1 S T Q U A R T E R 2 0 1 5 MCAS Cherry Point s Personal & Professional Development Program Taking off into the New Year! Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind, Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne, For auld lang syne my dear, for auld lang syne, We ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne Education p. 2 Library p. 3 Financial Planning p. 4 Employment p. 5 Transition p. 6 Retired Services p. 9 Final Thoughts p. 10 While reflecting on yet another year that has come and gone to focus on new resolutions, we must also include an effective strategic plan for successfully attaining future personal and professional development goals and objectives. Whether setting your sights on earning a professional certification, or transitioning from the military back to civilian life, individual development resources will definitely help you take off into the New Year! The Personal and Professional Development Program s mission is to assist the entire military community by providing our customers with a broad range of high-quality personal and professional learning opportunities and resources. We are committed to your success! Please visit the MCCS Website at www.mccscherrypoint.org or contact us at (252) 466-4201 for more information. MSgt Fred Brock P&PD SNCOIC/ Editor
Education Office Spotlight on Success! Gunnery Sergeant Jason Rinaldo Completing my Bachelors of Science in Information Systems Security with a Minor in Management was a tremendous victory and accomplishment for both my professional and personal life. As a career Marine with 21 years in the communications field, I have learned the importance of continuing education. Earning my degree has also allowed me to stay abreast of the intricacies involved in securing information. For example, I am now more equipped to analyze how communication infrastructures work, look for weaknesses that could be exploited, and report them so they may be corrected. Additionally, with the number of [research] papers that were necessary to complete my degree, I have been able to articulate those concerns to my superiors orally and in writing. As a father, [post-secondary education] really helped me to set an example to my children on patience and determination to complete a goal. In the long term, I intend on using my degree for one of two paths; either to aid in beginning a new career post-retirement, or continuing to enable secure information transfer for the Marine Corps, leading to a more efficient force in readiness. GySgt Rinaldo, Jason T. SNCOIC, Corporal's Course MACG-28 2
Library The Marine Warrior Library is grateful for all of our patrons! As a leader in innovation and technology, the MCAS Cherry Point Marine Warrior Library continually paves the way forward. In 2014, we served more patrons, had more attendees for programs, and offered a wider range of resources than ever! Our public services team is also working hard to provide new events and resources for children and adults in 2015! You can expect new and improved technologies such as an automated Self-Checkout System; highspeed CAC enabled laptops, the Kindle HDX, multi-page scanners, and new AWE tablets for children! To ensure that your gaming experience is both fun and portable, the Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo DS (2/3), and a wide selection of popular games are also available for checkout. Additionally, we will be shifting from the older Dewey Decimal System to the new Semper FindIt classification system! Comparable to most large chain bookstores, Semper FindIt will offer an easier way to locate the hidden gems in our collection. Please stop by the Warrior Library to see all of our exciting new resources that are available for you! 3
Financial Planning The Personal Professional Development Program, Personal Financial Management Program (PFMP) encourages Service members, Retirees, Family members and DoD civilians to continue to grow, strengthen skill sets, and expand individual knowledge and understanding. In 2014, PFMP achieved a number of professional accomplishments and developed innovative workshops to increase MCAS Cherry Point s overall personal financial well-being and mission readiness. Notably, PFMP was instrumental to the development and pilot testing of the mandatory Personal Readiness Seminar (PRS)/ MARADMIN 581/14. The PRS is taught via classroom instruction and consists of a Marine for Life Cycle overview (to include Personal and Professional Development (P&PD) programs and services), and a Personal Finance introduction. As of October 1, 2014, this is a training requirement for all incoming active duty Marines upon check-in to their first permanent duty station. The goal of the seminar is to provide each Service member with a better understanding of their personal interests regarding career selection while assessing their individual aptitudes, interests, strengths and skills. Service members will additionally participate in hands-on activities to increase their awareness of money management and the importance of financial planning. Finances are a key component of our daily lives. As you set your goals and resolutions for the New Year, please remember to keep SMART goals in mind. A SMART goal is specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and time constrained. One great resource to assist you with meeting your individual financial goals is the Military Saves Campaign (www.militarysaves.org). Military Saves is a social marketing campaign to persuade, motivate, and encourage military families to save money every month, and to convince leaders and organizations to be aggressive in promoting automatic savings. The campaign is a growing network of organizations and individuals committed to helping and supporting military members and their loved ones build personal savings arsenals to provide for their immediate and long term financial needs. Join us February 23-28, 2015, to promote good savings behavior and a chance for individuals to assess their own saving status. Please stop by the Personal Financial Management office located in the Training and Education Building, Room 213, or call (252) 466-5837/4201 for more information. 4
