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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

September 08, 2011

Guest List for the First Lady's Box at the President’s Address to Congress

Jeffrey Immelt
Jeffrey R. Immelt is the ninth chairman and CEO of GE, a post he has held since September 7, 2001. Immelt currently serves as the chairman of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. Immelt has held several global leadership positions since coming to GE in 1982, including roles in GE’s Plastics, Appliance, and Medical businesses. In 1989 he became an officer of GE and joined the GE Capital Board in 1997. In 2000, Immelt was appointed president and chief executive officer. Immelt has been named one of the “World’s Best CEOs” three times by Barron’s, and since he began serving as chief executive officer, GE has been named “America’s Most Admired Company” in a poll conducted by Fortune magazine and one of “The World’s Most Respected Companies” in polls by Barron’s and the Financial Times. Immelt is also a member of The Business Council, and he is on the board of the New York Federal Reserve Bank. Mr. Immelt earned a B.A. degree in applied mathematics from Dartmouth College in 1978 and an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1982. He and his wife have one daughter.

Steve Case
Steve Case, currently chairman & CEO of Revolution LLC and chairman of the Startup America Partnership, is one of America’s most accomplished entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Steve co-founded America Online in 1985, and under his leadership, AOL became the world’s largest and most valuable Internet company. In 2005, Steve founded Revolution LLC, focused on investing in and building disruptive, innovative, consumer-facing companies such as Zipcar, LivingSocial and Exclusive Resorts. Earlier this year at the White House, Case helped launch the Startup America Partnership, an independent private-sector coalition delivering strategic and substantive resources to help entrepreneurs start and scale companies across the U.S., in response to the President’s call to action. Case also serves as a co-chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and is a member of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, where he co-chairs the working group on high-growth companies. In addition, Steve chairs the Case Foundation, which seeks to tap new technologies and entrepreneurial approaches to help strengthen the social sector.

Darlene Miller
Darlene Miller is a small business owner and CEO of Permac Industries, a precision machining company custom manufacturing precision parts for customers worldwide in virtually all industries located in Burnsville, Minnesota. Miller currently serves as a member of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. She started working as a Sales Representative at Permac in 1992, became part owner in 1993 to 100% ownership of the company in 1994. Under Miller’s leadership Permac Industries was named the U.S. Chamber Small Business of the Year for the entire USA in 2008. Miller is currently a member of the U.S. Chamber Board of Directors and Advisory Council, board of directors for PMPA and MPMA (Manufacturing Trade Associations), and the Minnesota Valley Medical Manufacturers network (MEDNET), which she co-founded in 2006.

Kenneth Chenault
Kenneth Chenault is the Chairman and CEO of American Express Company. Ken Chenault joined American Express in September 1981 and assumed his current responsibilities as CEO and Chairman in 2001. Chenault currently serves as a member of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. Chenault serves on the boards of American Express and several other corporate and nonprofit organizations, including IBM, The Procter & Gamble Company, the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, the National Center on Addiction & Substance Abuse at Columbia University, the Smithsonian Institution’s Advisory Council for the National Museum of African American History & Culture, and the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation. He also is on the boards of the Partnership for New York City, The Business Council and the Business Roundtable and serves as Vice Chairman of each of these organizations.

Richard Trumka
Richard Trumka is the president of the AFL-CIO. Mr. Trumka was elected president of the AFL-CIO in September 2009. His election followed 14 years of service as Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO. Trumka is a third-generation coal miner from Nemacolin, Penn., began working in the mines at age 19. Trumka currently serves as a member of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. As a member of UMWA Local 6290, he served as Chairman of the Safety Committee. He soon became an activist in the Miners for Democracy reform movement. Trumka worked in the mines for more than seven years, supporting himself while attending Pennsylvania State University, where earned a Bachelor of Science degree, and through Villanova University, where he received a law degree. He served four years on the legal staff of the United Mine Workers before returning to the coal mines in 1979. He was elected to the UMWA executive board in 1981 and elected international president in 1982.

Governor Martin O’Malley
Governor Martin O’Malley is currently serving his second term as governor of Maryland. He also serves as the chair of the Democratic Governors Association and co-chair of the National Governor’s Association’s Special Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety. Prior to assuming the governorship, O’Malley served on the Baltimore City Council from 1991 to 1999, was appointed assistant state's attorney for the city of Baltimore, and then served as the Mayor of Baltimore for two terms. As Governor, O’Malley has focused on job creation by spurring innovation in all sectors of business, academia, and government. O'Malley holds a BA from Catholic University and JD from the University of Maryland. He and his wife, Katie, a District court judge have four children.

