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Marine Corps Reunion Toolkit and Resources

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John Cena: Connectedness

Professional wrestler and entertainer John Cena with a message regarding connectedness and comradery. 

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Keep Safe on Social Media

Social media safety should be a top priority for your family.

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Eight Ways to Ramp Up Your Career

Eight ways to ramp up your career.

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Making a Quit Plan to Kick Tobacco Habit

MCCS has partnered with YouCanQuit2 to provide Marines and their family members with additional resources to assist in kicking the habit of tobacco use.

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Avoid Alcohol Misuse During the Holidays

Tips on how to avoid misusing alcohol during the holidays.

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How to Support Your Local SAPR Program

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM); bringing communities together to address the pervasive issue of sexual violence and promote prevention efforts.

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Long Term Assistance Program 3rd Quarter Newsletter 2024

This quarter, stay informed about the Veteran Affairs Legacy Memorial, Non-profit Summer Camps, Survivor Benefit Plan Changes, VA Vet Centers, Online ID Renewal, and Educational Opportunities.

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Long Term Assistance Program Newsletter – November 2024

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School Liaison

The School Liaison Program (SLP) focuses its efforts on making transitions for military school age children easier. Through connections with families, schools, commanders, community and installation programs, School Liaisons engage in a system of support on behalf of the military child.

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Learn How to Prevent, Intervene, and Address Bullying

October is National Bullying Prevention Month – learn how to prevent, intervene, and address bullying.

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How To Improve Your Credit Score in the Upcoming Year 

A solid understanding of personal finances will help with understanding the impacts on credit scores, and how to improve them.

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EFMP: Supporting Marines and their Families with Special Needs

You may have heard of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) before, but do you know all that it does and how many Marine Families it touches?

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10 Interview Questions You Must Be Prepared to Answer

Are you preparing for your next job interview? If you want to impress the interviewer there are some crucial questions that you must be ready to answer.

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Know Your Zone – The Stress Continuum

The Stress Continuum – the tool that can assist you in monitoring your stress and the stress of others.

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Use YouCanQuit2 Text Message Programs to Break Free From Tobacco

YouCanQuit2 offers two text message programs to assist in your journey to quit using tobacco.

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Ways to Normalize Kids Asking for Help

Often fear or uneasiness are associated with asking for help. Together, we can normalize asking for academic help and tools.

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Five Health Care Checkups for Your Child Before School Starts

TRICARE covers many preventative health services with no out-of-pocket costs for families. Follow this checklist for your child’s back-to-school health care needs.

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How to Help Kids Make Friends (Youth Programs)

When it comes to making friends, be a role model for your children.

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Exceptional Family Member Program

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) at Camp Pendleton assists active duty personnel in providing for the special needs of family members before, during and after relocation required by a change of duty assignment. The program ensures every attempt is made to bring together military careers and special needs.

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Life Skills

Life Skills training and education is provided at the unit and installation level to assigned personnel, through community partnerships. Subject matter experts collaborate to provide additional information related to various programs and resources available to Marines, Sailors, and families. Additional family readiness programs are available through Readiness & Deployment Support training. To learn more about what classes are available, contact your installation Marine Corps Family Team Building.

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Stay Connected — Parenting Can Be Stressful

Four steps to take when looking to strengthen your ability to handle difficult situations.

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Gun Safe Transportation During a PCS Move

Service members are able to ship their empty gun safes in addition to their prescribed household goods weight allowance to their next permanent duty station.

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Tips on Going Back to School as a Military Spouse?

Spouse resources to meet your educational goals.

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MAPIT? UMAPIT? MAP WHAT?

Improve your ability to manage challenging situations and address behavioral issues before they become unmanageable.

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Be SMART When Setting Goals

Dive into the art of goal setting and tackling the desire for perfectionism.

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Reducing Alcohol Consumption to Improve Physical Fitness

Reducing Alcohol Consumption to Improve Physical Fitness

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Spouses Benefit from Self-care During Deployments

While Marines are deployed, spouses often take on extra responsibilities, and it’s easy to forget about personal well-being. However, practicing self-care is essential to maintaining mental, emotional, and physical health.

