Hey, Hey, Hey Listeners! It’s our last In the Box of Season 4 and we’re shutting it down by answering listeners vital questions about situations every military spouse has probably faced and likely felt deep within their soul!
The BTC Team dives into conversation on questions about deployment homecomings (and extra visitors during them), the unit holiday potluck, and surviving “Griswold Christmas” energy. And, as a bonus we conclude this episode with some funny and lighthearted talk about some of those funny things that military spouses say and do – that no one else thinks is normal.
So, grab your coffee and join the BTC team for an episode you don’t want to miss. Give a listen!
MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII – On October 30, 2025, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment hosted a professional development seminar focused on translating historical lessons into actionable items for the regiment’s future. The seminar was led by 3rd MLR’s commanding officer, Col. Gabriel L. Diana, featured naval historian Trent Hone, and was sponsored by the Marine Corps Association. It examined the U.S. Navy’s transformation between World War I and World War II, using it as a blueprint for the regiment’s ongoing evolution under Force Design.
3rd MLR stands at the forefront of expeditionary advanced based operations, actively developing and refining concepts for operating in contested littoral environments. The regiment’s innovation and initiative are enabled in part by a commander with a clear strategic intent: to develop leaders who can think critically, act independently, and adapt rapidly.
The seminar centered on Hone’s works, which examine the Navy’s transformation by focusing on experimentation, decentralized command, and continuous learning. Leaders from across the regiment also studied Adm. Chester Nimitz’s leadership approach during World War II, applying these historical lessons to the regiment in today’s security environment.
During the seminar, groups examined what cultural elements must exist within 3rd MLR to foster warfighting effectiveness by drawing parallels to the culture that enabled Adm. Nimitz to trust his subordinates with independent action across vast distances. The discussion focused on system debriefs, after-action reviews, and wargaming, which are used to capture and disseminate lessons throughout the regiment and Fleet Marine Force as a whole.
A critical theme that emerged was the necessity of balancing doctrinal clarity with tactical flexibility and adaptation to meet the needs of an evolving multi-dimensional battlefield. 3rd MLR’s leaders are continuously challenged to test new concepts, and the discussion reinforced the importance of recognizing operational biases when a creative solution could be warranted. The distinction between confirmation and exploration is pivotal in shaping how 3rd MLR conducts future experimentation during distributed maritime operations.
At the conclusion of the seminar, leaders made recommendations to inform how 3rd MLR will operate, train, and develop leaders over the next twelve to twenty-four months. By studying how the Navy strengthened its adaptability, 3rd MLR is strategically positioning itself for success in unpredictable and continuously evolving security environments.
The seminar affirmed that cognitive readiness, decentralized execution, and continuous learning are not theoretical ideals, but practical necessities for modern warfare’s complexity. As the regiment implements these recommendations, it fulfills its role at the leading edge of Marine Corps innovation, where intellectual preparation and operational experimentation combine to create warfighting advantages for expeditionary advanced base operations.
3rd MLR is a dedicated U.S. Marine Corps unit specializing in amphibious and littoral warfare operations. Stationed on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and deployed throughout the Indo-Pacific region, 3rd MLR is committed to promoting regional security and stability through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts with the joint force and allied and partnered nations.
Featured Image – Logo By Sgt. Alexis Moradian | This logo serves as the official crest of the 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division created at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, March 3, 2022.
In this episode, the team sits down to have a candid conversation on life after the corps. We lean into conversation with our very own Heather Escamilla to talk about the transition from active duty to retired life. Then we’re joined by special guest Staci Holt, retired Marine Corps spouse and Director of Business Strategy for Military Spouses with Military Affairs at USAA, and a true champion in the military spouse community. Staci opens up about her family’s transition out of the Marine Corps: the big emotions, the tough adjustments, and the journey toward rediscovering purpose.
Together, we dive into what it means to build a meaningful life after service — navigating change, staying rooted in your passion, and embracing the next chapter with clarity and confidence.
