4th Maintenance Battalion - FallWinterFY12

8/3/2019 4th Maintenance Battalion - FallWinterFY12

1/8

4th

Maintenance Battalion

family has a Merry

Christmas and Happy New

Year.

Semper Fidelis,

LtCol M. C. GriffinCommanding Officer

4th Maintenance Battalion

Dear Marines, Sailors and

Families of the Fourth

Maintenance Battalion,

We are entering into the

holiday season and winding

down both the fiscal and

calendar years. Lets takeadvantage of this

operational pause to

enjoy time with our families

and friends. Please also

remember to stay in touch

with our fellow Marines and

Sailors so that we can live

up to our promise to leave

no Marine (or Sailor)

behind. After a well

deserved rest from the

incredibly high operationaltempo, we need to be ready

to take on new missions and

tasks for the next year,

whether in support of the

4th

MLG or in support of the

Active Component.

Dont forget that in addition

to maintaining physical

readiness for the upcoming

year, take some time to

review your personal and

family readiness plans. Thecommand team, with the

outstanding Unit and

Personal Family Readiness

Officer Ms. Kati Toney, is

ready to assist and serve as

an information resource for

you and the families of

Fourth Maintenance

Battalion.

Lets use 2012 to build on

our stellar reputation inhow 4

thMaintenance

Battalion stands ready to

serve our Corps. I am

hopeful that everyone in my

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Commanders

Corner

1

SgtsMajStraight Talk

1

From the

FRO

2

Chaplains

Message

4

USPS

Christmas

Deadline

4

Nominate a

Family!

5

Get

Connected

with Tricare

6

Holiday Mail

for Heroes

7

Tutor.com 8


Unit, Personal & Family ReadinessW I N T E R 2 0 1 1 / 2 0 1 2V O L U M E I I I , I S S U E 1

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

Holiday Safety Tips

Extreme

Makeover: Home

Edition

Get Connected

with Tricare

Tutor,com

and more!

Commanders Corner

Seargants Major Straight TalkI hope that you all have a

Happy Holiday Season.

Semper Fidelis,

SgtMaj Braswell

Marines, Sailors and 4th

Maintenance Battalion

Families,

Greetings to all!

The last quarter has been

extremely busy for 4th

Maintenance Battalion. We

have celebrated the 236th

Birthday of the Marine

Corps, deployed forces to

Afghanistan and we did

Quantico Viper for our

Marines who will be

mobilizing early next year.

The Marines and Sailors

have preformed

outstanding during this

quarter. The comments

that we received from all

visitors at Quantico Viper

stated this was the best one

they had ever seen. Your

Marines and Sailors were

directly responsible for the

success.


2/8

P A G E 2

4 T H M A I N T E N A N C E B A T T A L I O N

Ms. Kati ToneyFamily Readiness

Officer4th Maintenance Bn

Charlotte, NC

704-598-0015 x337

BB: 704-488-9770

[email protected]

FACEBOOK

Kati Toney-Fro

From the FRO:

During the holiday season, we are often busy, excited and sometimes we do not maintain situation

awareness. The following crime prevention tips should be shared to help keep you and your family

At Home

. Always lock doors and windows when you leave your house or apartment, even for a few minu

. Don't display holiday gifts where they can be seen from a window or doorway. Store gifts befo

you go away on a holiday trip.

. If you go out for the evening, turn on lights and a radio or television so the house or apartmen

appears to be occupied.

. If you take a holiday trip away from your home, have some interior lights activated by an

automatic timer.

. When traveling, have a trusted neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up the

mail/newspaper.

. Participate in Operation Identification and mark your valuables with a unique identification

number.

. Be wary of strangers soliciting for charitable donations. They may attempt to take advantage

people's generosity during the holidays. Ask for identification, how donated funds are used, if

contributions are tax deductible, etc. If you aren't satisfied with the answers, don't give.

. Immediately after the holidays, mark new gifts with an identification number and record new

serial numbers.

. Test your smoke detectors.

Holiday Safety Tips

Greetings, Marines, Sailors,

Families and Friends!

The holidays are here!! Its a

time for celebrating with

your families, friends, andloved ones...a time for

reflecting on and counting

all the things we have to be

grateful for, no matter how

big or small.

