First Lady Dr. Jill Biden announced that she would restart the Joining Forces initiative, a program started by herself and Michelle Obama during the Obama Administration aimed at providing aid to current and former members of the military and their families.
According to the Associated Press, the Joining Forces program will focus on employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for military families, education for the children of enlisted parents and veterans, and the overall health and well-being of these families.
“We have an all-volunteer force, and it continues only because generations of Americans see the honor, dignity and patriotism of this calling,” the First Lady said at the White House. “How can we hope to keep our military strong if we don’t give our families, survivors and caregivers what they need to thrive? If we don’t act on our sacred obligation?”
The daughter and stepmother of people who served in the US military and grandmother to military kids, Dr. Biden noted that just 1% of the American population serve in the all-volunteer armed forces. After leaving Washington in 2017, Dr. Biden continued working with military and veterans groups through the Biden Foundation.
After announcing the program at a White House event, Dr. Biden was scheduled to visit the Military OneSource call center, a Defense Department operation that provides 24/7 support to service members and their families.