Posts Tagged Michelle Obama
Sailor Transitions to Sonar After Navy
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on August 23, 2012
By Lisa Daniel
When First Lady Michelle Obama and her “Joining Forces“ partners talk about service members needing transitioning into commercial work, they’re talking about people like Paul Michael Andrews.
First Lady Michelle Obama announces a major military employment milestone during a “Joining Forces” event on Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 22, 2012, reporting that more than 2,000 companies have hired 125,000 veterans and spouses through the campaign. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Ian W. Anderson
Andrews joined the military young and without a college degree. The Navy sent him to school to be a sonar technician, and he spent most of his six-year military career operating the world’s most sophisticated equipment to detect and track foreign submarines from the USS Roosevelt guided missile destroyer.
Andrews had two deployments: one to Somalia, and another to eastern Afghanistan to serve nine months working intelligence for a provincial reconstruction team.
The former petty officer knew he’d had “some awesome experiences” in the Navy, but when he decided to separate, he said, the thought of a civilian job search was filled with anxiety. Like many of his shipmates, he had never written a resume and didn’t know where to begin.
“We don’t spend time tweaking our resumes and building our professional networks,” he said. “Our network consists of the men and women we serve next to. Read the rest of this entry »
White House Invites Military Kids to Submit Holiday Cards
Posted by in Family Matters on November 2, 2011
Nov. 2, 2011
Elaine.sanchez@dma.mil
Family Matters Blog
First Lady Michelle Obama would like to add a military flourish to the White House’s holiday decorations this year.
She’s asking military children from throughout the world to create holiday cards honoring their service member parent and to send them to the White House no later than Nov. 16, according to a Navy news article by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Monique K. Hilley.
The White House is honoring American heroes this holiday season, the article said, and the cards will offer a fitting tribute to the nation’s military heroes.
“We are asking kids like you, from military installations around the world, to create a holiday card that represents your parent who is serving our nation,” the first lady wrote in a personal letter to military children. “I encourage you to use your imagination, and include words, pictures and drawings to create a holiday card that honors your brave mom or dad.”
The handmade cards should by 5 by 8 inches, and should include the parent’s name, branch of service and command.
Participants can mail the cards to: Reservation 1, Attn: Social Office, P.O. Box 8070, Washington, DC, 20032. And be sure to include a return address, the article said.
“Thank you for helping with this fun project, and most of all for your family’s courageous service to our nation,” the first lady wrote. “I look forward to seeing the results of your creativity!”
DOD to Expand Spouse Career Program
Posted by in Family Matters on April 25, 2011
April 25, 2011
Robert L. Gordon III is the deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy. In this blog, Mr. Gordon writes about how the Defense Department is expanding an Army spouse career development program to include all military spouses, and encourages spouses to join a discussion on employment.
By Robert L. Gordon III
Military Community and Family Policy
These are challenging times for our military community, ranging from natural disasters to the daily realities of life. As such, these are times when the wellbeing of our military families is more important than ever.
We are strengthening military families to not only navigate the unique aspects of military life, but also to thrive in the wake of life’s uncertainties. One of our commitments to enhance career opportunities for military spouses is based on Presidential Study Directive 9: “Strengthening Our Military Families: Meeting America’s Commitment.”
We are excited to tell you that we are expanding a successful career development program for Army spouses so that it will be available to all military spouses. In this program, we are partnering with government agencies, businesses and organizations across America to provide greater opportunities for our spouse community.
We are engaging our nation’s employment leaders with this message:
– Military spouses are your best choice for your next hire;
– They are skilled and diverse;
– They are educated and motivated; and
– They are team oriented and have a strong work ethic.
Business and organizational leaders need to know what you want. What would you tell us as we reach out to these leaders? We want to find the right fit for your career goals with organizations that support those career paths. So let us know!
With your input, we can improve opportunities for you to choose and pursue a career that is personally and professionally rewarding.
I encourage you to read “Strengthening Our Military Families: Meeting America’s Commitment.” The four focus areas to enhance support to our military families are:
– Psychological health and wellbeing of military families;
– Excellence in education and development for military children;
– Career and educational opportunities for military spouses; and
– Availability and quality of child care for the armed forces
This week’s post is the first in a series of discussions on how we are enhancing support in these areas. I want you to know what we’re working on and get your thoughts on how we can better serve you. As we work on career programs and other areas to support the needs of military families, we hope you’ll join our discussion.
We are working hard to build a foundation upon which military families can meet the challenges of these uncertain times, be fulfilled, and look to the future with optimism and hope. We look forward to hearing from you! Thank you.
