Milley salutes two 'outstanding' civilians at Twilight Tattoo

Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark A. Milley recognized two civilians for their outstanding service to the military during a special edition of the Twilight Tattoo series May 25.

Milley presented the Outstanding Civilian Service Award to Kathy Roth-Douquet, chief executive officer and president of Blue Star Families; and Chef Robert Irvine, founder of the Robert Irvine Foundation, in front of a huge crowd on Summerall Field on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

This special edition of the Twilight Tattoo pageant, dubbed "Salute from the Chief," brought a packed house full of students from schools all over the country, including Nebraska, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Ohio and more.

"Our…Soldiers are the finest on the face of the Earth today, so thank you all for being here," Milley told the crowd under an afternoon sun with a temperature well above 90 degrees. "Every Soldier here is a mother or a father, a brother, sister, son or daughter. Every single one of them. But none of us could do our jobs without the support and commitment of our families and, most importantly, without the support and commitment of the American people."

Roth-Douquet and Irvine are two civilians who are graciously committed to the military, Milley said.

As CEO and president of Blue Star Families, Roth-Douquet helps provide programs and resources for military families.

"Kathy understands full well the difficulties and sacrifices of raising a family in the service of our military," Milley said, noting that Roth-Douquet has been a military spouse for 18 years.

Blue Star Families is an organization and support network for military families, providing resources to help with moving, job hunting and the deployment of loved ones.

The organization, which comprises over 100,000 members in nearly 50 chapters around the world, has raised more than $7 million in benefits for families, and distributed roughly 32,000 books to military children, according to Milley.

"Kathy ensures that our voice, the voice of the military family, is heard, and that our nation continues to remember the sacrifices and the commitment of military service members and all of their families," he said.

Irvine is an English celebrity chef and U.S. citizen who supports the men and women of the military through his Robert Irvine Foundation, which provides funding to organizations and programs that help military families.

A former member of the British Royal Navy and the British Royal Marines, Irvine has traveled and met with troops in combat zones, as well as posts in Japan and Guantanamo Bay.

"He provides support and entertainment to our military service members overseas," Milley said. "Robert knows that engaging with the community in which you serve not only benefits the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, but provides the connective tissue to help reduce the stress of transition."

Milley noted that Irvine also helps promote fitness and healthy living through the Army's Performance Triad program.

Milley said their contributions exemplified records of "selfless service" to the nation.

"Their steadfast commitment to all service members has been unwavering for many, many years," he said. "They love those who serve. They want to make a true difference, not only for the nation, but for the entire world."