Photo By Cpl. Christopher Johns | Nick Vartanian, the 14-year-old son of a Marine, fires an M16A4 service rifle at...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. – Spouses and children over the age of 14 waited quietly in formation while Col. Rick Uribe, Marine Aircraft Group 11 commanding officer, informed them of his expectations for the day’s events before the sixth annual MAG-11 Jane Wayne Day, July 27.
In an effort to build a better understanding between Marines and families, the group asked all of their sub-commands’ families to come to the event and learn what it’s like to be a United States Marine for a day.
“We want the Marines’ loved ones to understand what it is their Marines do so they can better communicate their situations to each other,” said Katrina Langley, the family readiness officer for MAG-11. “This is a very important endeavor, and I feel like those who came benefited from it.”
More than 150 spouses and children came to the Jane Wayne Day event.
The attendees took part in a “yellow footprint” experience where they met drill instructors for the first time. Afterward, the group went to the Carlos Hathcock Rifle Range and fired 15 rounds each. They visited the gas chamber, flight simulators, took part in a night vision goggle demonstration and ate lunch together before the day was out.
Most participants have never experienced anything the military does, the program is designed to help give them a glimpse into the military lifestyle.
“I had never shot a weapon, nor had I ever really thought about the military much at all before today,” said Nick Vartanian, the 14-year-old son of a Marine. “Now that I have seen what [Marines] go through I feel like I understand them a bit better now, and now that I have seen it, I’m thinking of joining the military myself.”
Participants weren’t the only ones who were appreciative of the learning opportunity. Marines who volunteered to help these spouses throughout the day felt good about the experience as well.
“It’s really an amazing feeling to know I can talk to my wife about what’s going on with me in my day-to-day life and knowing now she can understand,” said Sgt. Justin Frye, a volunteer with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (All Weather) 225 and a Paducah, Ky., native. “She came up to me after the drill instructors had finished with them, and told me she had been quite scared. I couldn’t help but feel good because now she understands, if only to a certain degree, what I have been through.”
Frye’s experience with his own spouse allowed him to better understand what other Marines might be going through.
“There are Marines who go through horrible situations with their spouses just because they don’t know how to explain things,” said Frye. “For me to be able to give back by teaching these wives and children about our daily lives is an amazing feeling for me. Here aboard the air station we’re a community, and we do what we can together, because without our families behind us to support us; we aren’t mission capable at all.”
As the day drew to a close and families began to go home, volunteers and significant others alike gained a great deal from each other.
The Marines gained a new way to speak to their spouses and others about what they do; and the spouses gained a better understanding of what they can do to support their Marines.
| Date Taken: | 07.27.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 07.31.2013 18:10 |
| Story ID: | 111154 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, CA, US |
| Hometown: | PADUCAH, KY, US |
| Hometown: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 368 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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