Good morning. And on behalf of the President and First Lady, the Vice President and myself, I want to welcome you and thank you for joining us here...

I’m proud to stand here this morning as a military mom. My son is a captain in the Delaware Army National Guard and he recently spent a year in Iraq,...

People like Jessica Sanders who I met at a deployment ceremony for members of the Delaware Army National Guard’s 126th Aviation Regiment. Jessica’s...

Each of you here today brings your own story of service, strength and sacrifice -- just like the many other military families we have been fortunate...

Michelle and I have talked a lot about the ways that all Americans can support our troops and thank those men and women for their service. Today, we...

As a teacher, I am particularly pleased that the Department of Education is supporting the military children in public schools throughout the country....

Today is an important next step in this administration’s commitment to support our servicemen, their families and our members.

And now it is my pleasure to introduce my partner, my dear friend, and our First Lady, Michelle Obama. (Applause.)

I also want to recognize all the members of the Cabinet, the elected officials, and all of the military family advocates that we have here with us today.

But most of all, I want to take a moment to thank those among us today and everyone outside of this room who wears our country’s uniform, and the...

Stories like the woman who had just gotten her nursing degree and quit her new job only after two months, so that she could take care of her Navy SEAL...

Stories like these -- and stories like those of so many in this room -- are a reminder of what words like “service,” “strength,” and “sacrifice”...

Again, I know Jill feels the same way, and we’ve learned so much as we’ve tackled these issues together. We visited with servicemen and women,...

And the more we’ve listened, the more stories we’ve heard, the more we’ve recognized that there is no one, single definition of a military family;...

You’re starting your career, or looking to succeed in the one you already have. You’re trying to save for college for your kids and retirement...

And that’s why today means so much to us. That’s why we’re so excited. Because back in May, I announced that my husband had directed his Cabinet...

But the list of commitments goes on and on, addressing everything from homelessness to mental health to employment opportunities for young adults. ...

So today isn’t the end of this process, not by a long shot. Don’t think for one minute that Jill and I will not keep pushing and advocating and...

And that is why I am so proud to introduce this man –- because he hears your stories not only as President and Commander-in-Chief, but also as a loving...

Thank you, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Everyone, please have a seat. Thank you so much.

So, Michelle and Jill, on behalf of all of us, thank you for being such extraordinary champions for our military families and making sure that their...

Now, last month I was in Afghanistan to visit our troops and to thank them for their service, especially during the holidays. And I think as some of...

So I asked them. I said, “What do you need from me? What can I do to support you better?” And without missing a beat, they looked me in the eye...

This isn’t just a military or -- this is not just a moral obligation. This is a matter of national security. With millions of military spouses,...

We see it in the resilience of so many military kids -— boys and girls who, like all the other kids, are just trying to grow up, trying to find their...

As Commander-in-Chief, I am determined to do everything in my power to make sure that we are fulfilling that request from our troops, that we are taking...

And today, I’m proud to announce that for the first time ever, supporting the well-being of our military families will be a priority not just for...

So let me just list our primary areas of focus. First, we are putting new emphasis on the quality of life for our military families. The Departments...

The Interior Department -- we use our national parks to help our wounded warriors recover. And we are going to remain relentless -- not just at VA,...

The Interior Department, which is already one of the largest federal employers of young people, will create more opportunities, like summer jobs, for...

And finally, we’re going to keep increasing childcare for our military moms and dads with young children. This is not just a job for the Department...

Michelle and Jill said they’re going to keep pushing —- and I promise you they are not kidding. (Laughter.) And as President, I’m going to make...

So to help launch this effort, Michelle will be on “Oprah” this week to urge --

-- to urge every American to join a new national campaign to support our military families. That's a pretty good plug.

I want every service member who’s deployed to know that when you’re over there taking care of the country that you love, your country is back here...

And I want every single American to remember that as the beneficiaries of their service, each of us has an obligation —- a sacred duty —- to care...

Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. (Applause.)