Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at Visit to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Dayton, Ohio

I’m grateful to the Air Force Materiel Command and the 88th Air Base Wing leadership teams for their warm welcome, and to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force for hosting us today. 

Coming here to Wright-Patterson is a privilege and an honor.  

As some of you may know, the Bidens are a military family. When he was seventeen, my father served as a signalman in World War II. And our son, Beau, served for a year in Iraq as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard.  

So, while I’m part of Navy and Army families, I’m proud to be here with you as part of the military family. 

To kick off Month of the Military Child, we just visited with some of the amazing military kids attending Beverly Gardens Elementary. And they reminded me so much of my grandkids, Natalie and Hunter, at that age.  

When our son Beau was deployed, I saw how much they missed their daddy. No matter how much we tried, we couldn’t fill his chair at birthdays or holidays, we couldn’t be the voice that they wanted to hear at bedtime.  

But I also saw how the kindness of our community made it a little easier. 

At Natalie’s school, her teacher hung a photo of Beau’s unit outside the door of her classroom, so everyone who walked into the room would know that her daddy was away at war. That meant so much to Natalie. 

When we launched Joining Forces—our White House initiative to support military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors—helping schools serve military-connected students was one of our top priorities.  

And we want to lift up programs that are doing that kind of great work as well. One of those programs that has made a big difference is Purple Star Schools, started here in Ohio and launched right here at the Museum of the United States Air Force six years ago. In fact, Beverly Gardens Elementary was part of the inaugural class of Purple Star schools.  

That means educators are working with parents to build community for military kids in the classroom and giving them the resources they need to thrive, from being the new kid, to navigating a parent’s absence through deployments, to getting ready to PCS to a new duty station and school.  

But we know that there’s still work to be done. And we won’t rest until all military kids have the support that they deserve.  

Because this is more than just a nice thing to do.   

As you know, the United States has an all-volunteer force. Your family members have stepped forward—and you serve alongside them.   

How can we hope to keep the best and brightest volunteers if we ask our troops to choose between their love of country and their love of family?  

That’s why we have to make sure that service is an opportunity of dignity and honor, of pride and accomplishment—for the entire family.  

Joining Forces is working hard to get you the resources and opportunities you’ve earned. 

And earlier this month, Joe and his administration released their 2024 Budget, proposing millions of dollars to help military kids with disabilities get the support they need with every move, at every new school, right from the start. It’s also making it possible for thousands more military kids to go to preschool—so parents have the child care they need. 

This is personal to me—and to your president. Your health and your happiness matter to us—and we want to know what’s working and what could be done better.  

That’s why we’re here today. To hear your stories and bring them back, to build new solutions and opportunities not just for your community, but with you. So I want to thank you for joining us today.  

May God bless our troops, their families, caregivers, and survivors.

With all my heart: thank you for your service and your sacrifice. 

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