Congresswoman Sutton Speaks in Support of Honoring our Military Support Groups

I rise today in support of House Resolution 1200, a resolution I introduced to honor some of the unsung heroes of our nation and they are our military support groups.

All across our great nation and throughout the world, our troops and their families are making incredible sacrifices for our country. Since 2001, more than 1.7 million members of the Armed Forces have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of these brave men and women are being sent back for numerous tours of duty and each time they represent our country with honor and a proud sense of duty. We must never forget the incredible service they provide for our great nation.

We, as Members of Congress, must do everything in our power to ease the burden their service places on them and their families. One incredible source of support and assistance for our troops and their families are military support groups.

All across our country, service members and their families and friends have formed these crucial support networks. Military support groups offer a variety of important services to members of our Armed Forces and their families.

From providing financial assistance, employment assistance, and tax return preparation, to offering counseling, prayer groups, sending care packages and writing letters, support groups serve a vital purpose within the military family and within our communities.

My bill, House Resolution 1200, honors the dedication and outstanding work of military support groups across the country for their steadfast support of the members of our Armed Forces and their families.

I am very proud that one of these support groups, Family and Friends Connected, is based in Akron, Ohio, in my Congressional District. This group was started by one of my constituents, Saundra Hunt. With a daughter in the Air force and a son in the Marine Corps, Saundra knows more than a thing or two about the need to support our military families. And so, on November 9, 2001, Saundra established Family and Friends Connected, to bring military families together.

On the second Friday of every month, military families and friends from all over Northeastern Ohio come together to support one another. They come from Akron and Barberton and Canton and Cleveland, they come from Cuyahoga Falls, Copley, Dover, Hartville, Hudson, Stow, and Tallmadge and Wadsworth. They come together to find common support.

I want to take a minute and recognize Saundra, who took her own family's experience and used it to make a positive impact on the lives of others in the same situation. Saundra dedicates a listening ear to military families and is available to them at every hour, day or night. Because of her endless commitment and compassion, there is an obvious love for her within the group.

I've had the honor and privilege of attending one of their meetings and I can attest firsthand to the dedication and uplifting camaraderie of those who participate in Family and Friends Connected.

Saundra and Family and Friends Connected are just one example of the many support groups across the country that has provided endless amounts of time, energy and compassion to our military families.

These are people who truly understand what military families go through, and they provide very real comfort and support for one another. The kindness and understanding these groups provide to our service members and to each other is nothing short of inspirational. They provide such an important service for our nation's military families, and yet they ask for nothing in return.

They do it because of a love of country, a respect for service and an understanding of the sacrifices that our military families so selflessly make. Their unwavering emotional and material support, helps to fortify our military, allowing them to carry out the missions our nation asks of them.

We in Congress must always honor our brave service men and women in word and in deed and we likewise should honor those who dedicate themselves to their support. That is why I introduced this important resolution to honor these amazing groups. They did not ask for any recognition for their service, but we can all agree that they deserve to be honored for all they do for our military families and for our country. I ask for your support of this critical resolution honoring our military support groups.