Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

 

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

"The West Coast's Premiere Expeditionary Training Base"
Marines attend seminar before marriage

By Cpl. Sarah Wolff-Diaz | | October 17, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. --

The Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton hosted a premarital seminar, “P.S., before you say I do,” Oct. 16. The day-long class is designed to address some of the various issues that that often occur in military marriages.

Subject matter experts taught six different classes that covered a variety of strongly suggested topics that service members should consider before “tying the knot.”

“The goal of the day is to help the Marines understand the realities of military marriage,” said Munoz.  “Part of the day is spent educating them on what the risks are, and to also direct them to the resources that are available to them.”

“I teach ‘Marriage Reality,’ and ‘The Art of Being Together,” said Munoz. “The other classes are a collaborative effort with speakers from Marine Corps Community Services, legal, Family Readiness, personal financial and domestic violence specialists,” said Munoz.

“I’ve been to a couple different classes already and this one really sticks out because it covers so many different subjects,” said Pfc. Arnold Sicairos, a motor vehicle transportation operator with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 1st Marine Logistics Group.

“The biggest take-away for me was the financing class,” said Sicairos. “I had a general idea on how the finances would work but the specifics, like joining bank accounts, and having a third bank account for specific expenses made me think maybe I should get my act together on that one.”

Munoz’s shared the following tips for service members considering marriage.

·         Tip 1: Get to know your partner.

“Get to know their family and ethical background,” said Munoz.

·         Tip 2: Don’t get married within six months.

 “Date, or be engaged, for at least two years,” said Munoz. “That way, you get to really know that person.”

·         Tip 3: Be secure financially.

“I would recommend that people not get married until they are at least an E-5,” said Munoz. “You need the extra income to live in Southern California.”

·         Tip 4: Don’t get married before a deployment.

“Wait until after the deployment,” said Munoz. “I was gone for a year and a half to Okinawa, and got to see what my future wife was going to be like in a deployment setting.”

·         Tip 5: Realize that being married in the military is a lot different than being married in the civilian world.

“The marine corps is not a job, it’s a life style,” said Munoz. “Simply because your partner is a good civilian spouse, does not mean that they will make a good military spouse. When you join the military, your partner is joining the military as well.”

For more information on Marriage Readiness Program classes, like “P.S., before you say I do,” call Vicki Miller, the executive assistant to the command chaplain, at (760) 725-1223 or (760) 725-1225.

Contact Cpl. Sarah Wolff-Diaz at sarah.wolff-diaz@usmc.mil.

 

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