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Support Our Marines! |
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Team Marine Parents™
Show your support of our Marines and their families at home! Participate in one of the MarineParents.com Outreach Programs today! Our Marines need YOU! |
| Support for You:
a Place to
Connect & Share™ |
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| Learning Center:
Operations Security |
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NOTE: When communicating online, your Marine's privacy is as important as Operations Security. Please respect YOUR Marine's privacy! |
| Learning Center:
About Deployment |
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(from your Marine, with the USMC, and with other families)
(tips, tricks and money savers for mailing to YOUR Marine)
(bills, taxes, legal issues, injuries, notification from the Marine Corps)
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Learning Center:
About Homecoming |
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(Tip: While in our store, check in your Marine's unit store for more homecoming shirts!) |
| Learning Center:
Bootcamp |
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| Unit Chat Nights |
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Unit Chat Night Schedule:
Sunday: 1/4
2nd & 4th Sunday: deployed MAWS Monday: 2/5, 2/6 and 26th MEU, 15th MEU
Wednesday: 2/1, 3/8, 2/9
Thursday: 1/3, 1st LAR, 1/12
Friday: 1/1, 13th MEU
For additional information about the Chat Room and Unit Chat Nights for your Marine's Unit, please see:
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| Local Support Groups in Your Area |
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NEWEST SUPPORT
Fremont, CA
(Alameda)
For a list of all support groups in our database or to find one in your area, see:
If you are interested in starting a local support group in your area, please visit the "Support Groups" section of our website:
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| Marine Corps Spirit
T-shirts, Gifts & More |
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Show your Marine Corps spirit and pride! Proceeds from sales support MarineParents.com, an IRS approved 501(c)(3) public charity.
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| Sign Up for the Newsletter |
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| Contest: Name Our Bulldog |
It's Time to VOTE!
We collected hundreds of name submissions and had a tough time narrowing the choices. Now we need YOU to vote for the name of our Bulldog Mascot!
To see selected names and vote for your favorite, CLICK HERE.
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Dear Marine Families,
If this is the first edition of the MarineParents.com Newsletter you have received, WELCOME! If you are a returning reader we are glad you have joined us.
Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day fell back-to-back this year. Friday the 13th generally conjures up images of the "bad luck" day while Valentine's typically conjures up images of a day of love and good emotions. These are two very different emotions.
The same is true of the emotions we experience having a loved in the military. We experience pride and fear, back-to-back. We experience joy in promotions and frustration with the changing schedules. The rollercoaster of emotions is up and down, taking hills, curves and drastic dives. At some point in time, the roller coaster slows, moving into a straight-away, and finally stopping. But we all know it will take off again for another trip around the amusement park.
In the few moments that the rollercoast stops, we need to take time to replenish ourselves emotionally. The journey is long, and having a well of fortitude to drink from strengthens us for the next wave of emotions. Your well of fortitude is likely several different venues where folks understand what you're going through; a church group, a military support group, or a Place to Connect & Share with Marine Parents.
We hope this newsletter helps to provide additional support to you in your journey as the parent or spouse of a Marine. |
| 2009 National Conference |
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| Plan Your Trip to San Diego
 The 5th Marine Parents conference planning is in the works. Mark your calendars and start looking for your flights!
The 2009 Annual National Marine Parents Conference will be held in San Diego, California from April 17-19, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Mission Valley. Room nights will be $115 for up to 4 guests per room. Registration fees will include all meals.
The pre-conference tour on Friday will include Miramar Air Station and other sites. The conference will kick-off with a reception or dinner on Friday. Saturday, April 18, will be filled with educational breakout sessions during the day and our formal benefit dinner on Saturday evening. Sunday, April 19, will include networking opportunities and we'll close at noon.
Our lineup of speakers and breakout sessions, along with the online registration form, is now available on the web site at www.MarineConference.com/2009
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| Chat with Expert on Homecoming |
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| Warrior Transitioning for Marines and Family
 Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (central time), we invite you to chat online with Dr. Bridget Cantrell, author and expert on homecomings, PTSD, and combat recovery. The chat will be held in the MarineParents.com Chat Room. It is free and open to the public.
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| We need HELP: The Big Move |
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| Materials and Donations Drive Underway
 Our landlord has asked all tennants in our building to move by May 1. We've asked to extend to June 1 and we've had to find new office space. It's been an incredible challenge. We have so much space here and we spread out to even more during packing day--it will not be possible to afford the same.
We've found space just a few warehouses down from our current location. The lease will be signed this week. The building needs a huge amount of work for what will be used as the office space and we need your help making that happen. We'll be doing a fundraiser to collect funds for materials required for rennovation in addition to asking for donations. We hope to have to have all of the labor donated.
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| In Memory of LCpl Drew Weaver |
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| Memorial Service and Balloon Release
 Don't forget to check the Gold Star Family Support™ web site periodically as we continue to add Events, Scholarships, Foundations and Memorials to the In Memory of section.
