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    FOCUS program celebrating two years

    FOCUS Program celebrating two years aboard MCLB Barstow

    Photo By Keith Hayes | Jesica Grow is a Family Resilience Trainer with the Families OverComing Under Stress...... read more read more

    MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CA, UNITED STATES

    08.09.2018

    Story by Keith Hayes 

    Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

    The Department of Defense FOCUS program that offers help with the unique challenges facing military families is celebrating its second year of service aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif.

    The Families OverComing Under Stress program has been in operation aboard MCLBB since August 2016.

    “We will be hosting a FOCUS open house in building 126 behind the Marine Memorial Chapel from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. August 29th,” said Jesica Grow, FOCUS Family Resilience Trainer at MCLBB. “Families, providers, and anyone who works on base is welcome to drop in and learn about the program and what we do. We’ll have activities, refreshments, and cupcakes to celebrate the two year anniversary of FOCUS Barstow.”

    FOCUS offers strength-based training for military families in five areas including how to deal with emotional regulation, communication, problem solving, goal setting, managing deployment, and stress reminders.

    Grow noted that FOCUS teaches practical skills to help families and couples feel prepared to meet the challenges of military life such as deployments, stress, injury and other transitions. FOCUS training is confidential, free and offers services at family friendly hours.

    Even though MCLB Barstow is a non-deployable base, one aspect of military life that the FOCUS program addresses that is relatively unique to MCLBB is how families cope with getting a permanent change of station to a remote location. A child starting at a new school can face a difficult transition as well, and FOCUS offers training in that area.

    Grow said the FOCUS training helps people realize that they are not alone in how they feel about different aspects of military life.

    “We constantly point out the family’s strengths and provide them with education about different topics,” she said, “and trying to normalize some of the reactions that the family might be experiencing so that they realize ‘Okay, this is normal. I’m not the only one who is having a hard time with this.’”

    For even more remote locations such as the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Pickel Meadow near Bridgeport, Calif., the unique training can be accessed via computer through TeleFOCUS. Families looking for training can “meet” online with a FOCUS Resilience Trainer to take advantage of the strength training.

    “Being a former military spouse I’m aware of some challenges families face,” Grow said. “I definitely wish that I would have known about FOCUS. It was not available at any of the installations we were stationed on but the training would have been beneficial.”

    FOCUS as a whole was launched in 2008 at seven Navy and Marine Corps sites. Since then it has expanded to 29 sites across all branches of the military in-country and around the world at DoD installations.

    Grow said the FOCUS program is free and confidential for military families, and is considered training, not treatment, therapy, or counseling. The enrollment is not recorded in the service member’s record and is not reported to the command or other chains of leadership, so this helps families and couples feel comfortable seeking FOCUS support.

    “I have a passion for working with the military population and have respect for all that they do for our country,” she said. “I love what I do. Seeing families walk out after they complete training and the difference from when they first enrolled, it definitely feels good to see the growth.”

    Once again, FOCUS is holding an open house August 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to celebrate its two-year anniversary aboard MCLBB at its offices in building 126 behind the Marine Memorial Chapel.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 08.09.2018
    Date Posted: 08.09.2018 13:09
    Story ID: 287982
    Location: MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CA, US
    Hometown: BARSTOW, CA, US

    Web Views: 43
    Downloads: 0

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