An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | May 5, 2011

May 6 is Military Spouse Appreciation Day

By Courtesy of Army IMCOM

SAN ANTONIO - Friday is being set aside to recognize the wives and husbands of more than one million active-duty service members, Guard members and Reservists.

May 6, 2011, is Military Spouse Appreciation Day, which the Department of Defense will mark with ceremonies and celebrations on installations worldwide.

President Barack Obama noted that spouses are part "of the force behind the force" during his remarks last month to announce a national initiative tagged "Joining Forces," which is aimed at increasing the support of U.S. military families.

"They, too, are the reason we've got the finest military in the world," he said.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day has been observed since 1984, with a standardized date later declared to be the Friday before Mother's Day.

This year, the Army reaffirms its steadfast commitment to supporting the hundreds of thousands of wives and husbands of Soldiers stationed overseas and stateside-and those deployed to combat zones.

Additionally, the Army community is recognizing surviving spouses, whose loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice.

"For any leader, the loss of a Soldier is hard," said Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of Installation Management Command. "But the loss that survivors experience is magnitudes deeper and wider."

"To honor the fallen Soldier's service and sacrifice for our nation," Lynch added, "we can do one last thing: Offer support for the loved ones the Soldier left behind."

It is this type of tribute to spouses that is part of Joining Forces, which was launched April 12, 2011, by First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden.

Their efforts, based on conversations with military families, will focus on three key areas: employment, education and wellness.

In the area of employment, the first lady said she and Biden will be champions for military spouses as they pursue jobs and advance careers, and in education, they'll help spouses continue their education and obtain degrees.

On wellness, "we're going to remind our nation that just as our troops deserve the best support when dealing with the stresses of war and long deployments, so do military spouses," the first lady said.

They'll also join forces with private industry. Some companies will inform military spouses working at their stores that they'll have a job when they move to a new duty location.

The Chamber of Commerce also is stepping up, Obama said, by encouraging members to hire military spouses and veterans and to find mentors for military wives. The Chamber has agreed to host more than 100 job fairs across the country.

Technology companies, she said, will help connect military spouses and veterans with companies that are hiring and train them in new technologies so they can start their own businesses.

(Additional informational provided by American Forces Press Service)

 

 

Related Articles
LTC Michael Antonas of the Ohio Army National Guard presented a challenge coin Feb. 26 to four Hacking for Defense students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for their work on a project to help recruiting efforts.
Ohio Army National Guard Hacking a Recruiting Challenge
By Chierren Denman, | May 23, 2025
PITTSBURGH – The Ohio Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion partnered with four Hacking for Defense students at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to increase Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)...

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 166th Regiment - Regional Training Institute completed a Combat Lifesaver course at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Dec. 16-20, 2024.
Pennsylvania Guard Medical Training Sites Consolidate, Aligning Training Efforts
By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith, | May 23, 2025
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. — In a significant step toward streamlining Army medical training operations and enhancing readiness, the Medical Simulation Training Center (MSTC) here has consolidated under the 166th Regiment –...

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, joins reserve component senior leaders to appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense during a presidential review of the National Guard and reserve forces fiscal year 2026 budget in Washington, May 22, 2025.
Nordhaus to Senate: ‘National Guard Delivers Incredible Value to America’
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely, | May 23, 2025
WASHINGTON —Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense Thursday, the National Guard Bureau’s senior leader emphasized the Guard’s value to America.Air Force Gen. Steven Nordhaus, the 30th...