[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 3, 2024)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 22883-22884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07179]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 89 , No. 65 / Wednesday, April 3, 2024 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 22883]]


                Proclamation 10716 of March 29, 2024

                
Month of the Military Child, 2024

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                This April, we celebrate children of our service 
                members and veterans whose sacrifice and support allow 
                their parents to serve our Nation and protect children 
                everywhere.

                Over the years, the First Lady and I have had the honor 
                of meeting with military and veteran children from 
                every corner of our Nation and witnessing their 
                incredible sense of duty firsthand. These young 
                patriots often pack up their lives every few years, 
                starting new schools and making new friends. From 
                watching our own grandchildren, we also know that 
                military children embody courage and selflessness, 
                remaining brave when their moms or dads are deployed 
                and remaining resilient when celebrating birthdays and 
                holidays with an empty seat at the dinner table. 
                Military and veteran children also take care of loved 
                ones who are wounded, ill, or injured--and far too many 
                grow up with the unbearable pain of losing a parent. It 
                is a solemn reminder that being a military child means 
                sacrificing for our country without ever wearing a 
                uniform.

                Our Nation has many obligations, but we have only one 
                truly sacred obligation: to prepare and equip those we 
                send into harm's way and to care for them and their 
                families--especially our military children--while 
                deployed and when they return home. That is why I 
                signed an Executive Order last year that establishes 
                the most comprehensive set of administrative actions in 
                our Nation's history to support the economic security 
                of military and veteran spouses, caregivers, and 
                survivors--including improving access to quality, 
                dependable, and affordable child care. My 
                Administration expanded the Military Parental Leave 
                Program, ensuring that service members have the time 
                they need with their families after a child's birth, 
                adoption, or long-term foster care placement. We are 
                working to guarantee universal pre-kindergarten for 
                military children at Department of Defense schools. We 
                have begun that work by launching a pilot program at a 
                school in Japan. The First Lady's Joining Forces 
                initiative is providing support to military children by 
                improving economic opportunity for military families, 
                making school transitions easier, and expanding 
                resources to promote their families' health and well-
                being.

                Military children embody the very best of America--
                shouldering the unique challenges military life places 
                on families across our Nation and around the world with 
                tenacity. This month--and every month--we honor their 
                bravery and show our gratitude to the children of our 
                military service members and veterans for their own 
                service to our Nation.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of 
                the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2024 as the 
                Month of the Military Child. I call upon the people of 
                the United States to honor the children of our service 
                members and veterans with appropriate ceremonies and 
                activities. I also encourage Americans everywhere to 
                find ways to support military-connected children, 
                including by wearing purple during the month of April 
                in honor of their service.

[[Page 22884]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                eighth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2024-07179
Filed 4-2-24; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P