Michelle Obama says husband understands needs of military families

By JENNIFER HLAD

FreedomENC

JACKSONVILLE - On T-shirts and stickers of supporters, on the sign adorning the podium and on the lips of Michelle Obama, a theme was evident: "Supporting military families."

Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, addressed a cheering, chanting crowd of about 1,500 at Jacksonville Commons Recreation Center on Tuesday. At one point, she asked all the active-duty military, retired military and military family members to stand. More than half of those who were sitting got to their feet.

"This community has done so much for this country," Obama said. "We are so grateful for the sacrifice you made to protect our family and all American families."

Obama said her appearance in Jacksonville was special because Tuesday was the seventh anniversary of the day the war began in Afghanistan.

"Anniversaries like these make us realize how important it is for us to express our gratitude whenever we can," she said.

There are many issues at stake in this election, she said, including health care, the economy and education.

"These issues are not just political issues, they are personal issues," she said.

"We've all been touched by this economic crisis," she said. ‘We feel it when we go to the grocery store ... we feel it when we fill up at the gas station ... you feel it when you tuck your children in at night; you wonder what kind of world you're leaving for them."

Obama said she and her husband have spent a lot of time talking to military families, and they have learned "how you take care of each other."

"Barack Obama understands," she said, talking about how Obama's grandfather served in World War II and went to college using the G.I. Bill.

Barack Obama is the "only candidate" who wants to "create a 21st-century V.A.," who has supported an updated GI bill, who has talked about expanding the family and medical leave act to include reservists, and who is "talking about a timetable for ensuring our troops return responsibly," she said.

Obama urged the crowd to get involved in the campaign and register to vote.

"Barack can't win without you, because he can't lead without you," she said. "We need you working for us and praying for us, and then we need you working some more and praying some more."

Retired Sgt. Maj. Michael Cline addressed the crowd before Obama came to the podium, and military wife Tess Sanders introduced Michelle Obama.

Sanders' husband is serving his second deployment in Iraq, and she said she began volunteering with the campaign shortly after he left in March.

"I couldn't not get involved," she said.

Sanders said service members knew what they were signing up for, but "we didn't know that we had to keep up our end of the bargain, but our government may not hold up its end."

Obama "will fight for us, because we are out there and our loved ones are out there fighting for our country," she said.

Many of the audience members wore shirts or stickers in support of Barack Obama, and a volunteer led the crowd in chants of "yes we can" and "time for change."

Patricia Jordan and Leon Bellamy of Burgaw and Shirley Fletcher and Ollie Carol of Jacksonville echoed the chants, saying they are ready for a change.

"I like his ideas, his thoughts, his dreams and his vision," Bellamy said.

Amber Thomas, a military spouse from Richlands, said before the speech that she wasn't sure who she will vote for, but she came to the event to find out more about Obama's plans for the war in Iraq, the environment and the economy.

"Specifics would be nice," she said.

Before and during the speech, volunteers distributed a pamphlet titled "Barack Obama's plan to support North Carolina military families," with information about planned policies that would affect active-duty, National Guard and reserve and veteran families.

Tameka Gabriel and Gabrielle Lowe, both of Jacksonville, are volunteers with Blue Star Families for Obama. Both have husbands in the military, and Lowe's husband is serving in Iraq.

"I don't think either candidate is out to hurt the military, but we think Obama will be better (for the military)," Lowe said.

Lowe said she wants to see a plan for Iraq, while Gabriel said she is concerned about mental health care.

Kim Allen, also a military spouse, said her husband has deployed three times in four years, though never to Iraq. Continued deployments are "pulling our families apart," she said.

She said she wants to see the U.S. get troops out of Iraq and "put the focus where it needs to be, in Afghanistan."

Military spouse Chelsey Carr also wants to see a plan for pulling troops out of Iraq.

Carr said she was raised a Republican, but now, as a military wife, "I am definitely understanding and voting Democratic."

Jennifer Hlad can be reached at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8467.