Photo By Cpl. Jonah Lovy | A Marine shows a child the fundamentals of marksmanship with a toy gun during the...... read more read more
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Tri-command children participated in the Lifestyle, Insights, Networking, Knowledge and Skills Mini Marines Program aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort March 12. Marines from MCAS Beaufort and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island volunteered to give children a taste of military life.
The event was divided into individual stations, each highlighting an element of Marine Corps life. The children ran a modified version of the combat fitness test, shot toy guns at a target, learned some basic self-defense tactics, and other team building activities.
“This event is all about letting kids interact with the Marines,” said Paula Dyson, a L.I.N.K.S. trainer with Marine Corps Family Team Building. “They see Marines as super heroes and it is so much fun for them to spend time here.”
More than 80 military children form the Tri-command area attended the program. A total of 12 L.I.N.K.S. Mentors, six Child and Youth Program staff, and 51 Marines volunteered to run the stations.
“Today is complete success,” said Dyson. “Everyone is having a great time and this sets us up to do many more events like this in the future.”
Marines from Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting and the Provost Marshal’s Office aboard Fightertown brought equipment from their work stations to demonstrate for the children. The volunteers from ARFF brought fire safety gear that the children could wear and interact with.
“My daughter is so excited for today,” said Carla Rocha, a mother who lives on Laurel Bay. “She is out here having the time of her life with all the military gear.”
Marines and civilians from PMO brought a military working dog and presented different pieces of law enforcement gear. Every Marine volunteer had the opportunity to impress an aspect of the military on the children.
“I get to teach some basic moves from the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program today,” said Cpl. Cassinda Kottwitz, an aviation ordnance technician from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31. “It is a lot of fun and they all seem eager to learn. We definitely have some future devil dogs out here.”
L.I.N.K.S. is run by Marine Corps Family Team Building and is designed to help families connect to the Marine Corps.
“Events like Mini-Marines are perfect for bringing the entire family together,” said Dyson. “Children can come here and relate to the things their parents do.”
The L.I.N.K.S. program offers multiple curricula to accommodate all aspects of a Marine’s family. The MCFTB office aboard the air station plans to host a Mini-Marines event four times a year similar to this one.
“It would be great if other installations can take a look at what we are doing here and see that it is not that hard,” said Dyson. “Programs like this are easy to put together and very effective. The main ingredient is the Marines!”
| Date Taken: | 03.18.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 03.18.2016 10:54 |
| Story ID: | 192820 |
| Location: | BEAUFORT, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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