Tag Archives: Joining Forces

News, Politics, Government

Thanking Service Members and Military Families Around the World

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By Dr. Jill Biden

Dr. Jill Biden talks with members of the USS Fitzgerald during their stop in Singapore

Dr. Jill Biden talks with members of the USS Fitzgerald during their stop in Singapore. (Photo Credit: Jay C. Pugh)

Before leaving Singapore this past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a BBQ with U.S. service members and their families stationed in Singapore, as well as crewmen from the USS Fitzgerald, docked in Singapore at the time. Joe and I also visited with service members, their families, and DOD employees in Hawaii, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. When Joe and I travel, we love nothing more than to meet with our men and women in uniform and their families to thank them for their service and sacrifice.

Military families face so many challenges, as spouses get deployed and families move around. When I was in Singapore, I met a woman who was in the Navy and she told me that this was her 14th move. As a military mom, I understand a bit of what these families are going through. Our son Beau was deployed for a year to Iraq as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard and our son Hunter is an Ensign in the Navy Reserves. This experience, as well as the joys and concerns we heard from military families as we traveled around the world led First Lady Michele Obama and I to start Joining Forces. It is our hope that we can rally all Americans to support our veterans and military families. Joining Forces brings together public and private resources to help with the employment, education, and wellness of our veterans, servicemen and women, and their families.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House

News, Politics, Government

States Step Up to Help Veterans and Spouses Get Back to Work

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By Gene Sperling

President Obama and the First Lady are committed to doing everything in their power to assist the brave men and women who have served our country in re-entering civilian life and finding employment. Over the last year and a half, the President has overseen the first re-design of the military’s transition assistance program in twenty years; created new tax credits to spur veteran hiring; expanded re-employment services, including the Veterans Job Bank and the Veterans Gold Card; and launched a series of initiatives to expand the number of veterans that get jobs in healthcare and first responder fields. Additionally, under the great leadership of the First Lady and Dr. Biden, Joining Forces has expanded hiring and training partnerships with the private sector in an effort to help our veterans and their spouses get back to work.

Yet, our veterans still face major hurdles as they transition out of the military and into the civilian workforce. According to a 2012 survey by Prudential and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, 60 percent of survey respondents said they had trouble translating their military skills into civilian job experience, creating a significant barrier to employment. Many high-demand, good-paying jobs like paramedics, truck drivers, nurses, and welders, require either a national certification or state occupational license to be hired, and currently our national and state systems make it very difficult for service members and veterans to obtain these civilian certifications and licenses that directly translate to their military training. Often times service members and veterans are required to repeat education or training in order to receive these occupational credentials, even though much, and in some cases, all, of their military training and experience overlaps with credential training requirements. And employers, many with significant needs for skilled workers, are left waiting for these military members to complete these, oftentimes lengthy, credentialing training programs – programs that many veterans could have taught themselves.

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From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/17/states-step-help-veterans-and-spouses-get-back-work

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady at the Veterans Full Employment Act of 2013 Bill Signing

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By The White House

State House
Annapolis, Maryland

1:55 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Good afternoon. It is truly a pleasure to be here in Maryland today.

But before we get started, I want to take a moment to say that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Boston. My husband continues to monitor the situation, and he has directed the full resources of the federal government to assist state and local authorities as they investigate this horrific act.

And what happened on Monday was a reminder that in times of crisis, here in America we respond with courage, and grit, and selflessness. That’s exactly what we saw from the people of Boston, and from all those who rushed to aid the victims, especially the police officers and firefighters, the first responders, and our men and women in uniform.

And that is the spirit of Boston, but it is also the spirit of this country. And in many ways, that’s the spirit of service and sacrifice that we are here to honor today.

So I want to thank Governor O’Malley for hosting us, but also for his tremendous leadership for the state of Maryland and for all of his efforts on behalf of our troops, veterans, and military families.

I also want to thank Lieutenant Governor Brown; the Secretary of the Navy, Secretary Mabus; and all of the servicemembers from Fort Meade and the United States Naval Academy who are here with us today.

And I’d like to recognize all of the Maryland state legislators: Attorney General Gansler, Mayor Cohen, the representatives we have here from veterans service organizations and the University of Maryland, and to all of the military family members who are joining us today. Welcome, and thank you for being here.