Unfortunately its also the

time of year when crime

rates seem to soar. So,

please be careful when

going to your holiday parties

or shopping for those gifts!

Below youll find some very

useful tips for being safe this

holiday season from Marine

Forces Reserve ForceProtection Program

Manager.

Also, please remember those

who are overseas or

otherwise unable to be with

their loved ones this holiday

season. If you want to send a

card to one of our deployed

Marines, please contact your

Deputy FRO or myself for the

information. You may also send

a card through the Holiday

Mail for Heroes program

sponsored by the Red Cross.

More information about that

will be found later in this

newsletter.

The holidays can be a very sad

time for some people. Please be

mindful of that and help spread

some joy to those around you!

Have a wonderful holiday

season!

Kati


3/8

P A G E 3V O L U M E I I I , I S S U E 1

. Use only fire resistant ornaments on a holiday tree and make sure electric lights are in good

working order.

. Don't leave decorative lights on overnight or when you are away from home.

. If you have house guests, advise them of your security precautions and make sure they follow them.

. Avoid leaving boxes from purchases (especially TV's, VCR's, computers, etc.) out on the curb for

trash pickup. Disassemble them, then place in a trash bag for disposal.Shopping

. Shop before dark if possible. Possibly coordinate shopping trips with a friend. Never park in an unlit

lot or area, no matter how convenient it is.

. Lock your packages and gifts in your vehicle's trunk. Keep your vehicle's doors locked and windows

closed.

. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Pay for purchases with a check, credit card, or debit card

when possible.

. To discourage purse-snatchers, don't overburden yourself with packages. Have your purchases

delivered whenever practical.

. Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Carry a purse tightly under your arm. Keep a wallet in aninside jacket pocket or front pocket, not a back trouser pocket.

. Teach children to go to a store clerk or security guard and ask for help if you become separated.

They should never go into a parking lot alone.

Holiday Party Safety

. Have non-alcoholic beverages available for party guests.

. Serve something to eat before serving alcoholic beverages. High protein foods stay in the stomach

longer and slow absorption of alcohol into the system.

. Have alternative transportation for intoxicated persons. Don't let guests drink and drive.

Pickpockets

Pickpockets like to take advantage of crowds in stores, on the street and on forms of public

transportation. Many work in teams with one distracting the victim while the other does the actual pick

pocketing. Beware of anyone who jostles you. It may be accidental but, then again, it may not. For

women who carry a purse, one that has a flap which folds over the opening and fastens at the bottom is

preferable to one that can be opened simply by turning a clasp at the top. Men who carry wallets or a

money clip should keep them in inner or side pockets rather than rear trouser pockets.

If you have any questions or wish to report a suspicious activity, please contact Mr. Miller as provided

below.

Lawrence "Larry" MillerForce Protection Program Manager

MARFORRES G3/5 (OPS/PLANS)

2000 Opelousas Street, Room 3W2113

New Orleans, LA 70146

504-697-7313(Office)

504-722-3404 (Cell)

504 697-9903 (Fax)

DSN 647-7313

[email protected]

[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


4/8

P A G E 4

The realmeasure of

your wealth is

how muchyou'd be worthif you lost all

your money.

~AuthorUnknown

lives.

Peace. What does that meanto you? Im not talking about

cessation of hostilities on the

battlefield; Im talking about a

cessation of turmoil in your

own soul. Does this strike a

cord with you? Last week, my

hospital devotional was on

peace from Matthew 11:28-

30. You see, God never

promised peace to our

circumstances; rather He

promised peace to our souls.Look it up. See for yourselves.

That is a real promise.

Now, there is a catchyoumust look to God for your

satisfaction and strength. You

cant make it on your own in

the foxhole or on the flight

line. Ought we then think we

can make our personal

struggles better with only our

own strength? In Matthew 6

& 10, God cares for thehelpless little birds. And you

are of much more value than

many sparrows (verse 26).

God cares for you. Seek first

Gods kingdom, and you will

have no need to worryabout

your life. There will be peace

in your soul. This is a real

promise.

Thanksgiving has just passed

us. Arent you glad grass isnot red? Huh, Chaps? I

challenge youlook around

and take 5 minutes to write

down a list of all the things

you are thankful for. You will

be surprised! Really.