Mayor Mark Mallory
A lifelong Cincinnatian, Mallory was elected Mayor of Cincinnati in 2005 and won a second term in 2009. In 1994, he succeeded his father, Majority Floor Leader William L. Mallory, Sr., in the Ohio House of Representatives. Four years later, he moved to the Ohio Senate where he rose to the position of Assistant Minority Leader. He is the first directly-elected black Mayor of Cincinnati and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa was first elected mayor in 2005, then re-elected in 2009. He is the current resident of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM). In 2008, Mayor Villaraigosa passed a sales tax increase to invest in creating 166,000 transportation jobs in Los Angeles. As president of USCM, he has led a bipartisan coalition of 165 mayors in support of an extension of the transportation reauthorization bill.

Dr. Albert Green
Dr. Green is CEO of Kent Displays, a rapidly expanding small business in Kent, Ohio, and serves on its Board of Directors. He has held these positions since joining the company in June 2007. In February, Dr. Green participated in the “Winning the Future Small Business Forum” in Cleveland. As Kent Displays CEO, he has used his unique skill set to drive development and commercialization of the company’s Reflex™ No Power LCDs for several high growth applications including eReaders, eWriters, electronic skins and eCard displays. Since Dr. Green took the reins of Kent Displays CEO in 2007, he has guided the company’s transition from a focus on research and development to product development and manufacturing. Under his leadership, Kent Displays successfully launched the award-winning Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet in 2010 and formed Improv Electronics, a Kent Displays subsidiary focused on consumer products. The tablet’s writing surface is a flexible Reflex LCD manufactured on the world’s only roll-to-roll LCD production line, which began operation in 2008 at the company’s headquarters in Kent, Ohio. This successful consumer product has driven a doubling of revenue and employment in the past 2 years.

Jan Heister
Jan Heister is president and chairperson of the Board of Directors for Premier Tooling and Mfg., Inc. in Peosta, Iowa. Jan participated in a small business session during the Rural Economic Forum in Peosta, Iowa last month. Jan originally became involved in the office and administrative operations of Premier to relieve James Heister of a number of duties in these areas. These duties have expanded over the past few years to encompass her current total management of the company. Prior to joining Premier, Jan worked in hospital and clinic settings as a Registered Nurse. While working in the hospital she served as supervisor of an operating room, recovery room, and charge nurse on the medical-surgical unit. She has also worked 12 years as an office nurse in an orthopedic clinic. Jan is a graduate of The Finley Hospital School of Nursing.

Philip Maung
Philip Maung is a small business owner and founder of Hissho Sushi, a 200-employee company headquartered in southwest Charlotte that trains sushi chefs and distributes ingredients for the food across the country. The company was founded 13 years ago. The company has grown consistently in the past decade, including a 62 percent increase in revenues last year. Philip Maung arrived in America with just $13 in his pocket and a dream of making a new life. He pursued the emerging supermarket sushi industry and spent years learning every facet of the sushi business. In 1998, Philip and his wife Kristina pooled their finances to form Hissho Sushi and founded the company in the family dining room. The company began providing fresh sushi daily to supermarkets and cafes. Today, Hissho Sushi is a dynamic foodservice and distribution company managing and operating more than 400 sushi bars across the U.S. Their 46,000 square foot, state-of-the-art headquarters are located in Charlotte, NC.

Gracey Ibarra
Gracey Ibarra, a mother of two children, is a 2009 high school graduate and has earned her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification. Gracey enrolled in the WIA Youth Program through Inter-County Community Council, which combined education with clinical experience and led her to a career in the medical field. She currently works as a CNA in a nursing home.

Joseph Kidd
Joseph Kidd, a 30 year old father, joined the U.S. Navy in 2003 and completed Hospital Corpsman School. Upon graduation, Kidd received his orders to Naval Hospital Okinawa, in Japan. Once his rotation was complete, he moved to Camp Lejeune, NC. While at Camp Lejeune, Kidd was attached to a Marine Corps command, and deployed to Iraq in 2007. After he returned from Iraq, his daughter was born in January of 2009, and he was deployed again in May of 2009 as part of the 22D Marine Expeditionary Unit. Once Kidd returned, he was appointed to the Emergency Room at Camp Lejeune and later became the Leading Petty Officer. In April 2011, Kidd received his separation orders. In August, Kidd was one of five veterans to eat lunch with President Obama in Cannon Falls, MN during the rural bus tour. Kidd asked the President to help with credentialing programs that would allow a service member to take his or her skills from the military directly into the private sector. The President’s staff is now actively working on the concept of a “career ready military.” In late August, Kidd returned to school and studying pre-nursing.

