Military families and veterans represent the best of American ideals.
November is a month full of opportunities to appreciate the work that our military does. Traditionally, the President proclaims November as Military Family Appreciation Month, as well as recognizing Veteran’s Day on November 11.
President Trump signed a proclamation on November 1 proclaiming November 2017 as “National Veterans and Military Families Month.”
The White House recognizes the “significant contributions made by American service members, their families, and their loved ones.”
The Presidential proclamation emphasized the work and reform that has been done with the Department of Veterans Affairs. “We are working every day to ensure a future of high quality care and timely access to the benefits veterans have earned through their devoted service to a grateful Nation,” the proclamation stated.
Military families and veterans represent the best of American ideals. Here are a few simple ways to show a military family how much you care.
Say thank you
The simplest and often most appreciated way to show your respect for military families is to say thank you. With frequent moves, it can be easy for military families to feel isolated or set apart from the communities that they live in. A simple thank you reminds military families that their friends and neighbors see the sacrifices that they make and appreciate them.
Military children in particular benefit from spoken recognition of their role in the military family. Thanking them for their service can help them connect to their community and remember why they have to do hard things like leave friends, start new schools, and face uncertainty.
Life as a military family is not all full of flag-waving and patriotic bands. Grass still needs to be mowed in the summer; driveways still need to be shoveled in the winter.
Hire veterans and military spouses
One of the hardest long-term parts of life as a military spouse is the toll that it takes on the spouse’s professional career. Frequent moves, state-specific licensing requirements, and the necessity to act as a single parent during deployments and mobilizations make it hard for military spouses to find employment, in particular continuous employment in a field of their choice.
Many companies recognize the value of military spouses, according to Kate Dolack, editor-in-chief of Military Spouse magazine, which publishes an annual report of Military Friendly businesses. “Military spouses are expert multi-taskers. They thrive under pressure, and are highly educated and mobile. Companies recognize these attributes and want them in their workplace,” she said.
Amazon has recently prioritized hiring military spouses and veterans in flexible, work-from home positions. Starbucks also committed to hiring 25,000 veterans and military spouses by 2025.
Organizations such as Veteran Jobs Mission and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership can connect military family members and interested employers.
Provide childcare
Military families with children face unique challenges and the added stress of often operating as single-parent household while the military member is deployed or working long hours during training. Providing flexible childcare options for working parents or respite care for stay-at-home parents can go a long way to alleviate these burdens.
Organizations and learning centers such as Child Care Aware of America and KinderCare help childcare providers offer relief to military families.
Offers of help
Life as a military family is not all full of flag-waving and patriotic bands. Grass still needs to be mowed in the summer; driveways still need to be shoveled in the winter. Ask a military family how you can help.
Families with a deployed military member are under even more pressure to maintain a stable life and environment with fewer hands to do the work. An offer of help with these tasks can go a long way to alleviating the stress associated with military life.
