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Photo Information

Nadine Kraemer, spouse of a Marine deployed with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115, decorates a jar during the Operation ‘Cake in a Jar’ held at the Marine Corps Family Team Building House, June 18.

Photo by Cpl. Rubin J. Tan

MCCS holds operation 'Cake in a Jar'

3 Jul 2013 | Cpl. Rubin J. Tan Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

Marine Corps Community Services held an Operation ‘Cake in a Jar’ work­shop at the Marine Corps Family Team Building House aboard Laurel Bay, June 18.

The workshop was designed to pro­mote deployment success for service member and their families.

Participants in the workshop used cake mix placed in jars, which were then baked and heat sealed. The finished product was a cake with a shelf life of 3 months without refrigeration, if not opened.

“It means a lot to have a support sys­tem comprised of other spouses who are experiencing or have experienced a deployment,” said Carina Couch, spouse of a Marine deployed with Marine Fight­er Attack Squadron 122. “It also gives all spouses the chance to show appre­ciation for everything our [service mem­bers] do.”

While the cakes were baking, spouses were given the opportunity to discuss various issues they face every day with deployment and ways to connect per­sonally with their deployed spouse.

“The events we have for the Readiness and Deployment Program are made to enlighten the mood of Marines and their families during a deployment,” said Ash­ley McCartney, the readiness and deploy­ment support trainer with Marine Corps Family Team Building and native of Rich­mond, Ind.

Squadrons currently deployed aboard Fightertown include detachments from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 and 122, and Marine All-Weather Fighter At­tack Squadron 533.

“I think all spouses should come out to one of the MCCS events for spouses because we understand what it is like to go through a deployment and it’s a great way to get out of the house and meet others,” said Couch, a native of Reading, Penn.

Parents who attended the event also received free childcare from MCCS at the Child Development Center aboard the Air Station.

MCCS also holds a Hearts Apart de­ployment support group open to all mili­tary spouses at the MCFTB house every Friday at 10 a.m.

For more information about Operation “Cake in a Jar” or other MCCS readiness and deployment workshops, contact Ashley McCartney at 228-7311, or visit www.mccs-sc.com.