John Raftery
John Raftery served in the U.S. Marine Corp with 1st Marine Division and currently serves as the president and CEO of Patriot Contractors, a construction firm, specializing in interior and exterior architectural specialties. A service-disabled, veteran-owned company founded in 2007, John has seen growth in revenues and employees each and every year of operation. Today, Patriot Contractors has 21 employees. In 2010, John’s company generated revenues that hit $2M, and he is on track to exceed $5M in 2011. John is a 2007 graduate of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans at Syracuse University and holds a BBS from Dallas Baptist University.

Nicole Gentile
Nicole Gentile, married with two children, is a third grade teacher at Marion-Sterling Elementary in Cleveland, Ohio. She is at risk of being laid off given the district’s budget situation. Thirteen of her colleagues are also at risk of being laid off.

Kelcie Fisher
Kelcie Fisher is currently a senior at Open High, a Blue Ribbon school located in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Open High School will be 100 years old this year and needs to be modernized. Born and raised in Richmond, Kelcie has been a part of the Richmond Public Schools family throughout her entire educational career.

Hector R. Sealey
Hector Sealey began working with Fort Myer Construction in August 2006 and continues as corporate director of safety, risk management and compliance officer for the corporation. Sealey has 18 years of safety and quality control management experience and 4 years of project management, with an overall of 30 years experience in the construction industry. Hector, along with almost a million workers, is at risk of losing his job if Congress does not act and the transportation bill expires. Hector joined President Obama in the Rose Garden when he called for a clean extension of the transportation bill last month.

Kirk Bergstrom
Kirk Bergstrom, 43, is a project engineer with Denver Transit Partners (DTP), the consortium of investment, engineering, construction and operations and maintenance companies currently executing the $2 billion Eagle Public-Private Partnership in Denver, Colorado. The Eagle P3 Project is a new commuter railroad line that will connect Downtown Denver and Denver International Airport and also downtown with a portion of western Denver. Before the Eagle P3 Project, Kirk was going to have to leave his family and travel back-and-forth to Kansas to work on another construction project. DTP, thanks to this federally funded project, was able to give him a career close to his home.

David Catalano
In 2006 David Catalano co-founded Modea, a digital advertising agency in Blacksburg, VA. In five short years as president, Catalano and his executive team have grown the company 75-100% each year - eclipsing $10 million in annual revenue. Catalano has been able to maintain his home in rural Virginia and build a globally competitive company, highlighting the importance of the need to provide high speed broadband access to all parts of the country. Modea has hired over 80 creative professionals from across the country. In the late 90s Catalano came to Blacksburg, VA to pursue a degree at Virginia Tech. Halfway through his senior year, Catalano put his degree on hold to co-found a product marketing agency producing content for the largest e-commerce sites on the web. After leading it to profitability in 2005, Catalano left the company to finish his Finance degree and start Modea.

Dannie and Sabrina Mangrum
Dannie Mangrum is a Maryland corrections officer and Sabrina is getting her teaching degree at Coppin State. The couple has two sons and a daughter, and is earnestly anticipating the adoption of three foster children. A tax cut would benefit their family as they are looking for ways to provide for their children and their education.

Jessica Pickett
Technician Jessica T. Pickett joined Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in April 2006 where she currently functions as a field Firefighter/Medic. Technician Pickett is actively involved with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2068 and serves as the Chairperson of the EMS Committee. Technician Pickett was awarded the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce Certificate of Valor in 2010 for actions involving personal risk and demonstration of judgment beyond the expected performance of duties. Prior to joining the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Technician Pickett studied Biological Sciences at The George Washington University in Washington, DC and was a George C. Marshall Scholar and Rhodes Scholarship finalist.

Marlena Clark
Marlena Clark is a graduate of Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) and a resident of Maryland. After working a number of minimum wage jobs and worrying about her future, she decided that her local community college would provide the best opportunity for a career path to success. She worked two jobs, as a housekeeper and a bartender, while taking courses in the Information Systems Security program at Anne Arundel. While enrolled at community college, Marlena was involved in a mentoring program focused on retaining women in IT careers and was able to participate in an internship at a local IT company. She is now a full-time systems engineer at the company, supporting the sales team and customers with networking solutions. As part of her ongoing outreach on community colleges, Dr. Biden visited Anne Arundel Community College last September to highlight the school’s workforce development programs.

Tamara Washington
Tamara Washington is a single mother, taking care of her 3 year old son Amir, in Torrance, CA. Tamara believes her hard work will enable her to provide quality healthcare and education for her son. While it has not been easy, many programs and organizations were there to help, including subsidized employment in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Contingency Fund, which allowed her to obtain a job that enabled her to support her son.

