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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
Marine Families Share Weekend
For Marine Moms on Mothers Day
Military Appreciation Month
Digital World Creates Threat
National Volunteer Week
LCpl Leon B Deraps Scholarship
Mother's Day Gift Ideas
Legal Issues for Deployed Marines
Marine Week in Chicago
Bootcamp Graduation
Wear Red Friday
Marines Headed for Afghanistan
$5 Coupon Hurry, Expires April 29!
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
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 23, 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.
 
  Mothers' Day is around the corner and I want to extend a request to each of you to reach out to the Mothers of our military personnel on May 10th. Extend a personal thank you to them for raising a son or daughter willing to serve our great nation. Reach out to the wives of our deployed Marines with children at home, to let them know you are thinking of them on this Mothers' Day.
 
  This past weekend in San Diego was an incredible way to replenish spirits and truly understand the meaning of Semper Family.  Always Marine Family was felt by all participants, speakers, guests, and Marines in attendance. The gathering allowed each of us a drink from the well of fortitude, ready to forge ahead with another year of support for one another and for our Marines.
Marine Families Share Weekend
5th National Conference Success   
 
2009 Marine Parents Conference Collage of PhotosMarines are known for their ability to "adapt and overcome." At the 5th National Marine Parents Conference, we found that Marine families also possess that skill.

A glitch prevented the National Anthem from playing and one voice began, "Oh, say, can you see..." The whole room quickly joined, "by the dawn's early light." The Color Guard Marines later said it was a motivating moment for them.

It was but one of many inspirational moments throughout the course of the weekend.
 
Gunny Pop shared stories of courage and recovery. Captain Dye spoke of entering the Marine Corps family again through his daughter's marriage to a Marine.
 
Dr. Bridget Cantrell shared her expertise on combat recovery and Lieutenant Colonel Kopelman shared his canine family member.  
 
Corporal Mankin filled the room with positive energy and his hugs let you know you're with family.
 
Gold Star families were presented with original framed Iraqi ballots and Purple Heart Marines were presented with handmade quilts.
 
To all our Marine Corps family members who could not be there, we want you to know you were missed. We sincerely hope you can join us next year in New Orleans for what's sure to be another inspirational weekend of "connecting and sharing."
 
A slide show of photos will be added to the conference website in the next few weeks. It will be online at www.MarineConference.com.
Merchandise for Marine Moms
Only at MarineParents.com! 

Mother's Day May 10th

When purchased from MarineParents.com, Mother's Day gifts also support Marine families!

Tshirt designs include "Marine Mom" dog tags, My Son is my Hero and The Few The Proud The Mother of a Marine.
 
 
Use Coupon code GATESHEIGHT to save $5 on an order of $50 or more through April 29.
Military Appreciation Month
Express Your Appreciation in May 

National Military Appreciation Month 2009

May is Military Appreciation Month. Please take a moment to consider how you can express your appreciation for all the sacrifices our service members make for us.
 
Can't come up with any ideas? We wanted to share a dozen ideas with you but, we just couldn't stop ourselves at twelve. Feel free to do a few or do them all!
  • Buy a pair (or more) of Covert Threads military socks to send to Marines overseas through The Care Package Project™. We will take care of the shipping for you! Click here to learn how...

Click here for more ideas...

Digital World Creates Threat
Safeguarding Marines' Information 
 
Digital World Creates ThreatJapan - Cases of Marines, sailors and family members falling victim to identity theft locally and via the Internet is on the rise this year.
 
The Criminal Investigation Department with the Provost Marshal's Office wants to inform station members how to combat the growing issue of identity theft.

The different ways station members can fall victim to identity theft is through stolen mail, checkbooks, credit cards and via the Internet.

"We have seen a lot of people being victims of identity theft over the Internet," said Michael Valadez, an agent with CID. "People get bated into providing their information to these sites or e-mails they receive requesting their information to be updated."

Key-logger programs that can record everything a person types are unsuspectingly embedded on computers and used as another tool against unsuspecting victims via the Internet.
 
National Volunteer Week
Volunteers Working For You  
 
Everybody can be great.  Because anybody can serve.  You don't have to have a college degree to serve.  You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love.  ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
April 19-25 is National Volunteer Week.
 
MarineParents.com currently has 67 active volunteers, not including the outreach projects' volunteers. So far this year, 7,256 volunteer hours have been clocked working on the web site, chat rooms and message boards as a service to Marine families everywhere.  
 
In honor of our volunteers and in conjunction with National Volunteer Week, take a moment to thank a volunteer today. 
LCpl Leon B Deraps Memorial
5 Mile Run/Walk/Ride 
 
Leon B DerapsThe LCpl. Leon B. Deraps Memorial 5 Mile Run/Walk/Ride (Bicycle or Motorcycle) will be held Saturday, May 9th, 2009. Shorter routes will be available upon request.
 
Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. at the new Advanced Chimney Location at the intersection of Highway 179/Highway 87 in Jamestown, Missouri. The Run/Walk/Ride will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will proceed to the Assumption Catholic Church & Cemetery in Cedron. Mass will be said in Leon's honor at 1:00 p.m.
 
The cost is $25.00 per person the day of the Run/Walk/Ride and all proceeds will benefit The Leon Deraps Memorial Scholarship Fund.
 
 
Can't make the event but want to support The Leon Deraps Memorial Scholarship Fund? Please contact Kim Barbour at kim@millardfamilychapels.com or Omie Johnson at omie@c-magic.com.
Mother's Day Gift Ideas
Your Purchase Supports Marine Parents 
 
Devil Dog Chow Marine Corps Family CookbookAn amazing collection of recipes and inspiration. The Devil Dog Chow Cookbook is a perfect addition to any collection of cookbooks or Marine Corps memorabilia and a great gift idea for any Mom.
Marine Parents Lapel Pin
The beautiful Marine Parents gold-tone lapel pin makes a really special gift. You can tell your Mother, with the purchase of her gift, $5 was donated to Purple Heart Hero Support™ to provide support for families waiting at the bedside of their injured Marines. 
 
Legal Issues for Deployed Marines
Pre-Deployment Legal Briefings 
 
Legal Issues for Deployed MarinesThe SJA's Legal Assistance Office for MCIEAST/MCB Camp Lejeune produced a number of educational training videos.
 
The videos contain Pre-Deployment Legal Briefings covering topics like Power of Attorney, Wills, and the Service Member Civil Relief Act.

If you have legal questions prior to your son or daughter deploying, these educational videos may contain just the information you're looking for.
 
Schedule of Events Released
Marine Week in Chicago May 11-17, 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 Week in Chicago

May 11-17, 2009 the city of Chicago opens its doors to nearly 2,000 Marines who will participate in various community activities throughout the Chicagoland area.
 
There will be performances by the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, as well as The Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, a few times throughout the week.  All events are free and open to the public so mark your calendars! 
Planning for Bootcamp Graduation
Helpful Information for Recruit Parents 
 
Planning for Bootcamp GraduationAs planning for bootcamp graduation begins, many recruit parents find themselves overwhelmed by an extensive list of questions and concerns: What do I wear to graduation? What do I need for base access? Can I take photos on The Depot?
 
We know the list of questions can seem never-ending, but RecruitParents.com is here to help as you plan for graduation.   
 
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 an April, 2009 USMC Photo by Cpl. Meg Murray of two U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters taking off from Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. 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 GATESHEIGHT
 
HURRY! Offer expires April 29!
 
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!