From the NFRW Armed Services Committee

By Becky Bechtal (IN)

Former Indiana Congresswoman Susan Brooks once said, “When one of our military serves, the family serves.” Truer words were never spoken.  

The role of a military spouse deserves recognition and heartfelt appreciation. When their husband or wife is deployed, the spouse is left stateside to keep things steady on the home front. If the couple has a family, the spouse becomes a single parent, taking on the day-to-day duties of raising their children. Monica Kozlowski (pictured), who is elected as a Member-At-Large to the NFRW Executive Committee, served as one of these military spouses while raising three young children. Many others in NFRW have done or are doing the same.

The Friday before Mother’s Day (this year, May 12) was first recognized as Military Spouse Appreciation Day by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.  On this day, the sitting president typically issues a proclamation in recognition of the holiday.  

This year, the Department of Defense will celebrate Military Spouse Appreciation throughout the Month of May by hosting a series of virtual events designed to help military spouses meet career and personal goals. The nation’s nearly 1 million military spouses face unique challenges associated with military life, from frequent moves to long separations while their spouse is on deployment.

As NFRW members, we can do many things to help these spouses. Sending notes of appreciation, helping to watch children so they can run an errand, or inviting them for coffee and conversation are all ways to support the spouses of those who serve. As our local clubs continue to do service projects for those deployed, spouses of our military also need to be remembered, not just in the month of May, but year round.