Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from MarineParents.com!

Added December 25, 2019

As 2019 comes to an end, we'd like to wish the Marine Parents family a happy holiday season and a Merry Christmas. Nothing we do would be possible without you, and we truly appreciate all that you do on behalf of our organization and on behalf of our men and women in uniform. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for some of the work you helped us accomplish with our outreach programs this year.

PARAVEL Thank You for Supporting Gold Star Families

Added July 1, 2019

Paravel, Inc. donated 10% of their online sales from Memorial Day Weekend 2019 to MarineParents.com in support of our Gold Star Legacy program. The donation totaled $1700. Tracking of sales provided by Google Analytics. Thank you to Paravel for supporting our Gold Star Family Members!

Luminary Initiative

Added June 27, 2019

Gold Star Family Day is the last Sunday of September, the 29th. A day to remember those who sacrificed so much for their friends and families. Visit the website to learn how you can honor our Gold Star Family members.

2018 Luminary Initiative Recap

Added October 9, 2018

On the evening of Sunday, September 30, 2018, military supporters across the country came together to show their respect for Gold Star family members and to keep the memories of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our nation alive.

Events ranged from small to large, from individual family events to neighborhood and community-wide events. Some events had guest speakers, others took place at parks and memorials, and we even had a large presence in New York's 7th district due to Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez's office passing out our luminary bags. The National Museum of the Marine Corps participated Sunday as well, lighting 100 luminary bags in front of the museum.

Today, April 5th, is Gold Star Spouses Day

Added April 5, 2018

In 2017, the United States Senate designated April 5th as Gold Star Spouses Day, to allow Americans to pay respect to the spouses of fallen servicemembers. Take a moment to show your support and show Gold Star Spouses that we remember their sacrifice.

Celebrating 15 Years: A Mother's War

Added February 2, 2018

In 2005, MarineParents.com Founder, Tracy Della Vecchia, and member, Georgette Frank, were the cover story for The New York Times Magazine in an article called "A Mother's War". This article talks about the organization in its early years and how and why Tracy started it.

"Tracy had spent the morning sorting donations for Marine care packages, kneeling on her office floor over piles of toothbrushes, baby wipes, disposable razors, nail clippers, Q-Tips and black socks -- and to uneasiness about whether Derrick was getting enough sleep. Every time Derrick telephoned home recently, Tracy said afterward that he sounded tired. The calls came every few days during most of this deployment; Derrick had been moved into some sort of building, Tracy knew, where the bunks were thin-mattressed metal and a nearby tent contained computers for e-mailing, telephones for placing international calls and, in a back corner, a Webcam with which the men who wanted to could take turns making face-to-face contact with home."

MarineParents Helps Repair Gold Star Family Home

Added February 2, 2018

MarineParents.com had the opportunity to support the Gold Star family of Lt. Shane Childers, the first KIA in Iraq. We worked with two Marines, Dave Cecil and Sean Lamb, who were with Lt. Childers when he was killed. Dave stayed in contact with Shane's parents, who are now in their 80s, and found out that their home was in need of repairs as the winter wind would literally be blowing through their home. Dave reached out to us asking for help to raise money to repair the Childers' home and prepare it for the harsh Wyoming winters. He and Sean planned to travel to Wyoming from the east coast to do the repairs themselves and MarineParents decided to raise money to cover the cost of materials and travel expenses.

Give a Warrior a Break - Super Bowl Style!

Added January 23, 2018

On our 15th anniversary of supporting Marines and their family members, we need YOUR help to raise $8,000. This is your opportunity to give wounded, ill, and injured warriors a sense of normalcy and a break from their day-to-day struggles with healing. On February 4th, we have been asked to host a 2018 Super Bowl party for 150 service members and their families at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. We need your help to fund the party.

15 Year Anniversary

Added January 18, 2018

We are pleased to announce that Sunday, January 21, 2018, is the 15th anniversary of the founding of MarineParents.com, Inc.

