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MarineParents.com Newsletter
a Place to Connect & Share 
In This Issue
Deployment Learning Center
Homecoming Learning Center
Bootcamp Learning Center
Marine Corps T-Shirts & Gifts
Please Visit Our Sponsors
PTSD Symposium Scholarships
Last Chance to Register! 2009 Conference
Eagle Globe and Anchor in Color
Effects of Multiple Deployments
Chat with Expert on Homecoming
Marine Week in Chicago
Marine Awarded Highest Navy Honor
This Week in the Pentagon
Emergencies During Deployment
Attention Recruit Parents!
Proud of Your New Marine?
Wear Red Friday
$5 Coupon Hurry, Expires April 14!
Support Our Marines!
 
 
Purple Heart Hero Support™ an Outreach Program of Marine Parents.com
 
 
Team Marine Parents, an Outreach Program of Marine Parents.com 
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™
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Learning Center:
Operations Security
Operations Security OPSEC

NOTE: When communicating online, your Marine's privacy is as important as Operations Security. Please respect YOUR Marine's privacy!

Learning Center:
About Deployment
 
 
(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)
 
 
Learning Center:
About Homecoming
 
 
 
 
 
(Tip: While in our store, check in your Marine's unit store for more homecoming shirts!)
Learning Center:
Bootcamp
 
 
 
 
Unit Chat Nights 

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:
MarineParents.com Chat Gif 
Local Support Groups in Your Area
NEWEST SUPPORT
GROUPS:
  
San Diego, CA
(San Diego) 
 
Bethel, CT
(Fairfield and Putnam) 
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:
 
Marine Corps Spirit
T-shirts, Gifts & More
Show your Marine Corps spirit and pride!  Proceeds from sales support MarineParents.com, an IRS approved 501(c)(3) public charity.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Marines The Few The Proud
Visit Our Sponsors
Sign Up for the Newsletter
Join Our Mailing List
April 8, 2009
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.
 
  Spring has certainly taken our office mascot Choder, the English Bulldog, by surprise. He noticed (apparently for the first time) that the daffodils had bloomed and it shook him up enough that he reared back, stood ready, and barked at them for a good three or four minutes before realizing the flowers weren't after either of us. I patted his cute and wrinkly head to let him know he did a fine job protecting me. Somehow I was able to raise a brave Marine son but I have not been successful at raising a brave Marine bulldog I'm afraid.
 
  There are two things in this newsletter that are imperative for you to read. First, the book Souls Under Siege has finally arrived. We'll be shipping them out today. Read the book review below. This book will help you and your Marine cope with multiple deployments. Second, we've received a donation to help fund attendance at the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and Deployment Symposium. If you're in the San Diego area April 18, you can attend the symposium for the cost of lunch, $20, but you've got to register by Sunday, April 12. Read the article below.
PTSD Symposium Scholarships
Donation Helps Offset Cost; Register NOW! 
 
MarineParents.com, one of the largest and most successful civilian-run military-oriented outreach organizations in the world will host a major Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) symposium as part of the group's annual national conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in San Diego April 18, 2009, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
 
Registration for a limited time is $20 per person. The reduced pricing of the symposium is a result of a donation provided to the organization to help offset cost and encourage attendance and opportunities to learn about PTSD. 
 
Please spread the word and help us to educate friends, families and members of the community about combat recovery for our returning warriors.
 
Attendance by military personnel, military families, civilians who work with the military, medical personnel interested in learning more about PTSD, and employers hiring combat veterans is recommended. 
 
To register online, go to www.MarineConference.com and click the "Register Online" link or call the corporate office at 573-449-2003 during regular business hours.  
 
 
2009 National Conference
Captain Dale Dye, Keynote Saturday 
 
2009 Marine Conference SpeakersLast chance to register for the 5th Marine Parents conference and this will truly be our best ever! We've got a truly amazing lineup this year of speakers and guests. Register now as seating is limited and you won't want to miss our keynote speaker, Captain Dale Dye.
 
