Family support 'vital' for service members being deployed

Marine Corporal Adam Marano hugs his wife Melissa Marano on November 3 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Family support 'vital' for service members being deployed
By Ed Hornick, CNN
December 7, 2009 -- Updated 2338 GMT (0738 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Adm. Mike Mullen speaks to crowd at Camp Lejeune on Monday
Mullen: We could not be the military "we are without extraordinary family support"
Military families struggle when loved ones are serving in the war theater

(CNN) -- "You don't do it alone," Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday to a crowd gathered at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. "You do it with phenomenal family support. And we could not be the Marine Corps we are, the military we are without extraordinary family support."

Mullen's pep talk -- along with a question and answer session -- was geared to the new 30,000-troop surge to Afghanistan that President Obama laid out last week. He also thanked those in the audience -- many of whom will soon be deployed to Afghanistan.

"I am and will be eternally grateful for your service to our country at this very, very critical time," he said. "Everybody makes a difference. This is taking care of each other. This is taking care of all the responsibilities both here for our families as well as moving forward."

Military families struggle when their loved ones are serving in the war theater -- both economically and emotionally.

Teresa Meador offered advice to other Marine wives on what to expect.

"My one piece of advice, and I was given this advice by a Marine wife: 'It [war] makes a weak marriage weaker, and a strong marriage stronger,' " Meador said. "And that's very true. You can take it and run with it, or it can break you down. And it's up to you."
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Family support vital for service members being deployed

also

Marine Unit Comes Home to 77 New Babies!
December 7, 2009 - 10:45 AM by: Caroline Shively
Members of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Camp LeJeune, NC missed a lot during their seven-month deployment at sea -- specifically 77 of their wives giving birth back at home. Lance Corporal Jasen Kratzer figured he'd be one of those dads who learned about his new baby via telegram while he was deployed.

His wife, Madison, was prepared to go it alone as her husband made stops in Kuwait, Greece, Bulgaria, and throughout the Middle East during his deployment at sea.

"It's sad that he has to miss so much," she said. "But it's what he wants to do. He wants to serve so that other people can be with their families all the time."

Then Kratzer's bosses on ship came up with an idea. They knew that about the time Madison was supposed to have her labor induced, Jasen would be training in Kuwait with access to video teleconference equipment. From there, it was up to the baby to be ready in time before the Marines had to head back to the ship.
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Marine Unit Comes Home to 77 New Babies