Austin’s Warrior Playroom: A New Space for Families at Walter Reed

Posted by Nikki Sutton on September 06, 2011 at 04:22 PM EDT

Tomorrow is the grand opening of Austin's Warrior Playroom, a great new addition to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Austin's Playroom is a space for young family members of wounded warriors to play and relax while their parents attend to medical needs.

Austin’s Warrior Playroom at Walter Reed Medical Center

The Austin’s Warrior Playroom located in the newly-established Warrior Transition Unit on the campus of the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.

Mario Lemieux, the current owner and former NHL player who led the Pittsburgh Penguins to two consecutive Stanley Cups, and his wife Nathalie Lemieux helped make Austin's Warrior Playroom possible as an initiative of the Mario Lemieux Foundation. Before the grand opening they received a preview of the playroom and Nathalie Lemieux had this to share:

Recently, my husband, Mario, and I were given a “sneak-peek” at the Austin’s Warrior Playroom located in the newly-established Warrior Transition Unit on the campus of the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. While not scheduled to officially open until September, our dreams for this special playroom are nearly complete.

The 2,000 sq. ft. playroom will accommodate children from six weeks up to 12 years. The room is equipped with the newest toys and games including video gaming systems, creative and imaginative play areas and an interactive kiosk. From our personal experience, this room will give children a space to call their own while parents attend to medical needs, but will also allow them to remain together as a family. We believe providing an environment that is cheerful, safe and comfortable for children and patients is an essential complement to medical treatment when addressing the quality of a child and families’ hospital experience.

When we began Austin’s Playroom Project in 2000 as an initiative of the Mario Lemieux Foundation, I never dreamed it would grow so large. Our son, Austin, was born profoundly pre-mature at Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and with two young daughters, it was difficult to manage our time together. It was then that we dreamed of someday helping future families who find themselves in similar situations. Since that time, we have established 22 playrooms throughout western Pennsylvania, with six more scheduled to open by the end of 2012.

Austin’s Warrior Playroom marks a new initiative in the Austin’s Playroom Project. The Mario Lemieux Foundation is proud to join forces with the US military to establish an Austin’s Playroom in the new Medical Center to bring joy and happiness in what otherwise will be a very difficult and stressful situation. We hope this playroom provides comfort, warmth and love for these very special families.

Learn how you can support military families at JoiningForces.gov and check out more preview photos of Austin's Playroom at Walter Reed Medical Center:

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The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release

September 02, 2011

First Lady Names Respected Pediatrician Judith S. Palfrey, M.D. to Lead Let's Move! Program

Palfrey was past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and has been a pediatric clinician and teacher for over 30 years

WASHINGTON – First Lady Michelle Obama today announced that one of the country’s leading pediatricians, Judith S. Palfrey, M.D., will lead her Let’s Move! childhood obesity initiative as Executive Director starting on Tuesday, September 6. For decades, Dr. Palfrey has provided clinical care to thousands of children and families, conducted groundbreaking pediatric research, taught future physicians and led major medical organizations. Palfrey has been a longtime supporter of the Let’s Move! campaign and spoke at its launch in February of 2010 when she was president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

“It was my children’s pediatrician who first told me that I needed to pay closer attention to my children’s health so I understand the significance doctors play in family health. That’s why we are eager to welcome Judy Palfrey to the White House where I know that she will take the Let’s Move! program to new heights. Judy has worked with families one-on-one and partnered with communities on health promotion initiatives. She is a leading researcher and respected voice in the field. Her tremendous experience and insight in pediatrics and community health will make her a strong leader for Let’s Move! and make a real difference in the lives of our nation’s children,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

“As a doctor, I know how important fighting the epidemic of childhood obesity is, and I’ve seen firsthand the struggles families can face in keeping their kids healthy. That’s why I’m so eager to work with the First Lady to build on the successes of Let’s Move! and continue to empower parents to make the healthier choices. I look forward to working with communities all over America as they support families and children,” said Dr. Palfrey.

“Over the past 20 years, our nation has seen an alarming rise in the number of our children who are overweight and obese. It will take a continued concerted effort and thoughtful collaboration to create healthier communities for children,” said O. Marion Burton, M.D., FAAP, AAP president. “Dr. Palfrey has spent her career advocating for the health and well-being of children. She brings a wealth of clinical, research and practice expertise, as well as a comprehensive knowledge of preventive health and promotion. The AAP has had the privilege of drawing upon this expertise for many years, and wishes her much success in this important new role. She is the ideal candidate for the job.”

