First Lady Pool Reports of January 30, 2023

FLOTUS pool report #1 - Fort Drum

Hi everyone! I'm Jonathon Wheeler with the Watertown Daily Times in Upstate New York and I'll be sending the pool reports your guys' way with Dr. Biden's visit to Fort Drum today.

Dr. Biden and Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks are visiting US Army Garrison Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division on Monday Jan. 30 as part of the First Lady's Joining Forces Initiative.

Dr. Biden will meet with military spouses and leaders in the community to discuss employment opportunities for military spouses.

Dr. Biden was wearing a pink coat.

Dr. Biden landed on Fort Drum around 12:40PM Monday.

When Dr. Biden arrived, she was greeted by the people listed below after the background from the East Wing.

Dr. Biden has visited Fort Drum before in 2010 at a welcome home ceremony with then-vice president Joe Biden.

Events for the day, and more information to follow in the future reports. Background from the East Wing:

Reportable Background from the Office of the First Lady:

On Monday, January 30th,as part of the First Lady's Joining Forces initiative, Dr. Biden and Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks will visit Fort Drum, New York, the home of the storied 10th Mountain Division, to meet with military families. During the visit, Dr. Biden will meet with military spouses and leaders in the military-connected community to discuss improving employment opportunities for military spouses, one of Joining Forces' focus areas to increase economic security for military families.

The mission of Joining Forces is to support those who also serve: military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors. The First Lady's work and priorities of Joining Forces are informed by the life experiences and the perspectives shared during listening sessions with military families. A recap of the initiative's efforts in 2022 is available on the White House's Joining Forces blog.

At Fort Drum, Dr. Biden will:

Meet with Military Families at USO Lunch: Dr. Biden and Deputy Secretary Dr. Hicks will deliver brief remarks and meet with soldiers and family members over a lunch hosted by USO.

Host a Roundtable Discussion on Military Spouse Employment: Dr. Biden and Deputy Secretary Dr. Hicks will participate in a roundtable discussion on military spouse employment. Dr. Biden will be joined by military spouses, service providers, and local employers.

• The First Lady's work and priorities of Joining Forces are informed by the experiences and the perspectives of military families. As part of the conversation, military spouses will share their experiences of seeking employment and building meaningful careers. Local employers will speak to the importance of hiring military spouses and demonstrate the business case for recruiting and retaining military spouse talent.
• Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks will highlight the U.S. Department of Defense's work to increase economic security for military families, including through the new Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot offering paid, 12-week fellowships with employers in a variety of locations.
• Roundtable participants:

o Chantee Collins, Military Spouse and Transition Specialist at Fort Drum USO Transition Program

o Amanda Root, Employer, Executive Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County (CCE), Local Champion for Military Spouse Employment

o Meredith Taylor, Military Spouse, Program Lead for Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Professional Network (HOH-MSPN) and Contract Installation Manager for the Fort Drum Transition Assistance Program

o Leticia Zielinski, Transition Services Specialist and Fort Drum Transition Assistance Program

"Hearts" & Crafts with Military Children: Dr. Biden will meet military children (ages 3-5 years old) participating in a "hearts" and crafts project at the installation's South Riva Ridge Child Development Center. This "heart-work" will be featured at the White House for Valentine's Day, as part of Dr. Biden's continued efforts to lift up and support military children and families.

About USO at Fort Drum:

USO Fort Drum serves Active-Duty Service Members and their families, through programming including employment support for military spouses and transitioning service members, story time and reading programs for military children, and special events throughout the year designed to lift morale.

Dr. Biden's previous visit to U.S. Army Garrison Fort Drum:

In 2011, Dr. Biden and then-Vice President Biden visited Fort Drum to welcome home members of the 10th Mountain Division from a deployment in Iraq.

The First Lady has prioritized military families through the Joining Forces initiative since day one of the Biden-Harris Administration. The First Lady has visited 24 military installations; worked with Joining Forces partners to support over 30 events with the military-connected community; and helped coordinate the Administration's efforts to increase and raise awareness of resources and support for military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

· December 12, 2022: The First Lady participated in a Toys for Tots Drive delivery and event at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, VA.

· November 21, 2022: The President and First Lady visited Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point for Friendsgiving with service members and their families.

· October 13-14, 2022: The First Lady spent two-days with service members and military families at U.S. Army Fort Benning.

· July 14, 2022: The First Lady visited Home Base National Center of Excellence in Boston, MA to highlight the impact they've made on healing the invisible wounds of war.

· May 6, 2022: The First Lady visited Mihail Kog?lniceanu (MK) Air Base, met with U.S. and NATO military leadership, served meals to and visited with some of the U.S. troops assigned to the base in Romania. She also engaged in a virtual story-time reading for military-connected kids with United Through Reading, an organization that connects military families with deployed service members through video recordings and virtual book readings.

· April 13, 2022: The First Lady visited Whiteman Air Force Base with Secretary Miguel Cardona to celebrate Month of the Military Child in Knob Noster, MO.

· March 9, 2022: The First Lady visited families of service members deployed in support of NATO allies, at Fort Campbell, home of the 101st Airborne Division, in Fort Campbell, KY.

