Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein addressed the importance of taking care of Airmen and their families during the 2017 ThanksUSA Treasure our Troops Gala in Washington, D.C., Oct. 25, 2017.
“Within the profession of arms, much of what we do relies upon the military family … because this is truly a ‘family business’,” said Goldfein. “Our nation is strengthened by our communities, and our communities are strengthened by our families.”
Military life presents unique challenges, specifically for military families, a lot of them currently have at least one family member deployed.
“They move all around the globe,” the CSAF said. “They get dropped into new neighborhoods, jobs, circle of friends. They balance personal passions with long hours of separation, family demands and hardships. They learn to expect the unexpected.”
Recognizing these strains, Air Force senior leaders are engaged and focused on taking care of Airmen and their families, while remaining committed to building and maintaining a strong Air Force community. This approach allows the Airmen to be more resilient to the challenges military service brings.
“We have to get the family piece right … our commitment [is] to our service members and their loved ones on and off the battlefield,” Goldfein said. “[We] must help them sustain the demands placed upon them.”
At the end of his remarks Goldfein thanked organizations which provide scholarships to military families.