MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. --
More than 30 couples gathered for the semi-annual Chaplain’s Religious Enrichment Development Operation
Marriage Enrichment Retreat in New Bern, Feb. 5-6.
During the two-day retreat, service members and
their spouses participated in various relationship strengthening activities
including: Hidden Keys to a Loving Relationship, The Love Bank, Love Busters
and Love Builders.
According to Navy Lt. Hardy G. Owens, 2nd Marine
Aircraft Wing staff chaplain, events like CREDO are important because married
couples often seek assistance and advancement in their marital life, but with
work and other obligations, the marriage relationship often falls to the
wayside.
“If spouses are left isolated or become too busy at
work or doing their own thing, it becomes easy to grow apart,” explained Owens.
“The CREDO retreats are great because it helps remind us the reason we got
married and the reason we fell in love and it gives us the tools to continue to
grow in our relationship.”
During the event couples spent time filling out
personality inventories and other worksheets designed to help them learn more
about themselves and each other.
“We came to this retreat because we felt our
marriage needed to be enriched,” said Sgt. Krystal Daniels, a maintenance
administration clerk with Marine Transport Squadron 1. “We came to hear the
views of other couples and their marriages and to bond with each other in an
environment where others are trying to do the same thing we are: become a
stronger couple.”
Many of the couples in attendance said they hoped to
leave the retreat with as much knowledge and information as the retreat had to
offer and they hoped to leave with a stronger, healthier marriage relationship.
“It is refreshing to take time to focus on our
relationship since we don’t always get to do that when we are working
constantly,” explained Daniels.
According to Daniels, if your home is good, you will
be good at work as well.
“The purpose of these events are to ensure the
Marines and their families are mission ready so when the Marines are called out
to take care of our nation’s business they are ready and able to do so,” said Owens.
“Through the retreat the couples are able to build marital satisfaction and
resiliency.
“It is important that our Marines and spouses are
ready at home, so they will be ready at a moment notice is deployment comes.
Family readiness is mission readiness.”