MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Physical training, a full workday, picking up the kids from daycare, preparing dinner and cleaning the house are a few of the many tasks required of a military family. They do all of this with little or no time off to recoup and still must maintain a positive family atmosphere.
To show appreciation for the hard work and sacrifices made by military families, the DOD has designated November as Military Family Month.
According to Mary Craig, Headquarters, Marine Corps Military Family Month coordinator, military families deserve additional appreciation because of frequent relocations and deployments.
"Military family month provides commands and installations a chance to appreciate the contributions of the Marine Corps family," said Craig.
"This kind of event brings the sacrifices to the forefront, it brings it to peoples attention so as not to take advantage of the fact that they have family at home," said Mary Keough, the wife of a retired Marine.
The contributions families make to the military are considered by many to be equally as important as the contributions of the service members themselves.
"You have to be independent as a wife and you have to take control of everything and then be willing to relinquish that control," said Keough. "In some cases, a military wife must be prepared to leave her hometown and extended families to be with her spouse, and that can be a hardship in itself."
The families of the armed forces display daily the grit and courage to stay positive while meeting the challenges of military life head on.
"Thinking positively and being open to change will let the children know that daddy will be home soon," Keough said. "But think negatively and the children will pick up on that."
Setting that example at home represents strength that can reflect right back to the service member as well.
Staff Sgt. Nicole Boone, a contracting specialist with the Regional Contracting Office, compared that strength to the human body in saying, "The family is our backbone. It is always nice to have that kind of support at home. Sometimes the family gets forgotten and it is important to show appreciation for what they do. For example, the children make great sacrifices when we are in training situations such as going to the range or on temporary additional duty."
Whether one or both parents are in the service, the sacrifice made by either represents exactly what this month is intended to honor.
"It is a little more strenuous being in the military because of things like having to pull duty, but both parents sacrifice equally," said Staff Sgt. Laurie Gavigan, messaging chief for Computer System Support Facility.
Small sacrifices that are bigger than they appear, like missing dinner or time with one's children to pull duty are the kinds of things that families are doing to keep things in control.
"Families are taking care of things on the home front so Marines can focus on the mission," said Craig.
Marine Corps Community Services-South Carolina celebrates the week of Nov. 23-28 as Military Family Appreciation Week. Additionally the Child Development Center will hold a family luncheon on Nov. 21.