Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III observing National Veterans and Military Families MonthPublished Nov. 11, 2021
                    
                    
                    U.S. Department of Defense
            **ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --**Our families serve every bit as much as we do. That’s one reason why it’s so important during this **National Veterans and Military Families Month** that we take time to recognize them for the sacrifices they make and for the support they continue to give all those who have worn -- and who still wear -- the uniform.I remember my own days in uniform, and I can’t begin to imagine how much more difficult my Army career would have been were it not for my spouse, Charlene, and my incredible family.The frequent moves, the multiple deployments, the strain and the stress over the last twenty years of war -- my family and all of yours have borne it with grace and resilience. But it goes beyond that, of course. They don’t just bear the hardships; our families make us a stronger force, a healthier force. They make sacrifices themselves, to be sure, but they also make possible the sacrifices our men and women sustain.Put simply, our families make us more ready every day for the task of defending this nation.And they do the very same for our veterans, from helping with the transition to civilian life to care-giving and emotional support. They are there for us, and so we must be there for them.Arm-in-arm with our colleagues at the **Department of Veterans Affairs**, we will continue to meet the challenges our military families face: mental health and well-being, childcare and schooling, food and economic security, and spouse employment, to name but a few. And we know that the **COVID-19** pandemic has only made these challenges, and many others, more difficult.We have much work to do. And I want each and every military family to know we will stay committed to that work, the same way they have stayed committed to their loved ones and to this nation they help defend.As I said, our families serve every bit as much as we do. The month of November provides us a terrific opportunity to say thank you for that, but we need to treat the effort of improving their lives as the critical task it must be.To all our veteran and military families ... Thank you! We honor your sacrifice. We recognize your resilience. We hold dear to our hearts your ceaseless love and support. We owe that and so much more.Please find more information for families at **Military OneSource**.AFWN 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Veteran’s Day 



SecDEF 



secretary of defense 



families 



observances 



VA 



veterans affairs Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil