WEBVTT 00:02.299 --> 00:05.849 Yeah . Well , good 00:05.860 --> 00:08.470 afternoon . It's my honor to welcome 00:08.479 --> 00:10.646 everyone here today for the signing of 00:10.646 --> 00:12.812 this important memorandum of agreement 00:12.930 --> 00:14.930 in support of our nation's military 00:14.930 --> 00:17.569 families . Let me begin by thanking 00:17.579 --> 00:20.319 Doctor Biden for her steadfast and 00:20.329 --> 00:22.107 long-standing commitment to our 00:22.110 --> 00:24.840 nation's military families from being a 00:24.850 --> 00:28.120 proud military kid and parent to 00:28.129 --> 00:30.430 launching the Joining Forces initiative 00:30.440 --> 00:32.779 to advocating for today's memorandum 00:32.790 --> 00:35.439 signing . Thank you for all that you do 00:35.450 --> 00:37.400 for our military community and in 00:37.409 --> 00:39.369 support of our nation's defense . 00:49.380 --> 00:51.990 I also want to thank Deputy Secretary 00:52.000 --> 00:54.319 of State Rich Verma and the team at the 00:54.330 --> 00:56.163 State Department for being great 00:56.163 --> 00:58.330 partners in bringing this agreement to 00:58.330 --> 01:00.630 fruition and to all those in dod , many 01:00.639 --> 01:02.528 of whom are here today who worked 01:02.528 --> 01:05.539 tirelessly on this effort . One of the 01:05.549 --> 01:07.716 defense department's top priorities is 01:07.716 --> 01:09.938 taking care of our people and improving 01:09.938 --> 01:11.882 the quality of life of our service 01:11.882 --> 01:13.993 members and their families is central 01:13.993 --> 01:16.699 to that commitment . We have incredible 01:16.709 --> 01:19.089 initiatives underway today to take care 01:19.099 --> 01:21.220 of military families , including 01:21.230 --> 01:23.849 universal pre K and dod schools , 01:23.860 --> 01:26.269 increases in pay and new child 01:26.279 --> 01:28.860 development centers . And we continue 01:28.870 --> 01:30.870 to look for ways to do even more to 01:30.870 --> 01:32.870 strengthen and support our military 01:32.870 --> 01:35.940 families . Last year , I was fortunate 01:35.949 --> 01:38.116 to have the opportunity to join Doctor 01:38.116 --> 01:40.839 Biden in Fort Drum New York . And we 01:40.849 --> 01:42.738 visited with troops from the 10th 01:42.738 --> 01:44.905 Mountain Division and their families . 01:44.905 --> 01:47.127 We heard directly from them about their 01:47.127 --> 01:49.360 priorities and concerns and spouse 01:49.370 --> 01:52.650 employment was a recurring theme with 01:52.660 --> 01:55.260 having to move from post to post every 01:55.269 --> 01:57.129 couple of years . Maintaining 01:57.139 --> 01:59.361 meaningful employment can be especially 01:59.361 --> 02:01.940 difficult for military spouses . It's 02:01.949 --> 02:03.970 even more challenging to do so when 02:03.980 --> 02:05.869 you're assigned to a duty station 02:05.869 --> 02:09.610 overseas . So in June 2023 President 02:09.619 --> 02:11.770 Biden and Doctor Biden announced an 02:11.779 --> 02:14.050 executive order to strengthen economic 02:14.059 --> 02:15.929 security for military families . 