We recently added a Memorial Service and Balloon Release that will be held to honor the memory and sacrifice of Lance Corporal Drew Weaver. The public is invited to attend the ceremony to help honor the courage and commitment of this fallen hero on February 21, 2009, at 2:30 PM, in St. Charles, MO. To learn more about this event and Lance Corporal Drew Weaver, Click here...
If you have an In Memory of Event, Scholarship, Foundation or Memorial you would like us to add to the Gold Star Family Support™ web site,
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| Our Bulldog Mascot Contest |
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Let the Voting Begin!
It's Time to VOTE! We Need YOU!
We collected hundreds of name submissions and had a tough time narrowing the choices. Now we need YOU to vote for the name of our Bulldog Mascot! Which is your favorite?
- Tank
- Sgt. Spartan
- Sproc (Corps backwards)
- Semper Fido
- MC Bulldog (MC for Marine Corps)
- Magnus Malus Gruntus (Big Bad Grunt in Latin)
CLICK HERE TO VOTE.  We've got new designs ready to go for St. Patrick's Day. Even if you're not Irish, this design is the perfect way to wear your green and show your pride in the Marine Corps at the same time!
All proceeds support MarineParents.com, Inc, an IRS approved 501(c)(3) public charity. Use Coupon code CLUNGCALMS to save $5 on an order of $50 or more through February 23.
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| Our Injured Marines Thank You |
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Operation Prayers and Letters™
 We know our Marines make tremendous sacrifices to serve and, for our Purple Heart Marines, sustaining a combat related injury was among the sacrifices made. As they struggle with recovery, they need your support in the form of prayers and letters. To date, 21,618 cards and letters have reached our injured Marines and Navy Corpsmen through Operation PAL™. Our Purple Heart Marines appreciate YOUR support and sincerely thank you. You've sent 1,707 cards and letters thus far in 2009 and we need to keep the support coming all year. There are currently 36 injured Marines and Corpsmen participating in Operation PAL™. To find out how you can show them your support, Click here... |
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Matching Gift Donations |
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Does your employer offer matching gift donations to charitable organizations?
 Many companies offer incentive programs for employees who provide financial support or volunteer time to non-profit organizations. A Matching Gift Program allows the company to match an employee's contribution to a non-profit organization. A Volunteer Incentive Program allows the company to make a contribution to an organization of the employee's choice in exchange for volunteer time at the organization.
If you are an employer or employee of a company that offers matching gift contributions to non-profit organizations, please consider registering MarineParents.com, Inc. as a benefactor for your next contribution. To obtain more information regarding these programs, please contact your Human Resources Manager for details.
For a partial list of companies that have Matching Gift Programs and/or Volunteer Incentive Programs,
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| Serving After Discharge |
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| Former Marine Provides Military Socks
 MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -When Russ Meade was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1994, the former infantryman thought his separation would be only temporary. After obtaining his college degree, he planned on returning to the Marine Corps as an officer and making it a career.
However, while in college Meade and his wife started a family, so the former war fighter, refusing to trek his family from one base to another, put his goal of seeking a commission aside and entered the civilian workforce.
Although the former devil dog is still serving his  beloved Corps, he is not doing it with a rifle in hand. Instead, he is doing his duty with socks.
Click here to read full article... |
| The Proud. . . Show YOUR Pride |
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For proud Mom, Mother, Father, Dad, Parent, Wife, Husband, Sister, Brother, Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, Fiancee, Fiance, Grandma, Grandmother, Grandpa, Grandfather, Friend, Supporter, Family Member, Step Mom, Second Mom, Father-in-Law, Mother-in-Law, Son, and/or Daughter to name a few...
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| Attention 2/1 Families! |
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Talk to your Family Readiness Officer
 The 2/1 Family Readiness Officer, or FRO, chats online with 2/1 families on the first Wednesday of every month during deployment. The FRO is YOUR source of information during deployment and this is a great opportunity for you to touch base with a representative from the Unit. For the 2/1 Chat Night Schedule, Click here...
Are you a Family Readiness Officer who would like to talk with your families in a chat room once a month? Please let us know and we'll get you set up.
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| Recruit Training |
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| A Parent's Guide to Surviving Bootcamp
 Your best resource for all things Bootcamp and recruit training are the official USMC web sites--you'll find links to official USMC websites in the Recruit Parents web site provided to you as a service of MarineParents.com.
We provide additional information in the left hand links of our web sites based on the experiences of hundreds of families who have the same kinds of questions and emotions that you do.
Did you know the USMC publishes a survival guide for Parents? It's got tons of great information.
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| Hearts of Valor Ball |
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| Share in a Patriotic Evening
 Founded in memory of Lance Corporal Phillip E. Frank, The Heart of a Marine Foundation supports military personnel from all branches of the United States Armed Forces including veterans and their families.
On Saturday, February 28, from 6:00 P.M. to 12:00 A.M. in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, The Heart of a Marine Foundation will be holding their annual fund raising event: the Hearts of Valor Ball.
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