This action alert was sent to VT by Military Families Speak Out (MFSO).

Dear VT Readers,

On 12 April, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden kicked off a new initiative called “Joining Forces,” which encourages every department of the government as well as companies, schools, philanthropic organizations, religious groups and local communities to recognize the burden placed on military families by the ongoing military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The burdens affecting military families, Veterans, and service members are the results of government policies and practices, and need to be addressed by those responsible, rather than placing the burden on schools, non-profits, churches and local communities who are struggling themselves with funding cuts and affects of the ongoing recession.

Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden need to use their influence to change the policies that are hurting us.

Now is a critical time for the public, the media, and the White House to hear from military families about the real support we need!

Communicate with the public:

MFSO has launched a new website called “We Are Military Families” where military families can post their stories and talk about the real support we need. If you would like to contribute a blog or a video to the website, please email samantha@mfso.org

Communicate with the media:

Write a Letter to the Editor using this easy form and sample letter, click here to get started. We’ve provided a sample letter and additional talking points.

Communicate with the White House:

Click here to write a letter to Mrs. Obama about real ways to support military families.

Click here to sign our petition to President Obama.

Please forward this email to other military families you know so we can include their voices as well!

On Behalf of MFSO,

Jack Amoureux, Rosanna Cambron, Debbie Carruth, Rosalie Donatelli, Sarah Fuhro, Adele Kubein, Jeff Merrick, Diane Santoriello, Larry Syverson, Katy Zatsick — MFSO Board of Directors

Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson – MFSO Co-Founders

Oskar Castro, Samantha Miller, Nikki Morse and Zaskya Perez — MFSO Staff

MILITARY FAMILIES SPEAK OUT

www.mfso.org | 617-983-0710

P.O. Box 300549, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Robert L. Hanafin

Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.

My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.

Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.

I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.

I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.