Jim Parker · 1999 Honoree

Jim Parker spent his childhood in northern California, a long way in geography and mind from Capitol Hill. School and athletics, especially Little League Baseball, dominated his early activities; and until he was fourteen, his life sounds like a 1950s TV family series. Then Jim’s father died. Jim credits his coach and mentor with getting him through the tough times, including a move for Jim and his mother to Oakland, where he graduated from high school.

Jim, with diploma in hand, joined theU.S.Marines. He likes challenges and believed he would find them in the Corps. He did. His assignments included the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics, the elite Embassy School, and subsequently the U.S. Embassy in Paris. There, he met his wife Cecile, who was working with NATO. Once Jim’s tours were behind them, they returned to the States.

Jim obtained a BA in government from American University, and pursued a government career, with a stint at the White House. Initially, the Parkers lived in Maryland, but trips to parades at our Marine Barracks changed that. The Hill’s old houses charmed the young family, which included oldest son William. In 1968, Capitol Hill became home and Jim expanded his expertise to encompass custom cabinetry work. Later, two more Parkers were born: Monique and Erik.

Jim’s next Marine adventure began with Erik. After seeing a news program about the “Young Marines” who were associated with the Barracks on Capitol Hill, eight year old Erik asked to join. So did about 200 youngsters. The Marine staff, over-whelmed, invited Jim to volunteer. He worked first with the Marine Barracks Unit, the only one then in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia. A year later, he formed the Nation’s Capital Unit to accommodate more neighborhood youngsters. Their success led to ones in Maryland and Virginia, enough to form the Chesapeake Regiment. Countless volunteer hours later, Jim became a trustee, and in 1993, the Young Marines chose him as their national leader.

Jim believes the Young Marines program succeeds by offering youngsters, eight to eighteen, lessons in discipline, an exceedingly structured environment that provides guidance, and appropriate parameters in which to act and react. Jim’s message is powerful. “Every time we don’t expect enough of our young people, we fail them. If we set our expectations high, they will try to live up to them, and they will learn to raise and meet their own expectations of themselves.” Thousands of young people on Capitol Hill and beyond have had their lives enriched by Jim Parker. So have we all!