San Diego Blog Stories
Within this blog you will find everything from Funeral planning for Veterans to Newborn photography. While we capture many events and share as much information as possible, our main goal is to serve others. We currently do that by providing information and curating things that are needed, primarily for our Military community in Southern California.
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Good Reads for New Military MoMs | 2022
Good Reads for New Military MoMs (Mom of a Marine) | 2022
Navigating life as a new parent of a Marine headed off to Boot Camp is hard enough. If you love reading or want to read up on how to better understand the transition your new service member is going through, here are our top picks! Saving the BEST MoM (mother of a Marine) book for last!
The Heart of a Military Mom by Army Mom Strong & Elaine Brye 4.7 out of 5 #24 in Military Families (Books)
Rise Up Military Moms: A Journal for Living Life with Strength and Purpose by Army Mom Strong & Elaine Brye 4.8 out of 5 #67 in Military Families (Books)
Be Safe, Love Mom: A Military Mom's Stories of Courage, Comfort, and Surviving Life on the Home Front by Elaine Brye & Nan Gatewood Satter 4.8 out of 5 #11 in Military Families (Books)
Mom Reuniting With Son After Deployment | Chunaco Family | USNS Mercy | San Diego Naval Base | pt2
Mom Reuniting With Son After Deployment | Chunaco Family | USNS Mercy | San Diego Naval Base pt2
USNS Mercy T-AH-19 is a 1,000 bed hospital ship commissioned in 1986 and currently lay berthed at Pier 1 on Naval Base San Diego, California. Along with USNS Comfort, USNS Mercy provides an afloat, mobile, acute surgical medical facilities when called upon to the U.S. military, and hospital services to support U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.
Mom Reuniting With Son After Deployment | Chunaco Family | USNS Mercy | San Diego Naval Base |
Mom Reuniting With Son After Deployment | Chunaco Family | USNS Mercy | San Diego Naval Base
Deployed Mom VS Deployed Dad…
Lets be clear, deployments are not easy nor are they really comparable. As a female service member I do recall my husband being home with our daughter versus the times he was deployed and I was home alone with her. I was blessed to have never needed to leave my daughter for an extended amount of time; therefore didn’t know what to expect watching LCDR reunite with her son.
Of course, he started getting mad at dad holding him waving at mom ( he was trying to nap haha) right as she was walking up and did warm up. This exact same thing happens when I see dad’s come home. At the same homecoming, another little kid ran up to his mom with a huge embrace! They are each unique and require reintegration to really feel like a family again.
Marine Dad Meeting Newborn for the FIRST TIME | Marinaccio Family | VMM-163 Fly-in from Africa | San Diego Airport Military Homecoming |
Check out photos and a video of this Cpl meeting his newborn for the first time after being deployed in Africa with VMM-163 at the San Diego International Airport.
This deployed Marine dad returns home to his beautiful wife and baby girl for the first time. The anticipation of this moment and importance of this first meeting was so important we decided to do video, too.
Lets be real, this sweet family of three are clearly lost in the moment enjoying their firsts. Cpl seems to have a good handle on fatherhood already because it doesn’t take long for him to embrace his girls and enjoy his first (adorable!) father/daughter bonding moment.
Why you need to hire a photographer at least once in your Military Journey
Why you need to hire a photographer at least once in your Military Journey.
Investing in photography is something we all consider a couple times a year but rarely follow through. Sometimes there is a budget concern, other important events around the corner, and so much more. As a photographer, even I have missed the past TWO YEARS of family photos…. And I do regret it. What I do not regret is getting a post deployment photographer for my husbands last pier side homecoming where I announced the gender of our baby.
Bonus Note about How Special Airport Homecomings are.
Military Headshots | NJROTC Temecula Cadet Matheson | San Diego, CA
In 8 years of military service, my only "headshot" was during boot camp - my silly self never purchased it! Why is that? Especially in a military-heavy city like San Diego, why don't more photographers offer posed studio portraits with flags in the background? How does a service member get ahold of new portraits, anyways? PAO? Fleet and Family? MCCS? MWR?
I am on a mission to make these more common and to -eventually- get my uniform back on for one last official photo. In the meantime, let's normalize these portraiture opportunities to capture your military career before it's only a memory and you want to grow a retirement beard.
In honor of my mission, I am sharing some images that Cadet Matheson picked out from his recent portrait session. This Junior at Chaparral High School NJROTC in Temecula is on his way to a fantastic career in the Navy.
5 Reasons why you should get an airport homecoming photographer
Do you feel robbed of a typical post deployment homecoming experience because your spouse or significant other was selected to fly off the ship early?? Did you have a difficult birth or high risk pregnancy and need your SO home? Perhaps they were injured or came home due to unfortunate circumstances? Don’t worry! You, too, can have a beautiful homecoming experience that can be even more special than meeting on the flight line or deck of the ship.
Here are 5 reasons you should consider hiring a photographer for your airport homecoming.
How to get into USS Midway for FREE!
Want to get into USS Midway for free?
USS Midway Museum is offering free admission to all Marines who have just graduated from MCRD San Diego. This offer is good for immediate family members and guests. Simply stop by the admissions desk at USS Midway museum on your graduation day and let them know you are a new Marine.
LHD 2 USS Essex Homecoming | 32nd Street Naval Base San Diego, CA
Rainy Day Navy Homecoming
Nothing would dampen the special homecoming about to take place for this couple. Rain or Shine, she was getting her man back that day! And she did; she took him home and was very happy. Did it rain at your homecoming?
Are you looking for a homecoming dress this one? Check out our Amazon suggestion store to find dresses or outfits that complement military uniforms or check out our free Outfit Guides for any and every uniform you can imagine.
ECHO Co MCRD Graduation Day 03.11.22
Here are amazing families of the nation’s newest Marines. I met up with these folks at Liberty Station, formerly known as the Naval Training Center San Diego, which welcomed its first Navy recruits in 1923 and closed after 60 years. Liberty Station is now San Diego's Town Square and perfectly replicates Marine Corps Recruit Depots architecture.
Navy Promotion - Frocking Ceremony | LCS MCM San Diego | NOSC San Diego, CA
Navy Pinning Ceremony, San Diego, CA | Reserve Unit
What is a Frocking Ceremony?
Essentially, a ceremony for making rank!
There are various instances in Navy Regulations, at least as early as 1802, of personnel assuming the uniform of the next higher rank, not necessarily with higher pay, when appointed by proper authority to assume the duties and responsibilities of that rank prior to actual promotion. These appointments were sometimes temporary as when it was necessary rapidly to swell the ranks during war time, especially in the Civil War. Other instances concerned a commander's need to fill an unforeseen vacancy for which there was no one of equal rank. In this case, a junior who was qualified for promotion would assume the uniform and duties pending approval by the Navy Department.
Military Homecomings | VMFA 225 | Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar
"I got to see the bond between friends made in the military.
These two women are at different stages of their life but united in supporting their loved ones.
Overall, I loved photographing my client's family, and seeing such raw emotion; but I equally loved watching these two friends interact through the anticipation of their Marines coming home.
Do yourself a favor, hire a photographer! "
If you are in San Diego and your loved one is about to leave, has already left, will be coming home soon BOOK A PHOTOGRAPHER! If not me, then someone, please! You will not regret it at all.
To inquire about any ships, fly-ins, or even The San Diego International Airport Homecomings, contact me!