Captain Dale Dye Keynote Speaker Marine Parents Conference 2009Captain Dye is a retired Marine, author, actor and film consultant. Among his most famous achievements, he is author of the New York Times bestseller Platoon and has played characters in countless films, including Platoon and Saving Private Ryan. As a Marine, his list of achievements and medals are extraordinary, including three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Captain Dye will be our keynote speaker for the benefit dinner on Saturday, April 18, 2009.
 
Colonel Richard Simcock IIColonel Richard M. Simcock II will present a Saturday session on the famous Marine Corps Mojave Viper training.  This is the session you've been asking for, with footage and explanations of the training your Marine accomplishes prior to deployments. You've heard it from your Marine, and now you'll learn first-hand what it's all about.

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 
 
Please help us with planning and register now. Click here for registration form
 
To read more and for more information, click here...
Eagle Globe and Anchor in Color
New and Only at MarineParents.com! 

Colorful EGAs

Show your pride and your support when you purchase from MarineParents.com!
 
Blue, Red, Pink, Green, Orange, and Teal EGAs can be placed on tshirts, coffee mugs and more. Each time you buy from us, your purchase helps fund projects like The Care Package Project™ and Purple Heart Hero Support™. Marine Parents would not exist without you and we THANK YOU for your continued support!
 
Use Coupon code GATESDEGREE to save $5 on an order of $50 or more through April 14.
 
Effects of Multiple Deployments
Book: Souls Under Siege  
 
A Review From our Founder, Tracy Della Vecchia:
Souls Under Siege is another fantastic book from Dr. Bridget Cantrell and once again I read from beginning to end in a short amount of time, devouring every word. I  highly recommend her new book and it's available NOW from our corporate store.
 
PTSD Souls Under Siege Dr. Bridget Cantrell
Most combat Marines will experience at least two and often three or four deployments. How does this impact your family? What does this mean for your Marine? You need real answers and real help. Souls Under Siege: The effects of multiple troop deployments and how to weather the storm by Dr. Bridget Cantrell holds the answers.
 
The need to stay sharp and battle-ready doesn't dissipate when your Marine returns home from combat knowing he'll soon be doing another overseas tour. It's tough for them to feel like they're "home" when they need to stay sharp. Your Marine may pile the guilt of wanting to be in one place or the other instead of where he is at the moment on top of the mounting emotions of the deployment cycle. It's a tough world for our Marines and Souls Under Siege can help.
 
This is not a gloom and doom book; it's filled with real-life examples and tools for making the best of deployment vs. home emotions in this un-ending cycle. There are tools for transitioning back and forth between the civilian world and the deployed world, for you, for your Marine, and for the spouses of married Marines. This book will help you sort out the emotions and understand what YOU can do to help YOUR Marine.
 
You need to buy two of these books if you can. Buy one to read and pass it around to every member of your family.  Buy a second copy for your Marine to read and pass around to his or her brothers in arms. No military family in today's society should be without this book.
 
Chat with Expert on Homecoming
Warrior Transitioning for Marines and Family 
 
PTSD Expert Bridget CantrellMonday, April 13th, 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.
 
Dr. Cantrell is co-author of the critically acclaimed Downrange to Iraq and Back, and Once a Warrior: Wired for Life. Her third book, Souls Under Siege, addresses the impact of multiple deployments on our warriors.  All three books can be ordered online through MarineParents.com. 
 
Marine Week in Chicago
MarineParents.com to Participate

Marine Week in Chicago

General James T. Conway announced inaugural Marine Week activities held in partnership with the great city of Chicago from 11-17 May 2009.
 
"Established to recognize the contributions of local Marine heroes, their families, and the cities from which they came, Marine Week also showcases the rich history and traditions of our beloved Corps," said General Conway.
 
Marine Parents will participate in the proclamation ceremony at the beginning of the week and further details of our participation are in the works, more details will be available in the next newsletter.

For more information on Marine Week in Chicago or to read General Conway's full statement, Click here...
Marine Awarded Highest Navy Honor
Recognized for Actions in Afghanistan
 
Marine Awarded Highest Navy HonorTWENTYNINE PALMS  - 
Lance Cpl. Brady's parents describe him as "reserved, loyal, stubborn and determined."
 
This was proven in action July 21, 2008.
 
