Background on the Launch of “Joining Forces” Initiative Today

BACKGROUND ON THE LAUNCH OF “JOINING FORCES” INITIATIVE TODAY
EAST ROOM

Today, the President, the Vice President, the First Lady and Dr. Biden will deliver remarks at the launch of the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden’s national initiative, Joining Forces, to support and honor America’s service members and their families in the East Room. 

STAGE PARTICIPANTS

Military Families
Teresa Arciola
Warrant Officer Clifford Blackmore and Carmen Blackmore (wife)
Sgt. Cory Briest and Jennifer Briest (wife)
Brooks Family: Shirley Brooks (Founder of Delaware Boots on the Ground), Norman (husband), Jason (son), Jeffrey (son), and Emily (daughter)
Sgt. Brian Mast and Brianna Mast

Business Leaders
Nancy Brown, American Heart Association
Geoff Cramer, Futures, Inc.
Ken Fisher, Fisher House
Henry Jackson, Society of Human Resource Managers
Dr. Mary Keller, Military Child Education Coalition
Sharon Robinson, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
Eric Spiegel, Siemens
W. Kenneth Yancey, Jr., SCORE
David Zaslav, Discovery Communications

AUDIENCE BACKGROUND
*What follows below is a representative list.

Administration Officials Expected to Attend
Secretary Timothy Geithner, U.S. Department of the Treasury
Secretary Robert Gates and Mrs. Becky Gates, Department of Defense
Secretary Ken Salazar, U.S. Department of the Interior
Secretary Hilda Solis, U.S. Department of Labor
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Shaun Donovan, U.S. Housing and Urban Development
Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. Department of Education
Secretary Ric Shinseki and Mrs. Patty Shinseki, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Patrick Corvington, CEO of Corporation for National and Community Service
Deputy Secretary William Lynn and Mrs. Mary Murphy
Under Secretary Clifford Stanley, Personnel and Readiness, Department of Defense
Assistant Secretary Raymond Jefferson, Veterans’ Employment and Training Services, Department of Labor
Assistant Secretary Tammy Duckworth, Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs
Secretary John McHugh, U.S. Army
Secretary Ray Mabus and Mrs. Lynne Mabus, U.S. Navy
Secretary Michael Donley and Mrs. Gail Donley, U.S. Air Force
Admiral Michael Mullen, Mrs. Deborah Mullen and daughter in law Jennifer Mullen, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff
General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of U.S. Marine Corps
Admiral Gary Roughhead and Mrs. Ellen Roughhead, U.S. Navy
General Norton Schwartz and Mrs. Suzie Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force
General James Amos and Mrs. Bonnie Amos, U. S. Marine Corps
General Martin Dempsey and Mrs. Dempsey, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army
Admiral Robert Papp and Mrs. Papp, U.S. Coast Guard
General Peter Chiarelli and Mrs.Beth Chiarelli, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army
Lieutenant General Jack Stultz and Mrs. Laura Stultz, Chief of the U.S. Army Reserve
General Stanley McChrystal and Mrs. Anne McChrystal, U.S. Army (Ret)
Sergeant Major Raymond Chandler III and Mrs. Jeanne Chandler, U.S. Army
Command Sergeant Major Carlton Kent and Mrs. Elizabeth Kent, U.S. Marine Corps
Master Chief Petty Officer Rick West and Mrs. West, U.S. Navy
Command Sergeant Major James Roy and Mrs. Paula Roy, Air Force
Holly Petraeus, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Assistant Director for the Office of Servicemember Affairs, wife of General David Petraeus, Commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A)

Members of Congress Expected to Attend
Representative Sanford Bishop, D-GA
Representative Susan Davis, D-CA
Representative Norm Dicks, D-WA
Representative Bob Filner, D-CA
Representative Chris Gibson, R-NY
Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-WA
Representative Tim Walz, D-MN
Representative Joe Wilson, R-SC

Business and Military Organization Leaders and Others Expected to Attend
Joyce Baezer, National Military Family Association
Nancy Brown, American Heart Association
Janice Chance, American Gold Star Mothers
Daniel Christman, Chamber of Commerce
Geoff Cramer, Futures, Inc.
Nathaniel Fick, Center for a New American Security
Ken Fisher, Fisher House Foundation
Peter Gaytan, The American Legion
Jim Gibbons, Goodwill
Sloan Gibson, USO
Mike Haynie, Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities Programs
Henry Jackson, Society of Human Resource Managers
Dr. Mary Keller, Military Child Education Coalition
Lieutenant General John Kelly and Karen Kelly (wife)
Jim Knotts, Operation Home Front
Brenda Linnington, BBB Military Line
Sgt. Brian Mast and Brianna Mast (wife)
Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq/Afganistan Veterans of America
Sharon Robinson, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
Kathy Roth-Douquet, Blue Star Families
Charles Saylor, National Parent Teacher Association
George Sherman, Best Buy
Eric Spiegel, Siemens
Robert Wallace, Veterans of Foreign Wars
Rick Weidman, Vietnam Veterans of America
W. Kenneth Yancey, Jr., SCORE
David Zaslav, Discovery Communications