And, finally, I want to thank Senior Chief Hite and his wonderful family who I got to meet — Mom and Dad are here, and his handsome son, who I will embarrass — (laughter) — but we are proud of you all. But I want to thank you all for your service to this country, because the truth is, is that every family member serves, and every time I meet a servicemember, a veteran, I don’t just thank him or her, I think children and parents and grandparents and brothers and sisters, because everyone in some way is part of that service. And thank you for sharing your story with us today.

Two years ago, Jill Biden and I launched Joining Forces in large part because we’d heard too many stories like that of Senior Chief Hite’s. We had heard the stories of military spouses like Janelle Gray, whose husband serves in the Air Force at Fort Meade.

Janelle was a professional counselor for seven years in Minnesota and North Dakota. But when she and her husband were transferred here to Maryland, she found out that she’d either have to wait three

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/17/remarks-first-lady-veterans-full-employment-act-2013-bill-signing

News, Politics, Government

Fact Sheet: States Answer the First Lady’s Call to Put America’s Heroes Back to Work

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By The White House

As part of their Joining Forces initiative, on February 25th First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden addressed the National Governor’s Association and issued a call to action – building on President Obama’s June 2012 announcement of the Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force – that by the end of 2015, all 50 states will have taken legislative or executive action to help our troops get the credentials they need to successfully transition to the civilian labor market. In less than two months 13 states have answered the First Lady’s call and passed legislation that fast-tracks the ability for service members and veterans to earn civilian credentials and licenses, and 8 states have passed legislation that expedites professional licenses or certifications for military spouses when they move to a new state.

Today, the First Lady will join Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley as he signs into law the Veterans Full Employment Act of 2013. This comprehensive bill, developed in consultation with the Department of Defense, includes a number of Best Practices outlined in the Administration’s report: The Fast Track to Civilian Employment: Streamlining Credentialing and Licensing for Service Members, Veterans, and Their Spouses.

Maryland: Setting a National Standard for Military Credentialing and Licensing Policy

Maryland’s Veterans Full Employment Act of 2013 sets a national standard for state legislation, streamlining the ability for service members, veterans, and their spouses to obtain over 70 civilian credentials and licenses.

• Supporting separating service members and veterans who seek to qualify for occupational licenses and certification based on their military education, training, and experience, including licenses in Emergency Medical Services and Advanced Medical Occupations.
o The bill requires state licensing units to accept education, training, or service completed by a military member toward the qualifications to receive a license or certification.

• Supporting separating service members and veterans who seek to obtain academic credit for their military education, training, and experience.
o The bill requires the state’s public universities to implement policies that award academic credit for military training, coursework, and education, thus reducing the time to degree as well as the cost of earning a degree or certificate.

• Supporting separating service members and military spouses who seek to transfer a current license by endorsement or obtain a temporary license when separating in a state other than the state that approved the current license.
o The bill requires state licensing units to expedite licensing for military spouses, service members, and recently-discharged veterans.

Translating Military Experience into Civilian Employment

The United States has the most highly trained military in the world, comprised of men and women who have broad skill sets because of their military education and experience. The members of our Armed Forces and their families make great sacrifices, and when their service is concluded, we owe it to our veterans and their families to help them accomplish a successful transition to the civilian labor market. That is

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/17/fact-sheet-states-answer-first-lady-s-call-put-america-s-heroes-back-wor

News, Politics, Government

Supporting our Veterans and Military Families on Campuses

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By Dr. Jill Biden

Over the next few years, more than a million service men and women will end their military careers and transition back to civilian life. Many of these veterans will decide to go back to school to finish their degrees, enroll in a community college for the first time, or work to obtain a master’s degree.

That’s why, on our campus communities, we need to make sure that our veterans have access to the programs that will help them succeed and obtain good jobs to support their families.

This April, as we mark the second anniversary of Joining Forces, I am pleased to be visiting several higher education institutions to learn more about what they are doing to support student veterans.

Dr. Biden participates on a panel with student, faculty and staff veterans at George Washington University

(by Jessica McConnell Burt / The George Washington University)

On Wednesday, I visited George Washington University to meet with student veterans and hear about several of their initiatives. While I was there, I heard from members of GW Vets, their student group representing more than 1,500 student veterans, military dependent students and allies across campus.

One of those students was Nichole Krom, a freshman who became involved in GW Vets as soon as she heard about it and is now the organization’s secretary. Nichole is not a veteran herself, but her father recently retired from the New York Air National Guard. She is a wonderful example of an important truth about our service men and women who sacrifice so much for our country – their families serve right alongside them.

