MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- The cluster of spouses, dressed in a random assortment of woodland and desert camouflage uniform pieces, looked nervous. They were listening intently to instructions from former drill instructor Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Dempsey about how to respond to the drill instructors they were about to meet.
For many of the spouses, it would be their first encounter with Marine Corps drill instructors and the recruit experience.
Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron hosted its annual Jane Wayne Day aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Oct. 7 with more than a dozen spouses ready to spend a day in their husbands’ boots.
Squadron spouses explored the many facets of H&HS life, including a recruit indoctrination, weapons handling at the Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer, tours of the Provost Marshal’s Office mobile command center and the air traffic control tower, hands-on fire fighting with Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting and demonstrations of explosive ordnance disposal and military working dogs.
“You get a flavor of everything we do here,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Griffiths, the H&HS commanding officer.
One of the primary goals of Jane Wayne Day is to help spouses better understand their husband or wife’s job in a hands-on environment.
“It’s hard to understand when [our spouses] walk through the door what their day is like,” said Lisa Griffiths, wife of Lt. Col. Griffiths and regular Jane Wayne Day attendee. “It’s tough for a lot of spouses to come out because they have kids. But if they come for even part of the day, they can get a whole new perspective on what their [spouses] do.”
The time spent at the ISMT learning to shoot M16A2 rifles and M9 pistols appeared to be one of the most popular events of the day.
“I like shooting guns,” said Stephanie Douglas, wife of Installation Personnel and Administration Center Cpl. Stoney Douglas and Modesto, Calif., native. “This is fun for us housewives!”
From being treated like recruits to handling high-pressure fire hoses with ARFF, the 2011 H&HS Jane Wayne Day gave spouses new perspective on their Marines’ jobs.