Breakout Session I: Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

1. Combat Deployment Discussion Panel: What You Must Know Part I
   Room Location: Bluebonnet Ballroom, 2nd Floor
   Discussion Panel: If your Marine is ready to deploy, has already deployed, or may be deployed again, this session is for you. Prominent speakers will provide you with information on preparation, Calling Cards, communication during deployment, overseas addresses, FRO, KV, CACO and casualty notification including KIA, WIA, DuSTWuN.
   Panel Members: Col. Bryan P. McCoy, Cpl. Derrick Jensen, Jackie Parker, and Greg Green

2. About the United States Marine Corps
   Room Location: Boardroom TBA, 1st Floor
   Informational Session: Learn about the Marine Corps with this workshop! Items covered will include Marine Speak, MOS, SOI, Base Stations, Battalions, Jargon, Military Pay, Communication, Definitions, Uniforms, and more.
   Presenters: LtCol. Benjamin S. Blankenship and SSgt. Steven Eilenberger

3. For Gold Star Families: Resources and Survivor Benefits
   Room Location: Houston B, 2nd Floor
   Benefits and Resources: This workshop is designed to meet the needs of our current Gold Star families. A gold star member is anyone who has lost a Marine during active duty. This informational session will including discussions on survivor benefits and resources available to you, the Gold Star family member.
   Presenter: Richard Linn

4. Purple Heart Recipients
   Room Location: Houston A, 2nd Floor
   Special Interest Group: Families with loved ones who have received a Purple Heart (wounded during combat) will gather to connect and share with one another about their experiences.
   Presenter: Don Hubbard

5. MarineParents.com Donations and Sponsors
   Room Location: Whitehall Room, 2nd Floor
   MarineParents.com, Inc: Learn more about helping MarineParents.com with donations and sponsorships for the web site and our many projects. Attendees will learn what they can do to bring about community awareness and support of MarineParents.com, Inc.
   Presenter: Tracy Della Vecchia

6. Marine Comfort Quilts
   Room Location: Cougar Room, 2nd Floor, Pool Area
   Hands-On Workshop: Marine Comfort Quilts founder Jan Lang will present the story of how and why this project was started. See several of the quilts that will be sent to the families of Fallen Military Heroes. During the workshop you will be given the opportunity to make a square to be included in one of these quilts.
   Presenter: Jan Lang

Breakout Session II: Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

1. Combat Deployment Discussion Panel: What You Must Know Part II
   Room Location: Bluebonnet Ballroom, 2nd Floor
   Discussion Panel: The session is a continuation of the Discussion Panel from 9:00 - 10:15. We recommend attendance at session I as well. The audience will participate in discussions and have an opportunity for questions and answers with the panel of experts from Part I.
   Panel Members: Col. Bryan P. McCoy, Cpl. Derrick Jensen, Jackie Parker, and Greg Green

2. Marine Corps Recruit Depot: Bootcamp and Recruits
   Room Location: Boardroom TBA, 1st Floor
   Informational Session: We'll provide information on a a multitude of topics that will give you an understanding of bootcamp including the training matrix, illnesses or injury during bootcamp, definitions and jargon, and finally family day and graduation.
   Presenter: LtCol. Benjamin S. Blankenship

3. Non-Combat Deployment: Floats and Overseas Locations (Okinawa, Japan, Africa)
   Room Location: Houston A, 2nd Floor
   Informational Session: Topic of discussion will be deployment aboard a ship (floats) including first-hand accounts of what it's like to be on a float for several months at a time. Also discussed will be deployment to non-combat zones such as Okinawa, Japan, and Africa.
   Presenter: Lt. Carey H. Cash

4. For Gold Star Families: a Place to Connect & Share™
   Room Location: Houston B, 2nd Floor
   Special Interest Group: This workshop will be a time for Gold Star Families to join each other in a Place to Connect & Share™ with one another. This is an informal and private session open only to families who have lost a son or daughter during active duty service in the military.

5. MarineParents.com: a Place to Connect & Share™
   Room Location: Whitehall Room, 2nd Floor
   MarineParents.com, Inc: Here's your opportunity to meet all those "virtual" people that you talk with in the MarineParents.com chat room and message boards. This will be an informal session for discussions and meeting one another. Finally first and last names will be allowed, as well as sharing photos of your Marines!

6. Scrapbooking
   Room Location: Cougar Room, 2nd Floor, Pool Area
   Hands-On Workshop: Join scrapbooking enthusiasts and beginner to share ideas and tips and tricks to create an outstanding scrapbook for your Marine or Sailor. This hands-on workshop will include demonstrations plus an opportunity to create a page for your next military scrap book!
   Presenter: Suzann Jones

Breakout Session III: Saturday 1:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

