Keeping up support for military families
Michelle Obama says she has no plans to take on big policy issues while in the White House, but she will champion causes such as public service and the sacrifices made by military families. John Dimsdale reports.
U.S. Army soldiers dropped off with supplies in Khost Province along the Afghan-Pakistan border (David Furst/AFP/Getty Images)
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Steve Chiotakis: Today we honor veterans and salute their service to our nation. And the incoming Obama administration is focusing some high-profile attention on the hardships faced by military families. More now from John Dimsdale in Washington.
Jeremy Hobson: The President-elect's wife, Michelle Obama, says she has no plans to take on big policy issues like health care reform while she's in the White House. But she will champion causes such as public service and especially the sacrifices made by military families.
The Military Family Research Institute says the length of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars means many soldiers have been deployed overseas more than once, creating hardships for those left at home. Some reservists have been away from their civilian jobs now for three of the last six years.
And the Institute's biggest concern is that public enthusiasm for military family support programs will wane as the wars drag on. That's why service members say they're glad Michelle Obama is using her bully pulpit to highlight their sacrifices.
In Washington, I'm John Dimsdale for Marketplace.
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From beaufort, SC, 10/13/2009
Ms. Obama does not impress me. Once her husband finally meets with the proper military generals and those on the ground in combat and listen to what they have to say, I will hold my thrill at her involvement. Neither of these people have me fooled in the least.
From Tucson, AZ, 11/17/2008
Deploy Peace is dedicated to helping returning soldiers and their families. At Deploy Peace we give retired military aircraft one last mission, to reunite families with soldiers in their time of need. We use retired military aircraft to make dogtags. We donate money to The Fisher House foundation. Please see our website at www.deploypeace.com
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