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From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/12/supporting-our-veterans-and-military-families-campuses

News, Politics, Government

First Lady Michelle Obama to Address 2013 Graduating Seniors

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By The White House

This year, First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver commencement addresses at Eastern Kentucky University, Bowie State University, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School for Health Sciences and Engineering at Historic Pearl High (MLK).

The First Lady will be speaking at Eastern Kentucky University as part of her Joining Forces initiative because of its outstanding record supporting veterans and military families; she will be speaking at Bowie State University because of its legacy as Maryland's oldest historically black university; and she will be speaking at MLK Magnet as it is consistently ranked among the best public schools in the nation for its academic rigor and high graduation rate.

The commencement addresses will be open press, but space is limited. Members of the media who wish to cover the commencements must RSVP directly to the schools. Contact information is below.

Eastern Kentucky University
Mrs. Obama will deliver remarks at the Eastern Kentucky University commencement in Richmond, KY on Saturday, May 11 at 7:30 PM, where she will address graduates from the College of Education and the College of Business and Technology in the last of three ceremonies that day. The First Lady will be speaking at EKU as part of her Joining Forces initiative to support veterans and military families. The University has received national recognition in recent years for its commitment to helping veterans further their education. The university, one of only 16 Tillman Military Scholar Partner Universities in the nation, is recognized for its Veterans Success Center that is a one-stop-shop for numerous services, from specialized job placement for veterans to full-time advisors and counselors dedicated to serving their community. EKU is also a recipient of the “Best for Vets” honor by the Military Times EDGE magazine, as well as the “Military Friendly Schools” for G.I. Jobs Magazine, placing Eastern among the top colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide for embracing America’s student veterans. Already home to more than 1,275 veterans and their families. EKU is ranked 16th nationally among the 2013 “Best for Vets: Business Schools” by Military Times EDGE magazine.

To RSVP for this event, please contact the school.
Marc C. Whitt
Associate Vice President for Public Relations and Chief Communications Officer
859-622-2301
marc.whitt@eku.edu

Bowie State University
The First Lady will speak at the commencement ceremonies for Bowie State University, in Bowie, MD, on the morning of Friday, May 17. Bowie State University is part of the rich legacy of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that have been instrumental in educating generations of African Americans. The President and First Lady both have recognized the important contributions of HBCUs across the country and have delivered commencement addresses to highlight their successes. This year commemorates Bowie State University's 148th anniversary as Maryland's oldest historically black university and one of the oldest in the nation. The University educates students from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high quality and affordable public comprehensive university. Bowie State places special emphasis on the disciplines of science, technology, teacher education, business,

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/11/first-lady-michelle-obama-address-2013-graduating-seniors

News, Politics, Government

First Lady Michelle Obama Visits Military Families at the Fisher House and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

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By Captain Todd Veazie

First Lady Michelle Obama Participates in a pre-Easter Celebration with Military Families at the Fisher House in Bethesda, Maryland

First Lady Michelle Obama visited the Fisher House at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, to celebrate Easter early with military families. Accompanied by First Dog, Bo, and an Easter basket full of cookies, the First Lady decorated Easter cards with military children.

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a pre-Easter celebration with military families and children at the Fisher House, located at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., March 20, 2013. As part of her Joining Forces initiative, the First Lady visited The Fisher House, a program that supports military families by welcoming them to stay at the House while their loved one receives specialized medical care. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

In her work with Joining Forces, Mrs. Obama applauds organizations which aid active and veteran service members and military families. “The Fisher Houses, as you all know, are just so important to families who are recuperating,” said the First Lady in her remarks. “And all around the country, they are as beautiful and as welcoming and as comforting as you guys are experiencing here.”

The Fisher House is a program established to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment while their loved ones receive care.

Mrs. Obama invited the participating families to this year’s Easter Egg Roll, which takes place on the South Lawn of the White House.

Following her visit with the military families at the Fisher House, Mrs. Obama visited wounded warriors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

CAPT Todd Veazie is Executive Director of Joining Forces in the Office of the First Lady.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady at Champions of Change Women's Veterans Event

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By The White House

Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Washington, D.C.

11:39 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Hello! (Applause.) Good afternoon — morning. It's still morning. How is everyone? You all, rest yourselves. (Laughter.) I hear we've been keeping you pretty busy, right?