1. Combat Deployment Discussion Panel: When Your Marine Comes Home Part I
   Room Location: Bluebonnet Ballroom, 2nd Floor
   Discussion Panel: A panel of experts on the Marine Corps and PTSD will talk with you about homecoming, or retrograde, from a combat zone. Topics will include how to keep travel plans flexible to adjust to the ever-changing homecoming dates, what to expect when your Marine or Sailor returns home, questions to ask or not ask of your Marine, COSR (Combat and Operational Stress Reaction), PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Part I of the discussion panel will include informational presentations from each panel member. We strongly suggest attending Part II as well to ask questions and join in discussions with other family members.
   Panel Members: Col. Bryan P. McCoy, David Cantu, Kay Hale, Dr. Bridget Cantell, Chuck Dean

2. Marine Corps: History, Preservation & Events
   Rescheduled

3. Military Benefits
   Room Location: Houston A, 2nd Floor
   Benefits and Resources: The list of military benefits is huge. This session will help you understand what benefits your active duty Marine is entitled to and how to make the most of the benefits. Resources for additional information will be provided as well as contact names and numbers for a variety of Marine Corps and military offices. The last 15 minutes of the presentation will include questions and answers.
   Presenter: Kathy Moakler

4. Grieving Etiquette: Maintaining Your Relationship with Gold Star Families
   Room Location: Houston B, 2nd Floor
   Special Interest Group: With the tight-knit community of the Marine Corps, we are all faced with the dilemma of knowing what to say to our friends who have lost their Marine or Navy Corpsman in Iraq. Our culture doesn't lend itself to teaching us the etiquette of talking to a grieving friend, especially when someone has lost a child or husband. This session will help you learn and understand how to maintain your relationship, without fear of saying the "wrong thing" with your friend whose Marine is never coming home.
   Presenters: Brenda Freeman and Christine Dybevik

5. Starting a Local Support Group and MarineParents.com, Inc. Chapter
   Room Location: Whitehall Room, 2nd Floor
   MarineParents.com, Inc: Starting a local support group can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and attitude, you'll be to offer support to the folks in your local community by establishing a support group. Discussion will include steps to take to apply as a state chapter of MarineParents.com, Inc. as well.
   Presenters: Bernadette Davidson and Tracy Della Vecchia

6. Building and Sending Care Packages
   Room Location: Cougar Room, 2nd Floor, Pool Area
   Hands-On Workshop: A box of love from home; the loving spirit of those of us waiting at home while a loved one is deployed kicks in, and the boxes are on their way. Learn tips and tricks for getting the most for your money with postage, easy ways to fill out customs forms, the right kinds of things to put in the care packages, and how to pack them to assure unspoiled delivery. We'll share a recipe and tips for sending homebaked items as well.
   Presenters: Sue Castor and Terrie Roberts

Breakout Session IV: Saturday 3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

1. Combat Deployment Discussion Panel: When Your Marine Comes Home Part II
   Room Location: Bluebonnet Ballroom, 2nd Floor
   Discussion Panel: The session is a continuation of the Discussion Panel from 1:45 - 3:00 above. We recommend attendance at session I as well. The audience will participate in discussions and have an opportunity for questions and answers with the panel of experts from Part I.
   Panel Members: Col. Bryan P. McCoy, David Cantu, Kay Hale, Dr. Bridget Cantell, Chuck Dean

2. Women in the Marine Corps
   Room Location: Boardroom TBA, 1st Floor
   Informational Session: Learn about the history of women in the Marine Corps and get a wealth of resources to help you learn more about the topic. An informal discussion will follow the presentation to allow attendees to share ideas and experiences of having a daughter or wife in the Marine Corps.
   Presenter: Teresa Carpenter

3. Veterans Benefits
   Room Location: Houston B, 2nd Floor
   Benefits and Resources: Learn about: The GI Bill (did you know it's not just for education?), VA Home Loans, VA Medical Benefits, benefit differences for retired versus discharged Marines, and more. Take home a wealth of resources in the form of pamphlets and web site addresses. The last 15 minutes of the presentation will include questions and answers.
   Presenter: Buddy Osborne

4. For Spouses of Marines
   Room Location: Houston A, 2nd Floor
   Special Interest Group: What's it like being married to a Marine? This session will be an informal discussion for Marine spouses to connect and share with one another. Assorted handouts and resources will be available for take home materials.
   Presenter: Chelsea Brewer

5. MarineParents.com Care Package Project: How You Can Help
   Room Location: Whitehall Room, 2nd Floor
   MarineParents.com, Inc: MarineParents.com, Inc. sends over 700 care packages each two months costing more than $16,000 in goods and postage. Learn the history of the MarineParents.com, Inc. care packages project and the logistics of what it takes to get it done. Learn what you can do to get your community actively participating through donations, care package drives, and letter writing campaigns.
   Presenter: Tracy Della Vecchia, Georgette Frank and Roy Frank

6. Meals Ready To Eat: Sampling an MRE
   Room Location: Cougar Room, 2nd Floor, Pool Area
   Hands-On Workshop: An MRE, or Meals Ready to Eat, are the ready-to-go meals eaten by our Marines while they are in the field, on missions, and in combat zones. Have you ever wondered what they taste like and what's in them? In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn some of the history behind the MREs and get a chance to open and heat an MRE for a taste of what our Marines are experiencing when the MRE dinner bell rings!
   Presenter: Sgt. Anthony Martin