[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 125, 112th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 8743 of November 1, 2011

Military Family Month, 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
With every step we take on American soil, we tread on ground made safer
for us through the invaluable sacrifices of our service members and
their families. During Military Family Month, we celebrate the
exceptional service, strength, and sacrifice of our military families,
whose commitment to our Nation goes above and beyond the call of duty.
Just as our troops embody the courage and character that make America's
military the finest in the world, their family members embody the
resilience and generosity that make our communities strong. They serve
with heroism in their homes and neighborhoods while they are without the
comfort of having loved ones nearby. Day after day, week after week,
spouses resolutely accomplish the work of two parents, sons and
daughters diligently keep up with homework and activities, and parents
and grandparents patiently wait for news of their child and grandchild's
safe return. To these families, and to those whose service members never
come home, we bear a debt that can never be fully repaid.
As Americans, we are at our best when we honor and uphold our
obligations to one another and to those who have given so much to our
country. Earlier this year, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden
challenged all Americans to serve those who sacrifice in our name with
the Joining Forces initiative. Joining Forces strives to enlist support
for our men and women in uniform and our veterans not only when they are
away at war, but at every stage of their lives. My Administration is
dedicated to doing more for our military families by enhancing learning
opportunities for our military children, championing our military
spouses as they advance their careers and education, and providing
better mental health counseling to heal the wounds left in war's wake.
Our service members swore an oath to protect and defend, and with each
step we take on this land we cherish, we remember our steadfast promise
to protect the well-being of the family members they hold dear. Every
act of kindness we can offer helps cultivate a culture of support for
our military families, and I encourage each American to make a
difference in the lives of these patriots.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2011 as
Military Family Month. I call on all Americans to honor military
families through private actions and public service for the tremendous
contributions they make in the support of our service members and our
Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
sixth.
BARACK OBAMA