MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- First-time homeowners, married couples looking for communication help and anyone who thinks a nutrition label is in Greek now have new and updated Life Skills resources at their fingertips.

Marine and Family Programs has updated Life Skills courses available aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and will also offer new Life Skills classes.

The new classes include Friday Fit Club - an introduction to the Semper Fit Center and basic nutrition; Power of Play - techniques for communicating with children; and the Five Love Languages - practical techniques for spousal communication.

“I’ve had to tweak the existing programs,” said Shawna Densmore, a Life Skills trainer with Marine and Family Programs. Densmore explained that Life Skills classes need to be personalized to meet the needs of different military bases, so she initiated the changes and updates to the Life Skills courses.

Some of the differences MCAS Miramar Life Skills courses address include a unique housing market in San Diego and the stress of living in a highly populated area.

Life Skills classes run the gamut of many potential problems areas Marines and spouses can face. The courses include relationship help, a guided tour of the commissary to teach shoppers how to choose healthy foods and financial advice.

Instructors are certified to teach individual classes. For example, certified nutritionists teach nutrition courses and FranklinCovey, the company that created The 8 Habits of a Successful Marriage, certifies The 8 Habits instructor.

Part of Densmore’s goal is to use Life Skills classes to help Marines and spouses connect with resources aboard MCAS Miramar, so she works with organizations all over the air station to get word out about their offerings, she explained.

She added that Life Skills classes provide common ground for spouses and Marines to experience opportunities on base they might have never known about or been hesitant to try.

Densmore explained the Friday Fit Club encourages more spouses to take advantage of the Semper Fit Center and nutrition classes held on base. Many Life Skills programs focus on improving marriages and interpersonal communication.

“You see a lot of good marriages not make it because of the extra stressors [military couples] have,” said Densmore. “I had a young couple go to marriage preparation and the 5 Love Languages. The husband said they were going through a lot of difficulties, but in two weeks saw an improvement using the [techniques] they learned.”

Cpl. Daniel Wells, an F/A-18 Hornet mechanic with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101, took Marriage Prep and the Five Love Languages with his wife, Sasha in November.

“Both classes were eye-openers. They have helped our marriage a lot and I’d recommend both to any couple, married or not,” said Wells.

Densmore plans to offer classes in conflict management, interpersonal communication and social networking in the future.

More information about Life Skills classes can be found at www.mccsmiramar.com/lifeskills_program.html.

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