New bill could provide more support for military families

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – For some soldiers, service represents a great sacrifice, but some lawmakers are making strides nationally to help families here at Fort Eisenhower and across the country.

Earlier this month, Senator Jon Ossoff introduced the “Support for Military Families Act,” which he said exempts active-duty military members from deployment or mobilization during the first year of life of their newborn.

He says the bill will help keep military families together.

Ossoff says the exception to this rule is in the case of a national security crisis or armed conflict.

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Ossoff says it’s about supporting young military families, ensuring that, whenever possible, they can be together and present for their newborn.

He also says it will make it easier to attract and retain young people in the military.

Frances Floresca Baldwin is a military wife and knows it well. Her husband is currently deployed and she has a one-year-old at home.

She says her husband was also sent for many training courses away from home.

“It’s not easy for the spouses, but the children don’t even know what’s happening. And my son has absolutely no idea what’s going on,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin’s husband was deployed overseas shortly after their son’s first birthday.

“When we got married and had our own child, we knew life would be much more difficult. But you know, we have to make sacrifices to continue in life. But the sacrifice taught me a lot. And that forced me to go out into the community and find ways to serve them,” she said.

Baldwin did this in part by discussing with Senator Ossoff the possibility of reuniting military families.

“These young soldiers are not there for the money. They do it because they care about defending our nation, they are committed to our national security. With the frequency of deployments, it is difficult to raise a family. In order to retain young service members, we must support them as they start their families. This is already the policy of the American army. My legislation will extend it to other services and will be codified into law,” said Senator Ossoff.

Baldwin said: “My son can feel the pain of not having his father here. And I hope I can bring that to other military families to ensure that their spouse can hopefully spend more time with their child, especially when they’re very little.