L.I.N.K.S. for Kids at MCLB Barstow

Photo By Cynthia McIntyre | Children of Marine and Army families working or living aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., attended a L.I.N.K.S. for Kids program July 23. The Lifestyles, Insights, Networking, Knowledge and Skills program was originally developed by military spouses to pass along tips and tricks of being a military spouse. This program, geared for military children, included fun games, knowing the Marine and Army chains of command, dealing with a parent's deployment, and learning to make new friends when moving to another base. The program concluded with a lunch of meals, ready to eat. Military volunteers were on hand to demonstrate the use of the warming bag and the best way to eat MREs.  

BARSTOW, CA, UNITED STATES

08.13.2015

Story by Cynthia McIntyre 

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

The military lifestyle is often hard on families who move every two or three years, or who have to learn to live without a family member on deployment. More than 20 years ago, Marine spouses created a support network called L.I.N.K.S (Lifestyles, Insights, Networking, Knowledge and Skills) to share tips and tricks for coping with these challenges. Now this concept has been used to help their children, as well.

L.I.N.K.S. for Kids, held July 23 aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., combined fun games with military and flag protocol, chain of command, and coping mechanisms when a parent is on deployment. Soldiers from Fort Irwin stationed at Barstow-Daggett Airport who live in base housing, as well as MCLB's Marines, were on hand to help with the program.

Organized by Julie Wilbanks, Family Readiness Officer and director of Marine Corps Family Team Building, and Jill Crumpler, administrative assistant for MCFTB, the program kept the children engaged and enthusiastic all morning. Games such as Twister had Army and Marine installation locations glued to the floor cloth, demonstrating that sometimes the many moves a military child makes can be as confusing and hard to manage as the acrobatics needed to win at Twister.

Photographs of the Army and Marine chain of command, beginning with the Commander in Chief, inspired a "who is … ?" game. Debbie McGough, School Liaison Officer, was the mystery guest in "What's my Line," where the younger children had to guess what her job was. They offered a variety of duties, from 'garbage lady' to 'helicopter pilot' to 'engineer.'

Adam Diaz, Exceptional Family Member case worker, led the group in "Simon Says," and even the Marines and Soldiers found themselves dropping out when they obeyed a command not issued by "Simon."

The younger children, led by the teens, shared their experiences with their parent's deployment. Some said they used Skype to keep in touch. One teen made a scrapbook for her dad. A young man advised, "Do something to distract yourself. Get a hobby."

Army Sgt. Bruce Adams said, "The best thing you can do is to send them a letter or care package. I still have some of my letters and postcards someone sent me. Send homemade cookies. It's like getting a Christmas package. But don't send Skittles. They come in our MREs, and after six months you never want to eat them again."

Crumpler explained the Marines' unofficial slogan "Semper Gumby," a reference to the bendable toy. "When you're a military kid you need to be flexible because things change a lot," she said. "Be brave. Help your younger brothers and sisters to be brave, too."

The children also ran an obstacle course wearing full-sized uniforms, which provided laughs and challenges as they negotiated a tunnel, ran through hoops, crawled on their bellies, did jumping jacks and push-ups, all while dragging duffel bags behind them and holding up their droopy pants.
And what did they have for lunch? Meals, ready to eat, of course!

• Date Taken: 08.13.2015
• Date Posted: 08.13.2015 11:54
• Story ID: 173053
• Location: BARSTOW, CA, US