R 221628Z JAN 16
ALMAR 006/16
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS(UC)//
SUBJ/2016 ACTIVE DUTY FUND DRIVE IN SUPPORT OF THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS RELIEF SOCIETY//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/YMD: 19990208//
AMPN/REF A IS SECNAVINST 5340.7, ACTIVE DUTY FUND DRIVE IN SUPPORT OF THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS RELIEF SOCIETY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) is the official military aid society for the Department of the Navy.  The annual active duty fund drive is our opportunity to raise funds for the direct benefit of our fellow Marines and Sailors.  The NMCRS has provided assistance to our Marines, Sailors, and families since 1904.  The Society gives support and peace of mind to those in need during times of unforeseen crises.  Examples include assisting Marines with travel to the bedside of an ill or injured family member, or sending visiting nurses to visit the home of an injured Marine or Sailor.  Society volunteers also provide budget counseling services and financial education to assist Marines and Sailors with planning for the financial impacts of marriage, arrival of new family members, and car or home ownership.
2.  The Society is a vital contributor to unit readiness; it provides a lifeline to Marines and Sailors when circumstances exceed their financial ability to cope on their own.  The Society does not receive government funding and depends on the generous support of active duty and retired Marines and Sailors to carry out its mission of helping those in need at home and around the globe.  Our collective contributions provide interest-free loans and grants for those facing financial challenges, others who have been displaced by natural disasters, and those dealing with unexpected family emergencies.  In 2015, the Society’s 3,700 volunteers helped nearly 60,000 Marines and Sailors receive assistance, totaling more than $45 million in financial assistance from NMCRS.
3.  This year’s campaign theme is “By our own – For our own.”  It embodies our Corps’ tradition of taking care of each other and never leaving a Marine or Sailor behind.  I ask all who wear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor to commit to supporting the 2016 NMCRS Fund Drive.  Now is the time to help our fellow Marines, Sailors, and their families.  I need leaders to assign command representatives to this Fund Drive and ensure everyone is provided the opportunity to learn more about NMCRS.  Our Marines and Sailors must be well-informed about programs and services offered by NMCRS, and afforded the opportunity to voluntarily donate to this worthy cause.  Through our financial support, we can keep faith with an organization that has kept faith with our Marines and Sailors for more than 110 years.
4.  Semper Fidelis, Robert B. Neller, General, U.S. Marine Corps, Commandant of the Marine Corps.//