November is Military Family Month
Serving our nation is an honorable calling, but the weight of service falls on the shoulders of more than just those in uniform. Behind every servicemember is a family supporting them; their spouse, children, parents—even aunts, uncles, and grandparents. For this reason, November has been designated as Military Family Month. It’s a time for all of us to recognize the challenges family members face during the military service of their loved ones, and as a community find ways to support them.
November was declared Military Family Month in 1996. The original intent was to highlight the strength, resilience, and courage of military families as they serve alongside their servicemember. With this recognition has come increased advocacy for family members and their unique circumstances, which the state of South Dakota has recently endeavored to assist with as well.
In South Dakota and the Black Hills, efforts have been made to help military spouses join our workforce more easily. This includes simplifying the transfer of professional licenses, not to mention local organizations that actively recruit and employ military spouses. See our Employment Resources page for more info.
Here locally, organizations like Ellsworth Connections have been created specifically for the purpose of welcoming Airmen and their families to Ellsworth. This is the inaugural year of their Holiday Meal Program, which provides base members with a host family for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years. They hope to expand their outreach to more events soon, as well as continue this year’s successes.
Similarly, the Family Readiness Support Assistants at Camp Rapid works to connect our National Guard members and their families with the local community, especially those who live outside the immediate area.
No matter their job in the military or family situation, the Rapid City and larger Black Hills community supports our military and their loved ones. We hope to make every family feel like they’re home as long as they’re stationed here.