MCCS Coordinators: Bridging the Gap for Marine Corps Units
Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) Coordinators stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River serve as vital conduits, linking over 250 units with the diverse resources available to service members and their families. With over 80 programs and hundreds of services offered, navigating this expansive array of options can prove daunting.
"Our MCCS Coordinators are the vital linchpins connecting Marine units with the comprehensive resources MCCS has to offer. Their deep expertise and unwavering dedication ensure units can seamlessly access the programs, services, and support they need to maintain readiness and take care of our Marines and families,” said Sarah Wiltgen, Assistant Chief of Staff at Marine Corps Community Services, Marine Corps Installations East.
"The MCCS Coordinators act as the essential bridge between units and the wide spectrum of MCCS offerings. They attend meetings, facilitate reservations, manage equipment loans, and oversee billing for various events such as holiday parties, training sessions, and military balls," explained Yolanda Mayo, MCCS Lejeune-New River Deputy Operations Officer. "As subject matter experts on available MCCS resources, they serve as invaluable assets, ensuring seamless support between units and MCCS."
In recent years, one of the significant challenges they've encountered is the ongoing construction on base, which has limited the availability of venues for training events, holiday gatherings, and ceremonial balls. However, undeterred by these obstacles, the coordinators have demonstrated adaptability by devising innovative solutions to ensure that as many units and families as possible can partake in special occasions. "We often have units with considerable numbers of service members, yet lack a facility large enough to accommodate both the unit and their families," shared MCCS Coordinator Barbara Dozier. "Our approach involves suggesting that these units divide their celebrations into smaller groups, allowing them to reserve facilities with a more suitable capacity. For example, one unit arranges a morning party for single Marines followed by a family movie night later in the day. This strategy enables units to cater to their diverse demographics while circumventing capacity-related issues." The ideas put forth by Ms. Dozier have earned her numerous accolades aboard Camp Lejeune. One plaque hanging on her office wall reads: "To the hardest working person at Camp Lejeune. Barbara R. Dozier. MCCS Coordinator with a larger-than-life positive attitude, all-around great person, and friend. Your hard work and dedication to the Marines, Sailors, and Civilian employees aboard Camp Lejeune has not gone unnoticed. From the Praetorians!"
Serving as the indispensable link between units and the extensive MCCS programs and resources, these dedicated coordinators consistently exceed expectations, leveraging innovation to support the Marine Corps community despite everyday challenges. "Our mission is to streamline processes for units, allowing them to focus on their core objectives," emphasized MCCS Coordinator Robert Webber. They collaborate closely with units to ensure efficient utilization of MCCS resources and access to allocated funding for official training and command events. "What some units may overlook is that by leveraging our services, we can ensure precise allocation of funds, resulting in long-term savings. For instance, if a unit wishes to rent a bounce house for a Family Day from Rec Issue, they coordinate with us, and we subsequently liaise with Rec Issue, often securing a 50% discount," noted MCCS Coordinator Angela Rodier.
MCCS Coordinators offer a range of assistance to units, including locating and scheduling facilities and outdoor areas for official unit events (PMEs, Balls, Family Days, Mess Nights, Unit PT, Field Meets, etc.), processing recreational gear issue requests, managing loan locker reservations, and facilitating historical uniform reservations. Additionally, coordinators are pivotal in connecting units to MCCS programs and services, addressing deployment and training needs, quality-of-life concerns, and more.
For units needing to ensure who their designated MCCS Coordinator is, Yolanda Mayo can be contacted at yolanda.mayo@usmc.mil.