Programs Aim to Support Military Spouses, Families

A new whole-of-government approach will bring the federal government's vast reach to help millions of service members and their families, a senior Defense Department official said yesterday.
"This is a very exciting time for those of us who have been working hard to support military families," said Barbara Thompson, director of the Pentagon's office of family policy and children and youth, said during a "DODLive" bloggers roundtable.

Thompson said the backing of President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, behind the effort to garner the support of every federal agency "is really quite amazing."

For the past year, numerous federal agencies and the National Security Council have been working on a report, titled: "Strengthening Our Military Families: Meeting America's Commitment." That 23-page report was released Jan. 24 in response to a presidential directive soliciting agencies for a more coordinated, comprehensive approach to improving federal support for military families.

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