President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed military families to the White House in celebration of Military Spouse Day. The event served to thank and recognize military spouses and military mothers for their service and sacrifice.
“Your support is essential to making our military the mightiest fighting force in the world,” President Trump said. He included remarks about the increased military spending budget and upcoming pay raises for military members. Military spouses are traditionally recognized as part of Military Appreciation Month in May. “Your love, resilience, and courage uplifts our heroes and, indeed, our nation,” President Trump told the group. “We are forever in your debt.”
The President issued a proclamation declaring May 11, 2018 as Military Spouse Day. The First Lady chose to highlight the role that military mothers play in supporting a strong military force. Military Spouse Day is celebrated on the Friday before Mother’s Day each Spring. While both men and women are represented among the ranks of military spouses, over 90% of military spouses are women and over 40% of military spouses have children.
“Today, I want to take this opportunity to let you all know that as mothers who are members of the military community, you deserve recognition for not only your love for your children, but for the dedication and sacrifice you make on behalf of our country each and every day,” said Melania Trump before introducing her husband.
The Trump Administration’s Patriotic Support
The President has been very vocal about the support that his administration has given to military families. He has expressed his support for the troops in press briefings as well as in his Twitter feed.
Military spouses face unemployment and underemployment challenges that the Department of Defense has highlighted in recent years. Factors like frequent moves and prolonged periods of acting as a single parent often limit job prospects for military spouses.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce conducted a comprehensive study to collect data on military spouse job opportunities and the ultimate impact that military spouse employment has on a service member’s career.
Findings indicated that “at 16%, the military spouse unemployment rate remains four times the current rate for all adult women (4.0% in May 2017).” This can impact the family’s ability to meet financial obligations and often creates stress. It is cited as one of the major contributing factors to a service member’s decision to leave the military.
President Trump signed an Executive Order “on Enhancing Noncompetitive Civil Service Appointments of Military Spouses.” The order specifically targets federal employment and the opportunities that exist to prioritize qualified spouses for job openings. It directs hiring managers and other authorities to use the existing resources “to the greatest extent possible” as well as make recommendations on how to “remove barriers to the employment of military spouses.”
“Military spouses have already shown the utmost devotion to our nation,” the President told spouses at the celebration when talking about the Executive Order. “We want to show you our devotion in return.”
Licensure requirements in certain fields, such as medicine, education, or law, also create challenges for those who frequently relocate. Trump’s Executive Order charges agencies with creating solutions that will allow people in those fields to continue working with as little disruption as possible.
“Today, we take one of many important actions to ensure that you are free to pursue your careers, support your families, and continue serving this nation that we all love so much,” Trump said as he prepared to sign the Executive Order. “When you are strong, your families are strong, and America thrives.”
