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, as part of the Single Marine Program appreciated the chance to get away from it all.
The program's goal is to enhance the quality of life for single Marines by offering a variety of different extracurricular activities to keep them physically, mentally and socially active.
“For $40, we received transportation, tents, beds, food, water and Gatorade,” explained Marine Corps Sgt. Jennifer Mendez, intelligence specialist, 1st Law Enforcement Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force-Information Group. “It was also nice that we could choose how to spend our time. We were not restricted to a schedule of events at specific times of the day.”
Many Activities
The trip to Zion National Park is one of many trips hosted by the program. During their trip to the park, Marines had the opportunity to hike trails, relax around a bonfire, throw a flying disc or simply mingle with other single Marines.
“Everyone who chose to take this opportunity had at least two things in common — being interested in the outdoors and being in the military,” Mendez said. “Whether or not you were a lance corporal, a…