In the 15 years since Founder & Executive Director Tracy Della Vecchia began MarineParents.com in her home, much has changed with the organization. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is our dedication and commitment to supporting Marine family members through all stages of their Marine's career in the Corps and providing "a Place to Connect & Share"® for recruit and Marine family members.

Help Us Reach $10,000 on Giving Tuesday

Added November 28, 2017

In November we have one day for giving thanks, two for getting deals, and now we have a day to give back. Be a part of this global celebration of generosity and giving back by joining Marine Parents on November 28 as we make it a happy holiday season for our Marines.

This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for YOU

Added November 23, 2017

The holiday season is officially upon us, and we'd like to begin it by wishing the Marine Parents family a Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you enjoy this special time of year with your family, friends, and loved ones. For those of you who won't be able to celebrate the holiday with your Marine this year, we want you to know that we appreciate the sacrifice your Marine and family are making on our behalf. We would also like to take this time to say how thankful we are for you supporting our outreach.

We are thankful for you reading our newsletters, for spreading awareness of our outreach programs, and for donating to our fundraisers. We are thankful for you telling us about the needs of Marines and their family members. We are thankful that, because of you, we are able to help these families in need.

Thank You, Veterans!

Added November 11, 2017

Today, November 11, is Veterans Day and here at Marine Parents, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of America's veterans, past and present, for the sacrifices they've made on behalf of a grateful nation.

While MarineParents.com, Inc. may not be as large as some of the other military-based organizations you may be familiar with, what we lack in size, we make up for in consistency. For almost 15 years now, we've made it our mission to provide support, information, and services to our men and women in uniform, as well as their family members.

Happy Birthday Marines!

Added November 10, 2017

Today, November 10, marks the 242nd birthday of the Marine Corps and tomorrow, November 11, is Veterans' Day. Generations of heroic men and women have sacrificed their time, their energy, their comfort, and, in many cases, their lives to protect the freedom we as Americans value so dearly.

With that in mind, we at Marine Parents would like to extend a heartfelt "Thank You" to our men and women in uniform, past, present, and future. Happy Birthday Marines!

MarineParents Sends 40 Marines to LCpl Cody Haley's Funeral

Added November 8, 2017

Thank you for helping MarineParents raise over $41.000 to pay for 40 Marines to travel to and attend LCpl Cody Haley's funeral in Iowa. With the help of hundreds of Marine Corps family members across the United States, we united to bring Cody's mom her wish--having his Marine brothers at his services.

LCpl Cody Haley was killed in a training accident at Camp Pendleton, CA on August 4, 2017. His mother reached out to us and let us know that it was her wish that his Marine brothers would be there to attend his funeral in Iowa. We at MarineParents.com have always been committed to helping those who sacrifice so much for us. We began our fundraiser on August 8, 2017 with a newsletter asking for donations to help towards her cause. Our original goal was to raise $5,000 to help pay for flights and hotel rooms. We quickly reached our goal, but the donations kept coming in. We raised our donation goal to $35,000 and by August 12 (four short days) we had raised $41,784.

Help Two Marines Repair Gold Star Family Home

Added November 3, 2017

Shane Childers had wanted to be a Marine since he was five years old. On March 21, 2003 First Lieutenant Childers was the first service member killed in action in the Iraq war. Through the years, two Marines who were with Shane when he was killed have stayed in contact with First Lieutenant Childers' parents. His parents are now in their 80s and need help repairing their house as the winter wind will literally be blowing through their home. These two Marines are putting their lives and families on hold and stepping up to repair the home of their Marine Brother's parents. You can help.

We need to raise $10,000 to help with the repairs to their home. The work begins November 5. When you donate today, 100% of your donation will go towards labor and materials, as well as travel expenses for the two Marines who are repairing Shane's parents' home. No administrative fees or credit card fees will be withheld.

Team Marine Parents at the Marine Corps Marathon

Added October 23, 2017

We are excited to announce that 35 of our Team Marine Parents (TMP) runners participated in the 42nd Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday, October 22nd, 2017. We are extremely grateful for the hard work and dedication put forth by each and every one of them. These runners trained all year long in addition to fundraising and spreading awareness of the organization. Together, TMP runners raised almost $29,000 for the outreach programs of MarineParents.com, Inc. so far in 2017.

