Marines

eMarine connects service members, family

7 Aug 2013 | Lance Cpl. Joshua W. Grant Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Advancements in technology and the internet make gathering information easier than ever. With eMarine, service members and their families have access to all of their units’ upcoming events and schedules at the click of a button.

Marines, sailors and their spouses can learn and share important information and events happening in each individual unit through eMarine, a completely customizable and personable website.

The eMarine website is designed to be an online, 24-hour extension of a unit’s Family Readiness Officer. A Family Readiness Officer functions as the overall liaison between a Marine’s family and their unit. Family readiness officers manage each unit’s eMarine page.

“eMarine is considered by the commandant to be the primary method of communicating to Marines, sailors and their families,” said Bill Vornheder, a family readiness program trainer with Marine Corps Family Team Building. “It’s designed to meet the needs of the largest population in the Marine Corps, Marines under the age of 25, but eMarine is still somewhat of a mystery to a lot of people.”

The Marine is able to invite a maximum of four family members to access a specific Marine Corps unit’s page.

The families are then given access to the Marine’s unit page. A unit’s page can be customized and may contain varying information, but many units publish training and deployment schedules, said Vornheder.

“They have the one stop capability,” said Vornheder. “It’s their connection to everything going on with their Marine or sailor, and it also provides all the resources and points of contact that may be needed.”

Every eMarine page includes forums which encourage interaction and streamline communication within each unit, stated Vornheder.

“We want people to take an ownership in their eMarine page,” said Vornheder. “If their unit’s eMarine page does not have the resources or information they are looking for, or is not appealing to them, then that is the feedback they need to give to their family readiness officer.”

eMarine is a great, closed loop system for getting information to only the people who need to see it, said Mark Seymon, Family Readiness Officer for 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.

“It’s a one stop shop for families to get information and photos from the unit, especially when the unit is deployed,” said Seymon. “It allows secure information we can’t put on an 800 number to be displayed like deployment return dates and training schedules.”

For more information on a unit’s eMarine page or to gain access, visit www.eMarine.org or contact your unit’s Family Readiness Officer.
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