Dr. Palfrey has been a pediatric clinician and teacher for over 30 years, and her clinical work and teaching has included primary care, developmental pediatrics, inpatient pediatrics and community health. At Harvard Medical School, Dr. Palfrey was appointed as the first incumbent of T. Berry Brazelton Professorship of Pediatrics. Most recently, she directed the global health efforts of the Department of Medicine at the Children’s Hospital in Boston. She has served this past year as immediate past president of AAP – the nation’s largest pediatric organization with a membership of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists. From 1986 to 2007, Dr. Palfrey was chief of the Division of General Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital, Boston. Dr. Palfrey has served as chair of the AAP Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, president of the Academic Pediatric Association, director of Building Bright Futures, and national program director of the Dyson Community Pediatrics Initiative. In each of these programs, she has placed a major emphasis on prevention and health promotion.

Dr. Palfrey is a recipient of the Milton J.E. Senn Award from AAP, the Millie and Richard Brock Award of the New York Academy of Medicine and the Marie Felton Award of the Boston Center for Independent Living. Originally from El Paso, Texas, Dr. Palfrey holds an A.B. from Harvard and an M.D. from Columbia University. She is married with three children.

How the Military Boosts the Bottom Line

Posted by Kori Schulman on August 01, 2011 at 05:53 PM EDT

Editor's Note: Mrs. Obama's op-ed originally appeared in U.S. News and World Report.

Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many of our nation’s men and women in uniform and their families. I’ve laughed with them at baby showers and graduations. I’ve sat with them at hospital bedsides. I’ve listened to their stories, learned from their experiences, and witnessed the strength of the families of our fallen heroes.

And each time I speak with a veteran or military spouse, I am awed by their strength and resilience. And I am struck by just how much they’re contributing to our communities every single day.

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a Joining Forces employment event at the Sears distribution center in Columbus, Ohio. April 14, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

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A Joining Forces Cookout with Military Families

Posted by Nikki Sutton on July 27, 2011 at 11:53 AM EDT

Military Family Cookout at the New Hampshire National Guard Headquarters

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden visit with Gold Star families, Blue Star families, and service members and their families during a Military Family Cookout at the New Hampshire National Guard headquarters in Concord, N.H., July 24, 2011. The event was part of the Joining Forces initiative. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

Nothing says summer like a cookout and this past weekend First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden joined military families at the New Hampshire National Guard Headquarters in Concord for just that. Dr. Biden kicked things off by sharing her experience as a military mom:

My son, Beau, is a Captain in the Delaware Army National Guard and he recently spent a year in Iraq, so I know well the challenges that Guard families face when their soldiers are away. And I also know how much it means when communities rally around family members who are managing in their soldier’s absence.

The First Lady and I came here today for a very simple reason: to say thank you to all of you for all of your service. You and your family -- service members around the country and the world inspire us with your strength and your resilience, and that applies especially to the family members of all ages who are here today.

The First Lady and I are working hard through our “Joining Forces” initiative to make sure that every American understands the sacrifices that each of you as family members are making for the security of our nation.

And we hope to inspire more communities around the country to reach out to military families like we are doing tonight in Concord and like I saw in Portsmouth...earlier today.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden at a Military Family Cookout

The First Lady and Dr. Biden have been inspired by traveling the country and seeing how Americans are stepping up to support our military members and their families. That is why they just announced the Joining Forces Community Challenge, which will recognize individuals and groups around the country who are making a difference in the lives of military families. As the First Lady said at the cookout, those who serve and their families represent the very best of America:

All of you are perfect examples of the 9/11 Generation. You’ve gone through unprecedented deployments. You’ve helped to defend our security through a decade of war. And you’ve strengthened our country not just as National Guardsmen and Reservists, but as teachers and as firefighters and businessmen and women, as well.

You represent the very best of America –- a devotion to family, to community, and to country. And I just want to tell you that Jill and I could not be more inspired by all of you.

You all are the reasons why Jill and I have launched this nationwide initiative that we’re calling Joining Forces because we want this entire country to recognize, and honor, and support our military members and their families. We want you to know that this country has your back.

First Lady Michelle Obama meets with a Family at a Joining Forces Cookout

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Joining Forces at Naval Air Station Oceana

July 26, 2011 | 2:47 | Public Domain

First Lady Michelle Obama visits Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana and tours NAS Oceana's youth program summer camp. Also, as part of the Joining Forces Movie Series, Mrs. Obama welcomed local military families to a special screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2.