Well, I'm really thrilled to be here. I am just delighted to have the opportunity to stop by and say hello, and to add my thanks to the many thanks. But I want to start by thanking Secretary Shinseki, not just for his kind introduction but for his stalwart service to this country. And also, when — I hear Patty is here, too. Patty — there is Patty Shinseki, who has been with you. I want to thank you for joining us today, and for all that you've done as a partner, with Jill and I, through Joining Forces. It's wonderful to see you, as well as everyone here from the Business and Professional Women's Foundation, for the exceptional work that they do every day for women's veterans.

And, of course, I want to recognize the 14 extraordinary women we're honoring as our Champions of Change. I had an opportunity to take some quick photos and meet Joshua over there, who is — (laughter) — he's riveted by today's proceedings. (Laughter.)

And I want to thank every single woman in this room who has worn our country's uniform. And I know there are a few men here, so I don’t want you to think I'm ignoring you, but this is really not about you today. (Laughter.) Not at all. But you look — you all look good. You dressed up for your respective people. You're not embarrassing anyone, which is good. (Laughter.)

But to our women veterans, you all are part of a long line of women who have broken barriers and defied expectations and served this country with unparalleled courage and determination. You've been on the front lines, often in the line of fire. And generation after generation, women like you have proven that you not only serve alongside men — you lead them, as well. Let's just take a moment. (Laughter.) Whether you're in combat or aboard a submarine or anywhere else service takes you, you're doing the job, and you're doing it with grace and poise and dignity.

And the beautiful thing about our veterans — and this is especially true for our women veterans — is that long after you stop serving this country, you don’t stop serving it after you hang up your uniforms. And that’s something that we say all the time about our veterans. It's important for the nation to understand that you all keep working. You make me tired — (laughter) — but you keep doing it.

You are the leaders in our businesses and schools in our communities. You're mothers raising your kids with …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 03/13/2013

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By The White House

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

12:47 P.M. EDT

MR. CARNEY: Welcome to the White House. Sorry I'm late. Had some meetings that ran long. I do have something I want to say at the top.

I wanted to provide a quick update on the ongoing engagement with the business community and the President, First Lady, and senior members of the President’s team on a broad range of issues including the President’s economic agenda, immigration reform, cybersecurity, and issues important to our veterans and military families, to name a few.

As you know, the President today will be dropping by two separate meetings with business leaders this afternoon. The President will be attending a meeting with business leaders to discuss cybersecurity as a part of the administration’s ongoing dialogue with the private sector regarding this issue. Attendees include David Cote from Honeywell International, Wes Bush from Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Randall Stephenson from AT&T. A full list of attendees will be provided later this afternoon.

After that, he will attend a meeting with business leaders where he will discuss our efforts on immigration reform and its role in our broader economic agenda. Attendees of that meeting include Greg Brown from Motorola Solutions, Douglas Oberhelman from Caterpillar, and Virginia Rometty from IBM Corporation. Again, a full list of the participants in that meeting will be provided afterwards.

Finally, as part of the Joining Forces initiative, the First Lady delivered remarks earlier today at the quarterly meeting of member CEOs of the Business Roundtable, where she continued her call on the private sector to hire America’s veterans and military spouses, and she also called on them to help reach their full potential within America’s companies. Mrs. Obama made the case that it has never been more important to join together and help our veterans and military spouses find employment and to build their careers, especially with more than 1 million veterans who will be hanging up their uniforms and transitioning back to civilian life in the coming years.

Also this morning, senior staff, including Valerie Jarrett, Denis McDonough, Rob Nabors, met with members of the Business Roundtable executive committee to address a broad array of issues on the President’s agenda. And Treasury Secretary Jack Lew held a meeting yesterday with business leaders to discuss the President’s economic agenda, including Jim McNerney from Boeing, and Fred Smith from FedEx. I'd refer you to Treasury for the full list of attendees.

I do have one final note for the young among you in spirit or fact, and that is that Gene Sperling will be participating in an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit this afternoon at 2:00 p.m. (Laughter.) I think you should check it out. You will not regret it.

Q Awww.

MR. CARNEY: I'll take your questions now. Ask me anything. (Laughter.)

Q It sounds like yesterday the President was pushed during his meeting with Senate Democrats …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady at Business Roundtable Quarterly Meeting

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By The White House

Business Roundtable Conference Center
Washington D.C.

11:43 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Good morning. (Applause.) Thank you so much.

I want to start by thanking Mike for that very kind introduction and for everything that he and Walmart are doing to support our troops, our veterans and the health of our families. I also want to thank Jim McNerney as well as Governor John Engler for their extraordinary leadership of the Business Roundtable and for inviting me here this morning to be with all of you.

