Close Window Archive Copies of Newsletter Print
Marine Parents Logo a Place to Connect and Share 
MarineParents.com Newsletter
a Place to Connect & Share 
In This Issue
Deployment Learning Center
Homecoming Learning Center
Marine Corps T-Shirts & Gifts
Please Visit Our Sponsors
New Item! Polo Shirts
We've Moved
Souls Under Siege
Volunteers Awarded
Session for Parents
Progress in Farah
Suspending Cell Phone Service
Bulldog Mania
Survival Tips for Recruit Parents
$5 Coupon Hurry, Expires July 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!)
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
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
July 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.
 
You've been asking and we've been listening! We're excited to bring you a brand new product. Our polo-style shirts with an embroidered Marine Corps Eagle Globe and Anchor in three fantastic colors are perfect to wear to the office. See the article and link to order online below.
 
We want to extend a prayer to the families whose Marines are serving in Afghanistan during these difficult times. Our prayers are with you and your Marine.
New Item! Polo Shirts
With Embroidered Eagle Globe and Anchor 
 
New! Marine Corps Polo ShirtsThis quality shirt is perfect for every Marine parent, spouse, friend and family member!  Whether your need a shirt for graduation, to support the troops for "Wear Red Friday" or any other day of the week, ours offers the professionalism and style you've been asking for!
 
The polo-style sport shirts are 100% cotton and available in Red, Yellow, and Navy. Recruit parents and family members can order by battalion color. 
 
The Marine Corps emblem - Eagle Globe and Anchor - is embroidered at the top left of the shirts in gold on the red and navy shirts, or in red on the yellow shirts. Our Marine Corps polo shirts are "unisex" and truly wear well for both men and women.
 
Show your pride and support for every occasion, from professional to casual!  All proceeds go to support MarineParents.com, and IRS approved 501(c)(3) public charity. 
 
We've Moved!
Well... Sort of 
 
For those of you that have been following along as we've been renovating a warehouse for our new office, you may already know that we've moved--well, sort of.  The new location is a warehouse that we're renovating into office space. As renovations and construction go, our plans to have completed space by now have not quite panned out just yet. 
 
But we have moved the office into the warehouse in what we've dubbed as the "temporary office space" for now, while we finish the renovation on the office side of the building. We appreciate your continued support and will keep you updated as we make further progress. We're shooting for August 3rd for our FINAL move date! 
 
Souls Under Siege Review
"Must Read for Multiple Deployers" 
 
PTSD Souls Under Siege Dr. Bridget CantrellSouls Under Siege: the Effects of Multiple Troop Deployments - and How to Weather the Storm is the third book written by homecoming expert Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D.
 
If you've got a son or daughter experiencing multiple deployments, you'll want to send them a copy of this book.  
 
In his review, active duty service member Matthew D. Cates declares the book a "Must Read for Multiple Deployers." See his review below:
 
   Downrange again? Me, too. It sucks and I'm ready to get back home... so I can start counting the days until I have to leave again!
 
   Will the war end any time soon? Will the ops tempo slacken so we can spend more time with our families? We can hope... but we should prepare to go back out again. This book helps.
 
   Dealing with both the stress of leaving and the stress of returning, Dr. Cantrell's third book on the subject is another home run. 
 
 
Volunteers Awarded
President's Volunteer Service Award 
 
Marine Parents Volunteers AwardedMarine Parents is a non-profit organization that relies largely on the time and talent of numerous volunteers - answering phone calls and emails, moderating message boards and chat rooms, from holding fund raisers and soliciting donations to managing various components of outreach programs, Marine Parents Volunteers do it all!
 
Many Marine Parents Volunteers recently received The President's Volunteer Service Award. As stated by the President's Council:
 
"This Award recognizes your dedication to volunteer service and signifies that you have served your community and your country with distinction. Through your volunteer efforts, you are demonstrating values that make our nation strong and you are helping to build a culture of citizenship, service and responsibility in America." 

