R. Lee Ermey family gives $10,000 to Dumfries-based Young Marines

The family of the late R. Lee Ermey, the Marine-turned actor known for his role as a drill instructor in Full Metal Jacket, donated more than $10,000 to the Young Marines in Dumfries.

The donation comes from the auction of Ermey’s private collection of guns, scripts, and memorabilia. Ermey, who died April 15, 2018, was the celebrity spokesperson for the Young Marines, lending his name and his staunch support to the youth program.

“R. Lee Ermey was a devoted friend of the Young Marines, and he supported us in every way possible,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “He was more than a spokesman; he cared deeply about our youth and believed in our mission. We are so grateful to the Ermey family for this generous donation.”

Ermey was a frequent guest at the Young Marines’ adult leadership conference, at which he motivated and inspired the adult volunteers of the program. Ermey helped raise tens of thousands of dollars to support the mission of the Young Marines as the emcee of the charity auction at the annual Young Marines Golf Tournament.

Ronald Lee Ermey was in the U.S. Marine Corps for 11 years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and later, after serving 14 months in Vietnam and two tours in Okinawa, Japan, he was bestowed the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Marine Corps.

Medically retired in 1971, he used his G.I. Bill benefits to enroll at the University of Manila in the Philippines where he studied drama. Francis Ford Coppola was filming Apocalypse Now, in the area and cast Ermey in a featured role.

He went on to star or appear in 60 films. Ermey’s most famous role was Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” in 1987, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He won the Best Supporting Actor award for the same film from The Boston Society of Film Critics. In addition, Ermey appeared in numerous character roles in such films as “Leaving Las Vegas,” “Se7en,” and “Dead Man Walking.”

“He was always very proud of his association with the Young Marines because he truly believed in our mission,” Davis said. “He was a huge supporter and met with many Young Marines to inspire while he was alive. He appreciated our efforts to instill our youth members with a powerful sense of patriotism and responsibility.”

The Young Marines Headquarters is located in the Dumfries Town Hall building, 17739 Main Street, Suite 250, Dumfries.