02:26.089 --> 02:28.059 This memorandum of agreement was 02:28.070 --> 02:30.240 established between the Department of 02:30.250 --> 02:32.472 Defense and the Department of State for 02:32.472 --> 02:34.583 military spouses participating in the 02:34.583 --> 02:37.610 domestic employees teleworking overseas 02:37.619 --> 02:40.479 or detto program which brings us to 02:40.490 --> 02:42.809 today by signing the memorandum of 02:42.820 --> 02:45.350 agreement , we are enabling federally 02:45.360 --> 02:47.919 employed military spouses to work 02:47.929 --> 02:49.960 remotely from where their service 02:49.970 --> 02:52.179 member is stationed overseas and 02:52.190 --> 02:54.160 continue their professions with as 02:54.169 --> 02:57.360 little disruption as possible . That 02:57.369 --> 02:59.809 matters for military spouses who want 02:59.820 --> 03:01.876 to continue down their chosen career 03:01.876 --> 03:04.550 path . It matters for the economic well 03:04.559 --> 03:07.139 being of our military families . It 03:07.149 --> 03:09.759 matters for our ability to retain 03:09.770 --> 03:12.000 valuable talent and expertise in the 03:12.009 --> 03:14.309 federal workforce and it matters for 03:14.320 --> 03:16.839 our national security . We have the 03:16.850 --> 03:18.906 fiercest fighting force in the world 03:18.906 --> 03:20.906 because we have the finest military 03:20.906 --> 03:23.309 families in the world and we cannot 03:23.320 --> 03:25.490 maintain military readiness and a 03:25.500 --> 03:28.270 strong all volunteer force without them 03:37.610 --> 03:39.832 providing the support that they need is 03:39.832 --> 03:42.449 the least we can do for all that they 03:42.460 --> 03:45.509 do in defense of this nation . We 03:45.520 --> 03:47.520 couldn't do any of this without our 03:47.520 --> 03:49.631 partners at the State Department . So 03:49.631 --> 03:51.687 let me turn the floor over to Deputy 03:51.687 --> 03:55.389 Secretary Verma to say a few words . Mm 04:00.690 --> 04:02.830 uh Good afternoon , everyone . And 04:02.839 --> 04:05.006 thank you , Deputy Secretary Hicks for 04:05.006 --> 04:06.672 the introduction and for your 04:06.672 --> 04:08.728 leadership . It's really an honor to 04:08.729 --> 04:10.618 participate in this ceremony with 04:10.618 --> 04:12.673 Doctor Biden who through the Joining 04:12.673 --> 04:14.618 Forces initiative has just been an 04:14.618 --> 04:16.790 outstanding and tireless advocate for 04:16.799 --> 04:19.021 military families and frankly for state 04:19.021 --> 04:21.132 department families . Thank you again 04:21.132 --> 04:23.243 for everything that you've done . And 04:23.243 --> 04:25.132 today again would not be possible 04:25.132 --> 04:27.355 without interagency collaboration . And 04:27.355 --> 04:29.577 so thank you again to the Pentagon , to 04:29.577 --> 04:31.880 the chairman to so many others and the 04:32.040 --> 04:34.859 entire department of defense team who 04:34.869 --> 04:37.036 were excellent partners in making this 04:37.036 --> 04:39.899 memorandum of understanding a reality . 04:41.100 --> 04:43.079 As President Biden has stated the 04:43.089 --> 04:45.200 unique challenges associated with the 04:45.200 --> 04:47.940 military lifestyle means that military 04:47.950 --> 04:51.079 spouses often struggle to find options 04:51.089 --> 04:53.640 for work . The domestic employee 04:53.649 --> 04:56.160 teleworking overseas or debt O program 04:56.260 --> 05:00.089 was created 15 years ago and allows us 05:00.100 --> 05:02.322 government executive branch employees , 05:02.600 --> 05:04.433 including those who are military 05:04.433 --> 05:06.600 spouses to have critical flexibilities 05:06.600 --> 05:09.160 for their family . And in their career 05:09.850 --> 05:11.899 long before the pandemic , we 05:11.910 --> 05:15.079 recognized the value and impact of 05:15.089 --> 05:17.256 flexible work arrangements and we have 05:17.260 --> 05:20.200 been proud to