Marines TV

From April 28- May 5, 2019, 4th Dental Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve is participating in the Innovative Readiness Training Puerto Rico 2019 in order to restore military readiness while strengthening alliances with partners. MARFORRES Sailors are working jointly with several National Guard and Reserve units from across the nation to provide medical, dental and optometry care in Puerto Rico during a two-week medical exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Andy O. Martinez)

U.S. service members discuss the value of joint military training at Innovative Readiness Training at Yauco, Puerto Rico, April 30, 2019. The purpose of the IRT Puerto Rico is to provide dental, optometry and medical care to the community while performing joint military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Faeth Webb)

U.S. service members participate in Innovative Readiness Training at Ponce, Puerto Rico, April 28, 2019. From April 28- May 5, 2019, 4th Dental Battalion, 4th Marine Logistic Group, Marine Forces Reserve is participating in the IRT Puerto Rico 2019 in order to restore military readiness while strengthening alliances with community partners. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Faeth Webb)

The Single Marine Program (SMP) is currently finishing up their annual Days of Service event, April 22-28, 2019. The event allows Marines, Sailors and civilians to come together and give back to the community by volunteering at numerous events, both on base and in the local community. Volunteer opportunities include, but are not limited to, building for Habitat for Humanity, assisting at animal shelters, beach clean-ups and veteran visits. SMP participants are encouraged to build partnerships with local community organizations to create opportunities and strengthen bonds between Marines, Sailors and local civilians. All commands and personnel are invited to participate, with the emphasis on allowing single Marines and Sailors the opportunity to contribute to this initiative. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Morgan Collett)

Now in its fifth year, the Single Marine Program (SMP) Days of Service week runs from April 22 until April 28, 2019. Incorporated into National Volunteer Month (April) and closely following National Volunteer Week, SMP Days of Service celebrates Marine community involvement and leadership and invites Marines to step up and participate in volunteer initiatives around the community. This video is one in a series of snapshots showing the impact Marine Corps volunteerism creates. Through SMP Days of Service, the Corps bring to life the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ message to “lead like you want to be led.” This message is the foundation of the Leading in My Community campaign, which encourages Marines to develop leadership skills through community service and showcases Marine and family volunteers who are setting an imitable example. The campaign is designed to highlight that lessons learned through volunteerism can add to a Marine’s overall leadership abilities, both on and off the job. Featured in the video are Staff Sergeant Shawn Rose and Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) Single Marine Program Coordinator Jennifer Merlo speaking about the importance of volunteerism, connecting to the community and leading through service. SMP Days of Service builds on the program’s pillar of community service and has had an enormous impact within participating communities and organizations across various Marine Corps installations since its inception in 2015. In fact, as Jennifer Merlo mentions in the video, many organizations approach the Single Marine Program for partnership because of the reputation of Marine and Sailor volunteers. “Volunteering not only makes a difference within a community, it helps Marines and Sailors excel in their jobs and promotes camaraderie, teamwork, and personal growth,” says Michael Brown, Program Manager for the Single Marine Program and Recreation Centers at Marine Corps Headquarters. You can view the video on Marines.mil and www.usmc-mccs.org. Contact your installation’s SMP Coordinator for ways to get involved with Days of Service this week and lead in your community!

U.S Marine Lance Cpl. Jayla Harris, an administrative specialist with 3rd Marine Logistics Group, receives the gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, April 19, 2019. The President’s Volunteer Service Award is the premier volunteer awards program that encourages citizens to live a life of service through presidential gratitude and national recognition. (U.S. Marine Corps motion imagery by Pfc. Brennan Beauton)

U.S Marine Lance Cpl. Jayla Harris, an administrative specialist with 3rd Marine Logistics Group, receives the gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, April 19, 2019. The President’s Volunteer Service Award is the premier volunteer awards program that encourages citizens to live a life of service through presidential gratitude and national recognition. (U.S. Marine Corps motion imagery by Pfc. Brennan Beauton)

Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit participate in volunteer events hosted by the Single Marine Program at locations across Okinawa, Japan, April 18-26, 2019. During the SMP’s Days of Service week, 31st MEU Marines helped give back to the local community during outreach events across Okinawa. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Tanner D. Lambert, Lance Cpl. Cameron E. Parks and Lance Cpl. Kevin A. Dunlop/Released)

The Single Marine Program (SMP) offers a variety of volunteer opportunities including assisting with the local Habitat for Humanity. The mission of Habitat for Humanity is to provide affordable and safe housing to families in need and to put people in homes that may not otherwise qualify for homes. The SMP offers the chance to work with organizations like Habitat for Humanity to support the local community. For a list of volunteer opportunities, visit: http://smp.mccscherrypoint.com/volunteering/ (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Morgan Collett)