I’d also like to thank the military leaders who are here with us — Lieutenant General Bill Troy from the Army, and Vice Admiral Bill French from the Navy. I’d like to recognize the representatives from the administration who have joined us — you guys wave if you're here — Fred Vollrath and Frank DiGiovanni from the Department of Defense; John Gingrich from the Department of Veterans Affairs; Keith Kelly from the Department of Labor; and Matthew McGuire from the Department of Commerce.

And finally, I want to thank all of you, the leaders of our nation’s businesses; leaders who care deeply about the future of your businesses and about the future of our country and those who serve it.

As you know, over the past couple of years, Jill Biden and I have been working to support our nation’s veterans and military families through Joining Forces. And now that the Iraq War is over and the war in Afghanistan is drawing to a close, we are focused like never before on helping our veterans and military spouses find employment and build their careers.

Right now, there are hundreds of thousands of veterans and military spouses looking for work. And in the coming years, we know that over one million more will be hanging up their uniforms and transitioning back to civilian life. These men and women will be returning to their families, rejoining their communities, and figuring out what’s next in their lives. And as they do all of that, the one thing that they're going to be thinking about is a job.

They will be trying to figure out how to achieve that sense of financial security and stability for their family, how to find that next mission to accomplish. And that’s where all of you come in.

So today, I want to spend a little time just talking to you about who these veterans and military spouses are, what they can do for your businesses, and how they can keep on serving this country in the years ahead. So let’s start with who they are.

This current group of veterans –- the 9/11 Generation, as my husband has called them –- holds a special place in our history. These are the Americans who stepped up and volunteered to serve during wartime knowing full well they would be sent into harm’s way. They are young — the majority are between 18 and 34 years old …read more
Source: White House Press Office

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

UPS Commits to Hire 25,000 Veterans

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

UPS Commits to Hire 25,000 Veterans

Supporting First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Joining Forces Initiative,” UPS to also serve 25,000 volunteer hours

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– UPS (NYS: UPS) today announced that it is making a commitment to hire more than 25,000 veterans over the next five years as well as committing to serve more than 25,000 employee volunteer hours helping veterans and Veterans Service Organizations (VSO).

UPS made the announcement in cooperation with the Obama Administration initiative “Joining Forces,” a program dedicated to connecting our servicemen and women, veterans and military spouses with the critical resources they need to find high-value jobs at home. At the Business Roundtable today First Lady Michelle Obama, who is leading the Joining Forces initiative, called out UPS as a corporate leader committed to supporting our troops.

“We appreciate First Lady Michelle Obama‘s recognition. The Joining Forces initiative is an important and natural extension of UPS‘s outward and visible support of the men and women that serve in the military,” said Chairman and CEO Scott Davis.

“Men and women who were prepared to give all a person can give, and with devotion and gallantry, were ready to sacrifice. Veterans, who through their service, honored their nation, should know that UPS can and wants their talents and skills to be recognized and valued.”

UPS will further enhance its commitment by helping veterans transition into the civilian workforce through increased networking opportunities. This includes forming new alliances with VSOs, working though government outreach efforts to veterans, establishing Veteran Business Resource Groups to ensure critical resources are available within UPS and by enhancing the level of recognition for employees who have so honorably served. Veterans, National Guard and Reserve members make up 7.5 percent of UPS‘s domestic workforce.

UPS is highly recognized for its support of the military services. UPS has twice received the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the nation’s highest recognition for employers supporting National Guard and Reserve members.

In February, 2013, UPS reaffirmed its commitment for the National Guard and Reserves by signing a formal Statement of Support with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Additionally, UPS historically supports veteran’s organizations through sponsorships, donations and volunteer hours throughout the country including at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, the Marine Corps …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden to National Governors Association

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By The White House

State Dining Room

10:40 A.M. EST

DR. BIDEN: Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you, David, for that kind introduction. And thank you all for coming this morning. It was great to see you all last night. And wasn’t Audra McDonald incredible? (Applause.)

So we’re delighted to have you here at the White House again this morning. And the last time we were together, Michelle and I talked to you about one of our top priorities of our initiative Joining Forces, which I’m sure you all know about, which is our way to honor and support our troops, veterans and military families.

And we talked about one of the top concerns that we hear about from military spouses wherever we go, and that's professional licensing. So I’m sure you remember this from last year, many of you do who were here.

