Washington, Sept. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Star Families is proud to announce the launch of the “Do Your Part: State Leadership to Support Military Families” initiative in partnership with the National Governors Association (NGA). Governor Wes Moore (Maryland) is the first governor to be announced as an honorary chair of this work.
Blue Star Families and the NGA have joined forces to create a roadmap for states and territories, recognizing that community support for military families is crucial to military recruiting and readiness. Together with the NGA Center for Best Practices, they will develop a toolkit designed to help states identify, prioritize, and implement the most effective policies and programs, providing a clear path to enhancing the well-being of military communities across the country.
The DYP State Initiative is a collaboration between Blue Star Families and the NGA, with foundational support from craig newmark philanthropies. Over the next year, input will be gathered from all 50 states and territories to identify the most innovative, low-cost, and high-impact solutions that address the unique challenges military families face. The toolkit will provide a guide for states to adopt and implement these best practices.
Governor Wes Moore leads the way as a change-maker, developing policies and initiatives to support the military-connected community in Maryland, including declaring 2024 as the “Year for Military Families” in the state. Maryland is the first state to sign on to the Blue Star Families-NGA initiative. Some of the actions Governor Moore has taken to better the lives of military and Veteran families include:
- Changing the name of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Department of Veterans and Military Families and appointing a Deputy Secretary of Military Family Programs and Policy to better reflect our long-standing priorities of serving the Veteran and military family communities.
- Becoming the first state to pass the Healthcare for Heroes Act, providing members of the Maryland National Guard access to free health and dental care.
- Enacted the Keep our Heroes Home Act, increasing the state tax exemption on military retirement pay.
- Expanded benefits for Maryland National Guard service members by extending the full benefit of the Tricare Premium Reimbursement Program to family members.
- Enacted the Families Serve Act to create pathways to employment for military spouses in both the public and private sectors.
- Enacted the Time to Serve Act to double military leave available to state employees who serve in the National Guard or military reserves and ensuring they can use PTO to spend time with family.
- Enacted interstate licensure compacts for military members and their spouses to ensure stability in employment when orders move the family to a new location.
- Became the first state to join the Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership to enable Maryland state government to actively recruit military spouses and promote job opportunities to them directly, ensuring they have access to rewarding careers.
- Signed an Executive Order in November 2023 reaffirming the Administration’s commitment to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Families and to continue our work to improve the overall health of our Veterans and military families.
“Governor Moore and his wife Dawn know about military life first-hand, and Governor Moore recognizes that military families are both assets to the local community and a linchpin to our national security,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO and co-founder of Blue Star Families. “The security our military provides us enables stability, which enables prosperity, and that leads to freedom. The ‘Do Your Part’ State Initiative is an opportunity for state governments to provide real solutions that support military families and allow them to both serve our nation and thrive.”
The State Toolkit Supporting Military Families: A Key Resource
The State Toolkit Supporting Military Families will offer practical, actionable policies and best practices that states and territories can easily replicate and implement to better support military families. By identifying innovative solutions already working in various states, this toolkit will help spread impactful policies nationwide.
Key Objectives of the Toolkit:
- Promote Innovation and Collaboration: Encourage collaboration among states, organizations, and communities to create and share effective policies and programs.
- Centralized Resource: Provide a collection of best practices proven to improve military families' lives.
- Facilitate Easy Policy Adoption: Offer clear, practical steps for states to adopt these policies with minimal cost and maximum impact.
- Strengthen Community Support: Foster a more welcoming and inclusive environment for military families at the community level.
- Encourage Policy Changes: Advocate for necessary changes in state and federal policies that support military families.
"The NGA is excited to partner with Blue Star Families on this critical initiative," said Bill McBride, Executive Director of the National Governors Association. "This toolkit will serve as an important resource for states and territories to improve the support systems for military families across the nation."
The Process: Gathering the Best Ideas
The NGA will survey governors in all 50 states and ask them to submit their state’s most successful policies and practices for supporting military families. These policies will be evaluated based on their cost-effectiveness and overall impact.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said: "Supporting our military families is not just the right thing to do — it's essential to our nation's security and future. By providing them with the resources and community support they need, we are ensuring that those who serve can focus on their mission, knowing that their families are taken care of. I'm proud to chair this initiative and partner with Blue Star Families to ensure that every state has the tools to uplift and empower our military families."
Blue Star Families will also gather input from military service organizations (MSOs), Veteran service organizations (VSOs), and corporate partners to ensure a comprehensive, community-driven approach. The combined findings will inform the final toolkit.
Join the Do Your Part Effort
As honorary chair, Governor Moore will help raise awareness of the State Toolkit and encourage states to adopt these proven policies. The Do Your Part campaign calls on all levels of government and society — governors, legislators, businesses, and individuals — to take action in support of military families to support the common defense.
“Governor Moore’s leadership in elevating military family support as a state-level priority has been exemplary, and we’re thrilled to have him as an honorary chair,” added Roth-Douquet. “Together, we can build a stronger future for our military families and nation.”
This initiative is made possible in part by the generosity of craig newmark philanthropies, whose support has been essential to the development and execution of the State Toolkit Supporting Military Families.
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ABOUT BLUE STAR FAMILIES: Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest Chapter-based military and Veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $200 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people annually. For more information, click here.