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Whole-Hearted Hand-offs Make PCS Better for EFMP Families

The Exceptional Family Member Program team is a great resource and support for families with PCS orders. One of the primary responsibilities of EFMP is to help families think through, plan, and access specific resources that will help to make the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move less challenging.

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Set Goals to Build Healthy Relationships

Relationships are crucial in determining quality of life. A healthy relationship provides emotional support, enhances resilience, and strengthens the sense of identity and belonging.

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Long Term Assistance Program Newsletter – January 2025

Winter can magnify grief, but resilience is possible through self-care, connection, and honoring loved ones. Explore ways to navigate this season with strength.

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Guiding Teens’ Next Steps After High School

Helping teens navigate life after high school starts with open conversations about their goals, whether it’s college, the military, or entering the workforce. Providing support, exploring options together, and encouraging independence will set them up for success in their next chapter.

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Do You Fight Fair When in an Argument?

Conflict is a normal and healthy part of every relationship. Well-managed conflict can promote growth, intimacy, and trust in a relationship. Unresolved conflict, poor communication, and unhealthy interactions can chip away at the foundation of a relationship and increase relationship dissatisfaction.

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Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) is recognized every April by raising public awareness, SAAPM aims to educate communities on ways to prevention sexual violence.

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Marine Lands Post-Transition Career in Environmental Consulting

Marine with an air support control MOS lands post-transition career in environmental consulting.

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Check on Friends, Like You Check Social Media

With the hectic pace of modern life, social media can be an effective way to check in on our “friends” who may be struggling.

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L.I.N.K.S.

An interactive acculturation program to Marine Corps life and the local installation.

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Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

The Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Program serves as the single point of contact to facilitate victim support services, promote sexual assault training and awareness, and provide policy and program assistance to commands located aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow.

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Prevention & Education

Family Advocacy’s Prevention & Education Program provides support on subject matter briefs, awareness, and prevention-focused services designed to improve family and individual functioning and to prevent child and domestic abuse within the military community, keeping service members and their families resilient and mission ready.

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Information, Referral, and Relocation

This program provides information and referral functions designed for mobile military lifestyles. Individuals with unresolved needs are referred to the resource that can best address the needs. Specialists maintain a database of installation, Department of Defense, community, and national resources. It oversees all relocation service functions to assist with a PCS.

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School Age Care

School-Age Care (SAC) is available for youth ages 5-12 years of age, who are enrolled in elementary school, generally kindergarten through 6th Grade. This program is accredited by the Council On Accreditation (COA) and must comply with DoD and COA standards for staff qualifications, program quality, safety, sanitation and nutrition. SAC is offered before and after school and during most school holiday breaks and vacation periods.

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10 Things You Didn't Know Military OneSource Offered

When you think of Military OneSource, you probably think of non-medical counseling services or of a place to find information about a variety of military life topics. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Military OneSource offers one-on-one support to help you navigate any challenge military life may bring your way. Here are just a few of the ways a Military OneSource consultant can help you.

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MCCS and Total Fitness

Marine Corps Community Services provides a network of programs and services designed to enhance Marine Corps Total Fitness.

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Setting Healthy Boundaries in Relationships

Navigating a relationship can be tough. People enter relationships with different expectations. Sometimes, one person’s idea of what he or she wants in a relationship does not match what the other person wants. Boundaries help to define what you are comfortable with in a relationship and help others know how you want to be treated.

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Places HSAs and FSAs Intersect TRICARE

Know the details surrounding Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts and how they work alongside your TRICARE coverage.

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Get Beyond “Fine” Talking to Your Kids

Discover tips on how to engage your children in ways that go beyond surface-level responses and foster real connection.

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Family Advocacy Program

The Family Advocacy Program (FAP) is a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary resource that is designed to address child abuse and domestic abuse within the Marine Corps community through prevention, intervention, and treatment. For immediate assistance, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) provides lifesaving tools and support to enable victims to find safety and live lives free of abuse.

