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 katherine.diaz@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org.

———————-

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