School Liaisons can help ease PCS transition for families

24 Jan 2019 | Courtesy Story The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

When service members get orders to a new duty station, they are not the only ones who have to start over somewhere new. These moves can be especially difficult for their school-age children, who have to start over in a new school and make new friends, on top of the stresses that come with moving. 

Luckily, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune offers School Liaisons to help families who have permanent change of station orders to help ease the transition for school age dependents. 

“Essentially our job is to connect families who are going to a new duty station with the new school system that their child will be attending,” said Julie Fulton, the Camp Lejeune- New River School Liaison. “Moving to a new duty station can be extremely stressful for a family, so we are here to help take away the stresses that come with getting their child set up at a new school.”

Since last year’s hurricanes affected so many people, the School Liaisons have been very busy so far this year. 

“Because so many days were missed due to the schools being shut down after the hurricane, many students who will be transferring to another school system will be behind their new peers who have been in class the entire time,” Fulton said. “The sooner the parents know they will be getting PCS orders and come to us, the sooner we will be able to help.”

In addition to helping with the transition for the students, the role that the School Liaison plays affects the military in a number of ways.

“By helping the families with the school transition it makes for an overall more effective military,” said Fulton. “Family readiness is military readiness and that is the end goal for us.”

Families who would like to take advantage of the services that the School Liaisons offer can reach their office at (910) 449-9915, their website at www.mccslejeune.com/schools or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/camplejeuneschoolliaison.