CORE: Etiquette in an Instagram Age

On November 20th, CORE of Hampton Roads will be hosting a workshop to address “Etiquette in an Instagram Age.” They will discuss the in’s and out’s of social media and managing your public presence.

November 20th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Double Tree Hotel Norfolk Airport
880 N Military Hwy Ste 1033, Norfolk, Virginia 23502
Check in begins at 6:00 p.m.
Register online at www.navyleaguehamptonroads.org
Fee $10

To be added to the CORE Hampton Roads Mailing List, send an email to coreofhamptonroads@gmail.com.

Emergency Preparedness Month

To celebrate National Emergency Preparedness Month, our Chairman, Beth Mulloy, joined forces with the NSA Washington Emergency Management Office to provide Are You Ready? Guidelines for Navy Family Emergency Preparedness and Ready Navy materials to Sailors and civilians on the Washington Navy Yard.

This publication includes information on what to do before, during, and after a natural disaster, man-made hazards, and acts of terrorism. Visit www.nsfamilyline.org/site/publications/guidelines-for-navy-family-emergency-preparedness to download a copy for your family.

COMPASS Mentors

Three years ago, I sat in a classroom a lot like this one not expecting to learn anything but hoping, at the very least, to connect with other spouses. After nine years of marriage, five deployments, one unaccompanied tour, and an OCONUS move, I could not imagine there was much left for me to learn but I was wrong. So very wrong.

For the first time, I understood WHY my Sailor deploys. I had always been supportive of my husband’s job but for the first time, I felt a new understanding; a renewed sense of pride. I was able to see just how important the Navy and our Sailors are on a global scale. It was an enlightening experience. I also learned about the CONUS move; something I had never done before but was expected to do in the next month. The Mentor who taught the moving section was incredible. She answered all of my questions and shared tips that helped make PCSing easier for her family. I was overwhelmed with how willing everyone was, participants and Mentors alike, to share their experiences if it meant saving someone else from difficulties.

Most importantly, I discovered that I wanted to help other spouses, too. Even though I detest public speaking, I volunteered to become a Mentor at the next duty station. As I sit here now, waiting for the other Mentors and participants to arrive, I am so thankful for everything I have learned in the last 3 years and the amazing spouses who have left “fingerprints on my soul,” as a good friend likes to say. COMPASS is more than learning about the Navy, it’s about community… our community.

To find and register for a COMPASS class near you, visit www.gocompass.org.

Thank You, USAA!!

Thanks to the generosity of USAA, we have three new mail carts! We package and ship approximately 10,000 books every month, not including COMPASS program notebooks and supplies. These new carts will make the job a lot easier (and less painful!) and we couldn’t be happier!

Thank you, USAA!

Honoring The Fallen

“We know their lives were defined by not how they died, but how they lived. The horrific acts of a mad man cannot break the spirit of our Navy family.”
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus

Today we will take a moment, on the Yard and around the world, to remember Michael Arnold, Martin Bodrog, Arthur Daniels Sr., Sylvia Frasier, Kathleen Gaarde, John Johnson, Mary Knight, Frank Kohler, Vishnu Pandit, Kenneth Proctor Sr., Gerald Read and Richard Ridgell. Fair winds…

End Of Summer

The end of summer on many bases means a pooch party at the pool. Before draining the water for the season, MWR allows our four-legged family members to enjoy a dip or work on their tan. Check with your local MWR office for upcoming events.

Books, Books, and More Books!

It has been a very busy summer at the FamilyLine office. With the highly anticipated releases of Are You Ready? Guidelines for Navy Family Emergency Preparedness and Guidelines for the Spouses of Chief Petty Officers, orders have been flooding in and books have been flying off the shelves.

Since May, our volunteers have shipped out more than 18,000 copies of Are You Ready. This publication is being used by Fleet and Family Support Centers, Ombudsmen, Family Readiness Groups, CORE Groups, and Navy commands to prepare our Navy families for various types of emergency situations. So far, the feedback has been very positive and we are looking forward to Emergency Preparedness Month in September.

Click here to see our Chairmen, Beth Mulloy and Jen Yurina, show off their packing skills.

Thanks to MCPON Stevens, we started taking orders for Guidelines for the Spouses of Chief Petty Officers in January from CMCs, COBs, CPO 365 Coordinators, Ombudsmen, FRG Leaders, CORE Groups and CPO spouses. Our volunteers were very excited to begin shipping in June and are still packing last-minute orders before the results are released (hopefully this week!). This year we decided to test out a new product, the CPO Selectee Spouse Packet. The packet contains Sea Legs, Guidelines for the Spouses of Chief Petty Officers, information on FamilyLine publications, OPSEC, and a uniform price list. We hope to offer this packet to every selectee spouse in 2015. Our volunteers assembled over 1,600 packets and shipped out almost 8,000 books (and counting).

Click here to groove with Chief Downs as he assembles CPO Selectee Spouse Packets.

In August, we will begin shipping the 2014 versions of Social Customs and Traditions of the Sea Services and Guidelines for the Spouses of Commanding Officers and Executive Officers. Visit http://www.nsfamilyline.org/site/publications to pre-order a copy for yourself, your CORE Group, or your command.

Protect Yourself Online

The USAA Educational Foundation offers families a wide range of educational materials on topics important to military families, including this video on cybersecurity.

To learn more about protecting your information online, watch the video at www.youtube.com or download the Cybersecurity brochure at USAA Educational Foundation.

Thank You, USAA!

To the Friends of FamilyLine,

I would like to let you know about the generous donation from USAA to support our programs. With their support we are able to continue to assist our spouses around the globe.
Thank you, USAA, for your continued support to help our military spouses.

Sincerely,
Beth Mulloy, Chairman

Good Luck, FCPOs!

The Chief Petty Officer board for active duty sailors convened this week and the quotas are out. Over 16,000 First Class Petty Officers are board eligible this year and almost 4,000 will be selected for Chief.

Advancement quotas by rating can be found at All Hands.