Everything Under the Sun
Marine Corps Family Team Building, Okinawa
Inside this issue
Reflections ....................... .1
Reconnect ........................ .2-3
Transition Time ............... .2-3
Who’s In Your Family ....... .4
Things to Do.. .................. .4-5
A Few Tips for PCS ......... .5-6
Don’t Forget About “Me”..6
Run the Race With Us ...... 7
Contact Us ....................... 8
Celebrate!
Ryukyu Kaiensai-Fireworks Fest
First summer fireworks festival at
Ginowan Seaside Park Tropical Beach
(April—TBD)
Naha Dragon Boat Races
Naha New Port Wharf
(Early May)
Reflections Follow effective action with quiet reflection.
From the quiet reflection will come even
more effective action. –Peter F. Drucker
It seems like just yesterday that we rang in the new
year, and already spring is upon us and we are mak-
ing plans for the summer.
Whether you have been on Okinawa for a year or for
a month, allow yourself some time to think about
your time here. Have you made the most of your in
some instances once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in a foreign land, on a sub-
tropical island no less? Have you explored all the island has to offer? Have you
learned a new language, ventured off the beaten path, stepped out of your comfort
zone? Can you call Okinawa home?
Everyone’s answers to these questions will vary, but if your answer to all of them is
no, give some thought to how you can change your experience so that a year from
now some of your no’s will change to yes. If the transition has been a rough one, you
are not alone, and Marine Corps Family Team Building provides many opportunities
for you and your family, as we seek to educate, empower and comfort you so that
you are better equipped to make Okinawa home during your time here. We provide a
sense of community through networking opportunities and interactive workshops on
a variety of topics. We hope you will sign up for one of our classes over the next
few months if you haven’t already.
This issue is all about transitions, and making the most of them. Only you have con-
trol over your experience here, and we hope that we can play a small part in helping
you make the experience a positive one that you will be able to reflect fondly upon
for years to come. There are so many paths to wander and connections to make
before moving on—even a second world to explore under water. Are you ready
to take the plunge?
Quarter 2, 2012
Volume 2, Issue 2
Ichariba choodee. —Once we meet and talk,
we are brothers and sisters. ~Okinawan Proverb
Reconnect
Transition Time Stephanie Taber, LifeSkills Trainer
2
Katherine Diaz, Navy Individual Deployment Support Specialist
Have you or a spouse recently returned from an IA deploy-
ment? If so, you are invited to attend a Returning Warrior
Workshop (RWW).
The Navy wants to help you and your family with the adjust-
ment when you return from a deployment. The RWW is a
three-day weekend state-side event available to active and
reserve Sailors who have served as an Individual Augmentee
and one guest of their choice (spouse, significant other or
family members such as siblings). The goal of the workshop is
to give loved ones a chance to reconnect while honoring the
sailor, providing information and raising awareness.
The event is held at a four-star hotel away from military
bases and everyday distractions. All lodging, meals, confer-
ence fees, cost of international travel and miscellaneous
Military families live in transition. This time of year it is common for us to en-
counter the big one: MOVING! Whether it is a welcomed new station or a tearful
goodbye, it is consistent in that it is always a big family challenge. The LifeSkills
program is here to introduce and support skills that enable us to be better at the
things we do to thrive in our lives. We have 5 transition tips to help this PCS be
better than all the rest.
PRIORTIZE- It will not all get done, so when you are making those to-do lists
categorize them by levels. Using a simply 1, 2, 3 method enables the family to see
what has to get done and what is flexible.
BREAK TASKS INTO PIECES- Sure, we all want every drawer in the kitchen to be
separated and color coded before it gets dumped into a moving box. We add to our
to-do list “clean every cupboard and drawer in kitchen”. That task is so large and
tough to tackle. Break large tasks into smaller pieces. Try adding “clean out one
drawer per week or delegate a drawer to each family member.