continue to grow the 05:20.209 --> 05:23.559 detto program . With this agreement , 05:23.570 --> 05:25.737 we are demonstrating our commitment to 05:25.737 --> 05:28.440 streamlining access to those 05:28.450 --> 05:31.390 flexibilities . Hand in hand with our 05:31.399 --> 05:33.288 colleagues from the Department of 05:33.288 --> 05:35.160 Defense . We have created an 05:35.170 --> 05:37.320 arrangement that allows our two 05:37.329 --> 05:39.720 agencies to collaborate on housing , 05:39.809 --> 05:42.040 specifically residential security and 05:42.049 --> 05:44.700 oversight while maintaining the 05:44.709 --> 05:48.519 statutory responsibilities of each US . 05:48.529 --> 05:50.790 Ambassador and the Secretary of State 05:50.799 --> 05:53.510 for all covered employees including 05:53.519 --> 05:56.200 debtors . When we make a ghetto 05:56.209 --> 05:59.040 opportunity possible , it means a 05:59.049 --> 06:02.859 family stays together , two careers 06:02.869 --> 06:06.109 are supported that state defense and 06:06.119 --> 06:08.175 our other federal partners can carry 06:08.175 --> 06:10.286 out our critical missions at home and 06:10.286 --> 06:13.390 abroad and that we can continue to 06:13.399 --> 06:16.989 retain our best talent . Today's 06:17.000 --> 06:18.667 announcement will expand this 06:18.667 --> 06:21.829 flexibility even more and also further 06:21.839 --> 06:23.728 is one of Secretary Blinken s top 06:23.728 --> 06:25.617 priorities under the department's 06:25.617 --> 06:28.640 modernization agenda . Assuring that 06:28.649 --> 06:30.427 the State Department is a model 06:30.427 --> 06:33.070 workplace that is agile and that 06:33.079 --> 06:36.980 attracts and retains the top talent to 06:36.989 --> 06:39.700 retain top talent . We must put people 06:39.709 --> 06:41.670 first and this memorandum of 06:41.679 --> 06:45.480 understanding does just that deo 06:45.489 --> 06:47.420 arrangements including those 06:47.429 --> 06:50.299 facilitated by this new agreement allow 06:50.309 --> 06:52.739 us to keep critical expertise within 06:52.750 --> 06:55.279 the department protecting key members 06:55.290 --> 06:57.959 of our team from career disruption . 06:58.929 --> 07:01.799 It's also reflective of the incredibly 07:01.809 --> 07:04.859 close collaboration and partnership 07:04.869 --> 07:06.925 between the State Department and the 07:06.925 --> 07:09.036 Defense Department around the world . 07:09.570 --> 07:11.549 Our signing ceremony today is also 07:11.559 --> 07:13.950 personal to me while in the US Air 07:13.959 --> 07:16.237 Force and later as ambassador to India , 07:16.399 --> 07:18.880 it was my privilege to work and know 07:18.890 --> 07:21.579 our military members and their families . 07:21.670 --> 07:23.503 I saw what it means for military 07:23.503 --> 07:25.726 families to be able to stay together as 07:25.726 --> 07:28.299 they serve , limiting involuntary 07:28.309 --> 07:30.559 separation to only those times when the 07:30.570 --> 07:33.609 mission truly demands it . This is one 07:33.619 --> 07:37.089 way , one important way we can enable 07:37.100 --> 07:39.820 our forces as they make their 07:39.829 --> 07:42.730 invaluable contributions to our country . 