In addition to fundraising and spreading awareness of Marine Parents, our 2017 Team Marine Parents runners ran the Marine Corps Marathon in honor of nine fallen service members. Each runner wore a ribbon with a fallen hero's name and photo on it and attached it to their bibs with a battle cross lapel pin. Thank you, TMP runners, for honoring Gold Star family members.

Over 4,690 people lit luminaries on Gold Star Family Day

Added October 1, 2017

On the evening of Sunday, September 24, 2017, military supporters across the country came together to show their support for Gold Star family members and to keep the memories of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our nation alive.

Events ranged from small to large, from individual family events to neighborhood and community-wide events. Some events had guest speakers, others took place at parks and memorials, and over 4,690 people lit luminaries along their driveways and sidewalks. Also, hundreds of individuals helped us light up Facebook with support by changing their social media profile pictures to our Luminary Initiative image on Sunday.

Donation for Comrades to Attend PFC Michael Giannattasio's Funeral

Added September 15, 2017

Marine Family members, I am heartbroken to share this news. We need your help to raise $17,000 for PFC Michael Giannattasio's comrades to attend his funeral in the Detroit area. 100% of your donation will be given to his friends for airline tickets and reasonable travel expenses to attend his funeral. No administrative fees will be withheld.

PFC Giannattasio died at Camp Pendleton on August 30, 2017. His parents have approved this fundraiser in response to their wish to have their son's Marine brothers attend the funeral. Help us make their wish come true. Any donations raised beyond the needed amount will go to a scholarship fund in PFC Giannattasio's memory.

How September 11 Led to the Foundation of MarineParents.com, Inc.

Added September 11, 2017

September 11 marks the anniversary of the single largest loss of life from a foreign attack on American soil, ever. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives on that Tuesday morning, and almost 7,000 brave Americans have sacrificed everything in the resultant military operations.

Rarely does an event have such wide-reaching and impactful consequences, but no one in our country was able to escape September 11, 2001 unscathed in some way. In the 16 years since, we have become more acutely aware of our place in the world and of the fact that many people want to cause us harm solely for being American. We've changed how we view the world and how the world views us. Ensuring our national security became a national obsession (and for good reason) and saw our military engage in conflicts in two countries, first in Afghanistan, and then in Iraq, in an effort to do just that. In short, September 11 upset the balance of the country in a way not seen in decades.

Donation for Friends to Attend LCpl Cody Haley's Funeral

Added August 6, 2017

LCpl Cody Haley was killed in a training accident at Camp Pendleton August 4, 2017. His friends in California want to attend his funeral in Iowa.

We anticipate approximately 40 friends to attend with cost of airline tickets on short notice being very high. Additionally, your dollars will fund a chartered bus for transport to and from the airport and all associated events.

Merry Christmas from MarineParents.com

Added December 25, 2016

As 2016 comes to an end, we'd like to wish the Marine Parents family a happy holiday season. Nothing we do would be possible without you, and we truly appreciate all that you do on behalf of our organization and on behalf of our men and women in uniform. Your unwavering support is the reason Marine Parents has been around for almost 14 years, and we look forward to seeing what 2017 has in store!

Gold Star Legacy: My Son Was Deployed to a War Zone—Reflections

Added August 11, 2016

The following was written by Susan Kristol, a Marine mother and longtime Marine Parents volunteer.

There has recently been a lot of talk in the news about Gold Star families, Purple Hearts, and military service. I knew very little about all of these things until my son decided to join the Marines in 2005 and was commissioned as an infantry officer in 2009. And now, several years later, as I read the news and recall his deployment to one of the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan, I continue to be thankful for his safe return, and I have been flooded with painful memories of what it's like to be a parent of someone deployed in a very dangerous place. This is my story—it may resonate with others, but it's just one mom's account.