SOLIDIFY GOING AWAY or ARRIVAL ACTIVITIES- We all need some closure (kids
especially) so when you are leaving plan a solid farewell event. You can invite
friends or just do it within your family but make it purposeful to say Sayonara!
Closure is very important. Upon arrival set up a welcome activity such as driving
through town or meeting the new neighbors.
(cont. on next page)
expenses are covered (RWW is funded by the Navy and the
Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program). The Sailor attends the
RWW on ADT or DTS travel orders.
During the workshop, trained facilitators lead Sailors and their
guests through a series of presentations and table top discus-
sions that address post combat stress and transition back to
civilian life. Participants are afforded the opportunity to share
their experiences in a safe environment with their peers, and
learn they are not alone as they learn how to move forward.
Topics at the RWW include: Warrior Transitions, Spiritual Bal-
ance and Well Being, Telling Your Story/Improving the Proc-
ess, Transformational Growth, Military Families and Combat
Operational Stress. Break-out sessions include: Financial
(cont. on next page)
Five Love Languages
April 5 (1730-1930)
Emergency & Travel Safety
May 3 (1730-1930)
Building Healthy Blended Families
May 23 (0900-1100)
Safe & Sound All Summer
June 16 (0900-1200)
LifeSkills Q2 Events Line-up:
All courses require registration @
645-3689. Please call for event
details.
Family Care Plan Workshop
April 18 (1130-1300)
May 9 (1130-1300)
June 13 (1130-1300)
Emptying the Nest
April 26 (1400-1630)
Building Lasting Relationships
April 10 (0900-1130)
Social Networking Safety
June 28 (1400-1600)
Premarital Workshop
April 20 (0830-1530)
May 11 (0830-1530)
June 8 (0830-1530)
Happily Ever After (PREP)
May 1 (0800-1630)
For more information about the
LifeSkills program, please contact
Stephanie Taber, LifeSkills Trainer
(see p. 7).
3
ENGAGE THE FAMILY – Every member of the family will adjust to moving dif-
ferently. Embrace those differences in a project. Plan to learn about your new
location by assigning each person a research task. For example, create a story
board on a tri-fold presentation board or a video montage wherein each family
member can showcase their research on things like parks, schools, recreation
activities or weather. When you put each person’s work together everybody
learns. This project can be a great way to get the kids excited about designing
their new room too!
BUILD IN BREAKS- Moving is a process. Moves happens over weeks and
sometimes months. Build in time for recreation, family time and all those fam-
ily rituals that make your crew unique. Our family has pizza every Friday night
whether we are at our table or the floor of an empty house.
Transition Time (cont. from p. 2)
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new
things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down
new paths.” ~Walt Disney
Management, Couples Communication, Why I Want to Go Back and Stress Man-
agement.
Please note this is a first-come first-served program, however there are cur-
rently a number of spots for CNFJ region sailors and guests. Locations vary
month to month, and sailors and family members do not choose which event
they attend, but are invited to attend the event nearest their residence to mini-
mize travel costs.
If you are interested in attending the RWW please contact Katherine Diaz at
645-5707 or [email protected].
———————-
Reconnect (cont. from p.2)
For information about the Fleet Activities Okinawa Individual Deployment
Support Program for individual augmentees and their families, please contact
Katherine Diaz.
Unit Personal and Family
Readiness Program Q2
Training Schedule:
All events are held at MCFTB,
Classroom 210, unless
otherwise noted. Savvy Spouses May 22 (0900-1030)
Please call your FRO to register
for the following trainings:
FRO Training:
April 18 (0800-1600)
May 16 (0800-1600)
June 13 (0800-1600)
Command Team Training:
April 11 (0830-1100)
May 9 (1330-1600)
June 12 (0830-1100)
Advisor/Assistant Training:
April 4 (0800-1300)
April 16 (1630-2045)
May 3 (0800-1300)
June 6 (0800-1300)
June 20 (0800-1300)
OPSEC Training:
April 4* (1400-1600)
April 26 (0830-1030)
May 3* (1400-1630)
May 30 (0830-1030)
June 6* (1400-1600)
June 27 (0830-1030)
*Offered in conjunction with Advisor/Assist-
ant Training or as a stand- alone course.
