DR. BIDEN ASKS GOVERNERS TO HELP MILITARY SPOUSES

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Dr. Biden Urges Governors to Help Military Spouses
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2013 - Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, today urged the nation's governors to get behind the effort to allow military spouses to transfer professional licenses from state to state.

Speaking to the National Governors Association at the White House as part of the "Joining Forces" initiative that she and First Lady Michelle Obama have championed, Biden noted that 28 states have passed laws to facilitate license portability for teachers, nurses, social workers and other professionals licensed in one state but who have to move to another when their military spouse gets a new assignment.

Military spouses move 10 times more often than their civilian counterparts, Biden said, and 35 percent of those spouses have jobs that require professional licenses.

Only 11 states had pro-spouse legislation when she and the first lady spoke to the governors last year and asked for their help, Biden noted. "And you stepped up," she added, "because you appreciate how much our military families do for our country every day."

In addition to the 28 states that have passed laws for military spouse license portability, Biden said, 13 more have introduced legislation.

Governors of states with a small active-duty military population might think that the issue doesn't affect them, Biden said, but she pointed out that every state has National Guard or Reserve units.

"And with so many families -- military families transitioning out of the military now and in the next few years -- they'll be focused on finding good jobs, good schools and good communities, whether there is a military base nearby or not, she added.

For the sake of military families, Biden told the governors, it's important that all 50 states enact license portability laws. But that's just the first step, she said.

"We hope all of you will reach out to your bases and your National Guard and Reserve communities [and] talk with the military spouses -- I'm sure many of you already do this already -- and make sure that these laws are working for our military families," she said.

A NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE

Vice President Joe Biden stops to smile for a photograph while packing care kits for deployed troops during a national day of service event at the District of Columbia Armory in Washington, D.C., Jan. 19, 2013. DOD photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Volunteers Come Together For National Day of Service
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2013 - In conjunction with tomorrow's observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, about 10,000 people from all across the country traveled here to participate yesterday in the national day of service.

Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, were among many people who came out to support troops overseas by packing care kits to send to them.

"We all get what is so important today," the vice president said. "We still have 68,000 troops in harm's way. ... They're not looking for anything, but knowing that those of us here at home remember them and know what is going is an important piece of the equation."

Dr. Biden expressed her gratitude to the many volunteers who came out to pack care kits as a part of the national day of service, noting that she and First Lady Michelle Obama began the Joining Forces initiative to rally the nation behind military families.

"I'd like to thank each and every one of you for volunteering today to assemble these important care kits," she said. "Our military families have done so much for our country, and each of us can do something in return. [This] is why the first lady and I created Joining Forces -- to encourage all Americans to support and honor our military families."

John Adams, a former Marine Corps captain and a Milwaukee native, works with an organization called Operation Gratitude, which helped to sponsor the event.

"It means the world to me," he said. "I believe strongly in having everybody's efforts focused on supporting the military. For everybody to come here together and assemble care kits for Operation Gratitude to send to troops overseas is very special and very meaningful."

Adams also was able to speak from a service member's perspective, having served as an infantry officer, leading rifle and mortar platoons for two deployments – one in Afghanistan and another aboard a Navy vessel in Southeast Asia.

"It meant the world to me [then as well]," he said. "We received much needed items such as the hygiene kits and some letters of support that helped raise morale. So it meant the world to everybody, and I'm speaking on behalf of all the sailors and Marines that I was with. We really felt a connection with people back home."

Two volunteers, Paquilla Jones and Sajedea Chin, both sophomore students studying civil engineering at Howard University, said they enjoyed volunteering.

"It's a good thing to do for the troops," Jones said.

"I just like giving back, so this is an opportunity to give back and be with friends," Chin said.

Chin added that she enjoyed meeting new people and had volunteered previously, but nothing like the national day of service, where the event's goal was to pack 100,000 care kits.

"I think it's a good opportunity for us to get together with different people – meet people we don't know – and do something good," she said.