Photo By Staff Sgt. Maricris McLane | A military spouse learns encaustic art during a workshop at the Military Spouse...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas – Every service member of the U.S. military receives appreciation on Veterans Day, but what about the force behind the force, the men and women behind the service member?
The Fort Bliss community along with the Army Community Service and Fort Bliss Morale, Welfare and Recreation showed appreciation to the force behind the force with workshops for military spouses, May 8, 2015, here.
This event dates back to the time of former President Ronald Reagan.
On May 23, 1984, Reagan declared the first Military Spouse Day in recognition of the Military Spouses’ commitment and dedication to the welfare and morale of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Military spouses have not been bypassed or overlooked since.
“Our main goal is to celebrate our military spouses, they are the force behind the force,” said Thuy Depew, Installation Family Readiness Liaison with the Army Community Service. “It’s just a day where they can come out and we do something for them to say thank you and we appreciate what they do.”
Army Community Services provided free classes on jar designing, encaustic art, cooking, jar making, self defense, quilting, accessory making and other skills and hobbies for the military spouses.
“I feel very special and important today, because our role is not easy,” said Yamilis Cortes, an Army wife who’s been through four deployments of her Soldier. “Especially, when my husband is away from home and I have to raise the kids by myself.”
Not only were they given a chance to learn a lot of things that day, they also felt that the community understood what they do.
“Military spouses wear many hats, whether they’re a wife, a husband or a parent,” said Depew. “They work full time, they volunteer, they’re taking care of the kids and they’re taking care of the home front.”
Along with the appreciation day, the spouses gained more than just the skills taught during the event. “We also made friends here, we found each other a new family when our husbands are away,” said Cortes.
A new family, the Army Community Service wants to make every spouse feel like a part of the Military family.
“We want people to know that this day is about the spouses, regardless of what title they hold, whether they’re a mother or a father, a parent or a friend,” said Depew. “We just want them to know they are part of the Military force as well. We just want to say we appreciate them.”
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.11.2015 18:45 |
| Story ID: | 162960 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 105 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The 'force' behind the force (Military Spouse Appreciation Day), by SSG Maricris McLane, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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