Read more and view the list of recipients, Click here...
September Session for Parents
Marine Corps Family Team Building 
 
Marine Corps Family Team BuildingL.I.N.K.S. - brought to you by Marine Corps Family Team Building - recognizes that for many of our Marines, their parents and extended family members play a major role in their lives, providing them both support and advice.
 
L.I.N.K.S. offers an orientation to the Marine Corps lifestyle, helping the participant better understand the unique challenges military life often presents.
 
Join them Monday, September 14, 2009, from 0800 - 1630 at the San Luis Rey MCFTB Family Readiness Center on Camp Pendleton. Registration is required, call (760) 725-9052.
 
For PDF version of LINKS for Parents Flyer, Click here.
Gauging Progress in Farah
New Roadways, Medical Facilities and More
 
Progress in Farah
FARAH PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan  -
 
"Everyone always looks forward to going outside the wire on missions," said an infantryman who provides security for Provincial Reconstruction Team-Farah in Afghanistan's Farah province. "They enjoy meeting the local population and watching the children play. That's our motivation, to see how happy the children are and that they now have a future ahead of them."

Smith, from West Frankfort, Ill., continued to express satisfaction with the accomplishments made by his team and the PRT they've supported throughout their deployment as his humvee led a convoy down Highway 517 near the Farah District.
 
Deployment Issues
Suspending Cell Phone Service
 
Suspending Cell Phone ServiceIn many instances, cell phone providers may ask for a copy of the military orders before allowing a military suspension on accounts and services. See this link for more information:  Orders (Copy of)... 
 
All cell phone providers should offer a military suspension for cell phone service regardless of the contract. Keep in mind, the contract will still be in place, and the Marine will have to re-open the account when he/she returns stateside.
 
Upon return, the contract picks up where it was suspended. For instance, if your Marine was in a 24-month contract, had used 6 months of service prior to deployment, the contract will have an additional 18 months that will be re-instated upon return. 
 
Bulldog Mania
Only at MarineParents.com!  
 
Bulldog ManiaThe bulldog has been the unofficial mascot of the United States Marine Corps since the early 1900s. Over the years, bulldogs have been depicted in many variations on posters, T-shirts and more.
 
This particular bulldog is unique to Marine Parents and, based on your vote, we call him "Semper Fido."
 
Semper Fido can be printed in a variety of forms on T-shirts and many other items - like the travel coffee mug or the license plate frame shown here.
 
It's Bulldog Mania and the options are endless!
 
Get your unique bulldog gear at Marine Parents and your purchase supports the outreach programs.
 
Use Coupon code POPPYDEGREE to save $5 on an order of $50 or more through July 14.
Survival Tips for Recruit Parents
Five Rules to Remember
 
Survival Tips for Recruit ParentsWhen your son or daughter leaves for Marine Corps recruit training, you begin a new journey to become a Marine Parent. The pride is indescribable, but you may feel you are in a different world with a whirlwind of emotions and never-ending questions. We have five very important survival tips for recruit parents, and you'll be glad you know them.
 
1. Write letters--a lot of letters.
Your Recruit is homesick. Very, very homesick. Write lots of letters and then write some more. Keep them upbeat. Send a small photo or two. DO NOT decorate the outside of the envelope with drawings, stickers, or write any text other than the address and your return address (and no spritz of perfume either). This will cause unnecessary attention from the DI and your recruit does not want to draw the attention of the DI during mail call.
 
Attention Recruit Parents!
Want more bootcamp articles? 

Coming Soon! Recruit Parents Newsletter

Sign up for the new Recruit Parents Newsletter!
 
Starting Next Week! Every first and third Wednesday of the month we will release a newsletter dedicated specifically to recruit training.
 
Sign up at the bottom of any page on MarineParents.com. Enter your email address and click 'Submit' to update your profile. Instructions for updating your profile will then be emailed to you and you will want to make sure you check the Recruit Parents Newsletter box!
 
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 July, 2009 USMC Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Scott Dunn of a First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion vehicle disembarking from a Navy air-cushioned landing craft to conduct the tactical recovery of a simulated missing pilot. 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 POPPYDEGREE
 
HURRY! Offer expires July 14!
 
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!