Stronger Together: Check In. Stay Connected.
The holidays can bring added stress for Marines and families. Not everyone can take leave, and working through the holidays can mean time away from family, financial pressure, changes in routine, and feelings of isolation. This season, keep a team mindset. Finish Strong. Enter Stronger. No Marine should have to navigate stress alone.
Do not wait for challenges to become a crisis. Take proactive steps across the four domains of Marine Corps Total Fitness (MCTF):
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Build Total Fitness Daily: Connect with your unit’s OSCAR Marines and use the Warrior Toolkit for quick, leader-led discussions that build mental, physical, social, and spiritual readiness.
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Attack Financial Strain Upstream: Meet with your command financial specialist (CFS) to review upcoming expenses, build a budget, and address financial concerns before they grow.
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Check Your Team: Reach out to Marines spending the holidays away from family. Ask about their plans, invite them to join an activity, or point them toward Single Marine Program events and other holiday activities. If someone seems withdrawn or overwhelmed, check in and stay connected. Use Combat and Operational Stress First Aid (COSFA) to recognize and respond to stress early.
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Bridge to Specialized Care: When additional support is needed, help connect Marines with installation resources. OSCAR Extenders, including chaplains and the Community Counseling Program, can help Marines access the Marine Intercept Program (MIP) and other support.
Looking out for the people around you does not mean having all the answers. Sometimes it means listening, checking in again, or helping someone connect with the right resource.
Protect the Marines to your left and right. Connect early, use your resources, and finish the year mission-ready.
Contact HQMC OSCAR at hqmc_coscc@usmc.mil to get involved with your unit’s OSCAR Team.