Employment Assistance The Family Member Employment Assistance Program (FMEAP) is in full swing for the New Year! In 2014, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) adopted the Spouse Transition and Readiness Seminar (STARS) Marine Corps wide! The mission for the New Year is to ensure that all spouses inbound and outbound are well informed. The FMEAP Coordinator also received Federal Job Search Trainer and Career Coach Certifications. Plans for the New Year are to incorporate this information into new and innovative workshops and trainings. P&PD hosted 12 Career and Education Fairs with over 1,294 attendees, approximately 168 employers, over 70 schools and 40 service providers. This year will bring more employers with more opportunities for our transitioning Service members, Spouses, Family members and Teens. The Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) inducted 38 new partners last year who have made a commitment to hire spouses first. Additionally, My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MYCAA) continues to assist spouses with earning certifications, diplomas, and degrees by offering $4,000 grants to eligible spouses. Let us make this year the best ever! Check out the employment related classes on the MCCS website at www.mccscherrypoint.com. Please stop by the Family Member Employment Assistance office located in the Training and Education Building, Room 213, or call (252) 466-4201 for more information. 5
Transition The Transition Readiness Program (TRP) prepares Service members and their families for civilian life through enlightenment, useful information, and current resources. Focusing primarily on financial knowledge, employment, and veterans needs and benefits, our future veterans receive exceptional service specifically tailored to the individual. The 2-day Accessing Higher Education (AHE) and newly implemented Career Technical Training Track (CTTT) classes are instrumental to achieving personal education or technical career goals. In addition to receiving valuable information about potential schools or required training, participants also learn about the effective use of VA education benefits. Boots to Business assists Service members and veterans by focusing on realistic goals, necessary financial requirements, and the potential challenges of starting a business. Upon completing the two-day course, participants have the option to complete an 8-week online entrepreneurial course to increase and expand their knowledge about starting a privately owned business. Monthly Basic Budgeting Workshops will also offer an alternative to the Joint Knowledge Online (JKO) 12-month Budget. As we begin a new year, transition readiness will continue to incorporate TRP into the Marine for Life Cycle. The ultimate goal is to implement the program in such a way that it will become, although mandatory, a natural part of the Marine s military career. You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. - Maya Angelou 6
Transition A message from your P&PD Advisors P&PD Advisor roles greatly evolved in 2014. To stay ahead of forth coming advising requirements, we were proud to join all of P&PD in attending the National Career Development Association s (NCDA), Career Development Facilitator course. As a prerequisite for the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) certification, our staff successfully completed 120 hours of nationally accredited career development curriculum! The goal of the training was to gain the competencies needed for developing new and innovative career development initiatives, and providing quality career facilitation and advisement for our Marines, Sailors and their families aboard MCAS Cherry Point. Additionally, advising staff completed the Train the Trainer: Command Financial Specialist workshop, qualifying all of our team to facilitate financial workshops and briefs. In 2015, we will continue building our financial counseling credentials by seeking the Accredited Financial Counseling (AFC) certification. Last, but certainly not least, the New Year also brings a new teammate to the P&PD advising staff! Please welcome Mikel Laird, a retired Marine and seasoned P&PD employee who is dedicated to those who serve. Please stop by the Career Assistance and Resource Services office located in the Training and Education Building, Room 213, or call (252) 466-4201 for more information. Left to right - Alicia Durham, John McGovern, Garrett Bridges, and Mikel Laird. 7
Transition Know your Benefits! To enhance your VA benefits needs, we have an onsite VA Benefits Advisor to assist Active duty Service members, Veterans, Dependents and Survivors with information and resources. Additionally, the 2-day Career Technical Training Track (CTTT) class is also available for individuals who want to explore a technical career upon separation from active duty. Please stop by the Career Assistance and Resource Services office located in the Training and Education Building, Room 213, or call (252) 466-4201 for more information. 8
Retired Services My name is MSgt Fred Brock. I am the newly appointed Retired Services Office (RSO) Director for MCAS Cherry Point. As many of you may already know, the RSO is dedicated to providing quality information and services to our veterans. As P&PD is a premiere one-stop-shop for information and resources, we have a genuine desire to satisfy our customers needs through knowledge sharing, presenting our services professionally, and providing accurate resource referrals. If you have any questions regarding: Retirement Benefits Information and Referral Education Financial Planning Employment Assistance Survivor Benefits ID Card/ Decal Renewal Veterans Affairs DFAS/ MyPay Marine for Life Please stop by the Retired Services office located in the Training and Education Building, Room 116, or call (252) 466-8209/5548 for more information. 9
Final Thoughts P&PD Branch Head, Ranza Thurman The Personal and Professional Development program provides essential services to help your transition, education, and personal finance needs. As our services may be vital to your success in the next 12 months, please stop by for some one on one time with my expert staff. A well-prepared transitioning Service member makes a successful veteran! Community colleges play an important role in helping people transition between careers by providing the retooling they need to take on a new career. 44 th President Barack H Obama Education is a shared commitment between dedicated teachers, motivated students and enthusiastic parents with high expectations. Bob Beauprez No one's ever achieved financial fitness with a January resolution that's abandoned by February. Suze Orman 10