Bishop Hears Issues, Concerns of Military Families at Town Hall Meeting
Albany, GA – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-2), the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies, today held a town hall meeting with service members and their families at the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) in Albany, GA. At the town hall meeting, Service members and their families voiced their concerns with spousal employment, education, and health care issues, and gave Rep. Bishop ideas on how Congress can ease the stress of wartime service on military families.
“Hearing directly from service members and their family members about the issues and concerns they have was compelling and very informative,” said Congressman Bishop. “I am very grateful to those who shared their candid assessment of the areas where we can improve the services and programs we provide, and I plan to share the details of what I heard from the Marines on the base with my colleagues in Washington.”
More than 200 Marines and family members attended the town hall meeting which took place at the MCLB Theater. The base provides facilities infrastructure and a range of tailored support services for the Marine Corps as well as logistical support to combat operations across the globe. The base is one of seven commands under Marine Corps Installations East, headquartered in Camp Lejune, North Carolina.
The Marines and their families, who either live on the base or in the Greater Albany area, detailed the challenges they face finding jobs, obtaining housing, and making sure their children receive a quality education, while rotating to different bases across the country. Several attendees also offered suggestions about streamlining benefits processing and steps the government can take to better support military families.
“Our troops and their families make great sacrifices to protect the freedoms we cherish,” said Congressman Bishop. “They deserve the best support and resources to give them some peace of mind here at home, and hearing from them today will allow me to be a more effective advocate for their needs in Washington.”
###