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First Lady Michelle Obama announces measures to increase support for caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members at the Labor Department in Washington, D.C., Jan. 30, 2012. These proposed rules would, in part, enable more military family members to take the time they need to care for their loved ones without fear of career repercussions. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez

First Lady Michelle Obama today announced a series of measures intended to increase the nation’s support for caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members.

Joined by Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis and senior military leaders, Obama announced the Labor Department’s proposal to expand military family leave protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

These proposed rules will, in part, enable more military family members to take the time they need to care for their loved ones without fear of career repercussions, the first lady said.

The Labor Department’s proposed expansions of the Family and Medical Leave Act will help more caregivers of troops and veterans tend to their wounded loved ones, Solis explained. FMLA, enacted in 1993, enables eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.

The proposal will, in part:

• Extend the 26-week unpaid leave entitlement to family members caring for recent veterans with a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty, including conditions that may arise up to five years after leaving the military;
• Allow family members to take time off from work before, during or after a spouse, child or parent’s deployment to tend to service-related matters, such as military briefings or making financial and legal arrangements; and
• Increase the amount of time an employee may take to spend with a loved one who is on rest or recuperation leave from five days to up to 15 days.

The Labor Department’s proposal is just a few of many steps the Obama administration is taking to support caregivers, the first lady noted, citing legislation the president signed to help caregivers receive stipends, training, counseling and other assistance. The Defense and Labor departments also have strengthened their caregiver support, she said, working together to support caregivers whose loved ones are dealing with TBIs and post-traumatic stress.

Additionally, she added, the VA has helped caregivers receive health insurance and helps connect them with support coordinators who can direct them to resources.

But the government can’t do it alone, Mrs. Obama said, citing examples of how other individuals and organizations are stepping up to help.

Building on successful pilot programs at Fort Belvoir, Va., and Fort Carson, Colo., the USO, Hire Heroes USA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce plan to host 14 career opportunity days focused on the employment of wounded, ill and injured warriors, their spouses and caregivers.

The Chamber of Commerce’s new Military Spouse Business Alliance has committed to hosting a career forum and hiring fair exclusively for wounded warriors, their spouses and caregivers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., in May.

Finally, Operation Homefront and the Semper Fi Fund, both nonprofit organizations, have added volunteer opportunities that support caregivers and their families to the Joining Forces website.

Read the full release from the Department of Defense.

African American Diversity Concerts – free, live performances by the U.S. Navy Band held at the United States Navy Memorial in honor of Black History Month. The first performance, on Friday, February 17, will feature the Brass Quartet with guest soloist Musician 1st Class Cory Parker in a concert that tells the story of the integration of African-Americans in the U.S. Navy. The second performance, on Monday, February 27, will feature the U.S. Navy Band’s premier jazz ensemble, the Commodores, and include a narrative lecture component by MUCS Michael Bayes.

African Americans have had a major presence in the U.S. Navy since the 19th Century. Their role grew tremendously during the Civil War when many newly freed slaves joined forces with U.S. sailors in working towards a common goal.

The concerts are part of a series that celebrates different ethnicities in the Navy. Upcoming performances will pay homage to women and Asian-Pacific Islanders.

• Friday, February 17, 2012 at 12:00pm
  Monday, February 27, 2012 at 12:00pm
• United States Navy Memorial
  Burke Theater
  701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
  Washington, D.C. 20004
  www.navymemorial.org
  Metro: National Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter (Green and Yellow lines)
• COST: Free and open to the public. No RSVP required, but seating is limited.

For more information about the U.S. Navy Band, please call 202-433-3366 or visit www.navyband.navy.mil.

In honor of the dedicated service of U.S. troops, The Washington Auto Show® will present a special military tribute on Tues, Jan. 31.

The Washington Auto Show, produced by the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association (WANADA), will offer free admission for all active-duty military and veterans on Tues., Jan. 31. The program centers on a 6:15 p.m. press conference to announce vehicle discounts and career opportunities being made available by automakers to military personnel and speeches by celebrity guests star J.R. Martinez, winner of “Dancing with the Stars” and others.

