I was just wanting to know of all the opportunities the Marine Corps can provide my family.
I know this has been a topic for some time now but can spouses use their providers GI Bill for college?
Are spouses entitled to any type of tuition assistance or grants?
Just anything a spouse can use to better themselves, Homes, Family ties.
Places of interest that are family friendly and fun.
Let loose, I just want to make my wife as comfortable as possible...because we might be in for the long haul and I want her to feel like she is a part of this family(the Corps).
DobbinsBlythe
11-18-08, 08:50 AM
There are TONNNSSS of opportunities for your family! I know that on several bases military spouses can get like 3000/year in grants to go to college for certain majors. Also, YMCA while you're deployed offers free membership. I don't know if that's true where you're at.. but here, it is. It's a really big help to a lot of families who want to get their kids into sports or just recreational things.
Spouse clubs are great.. It's hard for me right now b/c Most of MacDill's spouse club consists of AF members who are only about the the Base members.. vs. CENTCOM, SOCOM or any of that. (and nearly no Marine wives) so I don't go to that. (bad on me)
Your wife I'm sure is able to use your GI bill. That passed with the last appropriations bill (for this new fiscal year). There are THOUSANDS of scholarships for your wife.
I know that Camp Lejeune is a participant in the spouse grant deal. So send her to school!!!! Most of us military families don't make enough to disqualify for pell grants too, so your wife should be set on tuition and books.
Always try to surround yourselves with great people. I personally avoid those who party too much or who seem to have too much drama. Drama from other people tends to rub off on your family--stress for a woman is BAAAAADDDDDD. You think PMS is bad.. wait till she's about to go on a PCS with you cross country, dealing with the person you're supposed to sponsor who is a lazy dummy who spends all his family's money, the dog tearing things up, and doesn't ever see you b/c you're always doing something AAANNNNDDD PMSing.
Just try to keep her life stress-free. ^_^
Oh... for the family, usually the base offers tons of activities. The Youth center when I was growing up (Army brat) always had art classes, martial arts classes, basketball camps, soccer, etc. If you have kids, get them involved! Take advantage of everything your base offers. Oh, and usually there's like an arts and crafts center, so your family can make t-shirts and all sorts of neat things.
That's all I can think of for now. Good on you for working hard to make your family comfortable. I think that's a good man's mind right there.
God Bless!