07:43.359 --> 07:45.630 So I am so grateful and appreciative to 07:45.640 --> 07:47.418 everyone that made this signing 07:47.418 --> 07:49.790 ceremony come to fruition . I want to 07:49.799 --> 07:52.040 recognize the teams at both agencies 07:52.049 --> 07:54.271 for their dedication to this effort and 07:54.271 --> 07:56.105 the very talented and passionate 07:56.105 --> 07:58.179 advocates within our own workforce , 07:58.450 --> 08:00.700 including the employee organization for 08:00.709 --> 08:03.209 military and dod families at state 08:03.450 --> 08:04.959 whose advocacy , 08:12.829 --> 08:15.459 their advocacy helped bring this moment 08:15.529 --> 08:17.890 to bear . And finally , thank you to 08:17.899 --> 08:20.239 our military families for their service 08:20.250 --> 08:22.869 to this country . And now it is my 08:22.880 --> 08:25.209 pleasure to introduce a member of one 08:25.220 --> 08:27.649 of those military families to provide a 08:27.660 --> 08:30.399 few remarks . MS Julie Humphries serves 08:30.410 --> 08:32.410 as an attorney advisor at the State 08:32.410 --> 08:34.919 Department and works remotely for our 08:34.929 --> 08:37.169 Bureau of Global Talent Management from 08:37.179 --> 08:39.500 Stuttgart Germany as a debtor . She 08:39.510 --> 08:41.840 joined the State Department in 2013 . 08:41.849 --> 08:44.830 After serving as an active duty army 08:44.840 --> 08:47.080 judge advocate , I would argue one of 08:47.090 --> 08:49.201 the most important career professions 08:49.201 --> 08:52.039 in the military . Uh Welcome Julie . 08:52.049 --> 08:53.049 Thank you . 09:02.460 --> 09:05.700 Good afternoon , everyone . Uh My name 09:05.710 --> 09:07.654 is Julie Humphries and I'm a third 09:07.654 --> 09:10.070 generation army veteran army spouse of 09:10.080 --> 09:12.070 21 years and a current debtor 09:12.080 --> 09:14.247 teleworking from Stuttgart Germany for 09:14.247 --> 09:16.191 the Department of State . It is my 09:16.191 --> 09:18.309 distinct honor today to introduce a 09:18.320 --> 09:20.153 remarkable advocate for military 09:20.153 --> 09:21.876 families . Doctor Jill Biden , 09:29.450 --> 09:31.429 as first lady , Doctor Biden has 09:31.440 --> 09:33.440 dedicated herself to addressing the 09:33.440 --> 09:35.718 challenges we face as military spouses . 09:36.039 --> 09:37.761 Her commitment is personal and 09:37.761 --> 09:39.750 unwavering , grounded in her own 09:39.760 --> 09:41.871 experiences as the daughter of a navy 09:41.871 --> 09:44.440 signalman and as a mother whose heart 09:44.450 --> 09:46.117 is with her family's military 09:46.117 --> 09:48.719 connections , I have experienced the 09:48.729 --> 09:50.673 results of Doctor Biden's advocacy 09:50.673 --> 09:52.760 firsthand through the Joining Forces 09:52.770 --> 09:54.826 initiatives . She has worked hard to 09:54.826 --> 09:56.881 support military spouses like myself 09:56.881 --> 09:58.937 and many of my colleagues around the 09:58.937 --> 10:01.048 world out there right now . Um In our 10:01.048 --> 10:03.619 career pursuits , there's a sign 10:03.630 --> 10:05.797 hanging in our house in Stuttgart that 10:05.797 --> 10:08.169 reads home is where the army sends us . 10:10.409 --> 10:12.576 My husband Dustin and I along with our 10:12.576 --> 10:15.380 three kids , high kids um have moved 13 10:15.390 --> 10:18.020 times over our two decades of service . 10:18.960 --> 10:21.182 Needless to say it's not always easy to 10:21.182 --> 10:23.016 maintain your career when you're 10:23.016 --> 10:25.238 packing your house up every few years . 