• J.R. Martinez, the latest winner of “Dancing with the Stars.” Martinez, a former U.S. Army infantryman who was wounded in Iraq, has visited the troops overseas on a consistent basis.
• Former U. S. Marine and WWE® Legend Sgt. Slaughter™;
• Performance by the world-class Downrange pop ensemble from the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”

Event details:
6:15 p.m.: Press conference featuring celebrity guests.
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.: Special reception for military personnel and their families, with treats provided by Georgetown Cupcakes.
At the Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Automakers will provide information about the specific opportunities they are making available to military at their show booths.

The 2012 Washington Auto Show opens to the public from Jan. 28-Feb.5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and is advanced by two Public Policy Preview Days.

This 70th edition of The Washington Auto Show offers a showcase of more than 700 vehicles from over 42 domestic and import manufacturers and a special 65,000-square foot exhibit, “The Advanced Technology SuperHighway,” of the latest innovations in safety and sustainability.

For more information about the show and details about the “Welcome Home Troops!” tribute, please visit: www.washingtonautoshow.com.

With George Lucas’ Red Tails soaring at the box office, The National WWII Museum announces its acquisition and restoration of a P-51 Mustang, the aircraft depicted in Hollywood’s drama about the courageous fighter pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American aviators in the United States military. They comprised the United States Army Air Forces 99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group and were trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama.

The Museum’s P-51 D, an aircraft replete with authentic “Red Tail” markings, will hang in the new US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center.

The 96 ft. tall structure, built to house the institution’s spectacular collection of macro artifacts, opens on the Museum’s New Orleans campus November 11, Veterans Day, this year.

“The P-51 with ‘Red Tail’ markings should be a symbol of pride for all Americans,” said Wendell Pierce, actor and spokesperson for the Museum’s initiative to restore the plane. “But it is of special importance to black Americans as it embodies the patriotism of these pilots, who did, indeed, prove that courage has no color. I am proud to help in the Museum’s efforts to honor all African-Americans who fought for their country during WWII.”

Pierce’s father, Amos Pierce, was drafted into the US Army in 1943 and was assigned to the famous 24th Infantry Division – the African American “Buffalo Soldiers” attached to the US Marines that took Saipan from the Japanese in 1944.

With Black History Month approaching, the Museum is making a special effort to remind Americans of African-Americans’ contributions in WWII with a series of programs. These include an opportunity for children to build their own P-51 model plane as well as a lunchtime lecture about African-American veterans and their struggle for civil rights. Other highlights include:

• A display depicting the exploits of the Tuskegee Airmen as well as those of drivers for the “Red Ball Express,” which at its peak delivered over 12,000 tons of vital supplies per day to Allied forces rapidly advancing across France. The display opens January 20 and will be exhibited throughout the month of February.
• A free Electronic Field Trip for grades 7-12 called Fighting for a Double Victory: African Americans in WWII. Students will meet Pearl Harbor hero Dorie Miller, the Montford Point Marines, and the Tuskegee Airmen, learning of the struggle for racial equality in war factories and in the barracks and tracing the historic path from segregation to integration in the military and beyond.

For more information on the Museum’s Black History Month programming as well as lesson plans for educators visit www.nationalww2museum.org.

Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) announced today that 23 Representatives, 13 Democrats and 10 Republicans, will participate in her bipartisan initiative to invite a veteran of the Iraq War to President Obama’s State of the Union Address tomorrow evening. Veterans will sit in the House gallery for the annual address. This initiative is in collaboration with the National Guard and Reserve Caucus and Reps. Jeff Miller (FL-01), Tim Walz (MN-01) and Spencer Bachus (AL-06).

“I believe we as a nation need to recognize the men and women who bravely fought to protect our way of life. We need to remember that many of our veterans return to civilian life with post traumatic stress or physical injuries, and many have difficulty finding a job and permanent housing once they return from active duty. Inviting our vets to the State of the Union is one way to shine a light on their sacrifice and their needs, but we must stay committed to seeing that they have the resources and support available to aid them in assimilating back into our communities,” said Congresswoman Fudge.

