MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. -- Marine Wing Support Squadron 274 hosted a family day for Marines and Sailors Friday aboard Cherry Point.
More than 500 Marines, Sailors and families participated in this year’s activities, which included bounce houses for children, music, a rock climbing wall, volleyball and a flag football game.
“This is great because it gives us a chance to come out and meet other families,” said Gunnery Sgt. Brandon D. Link, the staff noncommissioned officer in charge of Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting with MWSS-274. “It’s always a positive thing when you can get everyone together and have a good time.”
For Link’s wife, family day is a great opportunity for her children to spend more time with their father.
“It’s a really good thing that they have this,” said Lindsey N. Link. “It’s really good for the kids because they get to spend more time with their dad when they normally don’t get to see him as often.”
Gunnery Sgt. Richard Johnston, the deputy family readiness officer, says that along with increasing morale, he wants to educate spouses about services such as Marine Corps Community Services and other supporting agencies that can help when questions or problems arise.
“We want to start networking with spouses and Marine families,” he said. “I think our overall goal is being accomplished and that’s great.”
To give the Marines, Sailors and their families more time to enjoy themselves, staff noncommissioned officers took on the task of cooking burgers and hot dogs for them.
“We wanted to cook so the younger Marines and their families could enjoy themselves,” said Gunnery Sgt. Stephen Short III, the senior enlisted advisor with Headquarters and Service Company. “This is what the Marine Corps is all about. Days like this bring us all closer together.”