The deployments of some 4,000 Marines already in Iraq’s Anbar province will be extended as part of the overall “surge” of troops announced by President Bush on Wednesday night.

The extensions involve two infantry battalions and a Marine expeditionary unit: 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.; 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, based at Twentynine Palms, Calif.; and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The 15th MEU includes Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, and Combat Logistics Battalion 15, both based at Pendleton, and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.

We offer unit-specific chat nights to help families connect with one another during deployments. Many battalions have a unit chat night. Visit the links for more information, and let us know if you would like to start a unit chat night for your Marine's battalion.

The 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) have a unit chat night scheduled for this evening, Thursday, January 11, 2007 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Central Time. The chat rooms and moderated for safety and to assure compliance with OPSEC (Operational Security).

Overwhelmed with the prospect of sending your recruit off to bootcamp? We offer "a Place to Connect & Share%trade;" putting friends and family members from each graduating platoon together on message boards and chat rooms for support and encouragement. The bootcamp section of the web site includes the training matrix, what to expect from the USMC, graduation information and much more.

Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D., author of the acclaimed PTSD Book "Downrange to Iraq and Back" will participate in a monthly online discussion group sponsored by MarineParents.com, Inc.

Discussions are held from 8:15-10:00 p.m. central time. Dr. Cantrell's next discussion will be held Friday, January 19, 2007. We will arrange for one day each month during the remainder of 2007 as well. Please check back for updates to the scheduled discussion groups. There is no fee to attend the online discussion group.

The topic of discussion for this online group is post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Military personnel and spouses or family members who would like to learn more about PTSD are invited to attend. The format for the discussion group will be a structured online chat. Questions will be submitted to the room moderator by attendees, then sent to Dr. Cantrell one at a time, much like a radio talk show. Dr. Cantrell will then respond to the question in the chat room for all participants to read.

Register early for the 2007 Annual National MarineParents.com Conference and save $20 per person! Registration fees include all events and all meals at the fabulous Adam's Mark Hotel in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The conference is held the weekend of April 20-22, 2007.

Who Should Attend:

• Parents, Spouses, Family members of United States Marines and Navy, Recruits, and Poolies
• Supporters of the United States Marines Corps and the US Navy
• United States Marines and Navy in active duty, reserve duty, Retired and former Marines and Navy

Embrace all the conference has to offer!

• Three-Day Conference Packed with Speakers, Authors, Exhibits, Programs, Workshops and Breakout Sessions
  Beginning at noon on Friday, April 20, 2007 and closing at noon on Sunday, April 22, 2007 this three-day conference is packed with esprit de corps and the bonding atmosphere of United States Marine Corps and Navy families.
• All Meals Included with the Registration Fee
  Enjoy gourmet dining from the exquisite chef at Adam's Mark Downtown St. Louis, including Dinner on Friday, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on Saturday, and Breakfast on Sunday. Cash bar available on Friday and Saturday during dinner.
• Prominent Speakers
  Keynote address by LtGen George R. Christmas, USMC Retired and prominent guest speakers including Col. Jack Jackson, USMC Retired, Mike Colson, former Navy Commander, and Col. Bryan P. McCoy, USMC.
• Authors' Hall
  Meet prominent authors during the Friday and Saturday Authors' Hall. Bring your books, or buy the books on site, to have each author personally autograph your copy!
• Pre-conference Workshops
  On Friday afternoon you have the opportunity to attend two pre-conference workshops to learn more about MarineParents.com, Inc. Meet Tracy Della Vecchia, founder of MarineParents.com, Inc. and the volunteers who make the web site happen.
• 12 Breakout Session titles to choose from on Saturday
  A full day of breakout sessions on Saturday to educate, support, enlighten, and entertain. There are four different times for breakout sessions on Saturday including discussion panels, informational presentations, and hands-on workshops. In response to last year's request, the most popular sessions will run in duplicate morning and afternoon to make sure you don't miss important opportunities.
• Hospitality Room and Networking Opportunities
  Meet and network with other family members in the Hospitality Room which will be open during the entire conference. You'll have opportunities to meet and network with family members during breakfasts, lunch, and dinners. The Hospitality Room will include exhibits of MarineParents.com projects and activities.
• Scrapbook Sunday
  In addition to the breakfast and fellowship on Sunday morning, conference attendees will be given an opportunity to create a scrap book page of their Marine and family for inclusion in the 2007 Conference Scrapbook. Supplies will be provided on site.
• Silent Auction
  Bid on great items and one-of- a-kind military memorabilia during the Silent Auction on Friday. Winners to be announced after Friday evening's program.
• Exhibits
  We offer three different exhibits this year. Including Our Heroes' Exhibit, a variety of vendors all day Saturday, and an ongoing exhibit of MarineParents.com projects and activities.

Every Marine is assigned to a unit or battalion in the Marine Corps. Often, finding information about that particular unit can be challenging. Our database includes virtually every unit in the Marine Corps and includes base locations, current station, phone numbers, the unit FRO (Family Readiness Officer, a contact for family members), and links to the unit’s message boards and chat night schedule.

Lieutenant Gen. John Amos, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, has approved a new training concept that will help to better prepare Marines mentally and physically for combat.

Top photo of newsletter courtesy of USMC.