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First Lady Michelle Obama's Extreme Support for a Military Family

Posted by Colleen Curtis on July 25, 2011 at 10:02 AM EDT

First Lady Michelle Obama with the "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" Team

First Lady Michelle Obama, along with Ty Pennington and the "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" team, watch as Barbara Summey Marshall, center, a 15-year Navy veteran,and her family get the first look at their new house in Fayetteville, N.C., July 21, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

FIrst Lady Michelle Obama joined three thousand military and civilian volunteers last week in Fayetteville, NC to give one selfless Navy veteran the surprise of her life.

Barbara Summey Marshall, who served 15 years in the Navy, shares her home with the Steps N Stages Jubilee House,which provides shelter, support and services such as mentoring and life coaching, to homeless female veterans. Marshell's intentions were impressive, but the modest, 1,600- square-foot ranch house was in need of major renovations.

Fortunately, the volunteers working on the home renovations were overseen by a team that has some impressive experience of their own: Ty Pennington and his crew from "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". In one week of 24 hour days, Marshall's humble home was replaced by a two-story, 5,000-square-foot house with plenty of space for her family, and for the women she has dedicated her life to helping.

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The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release

July 24, 2011

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Biden at Joining Forces Military Family Cookout

New Hampshire National Guard Headquarters
Concord, New Hampshire

3:45 P.M. EDT

DR. BIDEN: Hello. Thank you, General Reddell, for that warm introduction. And thank you and your wonderful wife, Becky, for all you’re doing, for your support of the New Hampshire National Guard & Reserve families. We are delighted to be here and appreciate your hosting us today. Thank you.

And good afternoon everyone! It’s great to see so many Guard Members, reservists, family members, and friends of the Guard. I want to also recognize the Gold Star families who are here with us today.

I am Jill Biden, and I am proud to stand here this afternoon as a military mom. Like you, I come from a small state with a strong National Guard that has shouldered a tremendous burden over the past decade.

My son, Beau, is a Captain in the Delaware Army National Guard and he recently spent a year in Iraq, so I know well the challenges that Guard families face when their soldiers are away. And I also know how much it means when communities rally around family members who are managing in their soldier’s absence.

The First Lady and I came here today for a very simple reason: to say thank you to all of you for all of your service. You and your family -- service members around the country and the world inspire us with your strength and your resilience, and that applies especially to the family members of all ages who are here today.

The First Lady and I are working hard through our “Joining Forces” initiative to make sure that every American understands the sacrifices that each of you as family members are making for the security of our nation.

And we hope to inspire more communities around the country to reach out to military families like we are doing tonight in Concord and like I saw in Portsmouth later today -- earlier today.

We’ve seen some incredible examples of Americans helping out with childcare for military families, lending a hand with accounting during tax season, and hosting baby showers for expectant military moms, and we want to formally applaud these efforts.

In fact, I’m excited to share tonight that the First Lady and I are launching the Joining Forces Community Challenge, which will recognize individuals and groups around the country who are making a difference in the lives of military families.

We are really excited about this program and hope you will go to our website at joiningforces.gov to learn how you can nominate a group or an individual who has come up with a creative or innovative way to make life a little easier for our military families. The idea can be large or small, new or old, as long as it demonstrates in some way the tremendous gratitude all of us feel for our military families.

Every American has the ability to make a difference in the life of a military family. That’s what our Joining Forces initiative is all about.

And now it’s my honor and privilege to introduce a woman who is a tireless and devoted advocate for our service members, veterans, and military families, my dear friend and our wonderful First Lady Michelle Obama. (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you all so much. (Applause.) Thank you. How are you guys doing? Food good? Have you eaten yet? Good steak. (Laughter.) Oh, awesome. Can we give the steak a hand? I mean, come on, good stuff. (Applause.) I only had two bites, but I guarantee you after this I’m having some more.

It is great to be back in New Hampshire. And I want to thank Jill for that very kind introduction. Jill has been just a tremendous partner in crime in this effort. She’s a true champion of our men and women in uniform and a singular voice for National Guard and Reserve issues, both inside and outside of the White House, so I would like to give her a round of applause, too. Yay. (Applause.)

And also I want to recognize General Reddell and, again, everyone from The Meat House for donating all the delicious food, and of course, I want to thank all of you for being here today.

I know we have a lot of different folks represented here. We’ve got folks from the National Guard, we have people from the Army Reserves, the Navy Reserves. I know we have some members of Gold Star families here, as well. I know we have moms and dads both in uniform and out of uniform. And of course we’ve got a lot of kids, who are probably tired of sitting down and listening to grown-ups, right? I hear that's a Bouncy House, though. Is there a Bouncy House? Do you want to be bouncing in the Bouncy House? (Laughter.) I say, go for it. (Laughter.) Oh, Dad said no. Never mind. (Laughter.) I tried, tried to get you out of there.

