MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The feeling of going to a new duty station can be overwhelming for many service members and their families, but a program here is aiding in the early transition for newly arrived personnel.
The Sponsorship Program, provided by the Marine Corps Community Services Information, Referral and Relocation Office, offers new members to the Iwakuni community a sponsor to help make the move as smooth as possible.
"The Sponsorship Program is a command sponsored program to help welcome new service members and their families here. The sponsor is responsible to prepare for the arrival of the new resident and show them and their family around the base as well as to their new work place," said Stephanie Sutton, Information and Referral and Relocation Office manager.
Sutton said the ideal sponsors are those individuals who are generally concerned about the welfare of their fellow service members and someone who is familiar with the command, facilities and programs on base.
"We are not looking for someone who is an expert on everything regarding this base, but someone who is dependable and knows how to connect the new arrival to the experts. The sponsor should want the family and the service member to be as comfortable as possible," she stressed.
According to Mary Mwongo, MCCS Information and Referral and Relocation Office assistant, a growing problem the Sponsorship Program has been running into is individuals becoming sponsors and sponsoring the same service member who is replacing them. Once the new service member arrives the sponsor is leaving on the same plane.
"It defeats the purpose if the sponsor leaves when the new service members gets here," she said.
To facilitate the need for sponsors, a one-hour training course is offered by the Relocation Office and provides the tools necessary to be a successful sponsor.
"Remember when you were new here and you didnt know where anything was? Well its your chance to help someone so they won't have to go through the same thing," said Sutton.
For more information regarding the Sponsorship Program call 253-6161 or contact your unit Sponsorship Program representative.