10:25.238 --> 10:27.182 Thankfully , Doctor Biden supports 10:27.182 --> 10:29.071 opportunities needed for military 10:29.071 --> 10:31.238 spouses to thrive despite the constant 10:31.238 --> 10:33.700 challenges of military life . She and 10:33.710 --> 10:35.877 the joining forces staff have been key 10:35.877 --> 10:38.320 advocates for workplace flexibility and 10:38.330 --> 10:40.497 supported policies that enable spouses 10:40.497 --> 10:42.497 to continue to work for the federal 10:42.497 --> 10:44.441 government through telework . This 10:44.441 --> 10:46.386 ensures military spouses like me , 10:46.386 --> 10:48.497 don't have to sacrifice their careers 10:48.497 --> 10:50.890 to keep our families together . And as 10:50.900 --> 10:52.956 many of you families in the audience 10:52.956 --> 10:54.900 know if you've endured long deploy 10:54.900 --> 10:57.000 deployments or long separations . We 10:57.010 --> 10:59.121 know that togetherness is priceless . 11:00.539 --> 11:02.539 Today is also a win for our federal 11:02.539 --> 11:04.539 agencies who now have a way to keep 11:04.539 --> 11:06.706 their experienced and valued employees 11:06.706 --> 11:09.619 even when they move overseas . So , on 11:09.630 --> 11:11.852 behalf of military spouses and families 11:11.852 --> 11:13.741 around the world , we thank you , 11:13.741 --> 11:15.741 Doctor Biden and the joining forces 11:15.741 --> 11:15.280 staff . 11:25.830 --> 11:28.080 Now please join me in welcoming a true 11:28.090 --> 11:30.270 champion of our military families . 11:30.280 --> 11:31.391 Doctor Jill Biden . 11:40.429 --> 11:42.596 thank you , Julie . I mean I am really 11:42.596 --> 11:46.479 excited about this day because um like 11:46.489 --> 11:49.159 so many of you , I am a working spouse 11:49.169 --> 11:50.799 of a government employee . 11:53.219 --> 11:56.890 So when we first asked Julie about this , 11:56.900 --> 11:59.122 we thought that she would be joining us 11:59.122 --> 12:01.289 on one of those screens , screens on a 12:01.289 --> 12:04.690 video call uh from Germany . But your 12:04.700 --> 12:06.900 husband knew that you had to be here 12:06.909 --> 12:09.770 because you work too hard on this issue 12:09.780 --> 12:12.320 to miss it . And I agree , I think we 12:12.330 --> 12:15.849 all do and I heard you met your boss , 12:15.859 --> 12:18.929 Daniel for the first time in person . 12:21.090 --> 12:22.090 Yes . 12:27.390 --> 12:29.799 So bosses like Daniel who support 12:29.809 --> 12:32.630 military spouses and their teams are 12:32.640 --> 12:35.380 critical to making sure that spouses 12:35.390 --> 12:38.719 can continue in their careers no matter 12:38.729 --> 12:41.669 where they move . So Julie , you fought 12:41.679 --> 12:44.349 to make at this moment possible and 12:44.359 --> 12:47.020 you've helped so many other spouses 12:47.150 --> 12:49.909 through the process as their best 12:49.919 --> 12:52.880 advocate , as their expert and as their 12:52.890 --> 12:56.059 lifeline . Thank you for your service 12:56.070 --> 12:58.237 and thank you to your family for their 12:58.237 --> 12:57.919 service . 13:06.020 --> 13:07.909 So Welcome to the White House , 13:07.919 --> 13:10.559 everyone . It's nice . I see a lot of 13:10.570 --> 13:12.681 old faces here . It's nice to see you 13:12.681 --> 13:15.789 again and um to celebrate this moment 13:15.799 --> 13:18.090 with people who have been with joining 13:18.099 --> 13:20.969 forces since the very beginning . So 13:20.979 --> 13:23.489 today is only possible because of you 13:23.500 --> 13:25.389 and the many others who have been 13:25.389 --> 13:28.070 working for decades to make sure that 13:28.080 --> 13:29.869 military and veteran families , 13:29.880 --> 13:32.890 caregivers and their and survivors have 13:32.900 --> 13:36.030 what they need to thrive . I'm grateful 13:36.039 --> 13:39.010 for your ideas , your hard work and 13:39.020 --> 13:41.890 your collaboration . Congresswoman 13:41.900 --> 13:43.590 Crockett , thank you for your 13:43.599 --> 13:46.570 leadership and your tireless support of 13:46.580 --> 13:48.190 military spouses 13:56.210 --> 13:58.210 and a special . Thank you to Deputy 13:58.210 --> 14:00.599 Secretary Verma and Deputy Secretary 14:00.609 --> 14:03.549 Hicks C A for all the work your 14:03.559 --> 14:05.890 departments have done to bring us to 14:05.900 --> 14:09.549 this milestone . So after an executive 14:09.559 --> 14:11.789 order is signed and the excitement has 14:11.799 --> 14:14.750 faded , the work begins and the 14:14.760 --> 14:17.580 implementation and that's where lives 14:17.590 --> 14:20.219 change and that's exactly what we're 14:20.229 --> 14:24.070 seeing today . So thank you both . You 14:24.080 --> 14:26.559 know , for just a moment . I want you 14:26.570 --> 14:29.539 all to picture a mom of three kids on a 14:29.549 --> 14:31.719 base overseas . Most of you can 14:31.729 --> 14:35.330 probably do that . So , you know , like 14:35.340 --> 14:37.396 all of us , her hair is tied back so 14:37.396 --> 14:39.562 that little hands have nothing to grab 14:39.830 --> 14:42.150 and she seamlessly moves between 14:42.159 --> 14:45.020 distracting her toddler and keeping her 14:45.030 --> 14:47.440 eight year old from stealing another 14:47.450 --> 14:50.440 cookie from the snack table . And she 14:50.450 --> 14:52.820 smiles when she tells you how proud she 14:52.830 --> 14:55.820 is of her husband's service . What an 14:55.830 --> 14:58.640 extraordinary opportunity it is to be 14:58.650 --> 15:01.280 able to travel the world and live in 15:01.289 --> 15:04.289 another country . How her kids are 15:04.299 --> 15:07.150 adjusting so well to living abroad . 15:08.250 --> 15:09.950 It's not until you turn the 15:09.960 --> 15:13.150 conversation to her that you see those 15:13.159 --> 15:16.309 tiny cracks in that wall of strength . 15:17.000 --> 15:20.869 How is she doing ? Well , she does miss 15:20.880 --> 15:23.669 her work and she couldn't take it with 15:23.679 --> 15:26.500 her when she moved overseas . Yes , 15:26.510 --> 15:29.309 she's applied to other jobs . But with 15:29.320 --> 15:32.359 no luck application after 15:32.369 --> 15:34.840 application , she feels like her 15:34.849 --> 15:37.299 degrees and experience are just going 15:37.309 --> 15:40.799 to waste . After months of trying to 15:40.809 --> 15:43.400 find a job , she's ready to take 15:43.409 --> 15:45.859 anything . I mean , after all , there 15:45.869 --> 15:48.760 are bills to pay , but it won't be the 15:48.770 --> 15:52.309 job she loved . It won't be the 15:52.320 --> 15:54.760 career that she's worked so hard to 15:54.770 --> 15:57.659 build . And I can tell , I can't tell 15:57.669 --> 16:00.500 you her name because I have met her 16:00.510 --> 16:03.909 more times than I can count since we 16:03.919 --> 16:06.086 launched joining forces . More than 10 16:06.086 --> 16:09.140 years ago . I met her and spouses like 16:09.150 --> 16:12.659 her everywhere I go and I meet their 16:12.669 --> 16:15.000 service members too . And they're 16:15.010 --> 16:17.450 stressed about how difficult it is to , 16:17.559 --> 16:20.270 you know , to make ends meet on one 16:20.280 --> 16:23.070 income , questioning like how long can 16:23.080 --> 16:25.080 they serve their country when their 16:25.080 --> 16:29.059 spouse is unhappy or unfulfilled . We 