Oprah Spotlights First Lady, Families on Show
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on February 1, 2011
By Elaine Wilson
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
Feb. 1, 2011
Just a few days after she helped to usher in a new, interagency military family support effort, First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to express her deep appreciation for the sacrifices military families make on a daily basis.
“Their willingness to sacrifice without complaint moves me every single time,” the First Lady said during the show: “The Bravest Families in America,” which aired Jan. 27. “Whenever I’m feeling bad, feeling sorry for myself, I suck it up because of these families.”
Along with the First Lady, journalists Tom Brokaw, Bob Woodward and two military families appeared on Oprah to share their stories with the nation. One family shared a tale of perseverance through deployment, and another of recovery from a life-changing war injury.
For more on this military family-focused Oprah show, read Karen Parrish’s American Forces Press Service articles: “First Lady Pledges Support for Military Families,” and “Military ‘Bravest Families’ Join First Lady on Oprah Show.”
Military Guests Join First Lady, Dr. Biden for President’s Address
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on January 26, 2011
By Elaine Wilson
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
Jan. 26, 2011
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, invited some impressive military guests to sit with them last night during the president’s State of the Union address.
They included:
– Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, who is the nation’s first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam War. President Barack Obama awarded the nation’s highest medal of valor to Giunta Nov. 16 for his heroic actions in Afghanistan the night of Oct, 25, 2007.
– Dr. Peter Rhee, a U.S. Navy veteran and military surgeon who serves as the chief of trauma at the University Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz. Rhee oversaw the medical care for the victims of Arizona’s recent shooting tragedy, including the care of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. While in the military, Rhee handled hundreds of battlefield injuries in two war deployments beginning in 2001.
– Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Nicole Mohabir. Mohabir deployed to Iraq two times, and just returned from a deployment to Afghanistan.
– Army Staff Sgt. Brian Mast and his wife, Brianna. Mast was injured by a roadside bomb Sept. 19, 2010, losing both of his legs just below the knee and an index finger. He’s currently recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Biden met the Masts last year at the Thanksgiving dinner she and her husband host each year for wounded warriors and their families. She wrote about the couple in a White House blog posted yesterday. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/25/my-guests-tonight-s-state-union-address
Last September, she said, Brianna was dealing with the stresses of being a first-time mother with a deployed husband when she found out Brian had been seriously injured in Afghanistan. Brianna and their infant son, Magnum, left Michigan to be by his side during his recovery, and Brianna dedicated herself to his care.
The Masts serve an example of the best America has to offer, Dr. Biden said in her blog.
“This Administration wants to shine a light on the enormous sacrifices military family members are making for our country,” she wrote. “That’s why the First Lady and I are asking Americans to reach out to the military families in their community and to help lighten the burden on these families who give so much and who ask for so little in return.”
Dr. Biden added that she was honored to have the Masts by her side during the address.
For more on the guests invited to sit in the First Lady’s box or the State of the Union address, visit the White House website.
Also, be sure to check out the AFPS coverage of the State of the Union address.
Blogger Resolves to Support Troops, Families in New Year
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on December 30, 2010
By Elaine Wilson
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
Dec. 30, 2010
With the presents unwrapped and stockings bare, my thoughts have finally turned to the New Year and my resolutions for the year ahead.
I must admit I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. My past is littered with a series of unfulfilled vows made with the best of intentions, or in some cases, a burst of bubbly-induced idealism. The list is seemingly endless: lose weight, tone up, exercise more, work less, work more, take a class, and on and on.
But this year, rather than a laundry list of pledges doomed to fall by the wayside, I’m determined to hone in on one resolution I can actually keep.
My sole New Year’s resolution is to offer my support to our troops and their families. And unlike my past pledges, this isn’t a fleeting thought stumbled upon at the stroke of midnight, but a true desire to help that’s been brewing for some time. Read the rest of this entry »
Dr. Biden Conveys Gratitude to Troops, Families
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on December 6, 2010
By Elaine Wilson
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
Dec. 6, 2010
Last week, I had an amazing opportunity to interview Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, in her home at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, talks about supporting troops during the holidays to children at a holiday event at her home at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., Dec. 1, 2010. DOD photo by Linda Hosek
Earlier that day, Dr. Biden had invited about 50 D.C.-area children — including 25 from National Guard families – to her home for some holiday festivities that included letter-writing to deployed and wounded troops, and cookie and ornament decorating. Be sure to check out photos of the event. You can read more about the holiday event itself in my blog post: Dr. Biden Welcomes Guard Children for Holidays. The day’s culminating event was a visit from the big guy himself, Santa Claus, who posed for pictures with Dr. Biden and the kids.
As the children filed out, each had a bag of colorfully decorated holiday cookies clutched in their hand and, I’m sure, some lifetime memories.