And our nation’s military spouses move 10 times more than their civilian counterparts, and 35 percent of those spouses have jobs that require a professional license. So they're our teachers, our nurses, our social workers. And we heard from a teacher — this is just one of the instances — who had 10 years' experience in her specialty in one state, and then when she moved to another state, she had to wait because the exam only took place twice a year. So she lost a lot of time and actually a lot of income because she had to wait. And then we met a nurse who moved 10 times during her husband’s service and needed to go through a different and complicated process every time she moved.

So these are just a few of the countless stories we’ve heard that illustrate what a challenge license portability really is for our military spouses.

Back in February of last year when we met with you, only 11 states had pro-spouse legislation. So the First Lady and I asked you for your help, and you’ve stepped up. Yes. (Applause.) And you stepped up because you appreciate how much our military families do for our country every single day. And just last month, Arkansas became the 28th state to pass legislation.

In just one year we’ve made tremendous progress, and the First Lady and I are really appreciative of your efforts. But there’s still more to do. Right now we’re thankful that we have 13 more states that already have introduced legislation and are headed in the right direction. So if your state has a small active-duty population, you might think that this issue may not impact you, but every state has a National Guard or Reserve. And with so many families — military families transitioning out of the military now and in the next few years, they’ll be focused on finding good jobs, good schools and good communities, whether there is a military base nearby or not.

So for …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Renewing the National Commitment to Putting America’s Heroes Back to Work

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By The White House

Washington, D.C. – As part of their Joining Forces initiative, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden addressed the National Governors Association and renewed their call on governors to do their part putting America’s heroes back to work, and to serve our military veterans and spouses as well as they’ve served us. The First Lady’s remarks are a call to action – building on President Obama’s June 2012 announcement of the Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force – setting a goal that by the end of 2015, all 50 states will have taken legislative or executive action to help our troops get the credentials they need to successfully transition to the civilian labor market.

The remarks by Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden coincide with a new report by the Executive Office of the President that details the barriers veterans and their families face as they seek employment, the Administration’s commitment to help them leverage their skills to good, meaningful jobs and the progress that has already been made.

FACT SHEET: The Fast Track to Civilian Employment

The United States has the most highly trained military in the world, sustained by individuals who have skill sets with enormous breadth and depth because of their military education and experience. The members of our Armed Forces and their families make great sacrifices, and when their service is concluded, we owe it to our veterans and their families to help them accomplish a successful transition to the civilian labor market. That is why over the past year and a half, the President has taken significant action to create a “career-ready military” and streamline the transition process.

Too often the talented men and women who have served our country face barriers that make it difficult to find jobs that capitalize on their skills. Many service members and veterans are required to repeat education or training in order to receive industry certifications and state occupational licenses, even though much, and in some cases, all, of their military training and experience overlaps with credential requirements.

Additionally, frequent moves, and the resulting need to search for new employment, can be a significant problem for military spouses, especially when getting a job in a new state requires obtaining an occupational license. Leveraging the skills of our military veterans and their families will build a stronger workforce and a more competitive economy.

The Fast Track to Civilian Employment

In the coming years, America will see a continued demand for skilled workers in high-growth industries from healthcare and information technology to clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

Studies generally find that both occupational licenses and government certifications are associated with higher wages, with substantial wage premiums—on the order of 15 to 18 percent—for individuals who hold an occupational license. Those without licenses often have to take jobs in different, lower-paying occupations.

Helping Servicemembers Gain Industry Recognized Licenses and Credentials
Despite having valuable military experience which in many …read more
Source: White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by Dr. Jill Biden at Wounded Warriors Reception at Winfield House

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By The White House

Hello, everyone! Thank you, Marjorie, for hosting us here today and for your ongoing collaboration as we support our service men and women and their families.

As Second Lady, and as a military mom, I have been honored to spend time with our troops, and our recovering service members—and I am so inspired by the strength and resilience of both British and American military families and veterans. Major Peter Norton, thank you for your service.

I know a spirit of service is deeply ingrained in all of you … that the warrior mentality doesn’t leave you when you return from war – or when you separate from the military.

Over the past few days, I have visited with Wounded Warriors and medical staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center … and spent the day with soldiers and their families at a US Army base in Germany.

With each visit, I am reminded that our service members and their families have done so much for us … and we can all do something in return.

That spirit is what fuels the Joining Forces initiative the First Lady and I started to support and honor our troops and military families.

And I am very pleased to not only visit with some of the heroes that make the British military so strong, but also all the organizations here that support them.

I know that over the past 10 years, you have all worked so hard to improve the lives of the men and women who have sacrificed so much. It is your dedication and support that has made all the difference for so many veterans and their families.