eMarine Training:
April 27 (0830-1630)
May 31 (0830-1630)
June 26 (0830-1630) eMarine Lab:
April 3 (0830-1130)
May 10 (0830-1130)
June 5 (0830-1130)
CO/Senior Enlisted Spouse Tng:
April 25 (0830-1230)
Who’s in Your Family?
L.I.N.K.S. Trainer: Stacy Roark
The year is now well underway; we’ve all had a chance to recover from the holiday sea-
son (perhaps with the help of some Valentine’s or White Day chocolates) and determine
which of our resolutions we really want to work on. As the weather begins to warm up,
we may be contemplating what to put on our Spring To-Do list. Here in Okinawa, we are
lucky to have so many options that it may be difficult to identify a starting point.
The L.I.N.K.S. program is a great resource! Our workshops for Spouses, Kids, Tweens
and Teens provide opportunities to make new friends and explore the resources available
to Service Members and their families. “The Maze” section covers everything from Tri -
Care to classes offered at the Personal Services Center (Japanese, Resume Writing, or
Money Management, anyone?). And that is just the beginning! Services and activities of-
fered through MCCS, Volunteer opportunities, and “must-do” items for your Okinawa
check-list are all part of L.I.N.K.S. workshops. With everyone sharing their experiences,
you are bound to leave with a solid start for your list of things to do and places to go.
L.I.N.K.S. is also a great place to volunteer! We have a wide variety of volunteer activities
to match your talents and time availability, including administrative tasks, hospitality, food
angels, creative opportunities, and many more! Give us a call to talk about your interests
and how volunteering can contribute to your resume or college
application.
4
Things to Do...Places to Go!
Erin Behrendt, Family Readiness Program Trainer
“The bond that links your true family is not one of
blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.
Rarely do members of one family grow up under the
same roof.” -Richard Bach.
Family has many definitions. The Unit, Personal
and Family Readiness Program (UPFRP), however, only has one: anyone who is born into,
sworn into, or married into the Marine Corps. This definition of family includes anyone a
Marine or Sailor feels is part of his or her family, be it a parent, grandparent, sibling,
spouse, significant other, aunt, uncle, cousin, child, or friend.
Each family member plays an important role in our lives, and living abroad can make
keeping in touch with them challenging. So, why not include them as a designated contact
in Marine OnLine (MOL)? As a designated contact, family members will receive communi-
cation and support from the unit’s UPFRP and Family Readiness Officer (FRO) as well as
access to eMarine. eMarine provides a wealth of information including official unit an-
nouncements, education opportunities, resources, and more. Keep in touch with your unit,
friends, and family and sign yourself— and them— up for eMarine today!
(cont. on next page)
The Okinawa Haarii -Dragon Boat Race -
has its origins in Southeast Asia, where
groups of fisherman raced against each
other in a ritual intended to ensure a good
catch during the fishing season.
Please see our listing of events on the right. Please note L.I.N.K.S for Marines can be
scheduled per Unit Request. If you are interested in attending one of our workshops or
if you would like volunteer, please contact us! (see p. 7 for contact info.)
You can also visit our social media sites to give us your suggestions and feedback.
www.mccsokinawa.com/mcftb.
www.facebook.com/mccsokinawa.mcftb.
Maki Takahashi, Community Relations
Specialist
A spring has come and weather of Okinawa
is getting warmer each day. When you look
up in the sky, it’s clear blue and pure white
clouds floating above. You wish these
beautiful days last for the rest of the year.
Okinawa will soon be in rainy season
starting from the middle of April.