So I’m not going to talk long, because Jill and I are going to spend time going table to table, hopefully getting to meet you -- and him, him especially. (Laughter.)

But the reason why we’re here, as Jill mentioned, is that we have a very simple message, and that is to say: Thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for everything that you have done for our country.

And unlike Jill I didn’t grow up in a military household. But as I’ve traveled this country, visiting military bases and communities and hospitals, I have seen firsthand just what it means to be part of a military family. You guys are serious. You all are doing phenomenal things that we want this entire country to know.

You are moms who are trying to build careers while taking night classes. You’re dads who coach Little Leagues and who help out with projects in your own communities. You all are teenagers who study hard and take on extra responsibilities when dad or mom is serving overseas.

All of you are perfect examples of the 9/11 Generation. You’ve gone through unprecedented deployments. You’ve helped to defend our security through a decade of war. And you’ve strengthened our country not just as National Guardsmen and Reservists, but as teachers and as firefighters and businessmen and women, as well.

You represent the very best of America –- a devotion to family, to community, and to country. And I just want to tell you that Jill and I could not be more inspired by all of you.

You all are the reasons why Jill and I have launched this nationwide initiative that we’re calling Joining Forces because we want this entire country to recognize, and honor, and support our military members and their families. We want you to know that this country has your back.

And we’ve been traveling across the country, talking to the heads of large businesses and nonprofit organizations, working the levers of government, raising public awareness about what you do and how you sacrifice.

And we’re not just putting on some press conferences in front of a logo. I mean, for us this is not just a show. We’re working hard to take meaningful steps that make a real difference for you and for your families, because we have learned, whether it’s firsthand or from the stories you’ve told us, how hard it can be when a military family is called to move from base to base or city to city. It means a new job search for your spouse, it means entirely new friends for your kids, it means a whole new routine for your entire family.

And we know that it only makes things tougher when you’re also trying to update your professional license to get in line with your new state’s requirements, or you’re wrangling with a school district to make sure that your kids’ previous credits count at their new school.

So we’re trying to get rid of those headaches for you. That's one of the things that Joining Forces is trying to do. We’re working with state governments and the Department of Defense to make sure that when you’re transferred your professional licenses and certifications are transferred, too, in every single state. We’re also working to do the same thing for your kids’ courses and transcripts, because our troops and their families serve our whole country, not just one state at a time.

And with Joining Forces, we’re working on all types of issues that affect your lives, like employment and job training for military spouses, things like better classes for your children consistently across the country, and most importantly reducing the stigma around mental health issues.

And so far, I am proud to say that the response has been incredible. Everyone that we have spoken to wants to get involved. From the federal government, to our most successful businesses and nonprofit organizations, to the countless individuals who are making a difference in their own neighborhoods, Americans of all kinds are stepping up to make a difference for our military families.

And we’re not done. We are not even close. We have only just begun. We’re going to keep pushing on tough, complicated issues that you’ve probably been struggling with for years and years. We’re going to keep bringing more people and more businesses and more organizations into the fold.

And we want to hear from all of you -- even if it’s as simple as we go around -- we want to hear from you about how we can do this most effectively. And when we’re gone we want to continue to hear from you, either through the General or from your resource support centers. We want to know that what we’re doing is actually having impact for you on the ground. Let us know how we can find new ways to be helpful. Let us know how we can improve this initiative so that it is really something that matters to you and to your families. We want to make sure that we’re making a difference in your lives. We want to make sure that this is something that you feel.

So I want to make a deal with you. You all keep doing what you’re doing, just being outstanding, just being the best that America can be, keep setting an example for the rest of the country, and we’ll keep working to make sure that this initiative lives up to the standard that you all have set.

So thank you again. We are proud of you. We want America to know your stories, to know your challenges, to know your successes, because you make us all proud.

So thank you all, and God bless, and we’ll get out there and come and shake some hands. And kids, go play! Can they -- they can play, they can play. (Applause.) Thank you. (Applause.)

END
3:58 P.M. EDT

First Lady Michelle Obama Joins Military Families for Harry Potter Screening

Posted by Nikki Sutton on July 21, 2011 at 07:08 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)

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The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release

July 21, 2011

Remarks by the First Lady at Joining Forces Screening of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two"

Naval Air Station Oceana Aerotheater Virginia Beach, Virginia

11:47 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Yay! Hello, everybody! (Applause.) It is great to see you. It’s great to be here. You all rest yourselves.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you, Mrs. Obama!