16:29.070 --> 16:31.239 can't allow our military families to 16:31.250 --> 16:34.330 meet these challenges alone . So when I 16:34.340 --> 16:36.173 brought these stories back to my 16:36.173 --> 16:38.580 husband , President Biden , you know 16:38.590 --> 16:42.150 who he is , he listened 16:42.549 --> 16:45.270 and then he took action and that's what 16:45.280 --> 16:47.989 Joe does . He sees a problem and then 16:48.000 --> 16:50.950 he goes to work and he fixes it and he 16:50.960 --> 16:54.349 doesn't waste any time . So last June 16:54.500 --> 16:57.880 Joe signed an historic executive order 16:57.960 --> 17:00.309 to address the barriers that military 17:00.320 --> 17:02.770 spouses face when they're trying to 17:02.780 --> 17:05.839 find work by making it easier for the 17:05.849 --> 17:08.329 federal government to hire them , 17:08.469 --> 17:11.189 encouraging federal employees to give 17:11.199 --> 17:13.369 their spouses time off when they have 17:13.380 --> 17:17.010 to move and reducing childcare costs 17:17.020 --> 17:20.609 for military families . A critical part 17:20.619 --> 17:23.030 of the executive order is allowing 17:23.040 --> 17:25.989 military spouses who work for the 17:26.000 --> 17:28.310 federal government to take jobs with 17:28.319 --> 17:31.670 them . If they have to P CS overseas 17:32.079 --> 17:35.510 with today's agreement , we're making 17:35.520 --> 17:39.400 that a reality . It's common sense . 17:39.410 --> 17:42.949 It's simple and it's long overdue . 17:43.689 --> 17:45.910 We know that work doesn't end at the 17:45.920 --> 17:49.150 end of the day childcare jobs with 17:49.160 --> 17:51.579 private employers being able to start 17:51.589 --> 17:53.979 your own business or transfer your 17:53.989 --> 17:55.878 professional license to different 17:55.878 --> 17:59.310 states . We will not stop until we 17:59.319 --> 18:02.890 solve all these problems , our military 18:02.900 --> 18:05.869 spouses , so many of you here , you may 18:05.880 --> 18:08.729 not wear a uniform but you serve our 18:08.739 --> 18:10.800 country too . And it's our 18:10.810 --> 18:13.930 responsibility to serve you . This 18:13.939 --> 18:16.630 isn't just a moral obligation . It's a 18:16.640 --> 18:19.819 national security imperative for more 18:19.829 --> 18:23.010 than 50 years , our military has been 18:23.020 --> 18:26.569 made up of entirely of volunteers . 18:26.969 --> 18:30.280 We don't demand service of our citizens . 18:30.420 --> 18:34.380 You all step forward . But we put that 18:34.390 --> 18:36.390 principle at risk when we force our 18:36.390 --> 18:39.119 service members to choose between their 18:39.130 --> 18:41.699 love of country and the families who 18:41.709 --> 18:45.630 serve alongside them . We must give 18:45.640 --> 18:48.790 them the support they need to choose 18:48.800 --> 18:51.790 both . And that's what today is all 18:51.800 --> 18:55.430 about . Our service members deserve 18:55.439 --> 18:58.729 nothing less and neither do all the 18:58.739 --> 19:02.719 spouses like Julie on every base around 19:02.729 --> 19:05.239 the world who are looking to carve out 19:05.250 --> 19:07.709 a life while supporting the people . 19:07.719 --> 19:11.469 You love the most with all of my heart . 19:11.890 --> 19:14.540 Thank you for your service and your 19:14.550 --> 19:18.109 sacrifice . And now I'd like to invite 19:18.119 --> 19:21.109 the deputy secretaries over to the 19:21.119 --> 19:22.150 signing table . 19:35.270 --> 19:36.270 Ok . 19:42.680 --> 19:45.560 Ok . Ok .