Congresswoman Fudge invited Marine Sergeant Joseph Collins, an Iraq War veteran and resident of Cleveland, who is currently unemployed.

23 total participating members:

• Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, Democrat from Ohio
• Congressman Spencer Bachus, Republican from Alabama
• Congressman Jeff Miller, Republican from Florida
• Congressman Tim Walz, Democrat from Minnesota
• Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, Democrat from Texas
• Congressman John Carney, Democrat from Delaware
• Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Democrat from Wisconsin
• Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Democrat from New York
• Congressman David McKinley, Republican from West Virginia
• Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, Republican from Maryland
• Congressman Bill Huizenga, Republican from Michigan
• Congresswoman Sandy Adams, Republican from Florida
• Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Democrat from Maryland
• Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, Republican from Missouri
• Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Democrat from Nevada
• Congresswoman Diane Black, Republican from Tennessee
• Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, Republican from Pennsylvania
• Congressman Tim Bishop, Democrat from New York
• Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democrat from Florida
• Congressman Ben R. Lujan, Democrat from New Mexico
• Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, Democrat from California
• Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Democrat from Ohio
• Congressman Steve Stivers, Republican from Ohio

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey is among confirmed speakers at the Sea Service Leadership Association (SSLA)’s 25th Silver Anniversary Annual Women’s Leadership Symposium taking place March 5-6, 2012 at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. The annual conference is the largest gathering of women in uniform nationwide with some 1,300 participants last year.

Other confirmed speakers include Michèle Flournoy, under secretary of defense for Policy; Jackie Joyner-Kersee, retired American athlete and Olympic medalist; and Representative Susan Davis, co-chair on military issues for the Congressional Women’s Caucus.

Themed “United in Service: Our Global Impact,” this year’s symposium will spotlight the global impact of women military leaders and offer women from the service branches the opportunity to focus on professional growth and leadership development. Women from all five service branches are encouraged to attend and can visit www.sealeader.org for registration and additional conference information.

Day one of the conference will address issues relevant to all military women and feature remarks from Michèle Flournory, Jackie Joyner- Kersee, Representative Susan Davis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. Panel discussions, professional development workshops and networking opportunities will also be part of day one.

The second day’s schedule will include high ranking senior officer speakers and programs unique to each service branch, addressing varied issues of interest to women service members. For example, with an agenda titled “A Global Force for Good,” the Navy will include a workshop on “Finding Balance in your Navy Career.” The Air Force will offer a workshop on “Feminine Characteristics and their Effect on Leadership: Strategies to increase Effectiveness,” while Coast Guard will include an agenda on “Mentoring Across Gender Lines” and “Career Planning and Marriage.” The Army’s agenda will focus on how to be “Army Strong” and will discuss the impact of “Women in the Enlisted Force.” The Marines’ agenda will include discussions with senior enlisted and senior officer panels on issues affecting women in the Marine Corps.

AUTHOR ON DECK – 1812: THE NAVY’S WAR
BY GEORGE DAUGHAN
Thursday, March 1, 2012; 12 pm
FREE and open to the public!

As part of the United States Navy Memorial’s Authors on Deck book lecture series, historian and award-winning author George C. Daughan will present his latest work, 1812: The Navy’s War (Basic Books; October 4, 2011). Guests are invited to learn about the often-overlooked history of what has been called our Second War of Independence. Encompassing political, diplomatic, economic and military history, Daughan brings the battles to life, putting them into context with the larger war, and showing how America could not have won without its foundling Navy. Following the presentation, Daughan will be available for a Q&A session and book signing.

WHERE: United States Navy Memorial
Naval Heritage Center
701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
www.navymemorial.org

Two hundred years ago, the United States and Great Britain fought each other in a conflict that changed the shape of the world. Daughan offers a comprehensive and vivid account of that conflict, arguing that it is impossible to fully understand the war without an appreciation for how a ragtag team of American commanders, seamen and privateers took on and defeated the most powerful navy in the world. According to Daughan, “The U.S. Navy’s role in bringing about Britain’s newfound respect for the United States was critical.”