· February 23, 2022: The First Lady visited Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to tour a Child Development Center and participate in a listening session in support of military children with disabilities in San Antonio, TX.

· February 18, 2022: The First Lady visited a Coast Guard Air Station Miami with Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security John K. Tien for a private listening session with military families and book reading event in partnership with Disney and Blue Star Families to bring "Blue Star Books" to military families in Opa-locka, FL.

· December 10, 2021: The First Lady participated in a Toys for Tots Drive delivery and event at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, VA.

· December 9, 2021: The First Lady visited with the families of crew assigned to the USS DELAWARE in New London, Connecticut

· November 22, 2021: The President and First Lady visited Fort Bragg for a Friendsgiving dinner in Fort Bragg, NC.

· October 25, 2021: The First Lady visited Joint Base Charleston to meet with service members and military families in Charleston, SC.

· September 1, 2021: The First Lady visited with veterans and military families at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC.

· July 25, 2021: The First Lady participated in a barbeque with military families at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, HI.

· July 21, 2021: The First Lady met with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson leadership and Alaska Fisher House families and staff in Anchorage, AK.

· June 9, 2021: The President and First Lady visited U.S. service members and their families at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England

· May 28, 2021: The President and First Lady visited Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, VA.

· May 6, 2021: The First Lady recognized Military Spouse Appreciation Day by visiting Fort Carson for a USO luncheon honoring spouses in Fort Carson, CO.

· March 10, 2021: The First Lady visited Twenty Nine Palms Marine Corps Base in Twenty Nine Palms, CA.

· March 9, 2021: The First Lady visited Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Whidbey Island, WA.

· March 9, 2021: The First Lady visited Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, WA.

Upon arriving at the installation, Dr. Biden and Deputy Secretary Dr. Hicks will be greeted by:

• Major General Gregory Anderson, U.S. Army, Commanding General, 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum
• Mrs. Luzane Anderson, Spouse of the Commanding General, 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum
• Command Sergeant Major Nema Mobarakzadeh, U.S. Army, Command Sergeant Major, 10th Mountain Division
• Mrs. Kandice (Kandi) Mobarakzadeh, Spouse of the Command Sergeant Major, 10th Mountain Division
• Colonel James Zacchino, U.S. Army, Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Drum
• Mrs. Maria Zacchino, Spouse of Colonel James Zacchino
• Command Sergeant Major Shelly Jenkins, U.S. Army, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Drum

FLOTUS pool report #2 - Fort Drum

Dr. Biden is at USO Fort Drum to talk with families about what they would like to see.

Dr. Hicks introduced Dr. Biden at the USO Heritage Center.

Roughly 88 families were in attendance to talk with and hear from Dr. Biden.

"You are my community," Dr. Biden said. "You're my military family, and family as we all know is everything."

At the beginning of her speech she thanked the garrison and the 10th Mountain Division leadership team for what she called "their warm welcome."

Dr. Biden also thanked the USO for putting the luncheon on and all that they do.

She said to the group that she is going to bring people's comments back to the White House positive or negative.

A young child walked up and stood with Dr. Biden during her remarks overall to the group.

"Coming here to Fort Drum, even in the dead of winter, it is my privilege and an honor," Dr. Biden said.

Dr. Biden went through table by table to speak with families.

"We will only be able to maintain a strong voluntary force, if you don't have to choose between love of country and love of your family," she said to the group.

Rosalinda White was with her family listening and talking with Dr. Biden. She said she wanted to thank her for being on Fort Drum and wanted to talk with Dr. Biden about the Exceptional Family Member Program.

Mrs. White said Dr. Biden thanked her for attending and that they "really wanted to hear (their) issues."

A couple of children said their mother talked to Dr. Biden about childcare.

FLOTUS pool report #3 - Fort Drum

Dr. Biden is meeting with local leaders at a round table discussion in front of a fireplace to discuss military spouses' employment opportunities.

Dr. Hicks said they have heard a lot about childcare.

"It's a major challenge, so we're always looking for new ideas," Dr. Hicks said.

Leticia Zielinski, Transition Services Specialist for Fort Drum Transition Assistance Program said that she is really excited about what she does.

Military spousal unemployment currently is about 22%.

"I would rather have an amazing for a couple years than an OK employee for 5-10 years," said Amanda Root, Executive Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County in Watertown, NY.

Dr. Biden thanked everyone in attendance. She said she heard from every table that they wished they had a job.

"We are working for them, all these different agencies are working for them," she said.

Dr. Biden also complimented the overall visit from Fort Drum.

"This has been a really wonderful visit for me."

FLOTUS pool report #4 - Fort Drum

Dr. Biden visited South Riva Ridge Child Development Center on Fort Drum.

During the visit, Dr. Biden spent time with the children going over their "Hearts and Crafts," Valentine's Day activities which will be brought over to the White House.

The "Hearts and Crafts" appeared to be artwork the children worked on.

The room had about 20 children, ages 3-5.

Many of the children were extremely excited to meet the First Lady, with one asking how President Joe Biden is doing.

"Joe's doing fine!" Dr. Biden said.

Dr. Biden spent time at tables speaking with students and seeing what they were working on.

One of the students gave Dr. Biden a card.

A group photo with all of the children and Dr. Biden was taken at the end of her visit.