You are truly Joining Forces.

The bonds that British and American troops share are unbreakable. You have served alongside one another every step of the way. Over 250,000 British troops have served alongside Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. You are brothers and sisters in combat, but also in healing.

In 2010, a soldier named Brian attended a holiday gathering Joe and I hosted in our home. Brian was newly injured at the time, and he and his young family were adjusting to his new normal – walking on prosthetics … separating from the military … and caring for a newborn while healing from amputations and internal injuries sustained during a blast in Iraq.

Almost a year later, I was visiting wounded warriors at Walter Reed hospital when I met another young soldier who had just been injured in Afghanistan.

He told me that he had been struggling to adjust to losing his legs, and to the long healing process ahead of him.

But he said he was feeling much better because a fellow injured soldier had reached out to him and was mentoring him. That soldier was Brian.

Just a year after being injured, Brian was thriving. He gave other wounded warriors confidence that they too would once again be whole.

I use Brian as an example of that same inner strength we have seen in you as many of you have pursued physical challenges beyond what you ever imagined you could accomplish after your injuries.

Not only do you inspire countless other recovering warriors, you inspire me … my husband Joe … President Barack Obama … First Lady Michelle Obama … and all Americans.

To our heroes and your families, thank you for your sacrifice and service, and to our British partners and friends, thank you for your ongoing commitment to our service men and women.

Source: White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Biden at the Kids Inaugural Concert

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By The White House

7:45 P.M. EST

DR. BIDEN: Hello, everyone! (Applause.) Thank you for that wonderful introduction, Jaelen. I’m so proud of Jaelen, and I know you brought some other kids from Lee Hall Elementary. It’s so good to see all of you. (Applause.) Oh, they’re over there. And I want to thank your mom and your whole family for their service to our country.

J.R. Martinez, it is always wonderful to see you. Thank you for your service and all that you continue to do for our military families. The First Lady and I are so excited to be here with all these military kids.

I want to give a special welcome to some very brave kids from the Delaware Army National Guard 153rd Military Police Company. (Applause.) Just a few weeks ago, I was with them when their moms or dads were deployed to Afghanistan. I want you all to know that we are so proud of you and we will be here for you while your moms and dads are away.

The First Lady and I knew from the start that we wanted to celebrate the strength and service of our military families. That’s why we started Joining Forces — our effort to encourage all Americans to find ways to honor and support our troops, veterans and military families. Joining Forces is especially important to me because I know something about being a military mom. Our son Beau is a major in the Delaware Army National Guard, and he was deployed to Iraq for a year. Beau has two children, Natalie and Hunter, so I know — (applause) — thank you — so I know firsthand just how important it is for a child to have everyone’s support — their friends, their teachers, and their entire community — when mom or dad is away.

So we want tonight to be one special way that our country shows all of you just how much we appreciate everything you’re doing for our country. And we are so excited to be here with you tonight, here with everyone.

Now I would like to introduce someone else who is so proud of you and excited to be here. She’s been working so hard for military families. Please welcome my great friend and partner, First Lady Michelle Obama. (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA: Wow. Thank you so much. Thank you, Jill. Big hand to Jill, my partner. (Applause.) How is everybody doing? (Applause.) Are you guys having fun? (Applause.) Are you excited to be here for the inauguration? (Applause.) Well, we are all excited that you could join us tonight, both here in Washington and from all across the country and around the world by video.

We’ve got kids from Fort Hood that are here. (Applause.) We’ve got folks who have joined us from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. They’re in the house. (Applause.) We have folks from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base here. (Applause.) We’ve got folks from Camp Pendleton who are here with us. (Applause.) And we’ve got Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater here as well. (Applause.) Yes!

And for the wonderful kids from Naval Air Station Sigonella who led the Pledge of Allegiance — (applause) — yes! — we have some very special guests that are here as well — your parents! (Applause.) Those are your parents. So let’s give them a round of applause. We’ve beamed them in. (Applause.) They’re right there. Wave to them. They can see you. (Applause.)

Now, inauguration is a pretty big deal. The President and the Vice President are sworn in. There are all these inaugural balls, everybody dresses up and dances. We had a wonderful day of service today, and hundreds of thousands of people come from all 50 states to join in the celebration. And let me tell you, I love every single minute of it. Every single minute. But I have to tell you that my very favorite part of this entire weekend is being right here with all of you. (Applause.) Absolutely. Because for me, this is what inauguration is all about. It’s about celebrating who we are as Americans and all the things that make this country so great. And when I think about who we are, when I think about what makes America great, I think about all of you –our men and women in uniform, our military spouses, and our amazing military kids.

