Even though our troops are pretty well paid, a big family or a jobless spouse can spell trouble when it comes to putting food on the table. As the Washington Post notes this Thanksgiving morning on its front page:
Hundreds of financially strained military families in the Washington area are lining up for turkeys and free groceries this holiday season, depending on the USO to help put food on the table…Although military pay is at an all-time high, the stress of the recession and high unemployment among troops’ spouses have sparked a need among active-duty and reservist families, say the USO and other nonprofit groups that help the military. Bread lines have become an unlikely sight on and around military bases.
Just something to ponder as you dive in to your turkey and trimmings. Happy Thanksgiving!
