Military Explorers Post III founder and Troop Advisor Phillip Ayala with his daughter, Alyssa, who was San Jacinto Valley Academy’s valedictorian in 2016. A recent graduate of California Baptist University, she received her commission as a California Army National Guard second lieutenant in May 2021 and is awaiting her spot for Army flight school. Valley News/Courtesy photo
Phillip Ayala started the Military Explorers Post III program to teach youth beneficial life skills. A San Jacinto resident since 2005, Ayala is a teacher in San Bernardino where he started the program in 2014 to support students. In 2016, the program was initiated in the San Jacinto Valley, headquartered at American Legion Post 53 of Hemet. Ayala’s goal is to expand into the Temecula Valley area as well as the Corona and Eastvale areas within the year once he can secure a permanent location for meetings.“We want to work closely with the surrounding school districts and possibly their career and technical education departments to provide support for students that want to be part of this program,” Ayala said. “It would help to have local community supporters and sponsors get beh
