My dad needed caregiving after serving country. Others do, too. Supporting military families is a way to say ‘thanks’

Across Washington state and our nation, the Thanksgiving holiday is a time to appreciate and give thanks for our families, who love and support us through triumph and trial.

We should also recognize and appreciate the service of military families who support our brave women and men in uniform here at home and overseas.

As the daughter of a World War II veteran, I’ve seen this firsthand. After my father returned from service, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and following his diagnosis I saw what it took for my mother to care for him while also making sure us kids were provided for.

Her sacrifice was like that of so many military spouses and relatives who go to incredible lengths to take care of their loved ones while also providing for their families.

Traveling across our state, I’ve heard countless stories about how families go above and beyond to take care of our troops, both while they serve and after they make the transition back to civilian life.

I’ve heard from spouses like Tiffany, a woman from Pasco. Her husband Scott was deployed to Iraq just six months after they were married. One day, Tiffany received a phone call that Scott had been badly injured and lost his eyesight. She knew their lives would never be the same.

But Tiffany, like so many other brave military family members across the country, stepped up and became her husband’s full-time caregiver. She showed the importance of the hidden heroes on the home front, who sacrifice every day alongside those who fight our battles.

As I’ve talked to Tiffany and so many military families across our state, I’ve learned about other sacrifices they make – moving their families every few years, taking time away from their support networks or struggling to find a job that reflects their skill and expertise in a new community that they know they’ll be leaving before too long.

In those conversations and through my own experience, I know that in order to fulfill our promise to support and care for those who serve our country, we must help and support their families, too.

That’s why I’ve worked to strengthen support not just for our servicemembers, but also their families. This means they should have access to employment programs and opportunities that meet the unique needs and demands of military life.

This is also why I’ve made increasing access to military child care, which is woefully underfunded, a top legislative priority. Child care and other family-oriented programs are a critical yet underappreciated part of military readiness and national security, giving peace of mind to those we rely on to defend our freedoms.

Supporting military families also means prioritizing the needs of military caregivers. This is why I fought for and won an expansion of the VA Caregiver Support Program to veterans of all eras. It provides resources and support for those who put their lives on hold to care for a veteran with service-connected injuries. I will continue working to make sure the expansion is implemented correctly.

These are all important steps, and I’ve been proud to partner with military families, advocates and elected officials on both sides of the aisle to move the ball forward.

But you don’t have to pass a bill to make a difference for military families. Far from it.

This Thanksgiving, a little bit of kindness or a helping hand can go a long way toward showing how much we appreciate our armed forces and their families.

As Military Family Appreciation Month comes to a close, let us all remember the men and women behind those who serve, and ensure they are supported, too.

This story was originally published November 28, 2019 at 12:07 PM with the headline "My dad needed caregiving after serving country. Others do, too. Supporting military families is a way to say ‘thanks’."