When your son or daughter is in a combat zone, you do not sleep except with a telephone next to the pillow. You can't decide if you should obsessively follow the news or avoid watching the news. You break into sobs while driving down the highway. You can't listen to country music songs about Arlington Cemetery, you have unaccountable fits of anger when a well-intentioned person asks if the troops get to come home for the holidays, and you hear your child's voice on via a static-filled satellite phone line only once in eight months. You don't want to look at the scary folder with the documents he had to sign, with his power of attorney and his life insurance policy designating his sisters as his beneficiaries. You know that someone in the battalion has been killed when all outgoing emails are shut down so that the bereaved family can be notified, and you swing between sadness for them and terrible relief that it's not your child.

Click here to read the article in its entirety...

Happy Memorial Day

Added May 30, 2016

Today is Memorial Day--a day for reflection, remembrance, and the honoring of the men and women who have served our country over the years.

While MarineParents.com, Inc. may not be as large as some of the other military-based organizations you may be familiar with, what we lack in size, we make up for in consistency. For more than 13 years now, we've made it our mission to provide support, information, and services to our men and women in uniform, as well as their family members.

When American troops first entered Iraq in 2003, we were there. When the government shutdown in 2013 and military families temporarily weren't receiving death benefits, we were there. In the 10-year interim between those events, and in the three years since the shutdown, we've been there, providing several million dollars in direct support of thousands of Marines and their family members.

Whether it's been serving meals to recovering warriors, providing financial assistance to military families, or helping troops and their family members through difficult times in other ways, we're here. Day in and day out, we're doing everything in our power to support our men and women in uniform and their family members.

Memorial Day is Monday, May 30

Added May 26, 2016

This coming Monday is Memorial Day—a day for reflection, remembrance, and the honoring of the men and women who have served our country over the years.

This is also a day on which service members, their families, and military supporters across the country come together to express their patriotism, both publicly and privately. While private celebrations are, by their very nature, private, we can help you publicly show off your love for America with a variety of patriotic items from our EGA Shop such as American flags (made in the USA!), battle cross lapel pins, and patriotic garden flags!

#GoSilent This Memorial Day With IAVA

Added May 26, 2016

This Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery at 12:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

According to the IAVA's website, "[t]he #GoSilent campaign allows for a shared, nationwide experience, in which pledges can be made in honor of a fallen service member."

In addition to the wreath-laying ceremony, the IAVA will also be hosting a series of events across the country in honor of those who have served our nation and to raise awareness of the sacrifices our service members have made and continue to make on a daily basis on our behalf.

Here at Marine Parents, we'd like to encourage our supporters to join IAVA in their #GoSilent campaign. Our service members sacrifice on our behalf every day. Join us in taking this opportunity to show them we appreciate all they do on our behalf!

Angel Day Tribute

Added May 26, 2016

With Memorial Day just days away, we'd like to encourage our readers to take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make for our country on a daily basis.

The thought of brave men and women giving their lives on behalf of our country brings many images to mind. The battlefield cross. A flag-draped casket. Family members, friends, and brothers and sisters in arms weeping at the loss of a loved one. But from tragedy comes hope, and determination—especially the determination that the sacrifices of these brave men and women will never be forgotten.

With that in mind, we have launched the "Angel Day Tribute" initiative. It's a way to honor our service members who made the ultimate sacrifice by remembering them each year on their Angel Day. It's also a way to recognize their family members, and to help create additional ways for those family members and comrades and friends of the fallen to connect and share with one another.

These men and women and their families have given so much on our behalf. Please join us in honoring and keeping alive the memories of these American heroes.

