thedrifter
07-14-06, 07:19 AM
Working for the single Marines ‘ weekend
July 14,2006
ANNE CLARK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
By Anne Clark
Daily News Staff
Cpl. Ryan O’Rourke is from New Jersey, where a half-hour drive could put him in any nightclub or hot new restaurant in Philadelphia.
Now that he’s stationed at Camp Lejeune, O’Rourke has to dig a little to find fun. He’s searched the Internet for things to do locally. And he volunteered to work with the Single Marine Program on base.
“I want to get the word out, so Marines don’t spend four years working, going home, and going to sleep,” said O’Rourke.
There’s plenty to do on base for Marines with families, but the SMP delivers fun events specifically for single Marines and sailors. A look at the July calendar finds it filled with sports tournaments, surfing classes, a trip to Kings Dominion, and a deep sea fishing trip.
O’Rourke eventually became the president of the French Creek SMP Council. Central Area, Courthouse Bay, Camp Johnson, and French Creek each has its own council made up of young service members representing their units. They offer feedback to the SMP staff about what they want to do for fun.
“The only way things are going to work is if you throw it back at us,” said Mike Saunders, SMP program manager. He was speaking July 11 at French Creek’s council meeting, held in that area’s recreation center.
About a dozen uniformed young Marines in the council sat at round tables, undisturbed by the occasional click of balls on the pool table, or the muted sports on TV behind them.
Enlisted clubs disappeared from Camp Lejeune and many military bases because they went underutilized, said Wayne West, the deputy director for business development with MCCS.
“Years ago, we asked staff NCOs if there was a nightclub on base whether they’d use that club or go to the club out in town,” said West. “The majority said they’d go out in town.”
Some Marines just want to get off base for a few hours, to get away from the same place where they spend so much time either working, working out, or sleeping. The clubs and sports bars in Jacksonville offer some pull away from the base.
Competition out in town can also affect what kind of businesses decide to come on base. At the July 11 council meeting, West explained how he spent two years trying to convince a giant fast food chain to set up on Camp Lejeune.
The fast food company refused to even let MCCS open a franchise on the base, saying it didn’t want to take away business from the Jacksonville stores.
“We didn’t agree,” said West. “There’s a lot of new business on base.”
The trouble is that consumption comes in cycles, especially as units train, deploy, and come home again.
And businesses often have a hard time with the notion that the federal government will own the building that private companies have spent millions on.
Still, West said, there are some new on-base businesses on the horizon that are sure to appeal to young Marines, including a self-storage facility and a Baskin’ Robbins/Dunkin’ Donuts store.
The SMP is also mixing it up with a variety of events that take place on and off Camp Lejeune.
For every on-base paintball tournament (coming July 29), there’s an Onslow Rodeo in town, offering bull riding to Marines at a discount through SMP.
Many of the SMP’s activities come recommended by the Marines who serve on the Council and represent their peers.
“I’m from the north; what I like to do is not necessarily what a country boy likes to do,” said O’Rourke. “Still, this is coming from other Marines their same age, their rank, who are doing the things they like to do.”
The most important thing is to get the word out.
“There are a lot of things to do around Jacksonville,” said O’Rourke. “You just have to find them.”
The SMP will host these upcoming events:
n Double elimination dodgeball tournament beginning 5 p.m. July 19 at French Creek fitness center gym. For more details, call 451-0084.
n An 8-Ball 500 pool tournament held at all recreation centers at Camp Lejeune. Preliminaries at Central Area, Courthouse Bay, Camp Johnson and French Creek rec centers will take place 6 p.m. July 21. For more information, call 451-1942. Preliminaries at Camp Geiger take place July 19 for permanent personnel; July 21 for entry level students. For details, call 449-2207.
Ellie
July 14,2006
ANNE CLARK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
By Anne Clark
Daily News Staff
Cpl. Ryan O’Rourke is from New Jersey, where a half-hour drive could put him in any nightclub or hot new restaurant in Philadelphia.
Now that he’s stationed at Camp Lejeune, O’Rourke has to dig a little to find fun. He’s searched the Internet for things to do locally. And he volunteered to work with the Single Marine Program on base.
“I want to get the word out, so Marines don’t spend four years working, going home, and going to sleep,” said O’Rourke.
There’s plenty to do on base for Marines with families, but the SMP delivers fun events specifically for single Marines and sailors. A look at the July calendar finds it filled with sports tournaments, surfing classes, a trip to Kings Dominion, and a deep sea fishing trip.
O’Rourke eventually became the president of the French Creek SMP Council. Central Area, Courthouse Bay, Camp Johnson, and French Creek each has its own council made up of young service members representing their units. They offer feedback to the SMP staff about what they want to do for fun.
“The only way things are going to work is if you throw it back at us,” said Mike Saunders, SMP program manager. He was speaking July 11 at French Creek’s council meeting, held in that area’s recreation center.
About a dozen uniformed young Marines in the council sat at round tables, undisturbed by the occasional click of balls on the pool table, or the muted sports on TV behind them.
Enlisted clubs disappeared from Camp Lejeune and many military bases because they went underutilized, said Wayne West, the deputy director for business development with MCCS.
“Years ago, we asked staff NCOs if there was a nightclub on base whether they’d use that club or go to the club out in town,” said West. “The majority said they’d go out in town.”
Some Marines just want to get off base for a few hours, to get away from the same place where they spend so much time either working, working out, or sleeping. The clubs and sports bars in Jacksonville offer some pull away from the base.
Competition out in town can also affect what kind of businesses decide to come on base. At the July 11 council meeting, West explained how he spent two years trying to convince a giant fast food chain to set up on Camp Lejeune.
The fast food company refused to even let MCCS open a franchise on the base, saying it didn’t want to take away business from the Jacksonville stores.
“We didn’t agree,” said West. “There’s a lot of new business on base.”
The trouble is that consumption comes in cycles, especially as units train, deploy, and come home again.
And businesses often have a hard time with the notion that the federal government will own the building that private companies have spent millions on.
Still, West said, there are some new on-base businesses on the horizon that are sure to appeal to young Marines, including a self-storage facility and a Baskin’ Robbins/Dunkin’ Donuts store.
The SMP is also mixing it up with a variety of events that take place on and off Camp Lejeune.
For every on-base paintball tournament (coming July 29), there’s an Onslow Rodeo in town, offering bull riding to Marines at a discount through SMP.
Many of the SMP’s activities come recommended by the Marines who serve on the Council and represent their peers.
“I’m from the north; what I like to do is not necessarily what a country boy likes to do,” said O’Rourke. “Still, this is coming from other Marines their same age, their rank, who are doing the things they like to do.”
The most important thing is to get the word out.
“There are a lot of things to do around Jacksonville,” said O’Rourke. “You just have to find them.”
The SMP will host these upcoming events:
n Double elimination dodgeball tournament beginning 5 p.m. July 19 at French Creek fitness center gym. For more details, call 451-0084.
n An 8-Ball 500 pool tournament held at all recreation centers at Camp Lejeune. Preliminaries at Central Area, Courthouse Bay, Camp Johnson and French Creek rec centers will take place 6 p.m. July 21. For more information, call 451-1942. Preliminaries at Camp Geiger take place July 19 for permanent personnel; July 21 for entry level students. For details, call 449-2207.
Ellie