MARINE CORPS FAMILY TEAM BUILDING

The Core
V O LU M E 2 , I SS U E 1

1 J A N U A RY 20 1 0

Message from Lt General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr.

Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force
Commander, USMC Forces Central Command

Commanding General’s I MEF Family Readiness Intent

PURPOSE: The Family Readiness Program is intended to provide resource information and training in addition to support
services to enhance a Marine’s personal and family readiness.

METHOD: In implementing our I MEF family readiness program, we will:

• Treat our families with dignity and respect.

• Maintain operational security and personal confidentiality.

• Aggressively provide accurate, timely information to our families. Where we can, we’ll provide our
families with predictability.

• Ensure that all of our families are provided the appropriate level of support. We’ll pay particular
attention to the families of our reinforcements from the reserve component and the families of our
individual augments.

• Constantly communicate and coordinate with local and regional MCCS activities to ensure that our family
readiness programs are properly focused and responsive.

• Adjust our programs to reflect changing needs in a dynamic environment.

END STATE: A relevant, adaptive, and comprehensive family readiness program that meets the needs of our families and
enhances their quality of life.

At the Helm
Meghan K. Jones, Director
WOW! Can you believe it is 2010? The
Family Readiness Center saw its share of
action this past year from monthly Unit
Family Readiness meetings and social events,
pre-deployment briefs, return and reunions,
social club meetings, PME’s and MCCS
trainings and workshops. The New Year
brings exciting training opportunities
including bi-monthly In the Midst sessions
open to all spouses aboard Camp Pendleton
focused on taking care of YOU! As you
make your resolutions for the year, why not
become involved with the L.I.N.K.S.
Program either as part of the Hospitality
Team and/or as a Mentor, sharing your
knowledge and experience with spouses new
to the Marine Corps. Bring your Marine or
Sailor in for the 7 Habits of Highly Effective
Marine Corps
Military Families and learn new ways to Family Team
build a strong foundation for your family
through communication and fun. If you’re
Building
Bldg 1795
like me, your world is constantly changing. Camp Pendleton, CA 92055
Who Moved My Cheese: Moving Beyond the (760) 725-9052
Fear of Change is an entertaining workshop
following four mice on their journey in the
pursuit of cheese! Learn new ways to “What lies behind us
remove the obstacles that prohibit positive and what lies before
change. If you’re new to Camp Pendleton, us are tiny matters
stop by and pick up our latest class schedule. compared to what
We provide free childcare for all of our lies within us.”
classes. The MCFTB staff wishes each of
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
you a successful and happy New Year.
 PAGE 2
CREDO: Who Cares For Our FRO’s?
LT Edward Waldron
Like all caregivers, the Family
Readiness Officer (FRO) is
susceptible to care fatigue. Care
fatigue happens when the caregiver
becomes overwhelmed by the job and
becomes tired and frustrated. “Red
flags” associated with care fatigue can
be broken down into four Compassion
Fatigue markers: cognitive; emotional;
behavioral; and spiritual. If allowed to
fester, care fatigue can lead to
symptoms including a lowering of our
anger threshold, avoiding people,
taking work home, and just wanting to
quit. It can be unsettling because the
caregiver may start to dislike the very
people he or she is there to support.
Every FRO needs to recognize that
care fatigue is a common problem for
all caregivers, including nurses,
chaplains, and counselors.
How does one deal with care fatigue?
The key is balance in our personal
Readiness and Deployment Support
Brandie Anderson and Heather Mendiaz, Readiness and Deployment Support Trainers
2009 was a busy year for MCFTB and
Readiness and Deployment Support
with our first ever Parent Support
Group and the creation of our
base-wide In the Midst for Spouses.
On Saturday, 5 December, 2009,
MCFTB proudly hosted the first
Parent Focus Group aboard Camp
Pendleton. The Marine Corps’
expanded definition of family, “born
into, sworn into and married into,” has
welcomed a new demographic to the
Family Readiness paradigm. As the
number of parents attending our
classes and briefs continues to rise, so
does the need for parent focused
information.
During the event, participants were
separated into groups to discuss
pre-deployment, return and
reintegration, and corps knowledge.
Through discussion and corresponding
focus questions, we gathered key
life and professional development.
Seeking out ways to relax after a
hectic day at work, keeping a sense of
humor, being physically active, and
maintaining personal space, which can
be very difficult for a working parent,
are all key components to finding that
life balance. While all of these are
well-known personal maintenance
techniques, many individuals still
suffer from care fatigue.
CREDO developed a one-day seminar
for FRO’s that was held on 8
December 2009 at the San Luis Rey
Marine Corps Family Team Building
Family Readiness Center. FRO’s
from Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps
Air Station Miramar, and Twenty-nine
Palms were invited to gain knowledge
on topics including care fatigue and its
causes and remedies, as well as
