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International Studies Elementary Charter School Red Ribbon Week - International Studies Elementary Charter School Red Ribbon Week

Pepping up students to say no to drugs

Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany Marines spent the afternoon getting International Studies Elementary Charter School students pumped up to say no to drugs at a pep rally, as part of their week-long celebrations for Red Ribbon Week, October 29.

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Courtesy Asset - Courtesy Asset

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Breaks Ground on New 93,000-Square Foot Fitness Center

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point proudly announces the groundbreaking of a state-of-the-art, 93,000-square-foot fitness center, marking a pivotal investment in the health and readiness of our Marines and Sailors. The eagerly awaited facility, slated to replace the installation's outdated 13,260-square foot gym housed in a converted warehouse

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Hurricane Florence and beyond; Six years of growth - U.S. Sailors and construction crew members pose for a photo during the P378 topping out ceremony on Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Oct. 25, 2023. P378, a new CH-53K King Stallion aircraft maintenance hangar, will provide a facility large enough and properly configured to support the CH-53K squadrons assigned to MCAS New River as well as providing the required space to support the mission of the CH-53K aircraft. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Daniela Chicas Torres)

Hurricane Florence and beyond; Six years of growth

It’s been more than six years since Hurricane Florence caused billions of dollars in damage to facilities across Marine Corps Installations in Eastern North Carolina. The storm brought 36 inches of rain and hurricane force winds for three consecutive days, washing out roadways, eroding training beaches and causing critical damage to more than 800

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2024 Elected Officials Luncheon - Elected officials from the Town of Surf City pose for a photo during a luncheon for elected officials at Marston Pavilion on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 17, 2024. Elected officials and town managers from Onslow County and its municipalities joined top military leaders during the annual luncheon that featured briefings and discussions covering mutual areas of interest. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Nat Fahy)

Base Hosts Onslow County Leaders for Information Luncheon

Several dozen elected officials and town managers representing Onslow County and its municipalities joined top military leaders for an annual luncheon hosted by the base that featured briefings and discussions covering mutual areas of interest at Marston Pavilion yesterday.Led by the county’s commissioners and board chairman Tim Foster,

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First in the DoD: Camp Lejeune’s Wrap-Around Care Pilot Program - Students run to the playground during an after-school Wrap-Around Care program at Johnson Primary School (JPS) on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 2, 2024. Wrap-Around Care is a collaborative solution developed between the Department of Defense Education Activity and Marine Corps Community Services Lejeune-New River’s Family Care Program using JPS as a pilot site to bridge the gaps in essential before-and-after school services, ensuring that all students receive the support they need. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Loriann Dauscher)

First in the DoD: Camp Lejeune’s Wrap-Around Care Pilot Off to a Solid Start

Nearly 50 children at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune are taking part in a new pilot program at Johnson Primary School that provides before-and-after school care in a safe and structured learning environment. Wrap-Around Care is a collaborative solution developed between Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) and Marine Corps Community Service’s (MCCS) Family Care Program using Johnson Primary School as a pilot site to bridge the gaps in these essential before-and-after school services, ensuring that all students receive the support they need. This arrangement evolved prior to the introduction of DoDEA’s Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) initiative this year which seeks to address the growing need for accessible early childhood education by recognizing its vital role in a child's development. By ensuring all families have access to high-quality prekindergarten programs, UPK aims to provide every child with a strong foundation for lifelong learning. Ultimately, it’s about convenience said Kimberley Gipson, Family Care Program manager for MCCS Lejeune-New River. “These children are going to be served at a school for before-and-after care without any disruption in their day,” she said. “They come to the school, they receive care, they go to the classrooms, they do their work, and they come back in the afternoon to receive additional care.” Furthermore, Wrap-Around Care services are available not only for UPK students but also for elementary-aged children, from kindergarten to 2nd grade, addressing the needs of active-duty families. According to the Wrap-Around Care guide, participation in the program incurs a fee. The fee for each family will be determined based on their Total Family Income (TFI), eligibility for the DoD subsidized rate, and the type of care utilized (before and/or after). Wrap-Around Care is available Monday through Friday from 6:15 to 8:30 a.m. and 2:55 to 5:30 p.m. with full-day care from 6:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on teacher workdays, early release days, and during winter and spring breaks. Parents can register their child through www.militarychildcare.com. The Wrap-Around Care program is staffed by Child and Youth Program professionals who make use of the school’s cafeteria and playground offering activities to create a structured learning environment that balances academic support with recreational and social opportunities. Currently, there are 18 UPK children and 15 K-2nd graders utilizing before-and-after care services. Helen Rogers, Child & Youth deputy administrator, played an instrumental role in initiating the program and says it’s a true win for military families. “You think of the anxieties and stressors they have in their daily lives,” she said. “This partnership with DoDEA speaks volumes about how we take the early learning needs of our children and well-being of our military-connected families very seriously.” Gipson noted the vision is to expand to other schools and installations in the future, but this will only happen after comprehensive assessments are conducted throughout the year to identify any necessary adjustments. The benefits gained from this pilot will play a key role in supporting the broader expansion of services to additional locations. Johnson Primary School’s head principal, Leigh Anne Kapiko, was excited her school was chosen by DoDEA officials to host the pilot program. “Anything that we can do to support the readiness of our service members and their families is an honor. I feel very privileged to be entrusted with adding another layer of support to the military community.”

