The Coast Guard Family Campaign

For nearly 224 years the men and women of the United States Coast Guard have answered this nation’s call, protecting people on the sea, protecting the nation against threats delivered from the sea and protecting the sea itself. We are responsible for the safety, security and stewardship of the nation’s waters. Whether in times of war or peace, Coast Guardsmen have always served with the knowledge that our chosen profession is hazardous.

As we pause this Memorial Day to observe the manners of our profession and remember all those who have given their lives while serving in the United States Armed Forces, we must also be mindful of those who continue to stand the watch — in the air, at sea, on foreign shores and here at home.

{mosads}As they stand the watch, they need to be reassured that their families are fully taken care of back home. More than three years ago the president approved the report “Strengthening Our Military Families: Meeting America’s Commitment.” As part of the Joining Forces initiative, the president, first lady, the uniformed service chiefs, and other government leaders joined together in a commitment to ensure our military members and their families have the resources they need to thrive.

We have taken this initiative to heart in the Coast Guard and made it a priority to ensure that our policies, programs and services reflect this commitment. We call it our Coast Guard Family Campaign, and we looked across our programs to examine the services that impact our people, including housing, child development services, family support programs, military personnel management policies, healthcare, and our chaplain services, to determine what we needed to improve.

With my wife, Linda, a military spouse for 38 years and a working mother, serving as the Coast Guard ombudsman at large, we also invigorated our ombudsman program, ensuring that all units have the resources and support available to assign a properly trained volunteer ombudsman to ensure good communications between the command and the families.

As important as the Coast Guard’s efforts are to recapitalize our aging assets, our men and women truly are our most important resource, and the strength and resilience of our family members on the home front provides the Coast Guard with critical support. It allows us to successfully carry out critical operations every day ensuring our nation’s safety, security and prosperity. The health and welfare of our people and their families truly are at the heart of operational readiness.

I am very proud to report that we have made a variety of substantive, wide-ranging and lasting improvements to strengthen our Coast Guard family. Our collective efforts have been greatly aided by Congress, the president and the Department of Homeland Security, who have collectively ensured that our efforts were matched with adequate funding.

As a national initiative, Joining Forces relies on public participation as well. Please visit the website whitehouse.gov/joiningforces/about to find a volunteer opportunity in your community, learn more about the challenges our military families face, send a message of support to them, and learn about other ways you can make a difference.

So on this Memorial Day, as you pause at that memorial to honor our fallen servicemen and servicewomen, please remember to also thank those who currently serve — and their families — whose selfless service, sacrifice and eternal dedication keep our nation safe. Semper paratus.

Papp is the 24th commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.