Most importantly, use your

chaplain. Thats why were

here. If you need a

confidential discussion,

spiritual counsel, or a religiousreferral, call me anytime.

Blessings,

Chaplain Turpin

Ph: 864-325-1828

Eml: [email protected]

Looking over the past few

months, the past few years, or

even the past few weeks,these have been unusually

turbulent times for our

economy, our military, and

our lives in general. Many of

you have been struggling to

make sense of job layoffs,

decreased benefits,

overwhelming responsibilities,

balancing of work-life

relationships, and

deployments that strain your

closest relationships.

You are not alone! As I was

contemplating what to share,

I thought of my own life and

how it could reflect in yours:

my daughters medical

challenges; my wifes home-

schooling of three of our five

kids: 9, 7, 5, 3, 1; my

balancing of Hospital Chaplain

CPE Training (full-time job

with homework) and EMSChaplaincy with Navy and

Marine Corps responsibilities;

my church; my family; my

friends; the list goes on.

Many of you could expand the

list significantly in your own

Chaplains Message

4 T H

M A I N T E N A N C E

B A T T A L I O N

To get mail to a service member by Christmas at APO/FPO/DPO AE 090-092, 094-098,

340, or 962-966, the latest a package can be sent to arrive on time is Dec. 17 -- that

means senders have to pay for Express Mail. If senders have already got packages ready

and they want to send earlier -- and pay less -- they can put them in the mail by Dec. 10

and pay for either 1st Class or Priority mail. Mail to APO/FPO/DPO AE 093 must be sent

by Dec. 3, regardless of the class of mail service used.

USPS Deadlines for

Christmas Packages


5/8


Nominate a Family!

Extreme Makeover Seeks Military Families for Holiday Episode

By Elaine Sanchez

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2011The cast of ABCs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition would like to

brighten the holidays for a deserving military family this year.

The reality show is seeking nominations for military families in desperate need of a home makeover. The

selected family will be featured in an upcoming holiday episode.

We want to do a holiday-themed episode thats even bigger and more extreme than ever, David

Shumsky, the shows casting director, said in an ABC news release. In order to pull off such a huge

venture, we need the support of the entire community. We know that the military communities willcome out to help one of their own.

The popular reality show features Ty Pennington, his design team and a host of volunteers performing a

massive home makeover in just seven days. The show focuses on families whose home situation is a

severe hindrance to their quality of life, Shumsky explained.

We really want to help families whose homes present major problems for the family -- those big issues

that affect the family's quality of life on a daily basis, he said. We want to find deserving people who

just don't have the resources, ability or time to fix those serious issues without our help.

For this special episode wed love it if the holiday season had some special significance to the familys

story, he added. Maybe they have unique holiday traditions or volunteer in an organization specificallygeared toward the season. Ultimately, we want to give this family the best holiday theyve ever had.

Families in need of a home makeover or community members who know of a deserving family are

welcome to submit nominations. Nominations must include the names and ages of every household

member, a description of the major challenges within the home, a short description of the family story,

and a contact phone number.

People should also explain why the family is deserving, heroic or a great role model in their community

and, if possible, include recent photos of the family and home. People can submit nominations via email

[email protected].

For more information on how to apply, visit the shows website at http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=apply.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


6/8

P A G E 6

"Marines take

care of their own

- period. The

enduring pledge

between Marines

is never more

sacred than

during time of

war. Just as every

Marine makes a

commitment to

the Corps when

they earn the title

Marine, the Corps

makes an

enduring

commitment to

every Marine -

and an enduring

commitment to

their family."

(Quote by

General

Conway, 34th

CMC Planning

Guidance)

4 T H M A I N T E N A N C E B A T T A L I O N

Get Connected with Tricare!

MilConnect is New Online Portal for DOD Beneficiaries

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2011 A range of information about Defense Department benefits

information and eligibility is now available online, the director of the Defense Manpower

Data Center said yesterday.

Two new online efforts -- milConnect and eCorrespondence -- give beneficiaries 24/7 access

to personnel information; the ability to update information related to health, education and

other benefits; and e-mail notifications about changes in benefits, Mary Dixon told American

Forces Press Service.

At the Defense Manpower Data Center, one of our many responsibilities is to be the

interface with beneficiaries, especially on benefits and eligibility for benefits, Dixon said.

