Red Ribbon Week 2022
This years them, Celebrate Life Live Drug Free!
Red Ribbon Week Proclamations
One of our goals during this week is to bring awareness of the dangers of illicit drug use by bringing awareness though our state and local governments by obtaining proclamations.
Red Ribbon Week Activities
We expect our Young Marines to participate in Red Ribbon activities within the unit, school, church and other venues.
Why Red Ribbon Week
Special Agent Enrique "KiKi" Camarena
Before he joined the DEA, Agent Camarena served in the United States Marines from 1972-1974. He worked in Calexico as a fireman and then as a police investigator and was a narcotics investigator for the Imperial County Sheriff.
Hot on the trail
Special Agent Enrique S. Camarena, was on the verge of shutting down the drug cartel's in Guadalajara, Mexico. In 1984 the Mexican military acting on information from the DEA with the aid of helicopters destroyed 2, 500 acres of Marijuana plantation that produced 8 billion dollars per year. Special Agent Camarena was kidnapped on February 7th 1985 and was tortured by Mexican drug traffickers. It is believed that Special Agent Camarena's death occurred on February 9. His body was discovered on March 5, 1985. He was 37 years of age at the time of his death.
Why the Red Ribbon
As a tribute to Camarena after his brutal murder by drug traffickers that he was investigating in Mexico, his high school friend Henry Lozano and Congressman Duncan Hunter, created “Camarena Clubs” and the wearing of a red ribbon to show their oppositions to drugs.
Local celebrations began in California where Camarena grew up in 1985, and in 1988 the National Family Partnership started the first National Red Ribbon Week
Why we honor
We honor the sacrifice of Special Agent Camarena who worked hard to keep and make our communities safe from dangerous illegal drugs and violent criminals.