November Editorial: Honoring Military Families

With such close proximity to the Travis Air Force Base, Armijo is home to many children who come from military families. This November marks the 26th annual Military Family Month, a time of year to appreciate the contributions of military families and convey respect for the sacrifices they make to support our nation. The celebration began in 1993 with the Armed Services YMCA and has been endorsed every President and administration since.

In his 2016 proclamation, former President Barack Obama stated, “During Military Family Month, we salute the families of those who proudly are a part of our nation’s unbroken chain of patriots for their unwavering devotion, and we renew our sacred vow to uphold our promise to our troops, our veterans, and their families.”

Honoring the everyday sacrifices made by the hundreds of thousands of military personnel deployed overseas and domestically has never been more critical. This time of year is a moment to support and honor the family members of service members who give selflessly for the protection of our freedoms.

Military families often endure the hardships of relocations, separations, and continued conflicts. As service members fight to preserve American values and defend our country, often through multiple deployments, their spouses and children keep the household running. Military families are often forced to relocate to an unfamiliar part of the country or even across the world, leaving their homes and jobs behind.

As we approach the season of gratitude, I hope this edition of the Armijo Signal motivates you to consider ways that you can honor and thank the military families in our community. Though they may not don uniforms, our classmates and neighbors make significant contributions to support our nation.