(from your Marine, with the USMC, and with other families)

 

Care Packages

(tips, tricks and money savers for mailing to YOUR Marine)

 

Issues During Deployment

(bills, taxes, legal issues, injuries, notification from the Marine Corps)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Tip: While in our store, check in your Marine's unit store for more homecoming shirts!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting a Support Group 

Show your Marine Corps spirit and pride!  Proceeds from sales support MarineParents.com, an IRS approved 501(c)(3) public charity.

 

Semper Fi Family Wear

 

 

The Few. The Proud.

 

 

 

 

  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.

 

  Fall is finally here and we're gearing up for a busy season here at MarineParents.com. With Veteran's Day and the Marine Corps Birthday being right around the corner, it's time to gear up now for the celebrations. In this newsletter, we give you an opportunity to tell a Marine overseas "Happy Birthday" and offer unique USMC Eagle Globe and Anchor Thank a Veteran T-shirts and bumper stickers.  

 

  We've just finished a complete overhaul of The Care Package Project™ web site. If you haven't checked that out lately, please take a moment to do so. If you have a Marine overseas, be sure to request a care package for him/her in time for the November 1 shipping of the Birthday Boxes. We encourage you to visit the Operation PAL™ web site where we have added photos to our list of Marines and Navy Corpsmen in the program.  See the links on the left under "Support Our Marines!" for web sites.

 

  Attention recruit families with November graduation dates: The T-shirts are now online for all November dates for both Parris Island and San Diego. Click here for the online store.

The One Year Yellow Ribbon Devotional is a book written by two women, both married to army chaplains.  The uncertain times we live in impact our military families more than any other group. Finding support is invaluable.  You'll find this easy-to-read book offers daily strength, support, and spiritual guidance for Marine Corps families. There are particularly poignant passages for the spouses of military personnel, but parents and loved ones will find comfort and solace as well. 
 
When I started reading this book at the request of the publisher, I decided to flag the pages that were particularly powerful for me. After flagging about ten or so pages, I knew this was an important book to share with the readers of this newsletter.  There is a page for every day of the year, so it's an easy book to pick up at any time.  It sits on my nightstand now, and though I may not read a page each night, when I've had a particularly challenging day, it's very beneficial and brings peace to my mind and heart by reading a page before going to sleep.
 
I recommend this book for all military family members waiting at home during deployments. If you've got a son or daughter whose spouse is deployed, this would make a very nice gift.   Click here to order...

Our birthday box campaign is off to a slow start, and we need your help! We'll be shipping 1000 care packages to the Marines in combat zones on November 1.

 

We need more "Happy Birthday" cards. We've only received a handful and we need 1000! Please allow plenty of time for the cards to arrive to us at the following address:

The cards should be addressed to "Dear Marine" and include a personal, handwritten sentiment.  If you will be sending several cards, you may put them in one large envelope to mail to us. 

 

We've raised $642 toward our goal of $6000 to purchase content for the "Birthday Boxes".  We will be including an olive green t-shirt, a Hormel Turkey Dinner (for Thanksgiving), and a birthday cake kit for each box.  The cost will be approximately $6 per box. This cost is in addition to the funds we've already raised for shipping costs of $9850.  Please help us meet our $6000 goal by November 1 for the Marine Corps Birthday Boxes!

 

Click here to donate...

 

The Marine Corps Birthday is coming up soon and your Marine will appreciate getting a Birthday card from you. We've got unique designs for you and your Marine in our Cafe Press store. All proceeds go back to MarineParents.com. 

 

Cards can be purchased individually and are also available in packaged quantities of 10 and 20 as greeting cards and note cards.  These are the perfect choice if you'll be sending cards for the "Birthday Boxes" campaign above.

 

The "Remembering the Brave Foundation" is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to preserving the memories of our brave service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and honoring their families in their time of enormous loss.

 

They will be holding a ceremony for Gold Star family members from all branches of the service on October 25, 2008 in San Diego, California.

 

If you are a Gold Star family member or know of a Gold Star family member that would like to take attend the ceremony, please contact the organization. Use the link below to access contact information and lear more about the event.

 

 

Lt. Colonel Stephen Beck, a Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO), is the founder of the non-profit organization. Final Salute: A Story of Unfinished Lives written by Pulitzer Prize winner Jim Sheeler, follows Lt. Colonel Beck and the lives of several Gold Star family members from the time of notification. The book captures the human cost of going to war with the respect our fallen heroes deserve.

 

FARAH PROVINCE, DELARAM, Afghanistan  - School officials here were only hours away from reopening a boys' school when Taliban members crept to the school site at night and etched death threats into the newly-constructed concrete walls.

This effort by the Taliban to dissuade school officials from reopening the school proved futile, and the school's opening marked the first cooperative effort between the local Afghan community and U.S. forces to restore the education system.

Together with support from other local residents and the Marines of Task Force 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan, school officials have shown the Taliban they are eager to take back control within their community. 

November 11 is Veterans Day. Remind your friends and neighbors to "Thank a Veteran" with this great T-shirt design featuring the Marine Corps Eagle Globe and Anchor. .

 

Use coupon code WADDLEDANCE to save $5 on a $50 order. Expires October 14. All proceeds from the sale of items go to support MarineParents.com, Inc. an IRS approved 501(c)(3) public charity.

 

 

When 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.

 

Click here to read more... 

From Our Columnist Kyndra Rotunda

 

On Tuesday, September 16, 2008, I was honored to testify before Congress (Senate Judiciary Committee) in Washington D.C. The topic was Restoring the Rule of Law. Many critics claim that Guantanamo Bay is a legal black hole, and they seek to close the detention camp. I've served in Guantanamo Bay, and I disagree.

In reality, the military affords detainees held in Guantanamo Bay more rights than POWs would receive under the Geneva Conventions; while adopting rules that tie the hands of soldiers running the detention camp and put them at risk for serious harm. I think - and I told Congress - that the U.S. should restore the rule of law, to protect the troops, by doing several things - including allowing U.S. prison guards to search detainees' qu'rans for weapons.

 

MarineParents.com exhibits at the Pentagon Freedom Walk each year to promote our outreach projects-- Operation PAL™, Purple Heart Hero Support™, and The Care Package Project™. Our booth managers this year were our Volunteer Stephanie and her Marine husband Sal.  Stephanie organizes two dinners each month for injured Marines' families staying at Bethesda Naval Hospital.  

 

The MarineParents.com booth was set up where the walkers were finishing and facing toward the Pentagon Memorial that was being dedicated that week. "It was a really inspiring setting" said Sal.  "We met a lot of Marine parents and spouses, about half of whom knew of and used the MarineParents.com site and resources already." 

 

The numbers of folks that came out to support the event was phenomenal. Stephanie added "it was really amazing seeing the works of the other ASY groups.  You forget sometimes how many people dedicate so many hours and resources to support our troops and seeing so many in one place was really very cool."  

 

Thank you Stephanie and Sal for representing MarineParents.com for this fantastic event!