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What's Your Back-to-School Budget Spending Plan?

Tips to help your spending go a long way this back-to-school season.

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Take Control of Your Stress

Take Control. Stress is inevitable, but how you respond is in your hands.

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Raising Awareness About Alcohol Misuse

Alcohol Awareness Month raises public awareness about the risks associated with alcohol misuse.

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Talk To Your Teens About Dating Relationships

Five tips for talking to your teen about dating relationships.

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So...What is a Mentor, Exactly?

Whether formal or informal, a variety of mentoring opportunities are available for Marines and their spouses.

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Self-monitoring Technology for Nutrition

Self-monitoring technology helps Marines stay on top of their nutritional goals, ensuring they maintain optimal performance.

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Connecting with the Program Staff and Your Peers for Mentoring and Support

The EFMP team of professionals connect families with resources and referrals that will help grow their network of support and reduce additional stressors faced by families.

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Single Marine Program = Making Connections

The Single Marine Program (SMP) aims to boost the morale of single and unaccompanied Marines and strengthen their total fitness by expanding their social network.

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5 Strategies to Save a Life

Tough conversations can make a huge difference. Ask. Listen. Support.

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Relocation Assistance

The Relocation Assistance Program offers comprehensive programs and workshops geared towards assisting service members, their families, and DoD civilians navigate their way through the sometimes stressful relocation process.

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What is the Blended Retirement System?

The Blended Retirement System—a system that helps you secure your future—whether you're in for the long haul or transitioning out.

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Healthy Relationship Foundations - START HERE

Strong relationships start with a solid foundation. Whether it’s with your partner, family, or friends, healthy communication, trust, and mutual respect are key.

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How to Grow Your Network on LinkedIn

Growing a LinkedIn network can be beneficial in many ways. With a large network of quality connections, you can easily seek advice, request informational interviews, explore different career pathways, and even receive introductions to helpful resources.

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Are You In It for the Journey or the Race?

Navigating challenges and obstacles in relationships will determine if it is a journey with your partner or a race to the end.

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Preparing for Natural Disasters as a Marine Corps Family

Creating a plan to manage natural disasters is an essential element of your Marine Corps family’s readiness.

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Leveling the High School Sports Playing Field for Service Members’ Children 

Military students face many challenges both academically and in sports. The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission is legislation that levels the playing field and addresses common issues for students impacted by a PCS move.

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EFMP Assists with Setting Achievable Goals

The EFMP offers assistance and tools to set achievable goals and maximize success through needs assessments and services planning.

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Marine Corps Family Team Buildings Hosts Basic Stress Management Workshop

Join Marine Corps Family Team Building for their Basic Stress Management Workshop and learn what stress is and how to manage it.

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Exercise Benefits Your Overall Health

Physical activity continues to positively impact one’s overall health.

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10 Ways YOU Can Build a Healthy Relationship

A healthy relationship is based on equality and respect, not power and control. You've heard the experts say that maintaining a healthy relationship takes work. That's true. But with a little extra effort, you can set the stage for a healthy, functional, intimate relationship with your partner.

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Unplug and Spend Time Outdoors as a Family

Now is the time to put the electronics aside, choose a trail, and spend time outdoors with your family.

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Finding Strength After Domestic Abuse

Experiencing domestic abuse can have lifelong implications but you are not alone and help is available.

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How 24/7 Support Lines Make a Difference

Whether looking for specific information or just someone to talk to about a sexual assault, round-the-clock help is just a phone call away.

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Four Reasons to Join the Single Marine Program in 2024

Four Reasons to Join the Single Marine Program in 2024

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Part-time Work for Young Adults: Yay or Nay?

Evaluating the benefits versus risks for part-time work for young adults.

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New Kid in School

Four helpful ways to reduce new school stressors for both the student and the family.

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Positive Youth Sports Coaching Makes a Huge Difference in Athletes’ Lives

Centered around the four pillars of mental, social, spiritual, and physical fitness, positive coaching has emerged as a profound force that shapes young athletes' lives both on and off the field.

