National Veterans and Military Families Month

President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Aug. 3, 2017, during a Veterans Affairs telehealth event. (Evan Vucci/AP)

This week, President Donald Trump proclaimed the month of November as National Veterans and Military Families Month.  The action which is outlined in the official White House statement (click on ‘proclaimed’ for the link) was designed to honor the significant contributions made by American service members, their families and their loved ones.  White House officials on Wednesday called it citizens’ “patriotic duty” to honor their sacrifices for more than just a day.  In a closed ceremony, President Trump touted the move as the latest signal of his administration’s commitment to veterans issues.  Presidential proclamations around Veterans Day focusing on military service and family support are common, but administration officials billed the extension of those thoughts to the entire month as a significant move.  The Air Force Times reports the decision “launched a month-long blitz of Veterans-themed events from the Department of Veterans Affairs, where administration officials will discuss progress in reforming that part of the federal bureaucracy.   “‘As Veterans and military families attend these events, they will see the reforms and improvements that we have made at the VA,’ President Trump’s proclamation states.  ‘Over the last nine months, we have made important changes that enable better service for our Veterans.'”