MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON -- Behind many strong Marines are even stronger spouses. Joining the Marine Corps through marriage can sometimes be more confusing than the transformation between civilian and Marine, especially if there is no prior knowledge of the military.

Marines are trained to be Marines from the day they step onto the yellow footprints. Family members joining through birth or marriage often do so blindly.

Luckily, Camp Pendleton provides a program to teach family members about the military.

The Lifestyle Insight Networking Knowledge Skills program is a volunteer, team-mentoring program, designed by military spouses for military spouses. The program is geared toward spouses new to the Marine Corps community, but the information is beneficial to spouses with all levels of Marine Corps experience.

It is wonderful to empower new spouses with knowledge and skills that help them thrive in this environment, said Audrey Hooper, L.I.N.K.S. trainer, Camp Pendleton.

Hooper met her husband while living in Huntington Beach, married him in 2003, and joined L.I.N.K.S. at Camp Pendleton before joining her husband overseas.  

“I was getting ready to move to Okinawa to join my husband and didn't know very much about the Marine Corps. My key volunteer group at the time suggested I go to L.I.N.K.S.,” she said.

Hooper said she speaks for many spouses when she says the military is a strange new place with its own language and community, and L.I.N.K.S. helped her adjust to the military way of life.

“I wanted to get involved helping other families on base,” she said.

Last year, the Pennsylvania native came across the opportunity to share what she had learned from her mentors by working for L.I.N.K.S., said Hooper.

“I feel very lucky I got the job,” she said.

She is currently one of two employees and 22 volunteers with L.I.N.K.S. at Camp Pendleton and they’re always looking for more seasoned family members to share their knowledge, Hooper said.

“I love the interaction with both the people who attend our classes and the volunteers who help run the show,” said Hooper.

New and seasoned family members are encouraged to attend the monthly round-table discussions and support groups.

For more information about upcoming L.I.N.K.S., contact (760) 725-2335.