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U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Jennifer McKenna, a newly appointed Chief Petty Officer with 2d Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, and a Clio, Michigan native, is pinned by her family members during a Chief Petty Officer pinning ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 27, 2024. Established by the Navy in 1893, the distinction for Chief Petty Officer was marked by changes in uniform and authority, with Chief Selects completing a six-week initiation that included physical fitness, team-building, and leadership training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexis Sanchez) - U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Jennifer McKenna, a newly appointed Chief Petty Officer with 2d Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, and a Clio, Michigan native, is pinned by her family members during a Chief Petty Officer pinning ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 27, 2024. Established by the Navy in 1893, the distinction for Chief Petty Officer was marked by changes in uniform and authority, with Chief Selects completing a six-week initiation that included physical fitness, team-building, and leadership training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexis Sanchez)

The Path Unveiled: HMC McKenna Finds Her Calling

On September 27, 2024, Hospital Corpsman First Class Jennifer A. McKenna, a corpsman with 2d Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, became a Chief Petty Officer during a ceremony held at the Base Theater on Camp Lejeune. The distinguished anchors were pinned on her collar by her two children, and she received the combination cover by

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Temporary Emergency Power Mission Staging at MCLB Albany - Temporary Emergency Power Mission Staging at MCLB Albany

Hurricane damage prompts temporary emergency power mission staging

Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany is a Federal Emergency Management Agency incident support base and will be storing resources being used by the Army Corps of Engineers in response to damage from Hurricane Helene.

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MCAS New River Go-Getter: Sgt. Luc Groleau - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Luc Groleau, a MV-22 Osprey avionics technician and instructor with the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit New River, poses for a photo on Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Sept. 20, 2024. Groleau, the recipient of the September 2024 MCAS New River Go-Getter award, is a native of Flat Rock, Michigan, and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2018. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Yasmine De La Rosa)

MCAS New River Go-Getter: Sgt. Luc Groleau

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Luc Groleau, an MV-22 Osprey avionics technician and instructor with the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) New River, on Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, has been named the Go-Getter of the Month for September 2024. CNATTU New River provides technical

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Sky Scouts of FESD – FF Ackley of Camp Geiger’s Fire Station 6 - FF Jabbok Ackley, a firefighter with Fire Station 6, Fire and Emergency Services Division (FESD), Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, poses with a drone in front of Fire Station 6 at Camp Geiger on MCB Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 17, 2024. FESD was given the opportunity to be an early adopter of the small Unmanned Aircraft System program in February 2024 and has since then successfully been used in search and rescue operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Leo Amaro)

Marine Corps Drone Technology Proves Vital in Search for Missing Child

On July 9, 2024, the Camp Lejeune Fire and Emergency Services Division (FESD) successfully used their newly acquired small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) in a critical search operation for a missing child on Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The operation demonstrated the effectiveness of drone imagery capabilities, which made

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LaVoie & Leny - LaVoie & Leny

Corps & Country: LCpl Averi LaVoie

Lance Corporal Averi Lavoie is from a small town near Charlotte, North Carolina and is a K9 handler with the Marine Corps Police Department K9 Unit at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany.“I did not want to be a Marine. I did not want to join this branch of service at all. It was my last choice until I went to the recruiting officer for the Marine

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