Military families spent Mother's Day at the White House with First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, for its annual Mother's Day Tea on Friday. Service members, spouses, children, wounded warriors, caregivers, and veterans were honored at the event.

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The National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, observed on the Friday before Mother's Day, was also celebrated. As part of the Joining Forces Initiative, Obama and Biden commended the sacrifices of the members of the Armed Forces and their families: moving from one state to another, starting new jobs - basically uprooting their lives and never settling in one place for too long to serve the country.

"Hosting the White House tea for Mother's Day is an opportunity to honor military families in a small way that we can say 'Thank you.' To open up this house, to just enjoy a day where you can look good, feel grand," Obama said.

She further praised the military community for their active participation in the times of need.

"You're always stepping up, always trying to figure out how you can help. And that's inspiring," she added.

Biden, who has a son in the Delaware Army National Guard and an Iraq veteran, said that honoring the military families are very important because of the huge part they play in the country.

"We ask a lot of our military families," Biden continued, "and I believe that each of us -- no matter where we live, no matter whether we're connected to military ourselves -- all of us should make our best efforts to show our military spouses, kids, siblings and parents how much we appreciate their service and their sacrifice."

Obama and Biden has been supporting the military spouses and veterans by establishing the Joining Forces Initiative in April 2011. The project aims to help service members, veterans, and their families in terms of employment, education, and other essential needs.

The first lady said that the Joining Forces is just one of the many ways that organizations from across the country are teaming up to thank the military community for their invaluable service. 

TagsMother's Day, Mother's Day Tea at White House, Michelle Obama, First Lady, Jill Biden, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Military families appreciation, National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Joining Forces Initiative