June 15, 2016
RecruitParents.com Newsletter


Celebrate your pride for your recruit with our Recruit Pride Corps Kit!
Congratulations to our newest Marines, 1st Battalion Bravo Company from San Diego as well as 1st Battalion Charlie and 4th Battalion Papa Company from Parris Island, for graduating this Friday, June 17! A big Ooh-Rah goes out to you all! 

For those of you who are just beginning your journey, we would like to welcome you and extend our congratulations! You're on a new journey to becoming a Marine Parent. The pride is indescribable, but you may feel you are in an unfamiliar world with a whirlwind of emotions and never-ending questions.

If you've been looking for answers to your questions, we can help you.

Sincerely,

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Tracy Della Vecchia
Founder and Executive Director
MarineParents.com, Inc.
Corps Respect: A Family Value

Corps Respect: A Family Value
By now you've likely heard some new terminology, either from your recruit or through reading information about the Marine Corps. Here is a primer on a few of the terms you may have already encountered.
 
"Semper Fidelis" is Latin for "Always Faithful." Along with the shortened version, "Semper Fi," the phrase has been adopted as a Marine Corps motto that Marines live by for the rest of their lives. A Marine will always be a Marine; there are no ex-Marines. Every Marine, whether serving four years or 34 years in the Corps, will remain "Always Faithful" to the Marine Corps and the core values of honor, courage, and commitment.

Click here to read more...
GI Bill Education Benefits

Post-9/11 GI Bill

The GI Bill provides educational benefits to military service members. New recruits typically must sign up during a brief window of opportunity for one of two possible options: the Montgomery GI Bill or the Post-9/11 GI Bill. While exceptions exist, in most cases the benefits offered in the newer, Post-9/11 GI Bill are more favorable for the majority of recipients.

 

The Marine Corps has determined that in 2012, more than 60% of recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island have opted for post-9/11 GI bill educational benefits, while less than 0.1% of recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego have chosen this option. An investigation is currently underway to determine what changes need to be made in training programs to make certain that recruits fully understand the options available to them.


Click here to read the full story... 
Crucible Coins

The incredible detail on our official Marine Corps Trademark licensed Crucible Coins are stunning and each coin is sure to be a family heirloom to be treasured for years to come.

The front features a subdued Eagle, Globe, and Anchor in the center as a reminder of the moment the drill instructor pinned your Marine after the crucible. 

The text on the front of the coins reads "Enter Recruits - Exit Marines" over the top and "2016 The Crucible" at the bottom. On the obtuse side of this exquisite coin, the text reads "Earned Never Given - United States Marine." 

Both sides of this coin are exemplary; if you'll be using this as part of your display, we encourage you to purchase two coins in order to show both sides.

The coin makes a wonderful gift, particularly when paired with the corresponding Recruit Training Battalion Coin. Your Marine has earned the title. Don't miss the opportunity to add this limited edition coin to your Marine's collection. 

Click here to get your Crucible Coin today! 
Learning New Terminology

 

Learning New Terminology There are literally thousands of acronyms in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and all branches of the military as well as hundreds of new terms to learn. 
 
Recruits in Marine Corps boot camp learn to call a flashlight a "moon beam," a pen becomes an "ink stick," and the bathroom is "the head." 
 
MarineParents.com created a terminology page as a starting point for recruit families. The reference contains terms that are most important to learn during recruit training. 

 

Click here to view terminology...
Haircuts and Hygiene

Haircuts and Hygiene

It is not uncommon to hear a statement like, "Marines sure do look sharp in uniform!" As a matter of fact, some Marines claim part of their motivation to join the Marine Corps was found in the desire to attain the honor of wearing the esteemed uniform.

 

Why do Marines look so sharp in uniform? The answer lies in their incredible attention to detail and strict uniform regulations which include specifications regarding haircuts and hygiene.

 

Recruits learn the importance of these regulations early on in boot camp as one of their first stops on the depot is the barber shop.

 

Click here to learn more...
MCMAP and Pugil Sticks: Training Phase I

MCMAP and Pugil Sticks

From its inception in 1775, the Marine Corps has distinguished itself as a Martial Culture. The legacy of the Corps is built upon the close combat of ships of sail, the storming of the Bois de Belleau, and the holding of "Bloody Ridge" on Guadalcanal.
 
Drawing upon the rich tradition of promoting values and warrior ethos, the Marine Corps developed the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program or MCMAP. It is a martial art that was designed to be and is the "synergy of mental, character, and physical disciplines."
 
In addition to MCMAP, recruits train with pugil sticks. Many recruits have never experienced the realities of inter-personal violence found in close combat, and pugil sticks provide effective, but safe, "full contact" combative training at the entry level.

 

Click here to learn more...
Team Week and Core Values: Training Phase II

Honor Courage Commitment

Recruits learn, from training day 1, that to be a Marine means to do what is right in the face of overwhelming adversity. To understand how to do what is right, Marines are taught about ethics and the core values.

 

The Corps' core values areHonor, Courage, andCommitment. These values make up the bedrock of a Marine's character. During recruit training, recruits are taught these core values and the numerous others attached to them, such as integrity, discipline, teamwork, duty and esprit de corps.

 

Team Week is a time for recruits to demonstrate that they understand how to do what is right, and that they are taking ownership of ethics and the core values.
 
Click here to learn more and watch a video...
School of Infantry (SOI): Training Phase III

 

If your recruit is almost finished with recruit training and you're wondering what happens next, we encourage you to take a look at the website "What's After Boot?"

 

Don't forget to register for the Boot Parents message board. This WAB area is your place to transition from recruit training to the Marine Corps while your son or daughter is in SOI (School of Infantry) and MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) School.

 

Click here to learn more about SOI...
Photos and Videos:
About Boot Camp Graduation

 

Graduation Videos

During boot camp, recruits will have their photos taken with their platoon, as well as individually in the "dress blues" uniform.

 

A video of graduation is also produced, and that video will include footage from each battalion. Both Parris Island and San Diego offer these services.

 

Your recruit will be given an opportunity to purchase the photos as well as the video. They will also be given the opportunity to order a yearbook, and at Parris Island, that will be the only time the yearbooks are available for order.
In This Issue
Did Your Marine Graduate?

A special note for parents of newly graduated Marines:

 

If your son or daughter has already graduated from Boot Camp, you can opt out of the "Recruit Newsletter" by entering your email address after clicking the "SafeUnsubscibe" icon at the bottom of this email.

Change your options to remove "Recruit Newsletter" from your selections. Then, make sure to sign up for our Marine Parents newsletter to continue your journey!
Parris Island
Graduation Dates 
San Diego 
Graduation Dates 
Spread the Word!


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Custom Engraved Coin 

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 a March, 2005 USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Joseph L. DiGirolamo. See  www.marines.mil for additional credits.

 

MarineParents.com, Inc. is an IRS-approved 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 deployments. Our free online services and connections have expanded to support and educate Marine moms and dads, spouses, families and friends. We've helped more than 100,000 Marine and recruit families during boot camp, training, active-duty and deployments. We've shipped more than 38,000 care packages overseas to our Marines in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa, sent thousands of 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.�    

God Bless and Semper Fidelis,

 

  Web Signature

Tracy Della Vecchia

Founder and Executive Director
MarineParents.com, Inc.