MOAA at Mil Family Summit
On Thursday, Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Sanford Bishop (D-GA), co-chairs of the Congressional Military Family Caucus hosted a Military Family Summit.
The summit was designed to give military families a platform to discuss key issues and concerns with subject matter experts and members of congress and their staffs. Employment, health care, and retirement were among the key topics addressed.
This event brought together approximately 200 people including senior military leaders, nonprofit organizations, congressional officials and their staffs, wounded warriors and their spouses, military members and family members, and veterans.
Senior enlisted leadership opened the summit touching upon the military’s commitment to the “total force” which includes all our families-active duty, guard, and reserve.
MOAA’s President, Admiral Ryan was invited to represent the military community as a main panelist along with Robert Gordon (Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military and Community and Family Policy); Laura Dempsey (Chamber of Commerce Representative); LTG Jack C. Stultz (Chief, Army Reserve) and MG Randy Manner (National Guard Bureau).
After opening remarks the panelists addressed questions from the audience. The questions and stories shared with the panelists were filled with emotion.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) made a brief remarks stating, “We owe our men and women in uniform a future worthy of their sacrifice.” Pelosi also made the point that the issue of jobs will become more important as our troops return from home from deployment. “The unemployment rate is stunning, not just stunning it is challenging and we must act upon it,” Pelosi said.
Secretary Gordon touched upon The Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), launched in June with 96 companies posting 80,000 jobs. Almost 8000 military spouses have found employment since June.
Ms. Dempsey noted the military spouse unemployment rate is 26 %. To combat this issue, the Chamber of Commerce is holding 100 job fairs this year with 400 more planned next year. The Chamber is working to develop a “stand alone program” to provide additional employment supports to military spouses. They are also working with partner organizations, such as MOAA, to address the ongoing challenges faced by military spouses transferring credentials and licenses with every move
Admiral Ryan’s remarks focused on two key pillars of the all volunteer force that are most threatened: health care and retirement. He stressed that these are the critical incentives that entice our men and women in uniform, and their families, to endure the decades of extraordinary sacrifices inherent in a military career.
He said the Pentagon had not done enough to control health costs, and urged legislators to hold DoD leaders’ feet to the fire on this. He urged Congress to put pressure on DoD to “get with the 21st century on the delivery of healthcare before they ask the people to give more.”
Regarding retirement, Admiral Ryan said it would be “shameful” if military retirement changes could be decided by a “BRAC- like” commission instead of by “those we elect and appoint and ask to make well informed decisions for us.” “Military people are not inanimate objects like bases,” he said.
Following the main panel, four breakout sessions were lead by congressional members with the support of subject matter experts. The session included: children’s issues; active duty issues; veteran’s issues; and spouse issues.
A step in the right direction, the summit provided a forum for military members, their families and veterans an opportunity to voice their concerns to members of Congress. Some in the audience expressed the desire for more time and focus at these sessions. McMorris Rogers promised information gathered at the summit would be taken back and looked at for policy action. MOAA will continue working with the caucus to that end.
https://moaablogs.org/spouse/2011/12/moaa-at-mil-family-summit/