Marine Corps News: Fallen Marine's Bronze Star Upgraded to Silver Star

Added May 12, 2016

In a rare move in modern military conflicts, the Army recently upgrade one of two Bronze Star with "V" medals earned by Marine Staff Sergeant Nicholas Sprovtsoff , who was killed during an IED blast in 2011. Sprovtsoff's widow, Tasha, received the award on his behalf, during a private ceremony Friday, April 29, at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

The Army initially recommended the Silver Star be awarded to Sprovtsoff following a 48- hour firefight in the summer of 2007. According to his citation, Sprovtsoff "with complete disregard for his own safety and in spite of wounds sustained in combat, effectively orchestrated his unit's defense...His unwavering courage, selfless service, and situational awareness under fire were decisive in his unit's defeat of the enemy ambush." However, despite the Army's recommendation, Sprovtsoff was erroneously awarded a Bronze Star with "V", according to a spokesman for the Army's awards and decorations branch.

In 2009, Sprovtsoff made a lateral move into the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) field. In September of 2011, Sprovtsoff earned his second Bronze Star with "V" in Afghanistan for leading Marines "through a region filled with IEDs following multi-directional fire from an enemy ambush", according to his citation. Approximately one week later, a week later, Sprovtsoff was injured while trying to remove an IED in Afghanistan's Helmand province. As other Marines tended to his injuries, a second IED detonated, killing Sprovtsoff.

Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps Memorial Scholarship Walk/Run

Added May 12, 2016

On May 6, 2006, Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps of Jamestown, Missouri made the ultimate sacrifice for his country while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.

To honor Leon, his family (longtime Marine Parents pack day volunteers), along with the Moniteau County C-1, Jamestown-area high school FFA, set up a scholarship fund in his name in late 2006.

Money for the scholarship fund is raised through an annual 5 mile walk/run/ride held in early May. This year, the event was held this past Saturday, May 7, at 9:00 am in Jamestown, Missouri. More than 400 people registered for the event this year and $6,500 in scholarships were awarded.

Thank you to everyone who supported this wonderful cause!

May is Military Appreciation Month!

Added May 5, 2016

In 1999, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution designating May as National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM). NMAM began as a simple idea - to honor, remember, recognize, and appreciate those who serve and have served our great nation.

The first legislation for National Military Appreciation Month (S.Res 33) began in 1999 with the support and sponsorship of Senator John McCain, (R-AZ) and Representative Duncan Hunter, (R-CA) of San Diego, along with over 50 veteran service organizations. In 2004, more comprehensive legislation was passed by unanimous consent in both Houses of Congress, as H. Con. Res. 328 solidified May as National Military Appreciation Month. It also calls for the President of the United States to issue an annual proclamation calling on Americans to recognize this month through a number of ceremonies and events.

Marine Corps News: "Dark Horse" Marines Honor Fallen Comrades

Added May 5, 2016

This past Saturday, April 30, Marines and family members from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines came together at Camp Pendleton for a five-year reunion.

The "Dark Horse" battalion completed the deadliest deployment of any battalion in Afghanistan's Helmand Province in 2011, in which 25 Marines were killed and a further 184 injured. Of those 184 injured, almost 20 percent were single, double, or triple amputees.

To honor their fallen brothers in arms, surviving 3/5 Marines and family members climbed Camp Pendleton's "First Sergeant's Hill" to pay a visit to the approximately two dozen wood crosses at the top that are engraved with the names of fallen Marines, including those from the 3/5.

One of the Marines to complete the hike up First Sergeant's Hill was Corporal Josue Barron, a 3/5 Marine who lost his left leg and eye during that 2011 deployment. Barron began the hike with his prosthetic leg, but soon the hill became too steep for the prosthesis to properly function, so he took it off and finished the hike on his hands and right leg. "After a while my body went numb, but I wanted to get up there,"Barron said. "I have friends up there, and there was no way I was coming back down without reaching them."

Memorial Day is May 30, 2016

Added May 3, 2016

This is a package of ten (10) antique bronze lapel pins to remember our fallen heroes. Metal pin measures approximately 1" tall and includes two clasps on the back. Memorial Day is coming up. Hand these out to your friends, family, and neighbors to wear in honor of our fallen heroes and their families.

Buy now.

