Fort Carson, Colorado

Thank you so much Krista.  

Last summer, I got to know a mom of two named Kellie during a discussion of what it was like to be a parent in the time of COVID.  

She was having a hard time balancing her job while supported remote learning for her two children. She was worried about her family’s health. She felt stretched in every direction.  

Her story was just like the stories I heard again and again from moms across the country. Except that, for the first five months of the pandemic, Kellie did it all while her husband was deployed to Afghanistan.  

She talked to me about being what she calls the “default” parent—making big decisions without getting to talk them through with her spouse, and being the one responsible for holding it all together.  

She said she kept thinking: “What if I get sick? Mommy can’t get sick.” 

She wasn’t complaining—just stating the facts of her life. But she persevered, like I’m sure many of you have done many times.   

In fact, when I met Kellie, she and her family were doing what so many of you do—supporting your neighbors, volunteering and working to make your community better for everyone.  

Like Krista, as a National Guard wife and a mom of two little girls, you already do so much. Yet, you still find the time to run a Facebook support group with over 11,000 Fort Carson spouses and support this base.  

Or like April Barnett, has moved to nine different duty stations, but has always found the time to volunteer for organizations like The American Cancer Society, Soldier and Family Readiness Group, and the Mountain Post Santa’s Workshop—just to name a few. 

Or Aly Sargent, who, while her husband is serving in Afghanistan, is working to adopt their two foster daughters.   

Or Tess Partridge, who built her company, iStroll, to help other military spouses have affordable fitness options. 

There’s a saying: If you want to get something done, ask a busy person to do it. 

But after getting to know so many of you over the years, I think we should change it to, “If you want to get something done, ask a military spouse.” 

You change jobs and start businesses.  

You handle the logistics of every move and make sure your kids have what they need to keep learning.  

You “default parent” and are steadfast partners to your spouses—whether they’re stateside or halfway around the world.  

And many of you have done it all through deployment after deployment and 20 years of war.  

Yes, you understand that loving a service member means you’ll face challenges.  

You know there will be loneliness and anxiety at times—and a lifetime of change. 

You’ve learned how to push through the hard times—how to adapt, persevere, and keep going.  

But these challenges shouldn’t be harder than they need to be.  

That’s why Joining Forces, our White House initiative to support military and veteran families, survivors, and caregivers matters so much to me.  

Whether it’s access to better employment opportunities or affordable, quality child care, or better mental health and wellness resources, we need to do more.  

Your service to our country has earned nothing less.  

 
Giving you the support you need to thrive matters to me. It matters to the President. And it matters to our Armed Forces.  

Because when someone you love is hurting, you hurt with them.  

When your spouse is at home, trying to make ends meet, or is torn between taking care of your children and building a job they love, your heart breaks too.  

Our service members can’t focus on their missions if their families don’t have what they need to thrive at home.  

We cannot expect to retain even our most dedicated Service members if they are forced to choose between their love of country and their love of family.  

This is a matter of national security.  

The President knows that there is no greater honor than serving those who serve our country—everyone who serves.  

That’s you—all of you.  

And that’s why we’re here today. 

Now, we’re a day early, but we want to wish a Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day to the Army, Air Force, Space Force, and National Guard spouses who have joined us today. I have a Marine spouse on my staff, so I have to include the Marines as well.  

And to any service member listening who might have forgotten that Military Spouse Appreciation Day is tomorrow: You now have fair warning!  

I also want to acknowledge all of the leaders who came here to support you.  

Major General McFarlane, and Command Sergeant Major Nash, Colonel Springer, and Command Sergeant Major Brister, thank you for hosting us. 

Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper—your commitment to our armed forces and their families has been steadfast. The President and I are so grateful for your support and leadership.  

Representative Lamborn and Lieutenant Governor Primavera, thank you for being with us and honoring our military families as well.  

Finally, I want to thank our good friends at the USO for putting on such a nice event, and for consistently providing care and support for our service members and military families around the world. 

Now, normally, I would love to have lunch with you—and spend more time hearing your stories. With COVID, our gathering today can’t be as close as we’d like.  

But as more and more Americans get vaccinated, those brighter days are not far away. So, make sure to get vaccinated, so the next time we can all share a meal together! 

In the meantime, I’m going to come around and visit with you.  

Before I do, I want to thank you all.  

Thank you for your service. Thank you for everything you’ve done for our nation—and for me, as well, as a military mom and a military daughter.  

When I first came to Ft. Carson so many years ago, I met Carol Graham, the wife of Major General Mark Graham—and I felt like I had found a kindred spirit.  

We’ve kept in touch over the years and she’s brought me so much comfort in my times of need.  

I never know who I’m going to meet or connect with when I visit bases like these—but the relationships I find and the stories I hear always stay with me.  

Because this is a community unlike any other. It’s one bound together by love—love for our country. Love for our service members. And love for the communities you build together. 

And it’s time we match that devotion.    

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  

God bless our troops and their families.  

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