MRS. OBAMA: Well, I love you all, love you all to death. We are working hard for you -- (applause) -- to make sure you know how much this country appreciates every -- each and every one of you.

Let me start by thanking Captain Webb for that very kind introduction and for hanging around with me today. And I want to thank everyone here at Oceana for putting together such a wonderful visit today.

I had so much fun, and I know how excited everyone here is to see a certain wizard and see what he has in store for his final chapter, so I’m not going to talk long.

But I wanted to be here today because there’s something that I want to say to all of you, and I’ve been saying this a lot, and it’s simple, but it’s thank you.

Thank you to all the moms and to all the dads that we have here today. Yay for moms and dads. (Applause.) I want to thank you, for those of you who wear our uniform, and thank you to all of you who don’t wear the uniform and serve, because no matter which group you fall into, all of you are serving our country, and we are so incredibly proud of you, and we want to thank you. We can’t thank you enough, we cannot thank you enough for everything that you’re doing, the sacrifices that you’re making to serve this country.

And I’ve seen your strength again and again, including this morning here at Oceana when I got to spend some time with the wonderful young people at summer camp. We did some fun stuff. We read some books. Did some “Annie” singing and dancing. You guys have something good in store. Anybody who’s going to see the camp play, it’s going to be phenomenal. And it was just such a great opportunity for me to spend time with your amazing children.

So I want to take just a second right now to speak to all of the military kids who are here joining us today. How many military kids are here? Let’s hear it. Raise your hands. Clap. (Applause.) Let’s recognize our kids. (Applause.)

Over the past several years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting military kids across this country, so I know how extraordinary all of you all are. I’ve seen it. And I know that the challenges are that you face –- and there are many. So many of you have had to learn to live with moving a lot, right, picking up, moving for your third, or fourth, fifth school, starting new schools again and again, right? That's not always easy. But you do it -- having to make new friends everywhere you go, right; being apart from your mom or your dad or someone special in your life for months on end because they’ve been deployed, right? That's not hard -- that's not easy.

But I also know that these experiences in your life have given you all qualities and abilities that not everyone gets to develop at your age. These experiences have made you stronger. That, I know. And I’ve seen it. These experiences have made you wiser and more mature. And these experiences are giving you skills that you will need to succeed in school and in life.

And young people like you and families like the ones here today have inspired Jill Biden and I to start this wonderful new initiative that we’re calling Joining Forces. This is a nationwide campaign that Jill and I are working on to rally America around all of you families -- your children, your parents, and all those who are supporting you along the way. We want this country to recognize and honor and support all of you and everything that you do and have given to this country.

And I’m happy to say that already, there are so many people and organizations and businesses from across the country who are stepping up, and that's starting with the federal government.

My husband has directed every single agency in the government to identify ways to support military families, and they came back to him earlier in the year and presented 50 concrete recommendations that they’re going to be implementing.

Companies like Walmart and Sears are working to hire and train more military spouses, and the Chamber of Commerce is holding job fairs specifically for military families.

And we’re also working for our military children, as well.

The National PTA is educating its local chapters across the country about the challenges and experiences of military students so that teachers and schools and organizations are more in touch with what you all are going through.

Also the National Math and Science Institute, the military, and major companies are working together all across the country to offer math and science Advanced Placement courses to high schools with large numbers of military students, including right here in Tidewater -- the Tidewater area.

So people are stepping up. And it has been an easy initiative because people already know what you do. They just have never been asked. So they’ve got the First Lady and the Second Lady together asking a lot. So people are stepping up.

And today’s screening is part of Joining Forces Movie Series that we’ve started this summer, where some of our country’s biggest movie studios are offering special screenings for military families at bases all across America.

And I want to join with Captain Webb in thanking Warner Brothers for organizing today’s viewing of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two.” (Applause.) Yeah!

How many Harry Potter fans are here? (Applause.) How many people have read all the books and seen all the movies? Well, you’re right along with the President and my girls. They’ve seen the movie already. They lined right up.

So this is very exciting. This is just one of the ways that this country wants to show you our gratitude for all that you’ve given this country and for the example that you set every day. You do it every day, and we are just grateful and proud, and it is an honor for me to have been able to spend this time with you. And I will stop talking so that you can --

AUDIENCE MEMBER: No!

MRS. OBAMA: Uh oh, you don’t -- (laughter) -- you don't want to hear -- because you know what? I have something special for you all here. This is another way that people have stepped up. I have a very special surprise for all the witches and wizards and muggles. So I have to stop talking so that you can watch the surprise. So here it is, okay? (Applause.)

END 11:54 A.M. EDT