[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17669-17670]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS, PRESERVING THEIR FAMILIES: A SALUTE TO MILITARY 
                         FAMILIES AND CHILDREN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 16, 2010

  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank 
Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA), Co-Chair of the Congressional 
Military Family Caucus and Congressman Charles B. Rangel (NY) Chairman 
Emeritus of the House Ways and Means Committee for joining me in 
convening a very special Salute to Military Families and Children at 
the 40th Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black 
Caucus Foundation, held in Washington, DC on September 17, 2010. The 
22nd Veterans Braintrust National Forum entitled: ``Supporting Our 
Troops, Preserving Their Families,'' focused on the challenges and, 
equally important, the strategies for sustaining and strengthening 
returning troops, their spouses, family members and children. Of 
particular importance was listening to and learning from the many 
homefront efforts of the public and private sectors, federal agencies, 
and distinguished scholars and professionals who are actively 
addressing the needs of returning soldiers, their families, and 
especially children who struggle emotionally to cope with multiple 
deployments, financial hardships, injuries, trauma and unimaginable 
caregiving responsibilities for honorably, and medically discharged 
U.S. military members.
  In the tradition of the black church, the morning's invocation was 
delivered by Chaplain Michael McCoy, Sr., Associate Director and 
Manager of Diversity Development for the Veterans National Chaplain 
Center (NCC). Inspirational music was provided by the internationally 
renowned Brenda Jackson singing our national anthem and the Negro 
anthem ``Lift Every Voice,'' and Jacksonville's Tori Robinson, who 
performed a stirring rendition of the ``Battle Hymn of the Republic,'' 
before a crowd of more than 200 people.
  Rep. Rangel served as moderator for the forum proceedings and opened 
saying, ``America has to do more to assist these brave men and women 
who put their lives on the line for us all.'' Reflecting upon his 
remarks along with both national statistics and congressional research 
examining the percentage of American families touched by the war in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, and those currently serving in the U.S. military, 
or Armed Forces who make up only one percent of the country's total 
population, we agree that 3.3 million military households representing 
only one percent of American families have become a virtual military 
underclass (or other) who are unfairly carrying the burden of war. 
Thus, we recognize most American's don't have any first-hand knowledge 
of the current military, but particularly the experiences of military 
families and children. For example, in 2008 demographically nearly half 
of the active duty forces (43.2%) have children; over half of the 
active duty force (60.4%) are married and has a child, and a 
significant number are single (5.3%) and dual military couples (2.9%) 
with children (DMDC). Yet, for us, single parents representing 63.2 
percent of all black families or more than twice the percentage for 
white families, and 75 percent higher than that for Hispanics (Joint 
Center, 2000) are obviously of major concern even though they are 
officially recognized as military heads of households and provided the 
same financial and service benefits as married soldiers. However, 
according to Drs. Robert Scheider and James Martin, authors of 
``Military Families and Combat Readiness'', within the military's very 
traditional culture they are sometimes not well tolerated, usually 
ignored by formal spouse organizations, and not generally included in 
formal family activities such as support groups. Furthermore, we are 
unclear about how youth, family, low income, race, gender, disability 
and place (or geographical locations) converge as risk factors, or 
inhibit successfully coping with problems. Given, that these families 
often lack the immediate availability of extended family support during 
some of the most difficult and challenging phases of both marital and 
military life.
  Our guest speakers were: Dr. David Satcher, 16th Surgeon General of 
the United States and Director of the Satcher Health Leadership 
Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., 
Founder and President of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC), Rev. Al 
Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), 
General Counsel Will Gunn of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Robert 
Gordon, Ill, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military Community 
and Family Policy, Edward Jennings, Jr., Regional Administrator of the 
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Tom Brasuell, 
Vice President of Community Affairs, Major League Baseball (MLB), Carol 
Ramsey, Vice President of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), 
Dr. Ernestine Briggs-King, Ph.D., Director of the Trauma Treatment 
Program at the Center for Child and Family Health (CCFH) in Durham, NC, 
and Director of Data and Evaluation Program at the National Center for 
Child Traumatic Stress at Duke University, Lyn Chwatsky, Assistant Vice 
President of Outreach Initiatives and Partners at Sesame Workshop, 
Aseneth Blackwell, Former President of Gold Star Wives of America and 
Ronald Steptoe, President and CEO of the Steptoe Group, LLC and a 
service disabled veteran.
  Much of the focus of the presentations centered around overviews of 
veterans' experiences and VA programs available to families and 
veterans; changes to the new PTSD rules that have expanded eligibility 
for benefits; DOD programs and problems; Major League Baseball (MLB) 
initiatives focusing on PTSD and how the business community helps; 
clinical issues working with military families on mental health; Sesame 
Street activities and programs aimed at helping children of veterans 
cope with deployment and returning home; programs for widows, as well 
as programs to help hospitalized veterans and their families; and care 
giving programs. The presentations culminated with Dr. David Satcher, 
MD, Ph.D. recommending (1) invest in deployment preparation, including 
family basic training; (2) better support, especially mental health 
support; (3) more support for family, spouse and significant others; 
(4) improving intimate relationships involving returning disabled 
soldiers; and (5) greater acknowledgement for the role of caregivers, 
because the majority of military health care providers are family 
members, and, lastly, support research.
  Although some may argue that there was no good news coming from 
Washington, DC before the mid-term elections, President Obama gets high 
marks for ending our combat mission in Iraq on August 17, 2010, 
welcoming back nearly 100,000 troops, and actually putting the money 
into the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) budget to make sure

