White House unveils plan to strengthen military family support

By Army Sgt. Darron SalzerOctober 14, 2011

Dr. Guard supports Guard families
"You are family, and we are a National Guard family," Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, tells National Guard adjutants general of the states and territories of the United States during a reception at the Vice President's Residence in ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ARLINGTON, Va. (Jan. 26, 2011) - Dr. Jill Biden invited the fiancee of a Delaware Army National Guard member to a White House press conference on Monday to unveil a government-wide plan to strengthen military family support.

Biden said she met Jessica Sanders about two weeks ago, when she was saying goodbye to her fiancee, Army Capt. Mark Thomas, at a deployment ceremony for the Delaware Army National Guard's 126th Aviation Regiment, which will provide medical evacuations for troops, allies and civilians in Afghanistan.

"I am heartened by the efforts to respond to the challenges facing our Guard and Reserve families - from helping them sustain their businesses to supporting their reintegration back into their communities after deployment," she said.

The Obama administration's plan to strengthen military family support, which will begin in the coming months, is a commitment by not only the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, but several federal government entities.

"Today is an important next step in this administration's commitment to support our servicemen, their families and our members," said Biden, who is also the parent of a Delaware Army Guardsman.

President Barack Obama said his administration will focus on four areas: "The things you said matter most to you, whether you're Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine or Coast Guard - active, Guard or Reserve, a veteran or a member of a family of the fallen."

Obama added that many of these efforts have already been underway.

The four areas Obama highlighted were:

-- improving the quality of life for military families and veterans

-- education and development of military children

-- expanding efforts to help military spouses pursue their education and careers

-- increasing childcare.

"The agricultural department [for example] is expanding its support for families in rural areas," he said. "A disproportionate number of our military families come from rural areas or are stationed in rural communities."

Obama said his administration is making almost 50 specific commitments to military families, but the government can't accomplish the mission alone, he added.

"I want every servicemember who's deployed to know that when you're over there taking care of the country that you love," he said, "your country is back here taking care of the families that you love."

(Army Sgt. Darron Salzer writes for the National Guard Bureau.)