developing a personal mission
statement. Participants also received
information and ideas from parents on
improving our programs at MCFTB to
best serve the needs of Marine parents.
We look forward to using the feedback
we received to develop curriculum
with a parent emphasis. Thank you to
the parents who attended. We had a
wonderful time meeting and sharing
information and knowledge.
On the spouse side, MCFTB offers a
fun, educational and rejuvenating
bi-monthly workshop just for Marine
Corps spouses called In the Midst.
Addressing many of the challenges
that military life embodies, In the
Midst is a day specifically designed to
enhance and enrich inner strength and
endurance through an emphasis on
goal setting, communication, and
personal development. Spouses of
deployed Marines can also look
forward to interactive sessions
including belly dancing, self defense
and yoga.
V O LU M E 2 , I SS U E 1
information on coping with shifting
belief systems, which can occur after
experiencing a stressful or traumatic
situation. Learning to recognize this
shift is key, as it often goes unnoticed
by the individual but is recognized by
those around him or her. Dealing and
communicating with difficult people
was also discussed, as this can be
another source of stress.
FRO’s had the opportunity to share
experiences with one another, learn
self-relaxation techniques, and gain
the ability to recognize care fatigue
before it becomes a problem. The
knowledge and skills obtained
through this seminar will assist FRO’s
in helping military families deal with
a variety of issues, including combat
stress.
2010’s In the Midst schedule will kick
off with a Spa theme on 8 January.
Mrs. Jennifer McGimsey of Peace,
Love and Yoga will foster finding
balance and inner potential through
yoga. Project FOCUS will help
participants learn coping skills to
reinforce and protect emotional
resiliency, and Counseling Services
will round out the event with an
innovative class using art for
individual expression.
The next In the Midst will occur on 17
March from 0900 to 1300 with an
“Around the World” theme. 4 Lenses
will foster development of a greater
sense of self by revealing whether you
are an orange, green, blue or gold.
Belly dancing will engage the body’s
core and sense of rhythm, and Project
Focus will assist in enhancing
communication skills. Please register
by calling (760)725-9052.
THE CORE
Get to Know a FRO
Melinda Willett, Wounded Warrior Battalion
Melinda Willett joined the Wounded
Warrior Battalion as the Family
Readiness Officer in 2009 October;
however, she had been at the
Battalion as a volunteer since August
2006. In March 2006, Melinda
became a volunteer for the American
Red Cross when her oldest son, Navy
Lt. Matthew Willett, was deployed to
Iraq. “I couldn’t do anything to help
my son, but I could help someone
else’s son.” As soon as the Wounded
Warrior Center opened, she began
volunteering with them.
According to Melinda, the job of
Family Readiness Officer is a
natural progression in her life. She
was commissioned into the Marine
Corps following college and spent
the next nine years on active duty.
During this time she met her
husband, retired LtCol Bryce Willett.
A year after the birth of her first
child, Melinda left active duty and
joined the reserves. For the next
several years she moved between the
Who Moved My Cheese?
Miguel Juarez, LifeSkills Trainer
With winter coming and a need for
firewood, I decided to chop down a
dead tree in my yard. I planned for the
tree fall in my yard. As I hacked away
with my axe, I finally got to the point
where I could let the tree fall. The tree
ended up landing on the wrought iron
fence that I shared with my neighbor.
My initial plan had been destroyed.
Now what would I do? I started
thinking, “If only I had...”
As negative thoughts raced through
my mind, I remembered what I teach
in “Who Moved My Cheese?”, a
training program based on Dr. Spencer everyone because the Marine Corps
Johnson’s international bestselling
book by the same name. The goal of
the workshop is to help people deal
with difficult changes through a better overcoming.”
understanding of change and learning
PAGE 3
active reserves and the IRR while she “It is a privilege to continue working
completed her family. In December of with Marines and serving their
1990, Melinda was activated to serve families. I feel like I have come full
during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. circle. I have been a Marine, part of a
She served at the Twelfth Marine Marine’s family and now a Marine
Corps District for a short period of Corps Family Readiness Officer.”
time and returned home, where she
gave birth to her fifth child. She
eventually retired as a Major.
The Willett Family: L to R from bottom—Melinda,
The tradition of service to country has Bryce; daughter-in-law Sarah, grandson Rowan, son
been passed on to her children. Three Matthew; daughter Devon with fiancée Todd; son
of her children, Lt. Matthew Willett,
Paul, daughter Maggie, & son Peter
Lt. Devon Willett and Ensign Peter
Willett are currently stationed on the
East Coast. Family Readiness
Officers take care of the whole
family, the one you are born into,
sworn into, and married into. She feels
she has experienced all of these. She
has experienced deployments as a
Marine, as the spouse of a Marine and
as the mother of active duty children.
These experiences have given her an
insight and understanding that she
brings to her job and the families of the
Wounded Warrior Battalion.
valuable skills that allow one to face Back to the tree. I went next door and
change with less stress and more apologized to my neighbor, who was
success. The fun and interactive setting very understanding. I purchased a
includes watching an animated movie small electric chain saw, doubtful that
based on the book, as well as it could accomplish the mission. I
discussions and an assessment to began to cut the tree, and the chain
discover which character of the story is saw completed the job quickly. I now
most like you. have a new chainsaw, a better rapport
with my neighbor, and a stack of
“The enthusiastic learning environment firewood for the winter. Who says
makes the class more engaging,” said change is bad?
Tejal A. Bhakta, a Marine Corps
spouse. “The class teaches people to be “Who Moved My Cheese?” is
more open to change, adapt and become available to military family members,
more ready. I recommend this class to service members, Family Readiness
Officers, and Department of Defense
lifestyle has a lot of changes and it employees. Registration is required
makes families more receptive to and on-site childcare is available at no
change by recognizing, preparing and cost to participants on a first-come,
first-serve basis.
 Upcoming Classes Offered By Marine Corps Family Team Building
Wednesday, 6 January
Friday, 8 January
Saturday, 9 January
Tuesday, 12 January
Tuesday-Thursday, 12-14 January
Wednesday-Thursday, 13-14 January
Wednesday, 20 January
Thursday, 21 January
Tuesday, 26 January
Thursday, 28 January
Wednesday-Thursday, 3-4 February
Monday-Tuesday, 8-9 February
Tuesday & Thursday, 9 & 11 February
Tuesday, 9 February
Wednesday, 10 February
Thursday, 18 February
Saturday, 20 February
Tuesday, 23 February
Tuesday, 2 March
Wednesday, 3 March
Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11 March
Wednesday-Thursday, 10-11 March
Saturday, 13 March
Tuesday, 16 March
Wednesday, 17 March
Thursday, 18 March
Saturday, 20 March
Tuesday, 23 March
Wednesday, 31 March
L.I.N.K.S. Then and Now: It’s Not Just for Spouses Anymore
Christina Actis, L.I.N.K.S. Trainer
In 1995, a group of Marine Corps
spouses met in Leesburg, Virginia to
develop a spouse education program to
empower new or young spouses by
providing information necessary to have
a successful personal and family life
while their sponsor was on active duty.
The aim was to have an independent, all-
volunteer program open to all spouses of
active-duty Marines.
General Charles Krulak, Commandant of
the Marine Corps, gave his support and
the program was introduced to Marine
Corps leadership in September 1996.
Two pilot programs were launched in
1997, one at MCB Quantico, Virginia,
and the other at MCBH Kaneohe Bay,
Hawaii. By 2000, L.I.N.K.S. programs
had been
established at 12
Marine Corps
bases, as well as
in Norfolk,
Virginia and at
Naval Air Station
at Pensacola,
0830-1500 Family Readiness Officer Training
1600-2000 Spouses In the Midst
0900-1500 Family Readiness Volunteer Training
0830-1230 Who Moved My Cheese?
0830-1430 Mass Communication Tool Training
0800-1300 L.I.N.K.S. for Spouses
1000-1200 Family Readiness Officer CES
0930-1130 Base-wide Pre-Deployment Brief
0830-1230 4 Lenses
0800-1300 Family Readiness Volunteer Training
0800-1300 L.I.N.K.S. for Spouses
0830-1430 Volunteer Tracking Tool
1800-2100 L.I.N.K.S. Mentor Training
0830-1530 7 Habits of Highly Effective Military Families
0830-1500 Family Readiness Officer Training
1800-2000 Base-wide Pre-Deployment Brief
0800-1630 L.I.N.K.S. for Spouses
0830-1230 Conflict Management
0830-1230 Who Moved My Cheese?
0830-1500 Family Readiness Officer Training
0830-1430 Mass Communication Tool Training
0800-1300 L.I.N.K.S. for Spouses
0900-1500 Family Readiness Volunteer Training
1000-1200 Family Readiness Officer Continuing Education Session
0900-1300 Spouses In the Midst
0930-1130 Base-wide Pre-Deployment Brief
0800-1630 L.I.N.K.S. for Parents
0830-1230 4 Lenses
0900-1500 Family Readiness Volunteer Training
Please call (760) 725-9052 to register
Florida. In 2008, General James what is being taught, and they want to see
Conway, Commandant of the Marine the program continue successfully for
Corps, recognized the need to include years to come.
ALL of the Marine’s family members;
thus, we now have L.I.N.K.S. for The Camp Pendleton 2010 L.I.N.K.S.
spouses, Marines, parents, kids and Program has sessions to fit all schedules
teens with weekday, evening and Saturday
(Source: offerings. L.I.N.K.S. for Marines will
HQMC, continue to be offered as a “Unit Specific”
MCFTB). training, as well as coordination with
Family Readiness Officers to schedule
2009 has L.I.N.K.S. for Parents. L.I.N.K.S. for
been a very Kids & Teens will be scheduled after the
busy year for our L.I.N.K.S. team. I 2010-2011 school calendar is posted.
became the L.I.N.K.S. trainer for the Please visit us at www.mccscp.com for
program in May, and with my growing our current class schedule. If you would
and dedicated group of volunteers, we like to become a L.I.N.K.S. volunteer or to
took off running! A “Hospitality Team" register for L.I.N.K.S., please call
was established to offer L.I.N.K.S. (760)725-9052.
participants a warm welcome with
breakfast and either lunch or dinner.
This would not be possible without our
dedicated volunteers. All food items
and other supplies needed to make this
happen are donated by team members.
The volunteers are passionate about
L.I.N.K.S. and realize the importance of