Sometimes people feel blue for those days
and reluctant to do anything, especially if a
PCS is coming soon. If you are local na-
tional spouse and this is your very first
PCS, maybe you are feeling super blue
about that. But we are here to help you.
In June Japanese Spouses Orientation, we
are offering “ Tips for PCS moves” class
where we invite organizations, to include
Traffic Management Office, Kadena Hous-
ing Office and IPAC, to help you become
familiar with the process and paperwork
that you will need. Below are the subjects
covered during the orientation.
(TMO)
Household Goods (Authorized/
Unauthorized)
JFTR Weight Allowance
Unaccompanied Baggage
Claim
Storage
Shipping POV
5
Things to Do...Places to Go! (cont. from p. 4)
A Few Tips for PCS
L.I.N.K.S. Q2 Events:
All trainings require registration @
645-3698.
for Kids:
June 8 (1530-1800)
for Tweens/Teens:
June 28 (1000-1400)
for Spouses:
May 17 (0830-1430)
for Japanese Spouses:
April 24 (0830-1430)
for Marines:
Scheduled per Unit Request
Mentor Training:
April 17 (0900-1400)
May 8 (0900-1400)
June 19 (0900-1400)
Japanese Spouse
Orientation Dates for Q2:
All trainings are located at Marine
Corps Family Team Building on
Camp Foster. Registration is re-
quired.
Health Programs:
April 5 (0900-1200)
Space A Travel:
April 19 (1300-1600)
Educational Program:
May 2 (0900-1200)
MCCS Safety, CID & PMO:
May 17 (0900-1200)
Family Support Program:
June 7 (0900-1200)
TMO, Housing & IPAC:
June 21 (0900-1200)
Japanese Spouse Learning
Series: (0900-1200)
Pension System-April 24
Education System—June 26
“Let the rain kiss you. Let
the rain beat upon your
head with silver liquid
drops. Let the rain sing you
a lullaby.
~Langston Hughes
(cont. on next page)
Michelle Lahmon—Readiness & Deployment Support Trainer
Spring break is here and summer’s around the corner. Taxes and to do lists. Spring cleaning and forgotten New Year’s resolu-
tions. Spring is a busy time of year. Add in a deployment and it’s a wonder there’s time for sleep!
Your MCFTB Readiness and Deployment Support team is here to remind deployed spouses about the need for a little “me”
time. To maintain your productivity, resiliency, and sanity, taking time for you is vital. Everyone finds different activities re-
laxing, so choose what works best for you. If you enjoy the outdoors, taking a hike can be refreshing. Snorkeling can be calm-
ing, just you and nature. Maybe you like to get pampered; massages or pedicures can melt away your stress and anxiety. No
time for a hike or massage? Just taking a moment to sit still, quiet your thoughts, and breathe can reduce stress and renew
your energy for the day.
How do you take “me” time? Do you take enough? A deployed spouse has added stress which makes the need for “me” time
even greater. However, it can also make including it into your routine even more difficult. Marine Corps Family Team Building
can help with that! The Deployed Spouses Child Care Program gives you 10 hours of free child care per week per child. Get a
letter of eligibility from your FRO and take it to the CTYP Resource and Referral office and start taking your “me” time today!
Is another barrier to your “me” time the tough economy? MCCS can also help there! Do you have a Deployed Spouse Benefits
Card? If not, ask your FRO if you are eligible. With this card, you can receive discounts on all sorts of “me” time options.
Bowling, scuba gear, on-island tours at Tours Plus, and more! The opportunities are incredible.
So, in the midst of taking care of everyone and everything around you, don’t forget to take care of you too! Set aside a little
“me” time and see how much it improves your week. Need some more ideas? Check out the Marine Corps Family Team Build-
ing Spring Schedule for a list of great classes, workshops, and events, including Readiness and Deployment Support Program’s
In the Midst: Survival of the Finest. This workshop is just for deployed spouses, designed to help sustain you during deploy-
ment as well as assist you in attaining and maintaining a state of resiliency and stability in a fun and educational way.
