Joining Forces Blog

  • First Lady Michelle Obama Joins Military Families for Harry Potter Screening

    Posted by Nikki Sutton on July 21, 2011 at 7:08 PM EDT

    This morning, First Lady Michelle Obama was at the Naval Air Station Oceana Aerotheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia with military families for a screening of Warner Brothers' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two. The screening is part of the Joining Forces Movie Series, where some of our country’s biggest movie studios are offering special screenings for military families at bases all across America. President Obama kicked off the Joining Forces Movie Series with a screening of Disney’s Cars 2 at the White House last month. Here is what some of the participants had to say about the event:

    Download Video: mp4 (16.8MB) | ()

    Includes Video
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  • Calling All Women Veterans

    Posted by Patricia Hayes on July 15, 2011 at 7:15 PM EDT

    In June, the VA began an unprecedented initiative attempting to contact every female Veteran (potentially 1.8 million women) by phone to talk with them about VA health care and the gender-specific services available at VA facilities. During the first month of calls, the Women Veterans Call Center reached nearly 1,000 women Veterans or their representatives. That is an impressive start to an extensive, multi-year calling campaign.

    These person-to-person calls are just one piece of VA’s ongoing endeavor to enhance health care services for women Veterans— one of the fastest growing segments of the Veteran population. Women Veterans comprise nearly eight percent of the total Veteran population and six percent of all Veterans who use VA health care services.

    By 2020, VA estimates that women Veterans will constitute 10 percent of the Veteran population and 9.5 percent of VA patients.

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  • "Troops to Energy Jobs" Opens New Doors for Veterans

    Posted by Steve Dunwoody on July 13, 2011 at 12:10 PM EDT

    Ed. Note: Cross posted from the Energy Blog.

    Having served in the military, I’m intimately aware of the role that energy plays in our ability to defend and uphold our national security. This became apparent to me in many ways during my time in the field, to the safety of my unit who ran fuel supply convoys in theater and the dangers we faced in carrying our duties, to hearing about the economic struggles of my relatives and friends back home to afford gas to drive and heat their homes. We understand, perhaps better than anyone, that our pursuit of energy independence and national security are closely linked.

    I also know the struggles faced by many Veterans once they leave the service and try to find quality work. Last year for example, the unemployment rate for veterans who served after September 11th was 11.5% compared to 9.4% unemployment amongst non-veterans. Potential employers don’t always understand the value and experience that Veterans can bring to the workforce. And in some cases, it’s difficult for Veterans to express how the jobs we were trained to do in the military are transferable to jobs on the outside. Veterans have the skills, knowledge, leadership and professionalism to excel in any number of fields – including the energy sector. We simply need a bridge to join the wider workforce and contribute to the jobs of the future.

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  • VA’s National Veteran Small Business Conference: Building Partnerships

    Posted by Jessica Slider on July 8, 2011 at 6:16 PM EDT

    Before starting my job at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), I had no idea about the link that exists between Veterans and small business. Now, after having been immersed in the world of small business for the past couple of months, I can see that VA’s success in caring for “those who have borne the battle” is very much reliant on our ability to work with and support the Veteran-owned small business community.

    Nearly 2.5 million businesses in the United States are now Veteran-owned, representing nine percent of all U.S. firms. This statistic confirms what VA and the Obama Administration already know – small businesses (particularly Veteran-owned small businesses) are the backbone of America.

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  • Video: Fourth of July Celebration at the White House

    Posted by Tom Miller on July 5, 2011 at 9:47 AM EDT

    A Salute to the President

    A young girl salutes President Barack Obama as he shakes hands along a ropeline with members of the military and their families at the White House, July 4, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

    Watch a video from the Independence Day celebration at the White House. The President and First Lady joined more than 1,200 military heroes and their families for a barbeque, a special USO show featuring Train and Amos Lee, and a viewing of the fireworks over the National Mall.

    Watch the celebration, here. 

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  • What You Can Do to Support Military Families

    Posted by Erin Lindsay on July 4, 2011 at 9:07 AM EDT

    This morning, the First Lady sent the following message to the White House email list, wishing them a Happy Independence Day and encouraging all Americans to honor our brave men and women in uniform by volunteering to give back to the military families who sacrifice so much to keep us safe.  

    If you didn’t get the email, be sure to sign up for the White House email list.

    Good morning,

    This Independence Day, I hope you’ll join me and my family in recognizing both our brave men and women in uniform and their families for everything they do to protect our country and our way of life.

    We know that when our troops are called to serve, their families serve right along with them. For military kids, that means stepping up to help with the housework and putting on a brave face through all those missed holidays, bedtimes and ballet recitals. For military spouses, it means pulling double-duty, doing the work of both parents, often while juggling a full-time job or trying to get an education.

    That’s why, a few months ago, Dr. Jill Biden and I started Joining Forces, a nationwide campaign to recognize, honor, and serve our military families. Our troops give so much to this country and they ask us for just one thing in return: to take care of their families while they’re gone. So we’ve put out a call to action. We’re urging all Americans to ask themselves one question: What can I do to give back to these families that have given so much?

    To answer that question you can go to JoiningForces.gov and learn more about how you can get involved. And you can get started right now through Operation Honor Card by pledging to spend a certain number of hours serving military families in your community.
    Get involved with Joining Forces

    Our motto for Joining Forces is very simple: Everyone can do something. We've met folks in every corner of the country who are stepping up and helping out in their own small ways in their neighborhoods and in their communities. They’re popping over to rake the leaves, or bringing a family a home-cooked meal, or offering to babysit. And I know that if we each do whatever we can, if we all join forces, we can show military families across this country that we have them in our hearts, we have them in our prayers, and we always have their backs.

    Happy Independence Day!

    Sincerely,

    First Lady Michelle Obama

    P.S. Today, my husband and I will welcome troops and their families from across the country to the White House for a special USO concert and a great view of the fireworks on the National Mall. You can watch the whole thing live on WhiteHouse.gov/live starting at 7 p.m. EDT. 

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