Whether you’re a service member, spouse, veteran, or supporter, this episode offers heartfelt insight and empowering takeaways for anyone walking their own transition journey. Give a listen!
Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome Douglas K. Daniel to the show. Douglas is a journalist who served for nearly three decades as a reporter and editor for the Associated Press and teaches journalism at Kansas State University and Ohio University. He is also the author of Kill – Do Not Release: Censored Marine Corps Stories from WWII, which explores the use of censorship in the Marine Corps during WWII. He uncovers a trove of previously classified material withheld from the public because of government and public relations concerns at the time. Douglas talks to us about his background in journalism, how he stumbled on this topic and the existence of combat correspondents, and how he came into this topic by researching various journalists who served as Marine combat correspondents during the war. The book is so interesting, and it is great to hear about the experiences of the Marine combat correspondents and the previously unpublished stories from WWII.
Military life is full of traditions, some time-honored, some uniquely personal. From the crisp formality of the Marine Corps Birthday Ball to the tearful flag waves at homecomings, the rhythm of service life comes with its own culture. But what often gets overlooked are the traditions we build ourselves, the small, meaningful rituals that help us create stability, joy, and identity amid the unpredictability of military life.
Whether you’re a new spouse or a seasoned one, DIY military traditions can turn a challenging lifestyle into one that’s more personal, rooted, and even fun. Here’s how to create your own, and a few ideas to get you started.
Why Create DIY Traditions?
They create consistency in a life full of change.
They bond your family through shared rituals.
They honor your service journey in ways that feel meaningful to you.
They make memories that last beyond duty stations and deployments.
Ideas for DIY Military Traditions:
Deployment Countdown Jars or Calendars
Create a countdown system that the whole family can take part in. It could be a jar with daily notes from your Marine, a chain of paper rings with fun messages, or a custom calendar with small activities or treats. It helps make the distance feel a little more manageable.
PCS Memory Books or “Duty Station Scrapboxes”
At each duty station, collect small mementos—maps, keychains, photos, ticket stubs—and place them in a box or binder. When it’s time to PCS, reflect on everything you experienced before starting your next chapter.
“Homecoming Eve” Ritual
The night before a homecoming, have a quiet moment to reflect. Whether it’s journaling, writing a letter, or a “welcome home” dinner with the kids, marking the transition from solo to shared life can be incredibly grounding.
Marine Corps Birthday Celebration
Not attending the ball this year or want to include your children or friends? No problem. Celebrate at home! Bake a birthday cake for the Corps, read the birthday message aloud, or toast with friends. Make it a tradition your family looks forward to, even in sweatpants.
Promotion or Reenlistment Family Ceremonies
Your Marine’s career milestones can be celebrated as a family. Whether it’s a special dinner, a framed photo, or a small family-only moment, mark these occasions in your own meaningful way.
“First Dinner” Traditions at a new Duty Station
Nothing says “first dinner at a new house” more than pizza on the floor! Maybe your family likes to go out for that first dinner in a new place. Capture the moment with a photo and make it an event to remember!
“Last Day” Traditions Before Deployment or PCS
Make that last night before a deployment or move something sacred. Maybe it’s takeout from your favorite spot, matching pajamas for the kids, or writing notes to open later. It gives your Marine, and you, a sense of calm and love before big changes.
Holiday Substitutes
If your Marine is deployed during the holidays, create an alternate celebration day. Thanksgiving in January? Valentine’s Day in April? Why not! It’s the togetherness that matters most.
Themed Family Nights
Pick a night each week to celebrate being a family. Pizza and a movie! Trivia or game night! Taco Tuesday! Sunday Funday! These little weekly markers can boost morale in a big way.
Tips for Building Traditions That Stick
Keep it simple – it doesn’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful.
Get the whole family involved – especially kids.
Make it flexible – adjust to your duty station, season, or situation.
Write it down or take photos – so the memories don’t fade.
