The Final State of the Union
This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
Summary:
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden meet with military families and recognize Major League Baseball’s support of military families at Game One. Check out the new MLB and Joining Forces Public Service Announcement with Mark Teixeira and Johnny Damon.
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden watch Game one of the 2011 World Series between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals with Marine Lance Cpl. James Sperry and his daughter Hannah, 5, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, Oct. 19, 2011.(Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
This afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden headed to St. Louis, Missouri for Game One of the World Series to meet with military families and recognize Major League Baseball’s (MLB) support of those who serve and their families.
During the game, a new Joining Forces and MLB Public Service Announcement will premiere featuring New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira and Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Johnny Damon, encouraging Americans to support Joining Forces and MLB’s Welcome Back Veterans program to stand with veterans, the troops and their families. Watch a sneak peek here.
As part of the Joining Forces initiative, earlier today President Obama met up with the First Lady at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia to announce a commitment from the private sector to hire 25,000 veterans and military spouses. Joining Forces is all about recognizing the sacrifice of those who serve and their families and letting them know they have our thanks and our support.
Before the start of tonight's game, the First Lady and Dr. Biden met with veterans and military families at Busch Stadium. Dr. Biden spoke about her experience as a military mom:
I know firsthand how a simple act of kindness can make such a difference to a service member or a veteran. That is why the First Lady and I created Joining Forces -- to recognize, honor, and support our military families. It is our sacred duty to honor the service of those who sacrifice for our country -- and we can all play a role with a simple act of service.
Major League Baseball and so many of your players have stepped up to join forces with us -- using baseball’s platform to help the nation appreciate the sacrifices our military family members make every single day. I hope that the millions of viewers watching tonight’s game will join us in this effort. And I thank everyone here for your leadership and your example.
The First Lady also thanked those involved:
Every day, you all inspire us. And that's really what has led Jill and I to be so passionate about this issue. We want the country to know your stories. We want the country to know of your sacrifice. Because if they know, then we all can't help but step up. And that's what we want this country to do. By shining a light on these events, with Major League Baseball shining a light on these events, we want America to know that everyone can do something; everyone should do something. Every business, every church, every individual, every school, every teacher -- we should all know who are the military families in our midst and find out what they need and step up and provide that.
Joining Forces is just a way to galvanize all of that energy and goodwill that's already out there, to shine that light and to lift up these stories and these efforts all throughout the country. And our hope is that ultimately you all feel this on the ground. This isn't just for the cameras. Our goal is to find out whether you feel like you have the support of this country. And you should feel that every single day.
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden join representatives from Major League Baseball (MLB) and the St. Louis Cardinals in hosting a Joining Forces military families appreciation event at the St. Louis Veterans Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 19, 2011. Joining them on stage are, from left: MLB Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst; Sue Selig; MLB Commissioner Bud Selig; and Tim Brosnan, MLB Executive Vice President of Business. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
This evening before the first pitch, the First Lady and Dr. Biden will also be answering questions from you through Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #AskMichelle on how to get involved in the Joining Forces initiative.
