First Lady Jill Biden Thanks Fort Carson Military Spouses For Their Sacrifice

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - First Lady Jill Biden visited military spouses at Fort Carson on Thursday to thank them for their service and sacrifice. The group had the chance to speak with Dr. Biden the day before Military Spouse Appreciation Day and share their ideas on how to improve the lives of servicemen and women as well as their families.

"The relationships I find and the stories I hear always stay with me," the First Lady said at the event organized by the USO. "This community is unlike any other."

Dr. Biden highlighted the stories of individuals in the crowd of around 30 military spouses who found creative ways to support each other. Some started social media platforms to stay in touch during the pandemic, others launched a small business providing products for military families. The event took place outside and everyone wore masks to follow COVID-19 protocol. Biden asked each spouse to share what they want the president to know about their experience.

"We kind of live a different life than regular people and just to know that we have a lot, maybe more independence," said Erica Prescott, the wife of a service member in the U.S. Army. "It's not that we're trying to isolate but we kind of isolate on our own."

Prescott told reporters after the event that she works in the medical health field and hopes that more resources are allocated to that need for the military, their spouses, and their children. She and other spouses said they were grateful to see the First Lady take time to visit them. Biden is a military mother and grandmother.

"It's bound together by love. Love for our country, love for our service members, and love for the communities that you all build together," Biden said about the commitment made by military spouses. "And it's time that we match that devotion."