Marine Corps life can feel like a whirlwind, but these DIY traditions are your anchor. They offer a way to reclaim time, celebrate service, and connect with your family in authentic ways. Whether you’re at Camp Pendleton, Quantico, overseas, or somewhere in between, you have the power to shape your family’s story with love, humor, and creativity. So go ahead start a new tradition today. The kind your kids will remember. The kind that helps your Marine feel missed and celebrated. The kind that says, “This is our military life—and we’ve made it our own.”
In this episode, we sit down with Kate Horrell—Accredited Financial Counselor®, Chartered Financial Consultant®, Military Qualified Financial Planner®, retired Navy spouse, and mom of four young adults—for a practical and encouraging conversation about preparing teens and young adults for financial success. Kate shares real-world insights from her professional expertise and personal experience, offering guidance that helps families approach college planning with clarity and confidence.
Together, we explore how early families should begin thinking about college costs—and what to do if they’re getting a late start. Kate also breaks down how to support big educational dreams, highlights financial opportunities available to military families, and shares the foundational money habits every young adult should learn before leaving home. Give a listen!
Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for tuning in and your continued support. This week, we welcome Ben Connable back to the show. Ben recently co-authored (with Colin P. Clarke) an issue brief for The Soufan Center titled, “War Against the Cartels,” and we are fortunate that he was willing to go low-brow and come on the show to discuss it. As a former Marine intelligence officer who served during the Long War, he is a true subject-matter expert and has personal experience in the perils of engaging in conflicts thought to be easy wins. Ben talks us through his threat analysis, intelligence preparation of the battlefield, second- and third-order effects of a potential conflict, the significance of labelling transnational criminal organizations as terrorist organizations, and recommendations for dealing with the threat of drugs, trafficking, and the fact that most of these organizations have deep roots in every major US city.
This year, the Marine Corps celebrates its 250th birthday—a milestone that’s both humbling and awe-inspiring. Two and a half centuries of Marines standing the watch, from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, from the jungles of the Pacific to the mountains of Afghanistan.
For 250 years, Marines have fought battles, won wars, and carried the weight of freedom on their shoulders. But as we honor that legacy, I want to take a moment to talk about the other half of the story—the one that unfolds quietly, faithfully, and often unseen.
Because for every Marine in uniform, there has always been someone behind the camouflage: a spouse, a parent, a friend, or a neighbor—someone keeping life moving forward at home. Someone tending to kids, careers, and community so that when our Marines fight and win, they have something and someone to come home to.
For 250 years, Marine Corps spouses have also been standing the watch.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Daniel Childs
The Heartbeat of the Corps
If I had to describe what makes Marine spouses special in one word, it would be community.
That’s what we’ve been building for two and a half centuries—community. And what is community, really? It’s the people who get us through the hard seasons.
Every Marine family has one: deployments, PCS moves, career changes, loss, uncertainty. There are tears in cars, late-night phone calls, and the quiet strength that comes from knowing you’re not doing it alone.
Through it all, it’s the spouse to your left and your right—the ones who show up, check in, and lift up—that make the difference.
When Community Becomes Family
I learned this truth deeply during one particularly hard season in our own journey.
I was still on active duty, pregnant with our fourth child, Joey. My husband, Farrell, was deployed to Afghanistan, and it was a difficult time for the Division. As the weeks went on, it became clear he wouldn’t be home for Joey’s birth.
When the day came, it wasn’t a relative who took me to the hospital—it was another Marine Corps spouse. It was another spouse who held my son for the first time besides me. It was another spouse who tried to reach my husband so he could at least be there by voice. And it was another spouse who stood beside me at Joey’s baptism.
That’s community.
Spouses at the 2025 Camp Lejeune Spouse Summit hosted by MCA gather together for a group photo. Behind the Camouflage spouse summits were an opportunity to foster our theme for 2025 – Connection to Community.
And it doesn’t always look like grand gestures. Sometimes it’s a text that says, “You’ve got this.” Sometimes it’s a knock at the door saying, “Come out and play.” Sometimes it’s a message from a friend that says, “Hey—I saw your boys today. They’re doing great.”
