About Us

Our membership is MARINES and friends of the Corps.  We SERVE our community as we served our country.  We maintain our Corps' VALUES as citizens, and we preserve the TRADITIONS of our Marine Corps.
 
A hearty welcome to you from the Marines, former and present, of the Gainesville area.  Our detachment, with over 100 members continues to grow and become more actively involved in the affairs of our community.   To join us, print out our Membership Application.

THE LEADERSHIP

Gator Det Staff 2008-2009

COMMANDANT...................................Cary Hill

SR. VICE COMMANDANT.................. Eric Kidwell

JR. VICE COMMANDANT...................Scott DuPree

JUDGE ADVOCATE............................Nicholas Rucarean

ADJUTANT/PAYMASTER...................Bob Curti

JR PAST COMMANDANT...................Dick Lester

SGT AT ARMS....................................Tom Sklens

CHAPLAIN........................................................Mary Hildebrande

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER...............Norm Froscher

QUARTERMASTER.............................Ryan Griffin

PHOTOGRAPHER ............................. Phil Newman

LIBRARIAN.........................................Anne Zecca

HISTORIAN.........................................Steve Homewood

TOYS FOR TOTS CHAIRMAN...........Eric Kidwell / LCpl Harmon
LIAISON TO THE ALACHUA COUNTY
  VETERAN ADVISORY BOARD ................Bob Gasche
AMERICANISM & EDUCATION..................Patty Bartlett
BIRTHDAY BALL CHAIRMAN....................Cary Hill
FUNDRAISING CHAIRMAN........................TBA
WEB SERGEANT......................................... Scott DuPree

DEPARTMENT OF FLORIDA LEADERSHIP 2007-2008
COMMANDANT .......................Richard Booth (Apopka)
SR VICE COMMANDANT ........Dick Sargeant (Ocoee)
JR VICE COMMANDANT ........William Backes (Ocala)
JUDGE ADVOCATE ................. Lou Calleja (Tequesta)
ADJUTANT ................................Robert Beale (The Villages)
PAYMASTER .............................William J. Maher (Clermont)
DIST 2 VICE COMMANDANT...Scott DuPree (Gainesville)
A complete list of Department Officers can be found at www.mclfl.org.

 

Regular membership is open to Marines who have spent at least 90 days on active duty and to those Corpsman who served in the Fleet Marine Force.  Associate membership is open to wives and friends of the Marine Corps.
Our Programs
The GatorDet is dedicated to impacting our community.  Following are some of our programs that have enabled us to accomplish our missions.

* One of our main achievements has been in becoming very active in assuming leadership roles with the Alachua County Veterans' Advisory Board. This is a board comprised of members from various local veteran organizations. This committee advises the city and county commissions on matters which affect veterans. Marine Greg Williams is the Chairman. Also active on that board are Bob Gasche (former Chairman), Dick Lester and Phil Newman. We continue to grow and to use our strengths to the benefit of our county's veterans and our communities children.

* Registered with our local Emergency Management system and have provided help during fires and floods.
* Assisted other groups such as Peaceful Paths (for battered women) and Vet Space (for homeless veterans).
* Collect clothes and food for needy children and needy veterans.
* Collect magazines for a dialysis center.
* Adopted a section of a city street to keep clean.
* Accept proclamations from the city and county on patriotic holidays.
* Named a local football stadium after a local WWII hero, Cpl Milton Lewis, USMC.
* Not only do we participate in all local patriotic events, we are usually leading them!
*  Represent the USMC and veterans in the University of Florida Homecoming Parade each year.
* Raise the Marine Corps flag over City Hall in Gainesville on November 10th each year.
* Put on a Birthday Ball each year to celebrate our Marine heritage.
* Brought the TOYS FOR TOTS Program back to Gainesville in a big way.
* Recognize local business owners who demonstrate a sense of pride and patriotism that are in line with Marine Corps values. 

 
* We also sponsor the MILTON LEWIS YOUNG MARINES unit here, a group for strengthening the lives of our community's youth. For more, go here.
1998 to now

In the spring of 1997, Jim Yakubsin (then a GySgt, USMCR), initiated the idea for a detachment of the Marine Corps League in Gainesville.  After many formative meetings and building support, we were officially chartered in March 1998.  We have increased our membership each year since.  We now have more LIFE members than we had original charter members.  We have a quality organization with a great officer staff and we look forward to the opportunities that we will have to impact our community for years to come.