Joining Forces Blog

  • Thank a Teacher in the Military Community This Week!

    Posted by Joelle Zarcone on May 4, 2011 at 4:40 PM EDT

    In addition to being a month of military appreciation, May is also a time to recognize teachers. This week, May 1-7, is Teacher Appreciation Week!

    Did you know that many of the children of our Service members serving around the world are being taught each day of the school year by teachers from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)?

    1st grade students at The Sullivans Elementary School

    1st grade students at The Sullivans Elementary School, a DoDEA school in Yokosuka, Japan. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Charles Oki

    There are approximately 1.2 million school-age military children, all being educated in public, private and home-based schools both across the United States and the globe. Originally established at the end of World War II as a means of educating the children of our troops serving in the Pacific and Europe, the U.S. military created what eventually became the current agency of DoDEA. Now,  DoDEA operates 194 schools in 14 districts worldwide – this includes 12 foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico!

    Every school within DoDEA is fully accredited by U.S. accreditation agencies, and 8,700 educators serve more than 86,000 students.

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  • Armed Forces Day is May 21st: How Are You Saying Thank You?

    Posted by Paul Wiley on May 4, 2011 at 11:14 AM EDT

    More than 60 years ago, President Harry Truman established the third Saturday in May as Armed Forces Day. Tens of thousands of visitors poured into Washington, D.C. for a day of appreciation for America's men and women in uniform. In 1952, a New York Times article on Armed Forces Day summed up the spirit of the event:

    It is our most earnest hope that those who are in positions of peril, that those who have made exceptional sacrifices, yes, and those who are afflicted with plain drudgery and boredom, may somehow know that we hold them in exceptional esteem. Perhaps if we are a little more conscious of our debt of honored affection they may be a little more aware of how much we think of them.

    That debt of honored affection is as important today as it was then. While the threats our nation faces are different now than they were then, we still owe our gratitude and appreciation to the select few who volunteer to place themselves in harm's way for our defense.

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  • Supporting Military Families Year Round

    Posted by Deborah Mullen on May 3, 2011 at 3:06 PM EDT

    Ed. note: This was originally posted on the Family Matters blog run by the Department of Defense.

    During the Month of the Military Child in April, there were picnics and parades, fairs and festivals in communities across the country—all to recognize and honor military children for their special contributions to our nation.

    There is no issue nearer or dearer to my heart than reinforcing to our military children that they are, indeed, a key part of the military community and how equally important it is to recognize the sacrifices they make every day.

    It’s one thing to be a military child during peacetime, quite another during a time of war. Every day, these young ones shoulder worry, stress and responsibility far beyond their years while mom or dad is deployed. It’s not just the missed birthdays and soccer games or helping mom with extra chores that dad would normally do. It’s the fear that their world can crumble at a moment’s notice.

    When their parent comes home, the stress and challenges don’t necessarily disappear. It’s a safe bet dad didn’t return quite the same guy he was when he left. He, too, may have emotional and even physical challenges to face. And he, too, may be afraid…and perhaps even afraid to admit it.

    Many of these kids have known only war…only worry.

    Dealing with these things months and years on end, demands resilience and toughness – qualities innate to military children and something most are particularly proud of to be sure.

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  • First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden Visit Sesame Street

    Posted by Kori Schulman on May 2, 2011 at 11:00 AM EDT

    First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden recently stopped by Sesame Street to tape Joining Forces Public Service Announcements asking all Americans to support our military families. Learn more about Sesame's military families project.

    First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden visited Sesame Street

    First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden visit Sesame Street as part of the "Joining Forces" Initiative and Sesame's military families project, to tape Public Service Announcements asking all Americans to support our military families. © 2011 Sesame Workshop. Photo by Richard Termine.

    The Joining Forces initiative aims to educate, challenge and spark action from sectors of society to ensure military families have the support they have earned. To help support our military families with young children, Sesame Street launched Talk, Listen, Connect in 2006.  With the help of Elmo and his furry and friendly friends, Sesame Street has provided resources and support to military families with  multi-media outreach kits, a social media website, Emmy nominated primetime tv specials, a traveling worldwide tour with the USO, and these newest PSA's.

     

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  • The First Lady Talks Joining Forces with White House Kids on "Take Your Child to Work Day"

    Posted by Paul Wiley on April 29, 2011 at 12:25 PM EDT

    First Lady Michelle Obama answers questions on "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day"

    First Lady Michelle Obama answers questions from children of federal workers participating in "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day" in the East Room of the White House, April 28, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

    Each April, thousands of Americans participate in Take Your Child To Work Day. For folks who work at the White House, some of their kids got the chance to meet First Lady Michelle Obama, and ask her about her job.

    The First Lady answered questions about the White House garden, about her Let's Move! initiative, her favorite things to do with Bo, even how she chooses her wardrobe. She also talked about the inspiration for starting the Joining Forces initiative with Dr. Jill Biden:

    Q: My name is Emma, and I’m nine years old, and my dad works for the USTR [U.S. Trade Representative].  And what inspired you to help the military?

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  • Joining Forces to Educate Military Children

    Posted by Paul Wiley on April 28, 2011 at 2:30 PM EDT

    Ed. note: This information was originally posted on OurMilitary.mil.

    April has been the Month of the Military Child. As the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden have launched their Joining Forces initiative to get Americans involved in helping military families, much of their focus has been on ways to help military children.

    The National PTA and the Military Child Education Coalition announced they would be joining forces to help improve educational opportunities for children of military servicemembers.

    “For decades our military-based PTAs around the world have worked hard to increase family engagement and student achievement. This partnership helps us take it a step further by educating all of our PTAs and civilian parents on military family life so that we all are more aware and responsive to the unique needs of military children and families,” said Charles J. “Chuck” Saylors, National PTA President.

    Both organizations are working to provide toolkits and information on how parents and teachers can help military children cope with the unique challenges they face, especially the frequent moves and school changes that are a part of military life. In addition, they are working to increase the number of schools around the country who participate in their parent and student engagement programs.

    “We have enormous respect for the mission of the PTA and this robust partnership presents a powerful opportunity to support America’s military-connected children,” said Mary M. Keller, Ed.D., President and CEO of MCEC. “Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden have done so much to mobilize support for the children of our men and women in uniform- these children also serve."

    To learn more about partnerships that are helping military families, visit OurMilitary.mil.

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