[[Page 17670]]

we're taking care of our veterans. Equally important, he signed 
legislation into law recognizing the role of family members in caring 
for wounded veterans, and within financial reform mandated the creation 
of a separate federal office just to provide special financial 
education and assistance to members of the military and their families. 
Therefore, we look forward to his next milestone coming at the end of 
2011, when even more American troops will return home.
  We also must congratulate Hon. Sanford Bishop, Jr., Co-Chair, 
Congressional Military Family Caucus, for his consensus building with 
members on both sides of the aisle for military and veteran 
constituents and inspiring the establishment of the Senate Military 
Families Caucus. In addition, Senator Barbara Boxer (CA) is working on 
dual military career legislation regarding deployment. Similarly, the 
American Psychological Association's (APA) military family component 
policy focus and collaboration with Sesame Workshop and others because, 
as VA General Counsel Will Gunn said, ``we all have a role to play,'' 
in helping to build bridges and partnerships with public and private 
providers.
  Later that evening the Veterans Braintrust gala reception and awards 
ceremony featured special musical entertainment by Collaboration, and 
was sponsored by the generosity of the African American Civil War 
Museum, Cracker Barrel Foundation and Rick Blankenship. 2010 Braintrust 
awardees included Dr. Ronald Beavers, Ph.D., Major Alcestee Drisdale, 
USAF, Ret., Thomas Freeney, Actor Louis Gossett, Jr., late Judge Edward 
Gourdin (Posthumous), Dr. Thomas Horvath, MD, Dr. Alton Kirk, Ph.D., 
Fred Kuwornu, Frank Martin, Sgt. Maj. Turner McGarity, USA, Ret., Sam 
Mosley, Col. Krewasky Salter, USA, Ret., Ph.D., Col. Eugene Scott, USA, 
Ret., Trooper David Smith, Roosevelt ``Malik'' Thompson, Sgt. John 
Vasser, Sr., Secretary of State Jesse White, Lt. Col. Clarence Willie, 
USMC, Ret., Ed.D., Reggie Worlds, Center for the Study of the Korean 
War at Graceland University, Featherfist, Rebuilding Together Veterans 
Housing Program, and America's Buffalo Soldiers Re-Enactors Association 
(ABSRA), along with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority recognizing me for my work 
as a soro.
  Lastly, I would like to give a special thanks to Frank Martin, Col. 
Krewasky Salter, USA, Ret., Ph.D., Dr. Regina Akers, Tom Nastick, 
Anthony Hawkins, Dr. William Lawson, MD, Ph.D., Guileline Kraft, Ph.D., 
LGSW, Jason Young, BGen (Ret.) Robert Cocroft, Dr. Diane Elmore, Ph.D., 
and Edna Wells Handy; as well as Congressional staff members: Starcie 
McAferty, Eyang Nyambi, Jonathan Halpern, Maj. Alfred Boone, USA, Lee 
Footer, Roshan Hodge, Michael Ashley, Michael Collins, Nancy Berson, 
Hannah Kim, Sunny Lee, Frederic Maurin, Emile Milne, Wendy Featherson, 
Reba Rafaelli and Kristen Rice-Jones for once again contributing to a 
highly successful three day series of film, discussion, education, 
thinking and strategizing on behalf of returning Iraq and Afghanistan 
soldiers and their families through valuable content, extraordinary 
information, and great attendance.
  We all know that family life affects an Armed Forces member's 
performance, well-being, and retention in the military during 
peacetime, but particularly war. Thus, ensuring the family unit as a 
basic, or building block for community can easily be considered a 
national security issue given the alternatives: divorce, separation, 
domestic violence, arrest, incarceration, children problems, community 
instability, etc . . . Regardless of the nature, structure or type of 
military family relationships (e.g. nuclear, traditional two parents, 
single parent, dual career, extended, or augmented) they are still the 
bedrock of the American community, and a great resource for support, 
renewal and recovery.

                          ____________________