Military Spouse Appreciation Day, 2013

Vol. 78

Tuesday,

No. 93

May 14, 2013

Part V

The President

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Proclamation 8976--Military Spouse Appreciation Day, 2013

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 8976 of May 9, 2013

Military Spouse Appreciation Day, 2013

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As long as there have been courageous men and women
willing to protect our Union and our ideals, there have
been extraordinary spouses at their side--patriots in
their own right who serve and sacrifice in ways many
cannot fathom. They are moms and dads who take up the
work of two during deployments, shuffling their careers
and packing up their lives whenever our Nation calls.
They are dedicated employees at our businesses,
committed volunteers in our communities, and essential
caretakers for our wounded warriors. America's military
spouses are at the core of our Armed Forces, and on
Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we celebrate their
contributions to keeping our country safe.

Just as we are bound by a sacred obligation to care for
our men and women in uniform, we are equally
responsible for making sure their loved ones get the
support they deserve. My Administration has taken steps
to uphold that special trust, from investing in
childcare and education for military families to
providing mortgage assistance for military homeowners.
Through First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden's
Joining Forces initiative, we have partnered with the
private sector to expand hiring for military spouses
and veterans.

We have also called on States to streamline
credentialing and licensing procedures that hinder too
many military spouses when they move from duty station
to duty station. Military spouses with professional
experience should not have to wait for work, and our
businesses should not have to go without their skills.
By simplifying the certification process, we can help
ensure the financial stability of our military
families, strengthen our Armed Forces, and spur growth
throughout our economy. To learn more and get involved,
visit www.JoiningForces.gov.

In the past few years, we have seen every part of our
society come together and make a real commitment to
supporting our military families--not just with words,
but with deeds. Yet, we must do more to honor the
profound debt of gratitude we owe our military spouses.
Their strength and resolve reflects the best of the
American spirit, and on this occasion, let us pledge
once more to serve them as well as they serve us.

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 May 10, 2013, as
Military Spouse Appreciation Day. I call upon the
people of the United States to honor military spouses
with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand
thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States
of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.