For 250 years, our glorious Republic has been safeguarded by noble and heroic patriots in the United States Armed Forces.  Throughout our storied history, these warriors have been sustained by the support, love, strength, and grit provided by their incomparable families.  During National Military Families Month, we celebrate the incredible men, women, parents, and children who are sojourners and partners in an honorable life of service and sacrifice.

The profession of arms is a demanding calling for military families.  Through immense challenges, they hold firm on the home front during times of deployment, navigate frequent relocations to duty stations worldwide, strive to find jobs and maintain careers in a nomadic life, and forge new friendships in unfamiliar schools and communities.  Amid constant change, upheaval, and uncertainty, military families develop uncommon resilience, and our Nation stands forever in their debt for their sacrifices. 

As Commander in Chief, I recognize that the highest standards of military readiness cannot be maintained without prioritizing the quality of life and well-being of America’s military families.  In August, I was proud to sign an Executive Order establishing the first-ever Military Spouse Commission to address ongoing challenges that strain and burden military families, including housing, employment, education, childcare, and deployment-related support.  The commission members—including spouses of our Service Secretaries, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and senior enlisted leaders from every branch of our Armed Forces—together represent 544 years of active-duty military service.  They are tackling these long-standing issues with the same precision, professionalism, and expertise that warfighters bring to any critical mission.

Gratitude for the members of our all-volunteer force is incomplete without recognition of the tremendous role their families play in ensuring a stronger, safer, and more prosperous America.  The loved ones who stand beside every man and woman in uniform answer the same call to duty, bear the same weight of sacrifice, and form the backbone of the finest military the world has ever known.  The First Lady joins me in saluting these extraordinary Americans and in praying for God’s continued blessings upon them, our Armed Forces, and our great Nation.