May is National Military Appreciation Month - May 11 is Military Spouse Appreciation Day

The entire month of May is National Military Appreciation Month. The Friday before Mother's Day is Military Spouses Day. In 2007, that means that the celebration is on May 11. Military Spouses Day is a day to recognize and honor the spouses of our soldiers. This day recognizes the contributions made by military spouses to the spirit and well being of soldiers and military communities. This year, unfortunately, it is especially appropriate as so many have a spouse serving in the Iraq war. And last month, the Pentagon decided to extend the standard yearlong deployment of active-duty Army soldiers to 15 months.

One Internet support group for military spouses is SpouseBuzz (http://www.spousebuzz.com). On May 12th they have planned SpouseBUZZ LIVE San Diego. This event will take place at the beautiful San Diego Convention Center on May 12 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. There are also local on-base support centers available. In the various military branches, these are called Navy Fleet and Family Support Center, Airman & Family Readiness Center, or Army Community and Family Support Center.

There is also Military Home Front (http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil). MilitaryHOMEFRONT is the official Department of Defense web site for reliable Quality of Life information designed to help troops and their families, leaders and service providers.

To draw attention and express appreciation to military families across the nation, consider some of the following suggestions. Work with your local schools, civic organizations and businesses to organize events like visiting veterans hospitals, making trips to military memorials and museums, and decorating with patriotic themes.

Many major corporations and organizations are showing their support this month, too. The Washington Capitals hockey team have scheduled a Military Appreciation Day at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., for May 11. Shauna Fleming, founder of A Million Thanks has teamed up with Buick, Pontiac and GMC divisions of General Motors to collect thank you letters from the public for the troops. Discovery is producing a series of "Thank You's" for The Military Channel where citizens from all over the country will be "thanking the troops" for all their service to our country.

Military spouses are personally vested in ending the war and bringing their spouses home, while needing to be supportive of the individual they married, who was called to fight in the war. There are no shortage of organizations dedicated to ending the war, many of which are linked to http://www.bringthemhomenow.org.

Military Spouses Day was created by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger established the Friday before Mother's Day as Military Spouses Day