Community Trust CU Salutes Employee JoAnne Welton and other Local Volunteers as Recipients of 2007 National Marine Reserve Family Readiness Award

(Gurnee, IL February 26, 2008) While the Marines and other branches of our military do an excellent job of preparing and deploying troops for military service around the world, they rely greatly on the volunteer efforts of family members and friends to keep things going smoothly back in "the states." This includes a wide range of support programs that can make a huge difference in the morale, security and well being of military families before, during and after the deployment.

In appreciation and respect of the time and energies that go into providing this resource for military families, the Department of Defense annually honors one unit from each branch of the military with its "Reserve Family Readiness Award." This year the prestigious, nationwide award was present to Second Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division (based in Chicago), whose family readiness team is comprised of concerned family members in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Community Trust Credit Union is proud to salute Team Coordinator JoAnne Welton, a long-time credit union employee and outstanding supporter of our proud women and men in uniform. Joanne, whose husband Gunnery Sergeant Nathan Welton (Nate) is on his second deployment in Iraq and is scheduled to return home in late-Summer 2008, recently accompanied other members from her Marine Division Family Readiness Team on a trip to Washington D.C. to tour the Pentagon and receive this prestigious award.

"The Family Readiness program is wonderful because it helps military families learn about and access special programs that make their lives easier and less frustrating before, during and after their loved one is deployed.and also it tells them precisely who they can turn to in a crisis," said JoAnne, who coordinates the efforts of 13 volunteers, runs briefings for families to help assure uninterrupted paychecks, medical coverage and other benefits, while also being able to regularly communicate with their Marine. "The benefit to the families is two-fold. We help make family life better by reducing worry both for the Marine and for his or her family members; so they can keep their mind on their job and their own safety."

"The importance of family readiness is that it equals mission readiness," said Connie Bryant, director of the Marine Corps family team-building program, in presenting the award to 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine wives in Washington on February 13th. "Just like Marines have to prepare to deploy, they have to make sure their families are ready." Bryant points out there are many ingredients in a unit's family readiness program, including: email exchanges with deployed Marines, family support meetings, a newsletter, chaplain support, holiday special events, deployment skills workshops (for troops and their families), post-deployment orientation, and many other support services; but the personal involvement makes all the difference for the Marines.