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MarineParents.com Newsletter
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Remember Our Fallen
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Support Gold Star Families
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About Deployment
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Communications From your Marine, with the USMC, and with other families
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Purple Heart Hero Support™
Operation Prayers & Letters™
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Team Marine Parents™
2013 Marine Corps Marathon
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Greetings!
If this is the first edition of the Marine Parents newsletter you have received, WELCOME! If you are a returning reader we are glad you have joined us and are thankful for your support. "Leatherneck," the official magazine of the Marine Corps Association and Foundation, has recently profiled our organization. We begin this issue of our newsletter with a look at this article. Our next two pieces are about two campaigns that time is about to run out on--The Gold Star Luminary Initiative and Save MotoMail. Learn how you can help below. Actor, musician, and military supporter Gary Sinese was recently awarded the title of "Honorary Marine." Read more about it in our fourth piece. Finally, we take a look at this issue's Team Marine Parents Featured Participant--a proud "Marine Mom" from Texas--Marilyn McHenry. God bless and Semper Fi!
 Tracy Della Vecchia Founder and Executive Director MarineParents.com, Inc.
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MarineParents.com: Still Serving After 10 Years
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Organization's Dedication Recognized by "Leatherneck" Magazine
For 10 years now, MarineParents.com Inc. has made it our mission to provide reliable resources and information about the United States Marine Corps, to provide recruit and Marine family members "a place to connect and share®" in support of one another, and to provide opportunities to support the troops and their families through a multitude of outreach programs.
In recognition of all of the hard work we've done over the years, "Leatherneck Magazine," the official magazine of the Marine Corps Association & Foundation, has published a piece profiling our organization. An excerpt can be read below, and a link to the rest of the story is provided for anyone who wants to read more. Enjoy!
From "Leatherneck":
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America has been at war for almost 13 years, and, of course, Marines have been in the thick of the fight since the beginning. During those sometimes tentative years, Marines and their families have faced numerous obstacles, challenges and uncertainties. Fortunately, a very special group of selfless and devoted volunteers who operate under the banner of MarineParents.com has been helping them understand and cope with the known and unknown. Those incredibly dedicated volunteers have provided information, comfort, reassurance and a positive nurturing environment to as many Marine families, friends and loved ones as possible.
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Honor and Remember Our Fallen Heroes
| | | Gold Star Family Day* is Sunday, Sept. 29
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends"
John 15:13 (NIV)
 It could be argued that an even greater love does exist; that of a parent for their child. Tragically, in the last decade, almost 7,000 families have been forced to deal with the utterly devastating heartbreak that sometimes accompanies that love as their children laid down their lives for their country.
Most of us have not experienced this tragedy. Most of us never will. We can't relate personally or begin to imagine what that must be like. What we can do, however, is honor and recognize these families. We can thank them for the sacrifices they and their children have made on our behalf. We can let them know that, no matter what, we support and stand behind them as a country and that, if even just for a day, their burden is our burden too.
Gold Star Family Day* is a day to honor and remember the people around the country who have lost a family member or loved one to military service, as well as to honor and remember those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. Please join us this year on Sunday, September 29, as we observe Gold Star Family Day* by lighting luminaries at dusk in honor of our fallen heroes.
To learn more about Gold Star Family Day, please click here...
*The last Sunday in September is nationally recognized as Gold Star Mother's Day. Our organization opts to refer to the last Sunday in September as Gold Star Family Day to avoid the implied exclusion of family members other than mothers who grieve the loss of a Fallen Hero.
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Help Save MotoMail!
| | Keep Our Marines Safe, Connected
 Being deployed to a combat zone is never easy. In addition to the constant threat of attack and the minutiae of everyday life, going months without seeing family members and loved ones can be incredibly difficult. Not being able to kiss your spouse, tuck your children into bed, or hug your parents and tell them you love them would take its toll on anyone, and Marines are no exception. Fortunately, for a number of years now, the Marine Corps' MotoMail program has helped ease that burden by allowing Marines to communicate with their loved ones back home via electronically delivered letters and photographs in as little as 24 hours, much to the Marines' (and their families') delight.
With that in mind, we are sad to announce that, unless something changes, Marine Postal will be ending MotoMail services permanently on September 30, 2013 due to forced budget cuts by the Federal Government. And that's where you come in. With your help, we can save MotoMail!
Click here to learn how you can help save MotoMail...
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Lieutenant Dan Earns His Stripes
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Gary Sinese Named Honorary Marine
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Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos pins an eagle, globe, and anchor lapel pin on actor Gary Sinese after awarding him the title of "Honorary Marine" at a ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C.
Photo by: Cpl. Lawrence Babilya
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Actor and long time military supporter Gary Sinese is used to being nominated for and receiving awards. Recently, however, he received a different kind
of award in acknowledgement of his tireless dedication to military members and veterans--the tile of "Honorary Marine."
In a ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Marine Commandant General Amos presented Sinese with an eagle, globe, and anchor lapel pin and said he felt "privileged and proud to...recognize this humble patriot's selfless service by making him an Honorary Marine."
For Sinese, whose Lt. Dan band regularly performs for the troops, this was the second such honor in as many years, as he was made an honorary Chief Petty Officer by the U.S. Navy in August of 2012. In addition to providing entertainment for service members with his band, Sinese also heads the "Gary Sinese Foundation" which seeks to "...serve our Nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need...by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities." In becoming an "Honorary Marine," Sinese joined a small and select group of those who have been awarded the title for making "...extraordinary contributions to the Marine Corps," according to the program's website. Since the program began in 1992, less than 80 people have been awarded the title. Click here to read more...
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Get to Know the Team
| | TMP Featured Participant: Marilyn McHenry
 Team Marine Parents™ is a group of individuals, generally parents, family, and friends of Marines, who participate in athletic events nationwide to support our troops. The mission is to raise funds and awareness of the organization's outreach programs. Currently, there are over 50 members of Team Marine Parents™ around the country.
This month's TMP featured participant is a proud "Marine Mom" from Houston, Texas--TMP member Marilyn McHenry
The MCM will be Marilyn's first marathon and her son, who became a Marine in 2012, is the motivating force behind her desire to run for TMP. "We used to run half marathons together when he was 15-18 years old," Marilyn said, "this will hopefully be my first marathon and I'd like to make him as proud of me as much as I am proud of him, if that's possible!"
Marilyn has already exceeded her fundraising goal of $300, having raised $535 so far, but she'll gladly accept more of your generous donations for this great cause.
We would like to thank Marilyn (and all of our other TMP members) for her hard work and dedication to supporting our Marines. Best of luck in October!
To read more about Marilyn McHenry, or to donate to her fundraising campaign, please click here...
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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.
Banner Photo-- CAMP KINSER, Okinawa Japan - Pfc. Carlton M. Corbin serves as a gunner during the evaluation of the field mess at Camp Kinser during exercise Ulichi Freedom Guardian 2013. UFG is an annual event that is designed to ensure readiness in order to defend the Republic of Korea as well as strengthening the alliance between ROK and U.S. forces by maximizing capabilities between the two forces. Corbin is a food service specialist with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (Photo by LCpl Peacock)
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 and share"® with one another during their Marine's career. Our free online services and connections have expanded to support and educate Marine moms and dads, spouses, families and friends. We've helped 400,000 Marine and recruit families during boot camp, training, active duty and deployments. We've shipped more than 34,000 care packages overseas to our Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, sent 60,000 prayers and letters to injured Marines and served thousands of meals to wounded heroes and their families on the East and West coasts. You've found "a place to connect and share."®
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