http://www.politico.com/politico44/?hp=44Michelle Obama: I had little understanding of military life before the White House
By DONOVAN SLACK |
10/9/12 10:55 AM EDT
First lady Michelle Obama says that she had no idea of the breadth of sacrifices made by members of the military and their families before entering the White House.
"My connection to military life was pretty tangential," she said in an interview with ABC News set to air Tuesday. "Most Americans like me, they just don't have a clear idea of the sacrifice these men and women and their families make."
Obama said she was "floored" by stories she heard about family upheavals and repeated deployments, and so she joined with second lady Jill Biden to bring attention to the issue. One of the initiative's goals is to help returning servicemembers find jobs.
"I won't be satisfied -- nor will my husband -- until every single veteran and military spouse who wants a job has one. All of you deserve nothing less. Nothing less," she told ABC News.
President Obama has repeatedly pushed Congress to pass legislation creating a "veterans job corps" that would aid the effort, but Republicans blocked the bill last month, saying it would violate the Budget Control Act by authorizing new spending that would add to the deficit.
The first lady spoke about her commitment to help military families during part two of an interview with Cynthia McFadden. During part one, aired on Monday, she spoke about keeping politics and family life separate in the White House. Part three will air Wednesday.
