Michelle Obama And Jill Biden Call On Americans To Support Military Families
Subscribe to the Blog RSS FeedThe First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden from the beginning have worked hard to inspire Americans to support the military families that have borne the brunt of America's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. And we will always be grateful for the frequent shout-outs they have given ServiceNation's Mission Serve initiative to unite the worlds of military and civilian service in common purpose.
With combat troops now withdrawn from Iraq, and talk of drawdowns in Afghanistan next year, the dynamic duo took to the pages of USA Today to remind us all that military families will continue to need the support of all Americans. You should read the whole thing, but here's the key point:
Our military families are strong, resilient and proud to serve their country.
Nonetheless, they don't always feel that the rest of the country is part of the war effort. We've met National Guard families who feel isolated because they are the only members of their communities experiencing the deployment of a loved one. We've heard from military kids who struggle in school while their parents are deployed.
Remarkably, these same families still find time to serve their communities every day. They are troops who come home from a long deployment and coach Little League or mentor a child. They are children who tutor their younger siblings, and spouses who balance their families with jobs, school, community service — or all of the above. They are wounded warriors, survivors and veterans who continue to give so much to our country.
Guided by their stories, the Obama administration has made one of the largest investments in a generation in our veterans and military families. This includes building a 21st century Department of Veterans Affairs, improving care for traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, strengthening military family readiness programs, helping hundreds of thousands of veterans get a college education, and combating the tragedy of homelessness among veterans.
But government can only do so much.
That's why we're challenging every sector of American society to support and engage our military families. You don't have to come from a military family, have a base in your community, or be an expert in military issues to make a difference. Every American can do something.
Mission Serve will keep doing its part, working with its partners on ways to ensure that all Americans know how they, as individuals, can serve alongside and on behalf of military families and veterans. And we'll have more news in coming weeks on some of the exciting initiatives we are working on, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, if you are ready to do your part to support America's veterans and military families, the place to start is over at Serve.gov, where you can find lots of volunteer opportunities that help address the challenges faced by America's veterans and military families. Labor Day weekend is a great time to start, and make sure you join us and thousands of other Americans to serve on Veterans Day later this Fall.
Plus, Dr. Jill Biden is a very smart woman. You should listen to her:
