Chairman Notes Military Family Appreciation Week Published Nov. 20, 2008 By American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON -- Military Family Appreciation Week begins today, and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issued a message noting the observance. Here is the text of the chairman's message: "This month, as we celebrate our blessings, and give thanks for our freedom to enjoy them, we take great pride in honoring November 21-28, 2008 as Military Family Appreciation Week. "Families serve just as their uniformed service members do. And the military family has rarely faced as many challenges as our families do today. After seven years of war, hundreds of thousands of families have served through multiple deployments in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, as well as many other locations throughout the globe. "But the love and support of our military families do more than allow us to serve abroad. Our families serve at the very center of American society. They are the bedrock of a free republic which provides for a common defense - and their commitment to the values of hard work, self-sacrifice, and moral virtue is a source of great pride and inspiration for us all. "And, in this service, some families have suffered great loss - the kind of heart-wrenching loss that echoes for generations. We as a Nation owe the families of the wounded, and the fallen, a lifetime of gratitude and respect for a debt which we can never fully repay. "On behalf of my family and those of the Joint Chiefs, to all our military families, past and present, we thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your love. You truly are a wellspring of our Nation's honor, courage, and strength. With you by our side, we accomplish far more than we ever could alone."