His loyalty to his fellow Marines, his stubborn nature when he refused medical treatment and his determination under enemy fire as a machine gunner with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment earned him the Navy Cross, and a place among the ranks of such Marine Corps legends as Lewis 'Chesty' Puller, Daniel 'Dan' Daly and John Basilone.

He received this medal, the highest awarded by the Navy, for his deployment to Afghanistan is support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
 
This Week in the Pentagon
Keeping Marine Parents Informed 
 
Pentagon ChannelInforming is a crucial part of the mission at MarineParents.com. As declared in our mission statement, we strive to "provide reliable resources for information about the United States Marine Corps." 
 
With this objective in mind we bring you a new page on the web site containing weekly news videos from the Pentagon. 
 
"This Week in the Pentagon" allows you to keep up with reliable news coming straight from the Department of Defense. Check this new informational page weekly!
 
Emergencies During Deployment
Contacting the American Red Cross   
 
American Red CrossIf you have a family emergency during your Marine's deployment and feel you need to contact the Marine, your best course of action is to contact the American Red Cross.
 
The Red Cross should also be contacted for birth announcements of a Marine's new baby. Please be aware that contact from the Red Cross will alert your Marine to a serious condition at home.

The Red Cross has guidelines they must follow for qualifying emergency notification to your Marine. With improved speed in communication via the Internet and MotoMail, it may be possible for you to deliver unexpected news to your Marine without alerting the Red Cross.
Attention Recruit Parents!
Show Your Pride at Graduation
 
We've got new designs for Recruit Graduation and when you buy from us, your purchase supports Marine Parents and our many outreach projects!

New Recruit Graduation Designs Available

We hope you enjoy your new Marine's graduation and we THANK YOU for your support!  

Click here to shop...

Proud of Your New Marine?
Press Release Template for Recruit Parents 
 
Mom Hug 2Many Recruit Parents ask for a sample template they could use to send their local papers a press release upon their recruit's graduation from bootcamp. We're here to help and we have a template for you.
 
For a press release template you can send to your local newspaper along with a photo of your new Marine, Click HERE...
Support Our Troops: Wear Red on Friday
Wear Red on Friday
 
Join the "Wear Red Friday" campaign to show your support of our troops!  We've opened up a brand new line in our online store--you get the quality and service you've come to expect, and you can help encourage those in your community to "Support Our Troops: Wear Red on Friday!"  We've got yard signs and red t-shirts for every family member and everyone in your office! Check it out today:
 
 
 
We've added a new design. Red shirts with white letters on the front:
"Red Friday...it's a military thing"
 
Remember, all proceeds from sale of products in our stores go to support the organization MarineParents.com, Inc. and our outreach projects. MarineParents.com is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) Public Charity.

We hope this week's edition of our email newsletter has been useful for you and your family. If there are topics you would like us to address, or if you have other suggestions for the newsletter, please contact us.

The banner used at the top of this newsletter is a March, 2009 USMC Photo by Lance Corporal James Purschwitz. Marines from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, participate in immediate action drills during combined training exercise Mojave Viper at Twentynine Palms, Calif. Click here to read additional credits. 
 
MarineParents.com, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity. MarineParents.com, Inc. was founded in January, 2003 in response to parents' needs to find information and to have a Place to Connect & Share™ with one another during deployments. Our free online services and connections have expanded to support and educate Marine moms & dads, spouses, families and friends and we'll be offering our 5th Conference in San Diego in April, 2009. We've helped over 40,000 Marine and recruit families during bootcamp, training, active duty and deployments. We've shipped thousands of care packages overseas to our Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, sent thousands of prayers and letters to injured Marines and served hundreds of lunches to families caring for their Marines at Bethesda Hospital. You've found a Place to Connect & Share™. 
God Bless and Semper Fidelis,
 

Tracy Della Vecchia
Founder and Executive Director
MarineParents.com, Inc.
 
Neither the United States Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense has approved, endorsed, or authorized this service.
Marines Establish 1775$5 Off Coupon
Receive $5 off any order of $50 or more.  Enter coupon code DWELTAWAIT
 
HURRY! Offer expires April 1!
 
NOTE: All proceeds are used in support of MarineParents.com, Inc., an IRS approved 501(c)(3) public charity.
New "Heart USMC" Design! Check these out!