CAMP LEJUNE, N.C. - More than 100 service members and their spouses from across the 2nd Marine Logistics Group came together for a night of fun, food and camaraderie at Marston Pavilion here, Feb. 25.
Brig. Gen. Edward D. Banta, the commanding officer of 2nd MLG, along with his wife Molly and family readiness officers throughout the group worked in tandem to advertise the opportunities available to Marines, sailors and their spouses throughout the Marine Corps.
“It’s an opportunity to say thank you to not only the family readiness officers and the command team members, but also the spouses who are active in the family readiness programs,” said Banta. “I know at the battalion and regimental level they do an awful lot, but this is just an opportunity for us to bring together folks from across those organizations to thank them and to say that there is value in establishing those relationships between units. It’s not just the battalion itself; it’s the battalions within the regiment and the regiments within the group, all working together towards common goals in respect to family readiness.”
Banta and his wife spoke to attendees about the importance of family readiness, and then invited them for food and drinks, and to meet new people. While everyone was finishing their meals a raffle was conducted with baskets of gifts being given away, and then Jamie Collins, the finance manager of The Dogwood Boutique here spoke to the spouses about opportunities available to them aboard Camp Lejeune.
“It’s not about the spouse at home or the spouse that’s deployed, it’s about being a team,” said Mrs. Banta. “
The Bantas have been active in family readiness programs for more than 10 years, and Gen. Banta stressed the importance of family readiness with regards to mission accomplishment.
“We’ve got almost 9,000 Marines and sailors in 2nd MLG, and about half of those are married,” said Banta. “At any given time we’ve got 700-1,200 service members deployed, which means that their family members are left here without them. By ensuring that our families have access to the information and services that they need while their spouses are deployed, it frees up the Marines and sailors to focus on their mission.”