MilConnect, available online and through a mobile application for the Android smart phone,

was known for a year as the mydodbenefits website.

The revamped milConnect site is available online, around-the-clock, to all DOD beneficiaries

and their spouses and children age 18 or older.

Users can sign on in several ways, Dixon said.

Anyone who has a common access card, a Defense Finance and Accounting Services myPay

account logon, or a DOD Self-Service or DS logon can sign in on the MilConnect website, or

apply at the site for a DS logon.

MilConnect information comes from the Defense Enrollment Eligibility System called DEERS.Eligible users are active duty, National Guard and Reserve members; and military retirees,

spouses and eligible family members age 18 and older.

Sponsors can view information about all dependents listed in DEERS but for now eligible

dependents can see only their own information.

Beneficiaries who use milConnect, Dixon said, can update DEERS contact information,

manage health care enrollments, locate the nearest military ID card issuing facility, view

personnel information, transfer education benefits to eligible family members, view group

life insurance information, and manage other information.

Army National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard can update civilianemployment information.

The mobile application works today on Android phones, but Dixon said her center is in the

process of making MilConnect available for iPhones and other smart phones and mobile

devices.

The smart phone app lets users find sites for the Real-time Automated Personnel


7/8


Identification System called RAPIDS, where military members receive new ID cards, military treatment

facilities, and contact information for Tricare regional offices.

Related to milConnect, Dixon said, is an initiative called eCorrespondence that will use e-mail

notifications of changes in benefits rather than postal service letters for active-duty service members

and National Guard and Reserve service members on periods of active duty.

E-mail notifications will be sent to the e-mail address associated with a service members common

access card, Dixon said.

Beginning this month, service members will receive e-mail notifications of a change in Tricare primary-

care manager, of potential eligibility changes when a child turns 21 or 23, and of the ability to view or

print a Tricare enrollment card and welcome letter after enrollment into a Tricare medical or dental

program.

The e-mail notifications will refer service members to the milConnect web portal.

Service members will be able to check Tricare eligibility and information through the MilConnect

portal, whether or not they receive an e-mail notification.

Dixon said service members also can opt out of the e-mail notifications.

Were hoping to continue to expand both the things that we let you know by e-mail and to expand

to other kinds of benefits changes and to additional populations, she said, including retirees.

Its a little bit hard with retirees because we dont necessarily know their e -mail addresses, she

added. But thats something they can enter into the system on milConnect.

The holiday season is just around the corner and its time again to start thinking about being part of the

2011 American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes. For a fifth year, American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes

are partnering to ensure all Americans have an opportunity to send a touch of home this holiday season

to members of our U.S. military, veterans and their families, many of whom will be far away from home

this holiday season.

Starting this fall and throughout the holiday season, the Red Cross is working with Pitney Bowes, a mail

stream technology company, to collect and distribute holiday cards to American service members,

veterans and their families in the United States and around the world.

The process is very simple and takes no time at all - All you need is a pen and piece of paper to share your

appreciation for the sacrifices members of the U.S. Armed Forces make to protect our freedoms The

Holiday Mail for Heroes mail box is open and ready to receive for your cards. Please send all mail to:

Holiday Mail For Heroes

P.O. Box 5456

Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

**Or if you would like the mailing address to our Marines currently deployed, please contact your

Deputy FRO or myself. Thank you!**


8/8

6115 N Hills Circle

Charlotte, NC 28213

Phone: 704-598-0015

Fax: 704-598-0070

Useful Websites and Contacts

Military One Source: www.militaryonesource.com

Military Home Front: www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil

Military Spouses: www.milspouse.com

Marine Parents: www.marineparents.com

Blue Star Mothers: www.bluestarmothers.org

Marine Corps Community Services: www.usmc-mccs.org

Military Pay: www.dfas.mil/militarypay.html

Tricare: www.tricare.mil/mybenefit

American Red Cross: www.redcross.org

Marine Forces Reserve: www.marforres.usmc.mil

Official Marine Corps Website: www.marines.mil

DStress: www.dstressline.com or 877-476-7734

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-TALK ((8255)


USMC:

Improvise.

Adapt.

Overcome

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4th Maintenance Battalion - FallWinterFY12