Want to nominate your employer? You still have time:

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Defense Department agency, is calling on Guard and Reserve members to nominate their supportive employers for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award before the January 16 deadline. The Freedom Award is the Defense Department’s highest recognition for civilian employers supporting Guard and Reserve members. All employers – large, small and public – are eligible to receive the honor. Guard and Reserve members, or a family member acting on their behalf, may nominate their employers at www.FreedomAward.mil.

“Even as our nation scales down our combat missions abroad, Guard and Reserve members and their employers remain a critical component in our national security equation,” said James Rebholz, ESGR National Chair. “Just as our country has heavily relied on the more than one million men and women of the Guard and Reserve, these service members have counted on their employers for support and encouragement. I encourage all Guardsmen and Reservists to nominate their supportive employers today, so our Nation may acknowledge their extraordinary efforts.”

This year, ESGR’s Freedom Award website provides additional guidance to make it easier and faster for Guardsmen and Reservists to submit information about their supportive employers. Suggestions include ways for a service member to best tell the story of their employer’s support. Service members who have previously nominated their employers for the Freedom Award are encouraged to do so again. The Department of Defense recognizes nominees, semi-finalists and finalists each year, and all employers who have not received the award in the past ten years are eligible. One Freedom Award recipient was recognized as a semi-finalist or finalist for three years prior to being honored as a recipient last year.

The 2012 recipients will be announced in early summer and honored in Washington, D.C. during a special ceremony in the fall. Past recipients have met with the President of the United States and Secretary of Defense.

Watch the trailer for Act of Valor. It will give you chills! And if you’re in the D.C. area, RSVP to attend one of the premieres (contact info is at the bottom of this post).

An unprecedented blend of real-life heroism and original film making, Act of Valor stars a group of active-duty Navy SEALs in a powerful story of contemporary global anti-terrorism. Inspired by true events, the film combines stunning combat sequences, up-to-the minute battlefield technology and heart-pumping emotion for the ultimate action adventure.

Act of Valor takes audiences deep into the secretive world of the most elite, highly trained group of warriors in the modern world. When the rescue of a kidnapped CIA operative leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the U.S., a team of SEALs is dispatched on a worldwide manhunt. As the valiant men of Bandito Platoon race to stop a coordinated attack that could kill and wound thousands of American civilians, they must balance their commitment to country, team and their families back home.

Upcoming movie premiere dates and locations (D.C. area):

• January 12 at 7:30pm, Regal Gallery Place, 707 7thSt. NW, Washington DC
• January 17 at 7:30pm, Regal Majestic 20, 900 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Springs MD
• January 19 at 7:30pm, Landmark E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW, Washington DC
• January 25 at 7:30pm, AMC Mazza Galerie, 5300 Wisconsin NW, Washington DC
• January 25 at 7:30pm, Regal Short Pump, 11650 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA
• February 2 at 7:30pm, Charles Theatre, 1711 N. Charles St., Baltimore MD
• February 6 at 7:30pm, AFI, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Springs MD
• February 6 at 7:30pm, AMC Columbia, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia MD
• February 16 at 7:30pm, Cinemark Egyptian, 7000 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover MD
• February 16 at 7:30pm, AMC Mazza Galerie, 5300 Wisconsin NW, Washington DC
• February 21 at 7:30pm, AMC White Marsh, 8141 Honeygo Blvd., Baltimore MD
• February 21 at 7:30pm, Regal Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington DC

RSVP to gary@springerassociatespr.com

Presidential Proclamation — National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

On a serene Sunday morning 70 years ago, the skies above Pearl Harbor were darkened by the bombs of Japanese forces in a surprise attack that tested the resilience of our Armed Forces and the will of our Nation. As explosions sounded and battleships burned, brave service members fought back fiercely with everything they could find. Unbeknownst to these selfless individuals, the sacrifices endured on that infamous day would galvanize America and come to symbolize the mettle of a generation…

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2011, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance and to honor our military, past and present, with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

Read the full Presidential Proclamation announcing National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2011.