The First Lady’s Important Message For New York State Families
There really are no words that would fully express our gratitude to the brave women and men who serve in the United States Armed Forces. Within every branch, there are individuals who have taken an oath to serve this great country and basically sign a blank check of sacrifice and dedication.
But the same people who have answered the call to serve also leave family at home who need our support and words are never enough. There is a push to relieve the financial stress and burdens that military families face here in the United States and here in New York State.
First Lady Doctor Jill Biden is going to be making a visit to Fort Drum today to meet with military families. Doctor Biden will be joined by Deputy Secretary of Defense Doctor Kathleen Hicks to discuss ways to improve employment opportunities for military spouses.
A survey of active-duty spouses conducted by the Department of Defense in 2019 found that the military spouse unemployment rate is 22%. There are many factors that contribute to the high rate, including frequent moves, differing state licensing requirements, child care and deployments.
Being away from family for months is hard enough on families. But trying to keep up with the bills and needs that a family has is a stress that we can and should help with for those who protect our freedom. The next step is to improve the assistance that is given to those who leave the military and our veterans.