This month, we’re marking the fourth anniversary of our Joining Forces initiative, an effort Dr. Jill Biden and I started to honor and support our troops, veterans, and their families. It’s hard to believe it’s been four years already – but when I look back, the truth is, it wasn’t all that long ago that I didn’t know very much about the issues that face our military community at all.
That changed back in 2007 when my husband started running for office. That’s when I began traveling the country and holding roundtables for working women, and I started meeting military spouses – mainly women, but a few good men, too – and their stories took my breath away.
They told me about husbands and wives who were on their fourth or fifth deployment, away from home for months – even years – on end. They told me about all the missed holidays and birthdays, and the anxiety of wondering if they were going to get that knock on the door that would tear their whole world apart.
They told me about having to move every couple of years because they’ve been transferred to a new base, which means finding a new church, a new pediatrician, a new carpool, a new everything. It means they’re constantly searching for a new job, and their children have to adjust to a new school and make new friends.
I kept asking myself how it was possible that up until this point, I’d had no idea what these extraordinary families were dealing with. But then it hit me – I didn’t know about the challenges these folks face because they never complain. Even as they were telling me about their struggles, they weren’t expressing dissatisfaction or regret. None of them wished they had chosen a different path. They were proud of their spouses and proud to do their part to serve our country. So I vowed to myself that if my husband were elected President, I would do whatever I could to honor their service and shine a light on their service, struggles, and sacrifices.
That’s why, four years ago this month, Dr. Biden and I founded Joining Forces. The idea behind Joining Forces was to go beyond simply words of appreciation – though those are important – and start dealing with the real issues our military and veteran communities are facing, like employment, housing, education, and health care.
First Lady Michelle Obama and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu backstage at the “Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness” event April 20
And I have to tell you, from the minute we launched Joining Forces, the response we received was overwhelming. No matter what challenge we issued, people stepped forward to meet it – and then some.
In just four years, America’s businesses have hired or trained more than 850,000 veterans and military spouses. Associations of doctors, nurses, medical schools, and others offered to train health care providers to better treat issues like post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. Governors and legislators in 49 states came together to help veterans and military spouses get the professional licenses and credentials they need to build and maintain their careers. 570 mayors, governors, and other local leaders have committed to ending veteran homelessness in their cities by the end of this year. Hollywood screenwriters are incorporating more storylines about veterans and military families into their TV shows and movies. Teaching colleges are now training teachers to support the unique needs of military-connected students in their classrooms. And Americans of all walks of life have volunteered tens of millions of hours in their communities to honor our military families.
Time and again, people across the country have stepped up to let our troops, veterans, and their families know that we have their backs – and I hope you’ll join them. Go to JoiningForces.gov to find out how you can get involved, and together, we can serve these inspiring families as well as they have served us.
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