And that’s why Jill and I wanted to host this event. And we’re not the only ones that wanted to pay tribute to all of you today. You see, when we said we wanted to host a concert to honor our military kids, let me tell you, everyone wanted to be here. Usher wanted to be here. (Applause.) Katy Perry wanted to be here. (Applause.) Nick Cannon, the folks from Glee, and all the other amazing performers — they wanted to be here, too. (Applause.) And let me tell you, they’re not here for me. They’re not here for Dr. Biden. They are here for all of you. Because they know the kind of sacrifices that you all make every single day.

Let me just share something. Did you know that the — that a military kid attends an average of six to nine schools by the time he or she graduates from high school? I mean, just think about that. Just imagine how much courage it takes to always be the new kid — to walk through the doors of a new school every couple of years; to have to make new friends again and again. And did you know that our men and women in uniform often have to be away from their families for months, sometimes years.

Just think about the level of maturity that is required for military kids during those times, just think about that. Think about how they have to step up at home without even being asked — taking out the trash when dad’s not there; helping brothers and sisters with their homework when mom is away.

Think about how hard it is for military kids to be apart from the people they love most, how they miss their moms and dads every day and would do anything to have them back home. And that’s just a glimpse of what it means to be a military kid. It means always thinking about things that are so much bigger than yourself. It means growing up just a little faster and working just a little harder than other kids. And it means doing the greatest thing you can ever do with your life at such a young age, and that is to serve our country.

So to America’s military kids, let me tell you, make no mistake about it, you all are an important part of the greatest military on Earth. (Applause.) By supporting your families, you all are helping to protect this country and keep every single one of us safe. You’re doing that. And Dr. Biden and I are so incredibly proud of you all. Every day, we’re proud of you. Let me tell you, our husbands are proud — the Vice President, the President — they are proud of you.

And in the coming years, as these wars draw to an end and we draw down our troops, I want you all to know –(applause) — absolutely — but here’s the thing: I want you to know, you and your families to know that we will not be drawing down our work to support you. We will be doing just the opposite, because the fact is that today we have a greater obligation to serve you than ever before. And we will do everything in our power, everything to meet that obligation to make sure that our military families get the benefits they’ve earned and the support and recognition you all deserve.

So in the coming months and years through Joining Forces, Dr. Biden and I, we will keep calling on Americans to translate the love and pride that we all feel into action that makes a real difference for you and your families. Every single one of us has a role to play here. And I encourage everyone watching tonight to go to JoiningForces.gov and find out how you can give back to our military families. Because we cannot rest, no, we cannot be satisfied until we are serving all of you as well as you’ve served this country. You all deserve nothing less.

And with that, there is someone else here tonight who would like to show her appreciation for you all. She is our final performer for this evening. Should we bring her out? Are you ready? (Applause.) Are you really ready? (Applause.) All right, then. It is now my pleasure to introduce the fabulous Katy Perry!

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

Young Reporters Ask All the Right Questions About Helping Military Families

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By Hannah August

Michelle Obama and Jill Biden with kid reporters, Jan. 18, 2013

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden are interviewed by young reporters during a kids magazine roundtable in the First Lady’s Office in the East Wing of the White House, Jan. 18, 2013.

(Official White House Photo by Sonya Hebert)

Yesterday, the First Lady and Dr. Biden sat down with four exceptional young reporters from kids’ magazines to talk about their initiative to support military families, Joining Forces. The reporters – from Highlights, National Geographic Kids, Scholastic and TIME for Kids – asked some great questions about the initiative and how kids can help!

Some of the takeaways?

  • Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden talked about how they encourage all Americans to look for ways to honor and support military families, and Dr. Biden said when her son Beau was deployed their church put his name in the bulletin to pray for him, people brought meals over, and someone shoveled her daughter-in-law’s driveway during a snowstorm.
  • Asked about advice for a military child who moves a lot, Dr. Biden encouraged them to get involved in sports teams and school activities. And as a teacher herself, she talked about how teachers can get involved to reach out to military kids. For example, Dr. Biden’s granddaughters’ teacher put a picture of her dad’s unit outside of her classroom so the entire class would know Beau was deployed.
  • Mrs. Obama encouraged all the kids’ magazines’ readers to think “what can I do?” for a new kid in school – especially a new military kid.

read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House