Those small moments are what keep Marine families strong—the quiet, steady heartbeat that has sustained us for generations.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
When I think about the power of that community, I feel both gratitude and responsibility.
Because this isn’t new. We’ve been building connection, resilience, and belonging for 250 years. And now it’s our turn to carry that forward.
The question we all face is: how do we keep it going? How do we make sure the next generation of Marine families feels the same sense of strength and belonging?
The answer is simple. We keep doing what we’ve always done—we pay it forward.
Every meal dropped off, every text sent, every new spouse welcomed, every quiet act of kindness—we’re weaving another thread into the fabric of the Marine Corps family. Those threads matter. They are what make our Corps stronger, steadier, and more resilient.
Because the Marine Corps cannot do what it does without the communities that stand behind it.
Looking Ahead: The Next 250 Years
As we celebrate this 250th birthday, we honor the Marines who have fought and won—and the families who have made their service possible.
But let’s also look forward. Let’s ask ourselves, What’s next?
What thread will I add? What act of connection, kindness, or encouragement will help strengthen the next generation of Marine families?
That’s how we build the next 250 years— one act of kindness, one open door, one shared laugh, one lifted burden at a time.
Semper Fidelis
So as we raise our glasses this year, let’s toast to both halves of this great legacy.
To the Marines—who have fought and won for 250 years. And to the spouses—who have been there every step of the way, ensuring they always had something meaningful, and someone loving, to come home to.
Semper Fidelis—and happy birthday, Marine Corps.
About the Author:
Marta Sullivan is a veteran and spouse of an active-duty Marine. She is passionate about programs and initiatives that support and promote the well-being, quality of life, professional development, and economic opportunity of military spouses, veterans, and their families. She currently serves as Vice President, Marine and Spouse Programs at the Marine Corps Association.
We’re back with another In the Box episode — and this time, we’re celebrating a major milestone: the 250th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps!
The BTC team dives into listener questions all about the Marine Corps Birthday — from what to wear and whether it’s okay to bring your kids, to the traditions that make the evening unforgettable. We even share some of our favorite birthday ball memories, gifts, and moments that make this celebration so special.
So grab your coffee and join the BTC Team for a candid conversation all about this historic tradition that might just have you asking yourself.. are you in the box? Give a listen!
This episode features The Marines’ Hymn, performed by The U.S. Marine Band. Learn more here!
Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for tuning in and your continued support. This week, we want to start of by saying, Happy 250th Birthday, Marines! As our final, concluding episode of our Road to 250 series, we have Col Chris Woodbridge, Nancy, William, and me in studio to talk about the Marine Corps’ 250th Birthday video. In standard Semper Cinema format, we give our reviews, detail some of the messaging and imagery, and give our opinions on what message we think this video is trying to communicate, and what audience is the video targeting.
We also look back at the history of the Marine Corps birthdays by exploring the very first Marine Corps birthday a hundred years ago. You can check out this event in more detail in the pages of the November edition of Leatherneck Magazine. It turns out, the first birthday celebration entailed more than just getting your uniform ready, going to the Birthday Ball, and praying your regrets aren’t unforgivable in the morning.
We are so proud that we were able to bring you various aspects of Marine Corps history throughout this series and hope you all have a wonderful, safe, and fun 250th birthday celebration. You deserve it. And keep your wits as sharp as your steel. The nation will be calling you to write the stories of the Marine Corps for the next 250 years.
In this episode, we sit down with Rear Admiral Carey Cash, Chaplain of the Marine Corps, for a meaningful conversation about connection, community, and shared purpose. Chaplain Cash shares personal stories about how relationships have strengthened him throughout his journey and explores how leaning into connection can bring happiness, resilience, and truth to our lives.
Together, we discuss the vital role of community in supporting mental health and suicide prevention, especially within the unique challenges of military life. Whether you’re a military spouse, service member, or part of the extended Marine Corps family, this episode is a reminder that we are never meant to do life alone. Give a listen!
If you are in crisis or need immediate support, please contact the National Mental Health Hotline by calling or texting 988.
