UNCLAS 061016Z
AUG 07 CMCUC
AL MARADMIN(UC)
MARADMIN
MARADMIN 472/07
MSGID/GENADMIN/WASHINGTON DC/MR//
SUBJ/LIFESTYLE, INSIGHTS, NETWORKING, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS (L.I.N.K.S.) /10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY//
POC/LISA GAHAGAN/PROGRAM SPECLST/MRZ-1/-/TEL:703.784.9541//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/
1.  IN 1995, A GROUP OF WIVES WHOSE HUSBANDS RANGED IN RANK FROM PRIVATE FIRST CLASS TO GENERAL MET IN LEESBURG, VIRGINIA TO CREATE A SPOUSE EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT WOULD EMPOWER MARINE CORPS SPOUSES TO SUCCESSFULLY MEET THE CHALLENGES OF MARINE CORPS LIFE.  ONE OF THE GROUP'S MAIN GOALS WAS THAT THE PROGRAM BE AN INDEPENDENT, ALL-VOLUNTEER PROGRAM THAT WOULD ENHANCE FAMILY READINESS WITHOUT TASKING COMMANDS FOR PARTICIPANTS OR FUNDING.
WITH THE SUPPORT OF GENERAL CHARLES KRULAK, THEN COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS, L.I.N.K.S. WAS INTRODUCED TO MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP AT THE GENERAL OFFICERS SYMPOSIUM IN SEPTEMBER 1996, AND THE FIRST PILOT PROGRAMS WERE LAUNCHED IN JANUARY AND MARCH 1997.  TODAY, L.I.N.K.S. IS COMPRISED OF TEAMS AT FOURTEEN INSTALLATIONS, TWO INFOMERCIAL TEAMS AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOTS, AND ONLINE AT WWW.USMC-MCCS.ORG/LINKS/TRAINING.CFM?SID=FL&SMID=5.
2.  OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, COUNTLESS VOLUNTEERS HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO EDUCATING SPOUSES ON THE UNIQUE MARINE CORPS LIFESTYLE.  A L.I.N.K.S. SESSION IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SPOUSES WITH KNOWLEDGE ON THE HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AS WELL AS INFORMATION ON BENEFITS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE ON BASE, TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL MOVES, MANAGING FINANCES, AND SURVIVING DEPLOYMENTS. L.I.N.K.S. EQUIPS SPOUSES WITH THE TOOLS TO SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE THE DEMANDS OF THE MARINE CORPS LIFESTYLE.  EDUCATED SPOUSES ARE CAPABLE OF SOLVING FAMILY ISSUES AT THE LOWEST LEVEL POSSIBLE, THUS ENABLING MARINES TO BETTER FOCUS ON THEIR DUTIES AND MISSION. TODAY, COMMANDS MAY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HOSTING A UNIT-SPECIFIC L.I.N.K.S. SESSION BY CONTACTING THEIR LOCAL MARINE CORPS FAMILY TEAM BUILDING
(MCFTB) OFFICE. IN RETURN, COMMANDS GREATLY BENEFIT BY THE INCREASED MISSION READINESS AND UNIT COHESION THE PROGRAM PROVIDES.
3.  COMMANDERS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO SET ASIDE THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER TO OBSERVE AND CELEBRATE THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THIS FLOURISHING PROGRAM AND ITS VOLUNTEERS.  WE ENCOURAGE MARKETING THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM AND CELEBRATION EVENTS ON EACH INSTALLATION FOR THIS MILESTONE IN L.I.N.K.S. HISTORY.  THANK YOU, AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THE L.I.N.K.S. PROGRAM AND EMPOWERED SPOUSES ACROSS THE MARINE CORPS.//