Spouses celebrate Marine Corps birthday together

Photo By Cpl. Terry Haynes | Marines take part in cake-cutting ceremony as part of spaghetti dinner and ceremony for the families of deployed spouses aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Nov. 8. The event was organized by the Family Readiness Officers of both Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons 312 and 251.  

BEAUFORT, SC, UNITED STATES

11.09.2017

Story by Lance Cpl. Terry Haynes 

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

The dinner and ceremony was organized by the Family Readiness Officers for both Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 in honor of the deployed Marines who wouldn’t be able to attend the Marine Corps Ball in time before the end of their deployment.
“We’ve done this event several times in the past and it’s specifically geared to deployed families,” said Lisa Montanez, the FRO for VMFA 312. “It’s a nice way for the families to not have worry about cooking a meal or cleaning up after, while also honoring our families and the Marine Corps lifestyle we live.”
The FRO’s from both squadrons were assisted in cooking and cleaning for the event by volunteers from Marine Corps Community Services, as well as 9 Marines who volunteered from different squadrons across the air station.
“Pitching in for events like these is the reason that I enjoy volunteering,” said Dan Phelps an Ordnance Technician with Marine Corps Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501. “Families are the life line of deployed Marines and I am more than happy to help them in any little way I can.”
FRO’s are responsible with everything from information and referral to event coordination and managing a budget. They are also responsible for the different aspects of a squadron when it comes to communication and interaction between the command and family members.
“We are the link between the families and the command in a squadron,” said Sarhi Wiggins, the FRO for VMFA 251. ”If there is a problem or a concern, we can point the Marines in the right direction that will be able to help their problem.”
The Marines of VMFA-251 are currently deployed to Japan in support of the Unit Deployment Program and the Marines of VMFA-312 are currently deployed aboard the USS Roosevelt.
“I have worked with other MCCS’s and we by far, have the hands down best MCCS in the entire Marine Corps here,” said Montanez. “I really think that all other MCCS’s need to be modeled after the way that ours here operates.”

• Date Taken: 11.09.2017
• Date Posted: 11.20.2017 08:37
• Story ID: 255919
• Location: BEAUFORT, SC, US