California Marine Killed in Iraq

Added April 5, 2016

On March 19, 2016, Staff Sergeant Louis Cardin, 27, of Temecula, California, was killed in a rocket attack by ISIS forces in Irbil, Iraq while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. Cardin was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit and had been in the Corps for 10 years.

Click here to leave your condolences

Children of the Fallen San Juan River Expedition

Added March 4, 2016

No Barriers Youth, part of the larger nonprofit organization No Barriers USA, is partnering with the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation to invite the children of fallen service members to, "carry on the legacy of their loved ones as they experience the transformative power of rafting down the San Juan River." The organization believes that, "[t]his challenging and empowering expedition will provide opportunities to unite adversities and embrace vulnerability to live a 'No Barriers Life.'"

For those who wish to participate in this program, students must fill out an *application and submit it for selection/approval. The early application deadline is March 11, 2016, and the late application deadline is two weeks later, on March 25. (*Two references from educators are required as part of the final application.)

This program will take place July 21-29, 2016 on the San Juan River, a tributary of the Colorado River, in northern Arizona. To participate in this program, applicants must be between 14 and 18 years of age and a total of twenty students will be selected to participate. Furthermore, thanks to generous scholarship support, this program will be free of charge for those who are chosen to participate (scholarships are reserved for those who have not participated in this program in the past).

www.nobarriersusa.org

Tapper-Hicks Freedom 5K Run/Walk

Added February 5, 2016

On Saturday, April 23, 2016, the fourth annual Tapper-Hicks Freedom 5K Run/Walk will be held at American Legion post #311 in Atco, New Jersey. The event is held each spring in honor of PO1 (SEAL) David M. Tapper, USN and LCPL Jon T. Hicks, Jr., USMC. Money raised at the event will be used for their respective scholarship funds, as well as for The Waterford Township War Memorial Committee.

Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps Memorial Scholarship Walk/Run

Added February 5, 2016

On May 6, 2006, Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps of Jamestown, Missouri made the ultimate sacrifice for his country while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. To honor Leon, his family (longtime Marine Parents pack day volunteers), along with the Moniteau County C-1, Jamestown-area high school FFA, set up a scholarship fund in his name in late 2006. Since its foundation, the fund has awarded $1,000 scholarships to more than 30 Jamestown high school graduates.

Money for the scholarship fund is raised through an annual 5 mile walk/run/ride held in early May. First held in 2009, 2016 marks the event's seventh anniversary. This year, the event will be held on Saturday, May 7 at 9:00 am in Jamestown, MO.

To ensure you get your t-shirt, pre-register at www.LeonDeraps.net

Twelve Marines Missing Off Hawaii Declared Dead

Added January 22, 2016

Twelve Marines who went missing when two helicopters crashed off the coast of Hawaii last week have been declared dead.

"The men and women in our ranks today, much like the generations of Marines before, are absolutely committed to each other, to our Corps, our country, and our mission. They are courageous, determined, and focused on success. These twelve Marines embodied those same qualities and traits. We will miss them, but we will never forget them," said Marine Corps Commandant Robert Neller in a statement.

Gold Star Family Day is Only 10 Days Away

Added September 17, 2015

Gold Star Family Day is September 27, 2015.

We ask that you light a luminary on Gold Star Family Day. Please pledge your support of this special day and encourage your community to light luminaries, honoring members of all branches of the service, including those who have lost the fight after struggling to reintegrate into civilian life. Our goal is to have as many communities as possible in each state support the families of our fallen heroes. There is power in numbers and together we can show Gold Star families that we are a grateful nation.

Click here to get a luminary.     Click here to take the pledge.

Man Honors Fallen Heroes

Added September 10, 2015

Another story worthy of the spotlight showing the small ways everyday Americans find to honor our heroes. Watch as one man has made it his own mission to create an avenue of honor for fallen heroes being taken to their final rest.

Run for the Fallen

Saturday & Sunday, September 20-21, 2014

September 20 and 21, 2014, marked the 7th annual "Run For the Fallen" in Tampa, Florida. Tributes to Floridians who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan were displayed in Veteran's Memorial Park from September 14-21.