I watched them go, glad I was a part of the day, but also excited about what was yet to come. Dr. Biden had agreed to do a one-on-one interview with me about her quest to help military families, which I’ll write more about in an upcoming blog.
But first, I wanted to talk to her about the upcoming holidays and her message to the troops and their families, particularly those dealing with separations and deployments. Read the rest of this entry »
First Lady Vows Support for Military Families
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on July 7, 2010
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
elaine.wilson@dma.mil
July 7, 2010
After my whirlwind weekend in Iraq with Dr. Jill Biden that I shared in my last blog, I walked away with an even deeper appreciation for her efforts to support our troops and their families.
Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, visits with airmen on the flightline at Baghdad International Airport before departing Iraq, July 5, 2010. The Bidens spent Fourth of July weekend visiting U.S. troops and senior Iraqi leaders in Iraq. DoD photo by Elaine Wilson
At every step of the way, Dr. Biden had a kind word or hug for a servicemember, and she encouraged troops to share their concerns with her, especially regarding family issues, so she and First Lady Michelle Obama could take action.
“It’s nice to hear what you’re experiencing, what we can help you with, what [First Lady] Michelle [Obama] and I should be working,” she told a group of Texas Army National Guard soldiers during a roundtable discussion. “We want to support you and hear what you have to say, and work on the issues that affect you and your families.” Read the rest of this entry »
Jill Biden Urges Support for Military Families
Posted by in Family Matters on September 23, 2009
Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, hugs Theresa Martel, whose husband, Army 1st Sgt. Joseph Martel, is deployed with the New York National Guard’s 206th Military Police Company in Basra, Iraq, as Susan Taluto, wife of Army Maj. Gen. Joseph J. Taluto, the New York National Guard adjutant general, looks on in Latham, N.Y., Sept. 21, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Paul Fanning
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
Sept. 23, 2009
I always appreciate it when senior leaders turn their attention toward military families and I’ve noticed a recent outpouring of support from the White House.
This week, Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, met with New York National Guard personnel and their families. She visited with the family members of deployed servicemembers and the professionals who support them.
During her visit to New York, Biden pledged her support for military families and noted that her efforts are, in part, personal. The Bidens’ son, Joseph “Beau” Biden III, is a captain in the Delaware Army National Guard, and is currently deployed to Iraq.
Read the rest of this entry »
Leaders, Americans Embrace Military Families
Posted by Administrator in Family Matters on September 14, 2009
Army Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz and his wife, Laura, center, cut the ribbon at the official grand opening of the first Army Strong Community Center in the Wadsworth Army Reserve Center in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 12, 2009. Michelle Zelaya, to their left, is one of the two full-time staffers credited with providing assistance to families whose loved ones are deployed, but don’t live close enough to a major installation to tap into its services. DoD photo by Donna Miles
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
Sept. 14, 2009
I’ve noticed a tremendous outpouring of support for military families in recent days.
Everyone from the first lady to Americans in small communities are working to support military families, and I wanted to share some of these stories with you:
First lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden are appearing in a public service announcement to praise servicemembers’ contributions as well as to ask Americans to support the families of veterans and active duty servicemembers who need help, as reported by the American Forces Press Service.
The PSA premiered Sept. 11 in Major League Baseball stadiums across the country and will air on major broadcast networks this fall.
“I’ve made it a personal priority to ask all Americans to join me in the cause of supporting our military families,” Obama said in the article. “We must all remember that when our troops are deployed, their families are left behind with a completely different set of duties.”
Army Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz and his wife, Laura, stand in front of the first Army Strong Community Center in the Wadsworth Army Reserve Center in Rochester, N.Y. Stultz credits his wife for coming up with the concept of a “virtual installation” for families who live too far away to tap into the kind of information, services and support provided at large military bases. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kevin Harrison
Biden echoed Obama’s desire to help. “As the mother of a National Guardsman who is serving in Iraq, this is personal,” she said. “I share the concerns, the anxieties and the pride that come with being a member of a military family, and I have also seen first-hand what a difference it makes when people reach out to show support, whether in school, in the neighborhood or in the workplace. Each of us has the power to make a difference in the life of a servicemember or his or her family.”
For more on this article, see “First Lady, Dr. Biden Ask Americans to Support Military Families”
Elsewhere, a new “virtual installation” opened Sept. 12 to assist military families who are geographically separated from a military installation.
The first Army Strong Community Center is located in the Wadsworth Army Reserve Center in Rochester, N.Y. In an American Forces Press Service article, Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz credited his wife, Laura, for coming up with the concept of a “virtual installation” for families who live too far away to tap into the kind of information, services and support provided at large military bases.