Don’t Forget About “ME”
6
A Few Tips For PCS (cont. from p. 5)
(Kadena Housing Office)
Clearing quarters
Preliminary Inspection
Final Inspection
(IPAC)
Advance Travel
Advance TLE
Advance Pay
Advance DLA
TLA
The class is offered in Japanese and handouts are available in both Japanese and
English. The Orientation is not just for educational opportunity but also to meet with
other spouses who are in the same situation. Sometimes
you feel more comfortable and secure when sharing anxi-
ety with others. Additionally, seasoned spouses are able
to give young spouses good knowledge and experiences
that they had in the past and can provide encouragement
for the new step as military wife. Don’t miss such a great
opportunity.
6
“Love yourself– accept yourself-forgive yourself-
and be good to yourself, because without you the rest of
us are without a source of many wonderful things.” ~Leo F. Buscaglia
IA Return & Reunion Workshops for
Marine Spouses
April 19 (1730-1930)
May 17 (1730-1930)
June 21 (1730-1930)
In the Midst: Survival of the Finest
April 10 (1300-1530)
Strong Military Couples
May 24 (1800-2000)
Beyond the Brief Series
June 5 (1730-1930)
June 12 (1730-1930)
June 19 (1730-1930)
June 26 (1730-1930)
Readiness & Deployment Sup-
port Program Q2 Events:
All courses require registration @
645-2841/3693/3749. Please call
for event details. All briefs and
workshops are available upon unit
request.
IA Pre-Deployment Briefs for Ma-
rines & Families
April 5 (1430-1600)
May 3 (1430-1600)
June 7 (1430-1600)
7
The Amazing Family Readiness
Race will take participants on a
journey around Camp Foster where they will participate in mental and physical
challenges geared towards unit, personal and family readiness.
The purpose of the event is to educate families about the many programs and re-
sources available to them to help them be ready for all facets of military life. Teams
of two will be provided with clues, that once solved, will lead them to the participat-
ing organizations along the race route. The event is open to all sofa-status person-
nel on island. Participants can register in teams of two in one of the following four
categories:
Adults (Ages 18+)
Teens (Ages 14-18)
Adult (Ages 18+) and Teen (Ages 14-18)
Adult and Child (Ages <14)
Prizes will be awarded in all categories. Pre-registration is required, with a regis-
tration deadline of Monday, 23 April. Both team members must register together in
order to be given a spot in the race. To register please call 645-3689 or 098-970-
3689.
Run the Race with us!
The Lily Festival
on Ie Island takes
place late April to
early May at Lily
Field Park. One mil-
lion lilies that grow
from 200,000 bulbs
blanket a big park
that measures 86,000
square meters on Ie
Island, known as the
f l o w e r i s l a n d
(located only 30 min-
utes by ferry from
Motobu Port).
MCB Camp S.D. Butler
Unit 35023
FPO AP 96373-5023 YOUR LOGO HERE
Marine Corps Family Team Building—Contact Us:
Michael Jackson—Chief: 645-3689
Julia Nunez—Office Manager: 645-3689
Family Readiness Program Trainer:
Erin Behrendt 645-2261
L.I.N.K.S Program Trainer:
Stacy Roark- 645-3698
Navy Individual Deployment Support Specialist, CFAO:
Katherine Diaz 645-5707
Readiness & Deployment Support Trainers:
Tony Rodriguez 645-3749
Wendy Edwards 645-2841
Michelle Lahmon 645-3693
LifeSkills Trainer:
Stephanie Taber 645-3696
Japanese Spouses Orientation/Community Relations
Maki Takahashi 645-3204
CONTACT US: Office/DSN: 645-3689
From Off-Base: 098-970-3689
Fax: 098-970-4024
www.mccsokinawa.com\mcftb
http://www.facebook.com/mccsokinawa.mcftb