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Dangers of Limited Sleep

Many factors could be causing damage to your sleep. Luckily, there are things you can do about it to turn those bad habits into good ones.

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What Makes a Stellar LinkedIn Summary

A guide to writing a stellar LinkedIn summary to learn more.

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MCAS Miramar Deployment Readiness Coordinator Loves Connecting with Marine Families

MCAS Miramar Deployment Readiness Coordinator Loves Connecting with Marine Families

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Fine Tune Fitness with Volume Control

Whether you’re training for readiness or recovery, balance is everything.

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Self-Care Check-In

Self-care looks different for everyone, and it is important to find what you need and enjoy.

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Long Term Assistance Program Newsletter – April 2025

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It Matters Where You Shop This Holiday Season

Shop your local Marine Corps Exchange this holiday season and enter to win some amazing prizes and MCX gift cards!

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Embracing a Balanced Lifestyle

Whether you're serving in the Marines or supporting from home, embracing a balanced lifestyle is key to overall wellness.

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Being Empathetic Can Help Prevent Suicide

Strategies to use when approaching individuals that have been recognized as “acting outside their norm” who may need help.  

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Family-Style Dining Helps Kids Build Social and Problem-solving Skills

Children benefit from family-style dining in a child care setting.

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Highlights From the 2024 MCCS Sleep Challenge

Held in March 2024, the USMC Sleep Challenge included Marines and Families from most installations and Marine Corps Forces Reserve.

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DoD launches Courage Fuels Change Campaign

The DoD Sexual Assault Prevention Response Office (SAPRO) is launching an outreach campaign with a series of videos and print materials focused on the experience of men.

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Balancing Ballin' and Being a Kid

Dive into the world of sports specialization and see what it means for young athletes.

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Strategies for Renting a Home

Seven strategies to consider when renting a home.

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11 Reasons to Do AMP-IT Right Now

You’ve heard about High Intensity Tactical Training (HITT), but what about Aquatics Maximum Power Intensity Training (AMP-IT)? AMP-IT is a water-based workout suitable for all fitness levels. AMP-IT isn’t like the water aerobics classes you’ve seen before. It’s a high intensity fitness class that will increase muscle endurance, improve cardiovascular-respiratory function, and aid in injury rehabilitation.

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Low-risk Drinking During the Holiday Season

Helpful tips to ensure low-risk drinking throughout the holiday season.

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M4L Network Success Story: Marine Veteran Lands New Career with The Catalyst Program

Marine veteran lands new career with The Catalyst Program, thanks to the connections made through the Marine for Life Network.

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Learn Decision-Making Skills to Avoid High-Risk Situations

For more than a decade, the Prime for Life (PFL) program has allowed Marines and attached Sailors to explore, reflect, and work to protect their values from the consequences of alcohol and drug misuse.

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Facts About Adaptogens

While adaptogens might help you, they’re not a substitute for good nutrition, hydration, sleep, or training. Consult with a medical professional before adding new supplements to your routine.

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Marine Reflects on COOL Opportunity

Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) helps Marines find information on certifications and licenses related to their military occupation and civilian careers.

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Using Social Media to Enhance Resilience and Mental Well-being

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Teaching Young Children About Boundaries

Empowering children with an understanding of consent starts early. It helps them build healthy relationships, respect boundaries, and develop confidence in their choices.

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Find Balance: Nine Alcohol Free Coping Strategies

Nine healthy strategies for managing stress without the use of alcohol.

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Are You Spiritually Fit?

Physical fitness is undoubtedly a must-have for Marines but so is spiritual fitness. Are you spiritually fit?

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Connect to Protect: Support is Within Reach

As part of the year-round commitment to preventing suicide among Marines, families, and the civilian workforce, the Marine Corps observes Suicide Prevention Month each September. The year-long theme for suicide prevention, Connect to Protect: Support is Within Reach, highlights the importance of connecting fellow Marines and leaders to increase help-seeking behaviors.

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10th Anniversary of SMP Days of Service