R 231839Z FEB 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 005/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/2011 ACTIVE DUTY FUND DRIVE IN SUPPORT OF THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS RELIEF SOCIETY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  OUR NATION TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR MARINES AND SAILORS.  MANY HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM HOSTILE REGIONS, AND MANY MORE REMAIN IN HARM'S WAY.  WHETHER DEPLOYED OVERSEAS OR TRAINING FOR COMBAT, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT OUR MARINES AND SAILORS ARE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THE MISSION AT HAND WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR FAMILY'S WELL BEING.  OUR NAVY AND MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP MAKES IT A TOP PRIORITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR FAMILIES RECEIVE THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO WEATHER ANY HARDSHIP; HOWEVER, THE MARINE CORPS AND NAVY CANNOT MEET EVERY NEED ALONE. THE SUPPORT OF EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDES THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WE NEED TO RELIEVE OUR MARINES, SAILORS AND FAMILIES FROM SOME OF THE STRAIN.  FOR MORE THAN 107 YEARS, THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS RELIEF SOCIETY (NMCRS) HAS STOOD BY OUR FAMILIES, OFFERING ASSISTANCE IN TIMES OF NEED.  TO DATE, NMCRS HAS ASSISTED MORE THAN 4 MILLION MARINES, SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH INTEREST-FREE LOANS, GRANTS AND SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS EXCEEDING ONE BILLION DOLLARS.
2.  DUE TO THE COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY OF ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED TIME AND RESOURCES TO THIS FINE ORGANIZATION IN 2010, NMCRS WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE NEARLY 50 MILLION DOLLARS IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MARINES, SAILORS AND FAMILIES FOR A TOTAL OF 99,854 CASES.  THIS AMOUNTED TO HELPING NEARLY ONE IN EVERY FIVE MARINES AND SAILORS IN UNIFORM.   
3.  BEGINNING 1 MARCH 2011, ACTIVE DUTY MARINES AND SAILORS WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO DONATE TO THE ACTIVE DUTY FUND DRIVE IN SUPPORT OF THE NMCRS.  AT THE SAME TIME, THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WILL COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH MORE THAN 500,000 RETIRED SAILORS AND MARINES - REMINDING THEM THAT THEY, AND THEIR FAMILIES, REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE SOCIETY, AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR GENEROUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THIS ORGANIZATION. 
4.  THE NMCRS WEB SITE AT HTTP:(DOUBLESLASH)WWW.NMCRS.ORG DETAILS ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SOCIETY AND OFFERS A COMPLETE LISTING OF OFFICE LOCATIONS AND HOURS OF OPERATION.
5.  I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE NMCRS AND ITS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE, ENHANCE OPERATIONAL READINESS AND ENSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN.
6.  SEMPER FI.  JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//