MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. -- Marine Aircraft Group 14 and Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 spouses spent a day training like Marines when the two units hosted unit Jane Wayne Days aboard the air station, Oct. 28.
Jane Wayne Day is an event the Marine Corps conducts to help familiarize spouses with the day-to-day operations of their military members. Spouses who attend a Jane Wayne Day event aboard the air station may spend the day running the obstacle course, running a partial combat fitness test, conducting Marine Corps Martial Arts and training in a simulator.
MAG-14 spouses spent the day flying different aircraft in the simulator while MWCS-28 spouses got the chance to fire some weapons at the air station Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer.
“I was looking forward to getting the chance to do all of this,” said Cassandra N. Sabe. “As a spouse we don’t really know a lot about what our husbands go through. This day gave us the chance to experience some of the smaller difficulties our loved ones go through.”
Jane Wayne Day is a chance for the wives to spend a day in their husband’s boots and conduct different types of training which their Marine counterparts conducted during entry-level training, said Courtney Thorud, the family readiness officer with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252.
“The wives have an opportunity to come here, ask questions and learn firsthand how hard a life a Marine has to live,” said Thorud.
Marines helping with the event said they see most spouses come out and really push themselves to do well.
“Jane Wayne Day is all about the wives and learning about the Marine Corps,” said Staff Sgt. Scott R. Beebe, a supply chief with Marine Aircraft Group 14. “They leave here with a better understanding of their Marines and what they did to get where they are today.” The wives who come out looking to understand and learn will try everything once, and they try hard to do things correctly to get the full experience, said Beebe.
“This event helps the wives grow closer as a family,” said Beebe. “They are one another’s support system while their loved ones are deployed and this event helps build morale and the camaraderie between the wives.”