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RESOLUTION NO. ___ _
A Resolution urging support of Florida Military Family and Community Covenant
Day on April 17, 2013.
WHEREAS, for more than 230 years, individuals from all walks of life have taken up arms and
sworn an oath to support and defend the principles upon which our country was founded; and
WHEREAS, whether serving at home or abroad, Florida's active duty reserve and National
Guard military and civil servants, protect our homeland, respond to national disasters, assist humanitarian
agencies and protect against all threats foreign and domestic; and
WHEREAS, the United States Army Community Covenant program, created in 2008 was
designed to foster and sustain effective state and community partnerships with all of the armed services,
improving the quality of life for service men, service women and their families; and
WHEREAS, community support is essential for the readiness of the military and contributes to
strengthening the resilience of U.S. military personnel; and
WHEREAS, Americans recognize that military personnel and their families make considerable
sacrifices as they defend the Nation, as multiple long deployments, frequent moves, and visible/invisible
wounds of war are a few of the unique stresses military families face; and
WHEREAS, Floridians support service members, veterans, and their families by stepping
forward to help mitigate stresses associated with military life while also striving to inspire their fellow
Americans to continue to recognize and support military and veteran families in their communities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, THAT:
Section 1. The recitals to the preamble herein are incorporated by reference.
Section 2. The City Commission of the City of South Miami, through the Florida Military
Family and Community Covenant and Operation Strong Families, accepts the call to action to support and
honor all service members, veterans and their families, past and present, on April 17,2013.
Section 3. The City Clerk is hereby directed to send a copy of this Resolution to the Florida
Military Family and Community Covenant Executive Director.
Section 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS DAY OF ____ , 2013
ATTEST: APPROVED:
CITY CLERK MAYOR
Page 1 of2
/
1 READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM: COMMISSION VOTE:
2 LANGUAGE, LEGALITY AND Mayor Stoddard:
3 EXECUTION THEREOF Vice Mayor Liebman:
4 Commissioner Newman:
5 Commissioner Harris:
6 Commissioner Welsh:
7 CITY ATTORNEY
Page 2 of2
301 South Bronough Street. Suite 300. P.O. Box 1757. Tallahassee, Fl32302·1757· (850) 222·9684· Fox (850) 222·3806· www.floridoleoQueofdties.com
February 8, 2013
Dear City Manager or City Clerk:
(PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR CITY OFFICIALS AND YOUR PUBLIC
INFORMATION OFFICER)
The Florida Military Family and Community Covenant, Inc. (FMFCC) is a not-for-profit whose mission is to
recruit a ground swell of civilian support across the State of Florida to support our military families and
veterans.
By reaching out to Florida's 410 cities and engaging small groups of civilians to create and implement an action
plan, the Florida Military Family and Community Covenant will make a difference in the life of military
families.
The Florida Military Family and Community Covenant has asked the Florida League of Cities to partner in
getting the word out to Florida's cities. Therefore, we are encouraging our membership to place this item on an
agenda before the end of March for consideration and adoption of a resolution in support of Florida Military
Family and Community Covenant Day -April 17,2013.
We have attached a draft resolution, along with several other items of information -suggestions for activities
celebrating FMFCC and April 17,2013 and a publicity checklist.
When adopting your resolution, we strongly encourage your city to publicize the adoption of the resolution, as
well as any activities planned in celebration of April 17,2013, FMFCC Day. Also, please let the FMFCC
Executive Director (info. below) when the item is scheduled to come before your commission or council.
Once your resolution is adopted, please provide a copy to the FMFCC at Post Office Box 883, Monticello,
Florida 32345-0883. All resolutions will be placed on a backdrop for future events, including celebrations on
April 17,2013 in Tallahassee.
For further information, please contact Rae Pike, FMFCC Executive Director at (850) 673-7981. Thank you for
placing this on an upcoming agenda for consideration. We look forward to receiving your resolution and to
celebrating Florida Military Family and Community Covenant throughout Florida!
Sincerely,
~~~
MamlY Marono
President, Florida League of Cities
Mayor, City of Sweetwater
Manny Marono, Sweetwater
First Vice President P.C. Wu, Council President, Pensacola • Second Vice President Lori C. Moseley, Mayor, Miramar
Executive Director Michael Sittig • General Counsel Harry Morrison, Jr.
FMFCC Mission:
To recruit and coordinate a ground swell of civilian support across the Great State of
Florida to support our military and veteran families.
FMFCC Vision:
To reach out to Florida's 410 cities and inspire and engage snwll groups of civilians to
create and implement a local holistic action plan that will make a difference in the lives
of military and veteran families in their community.
Visit us on the web at: www.fmfcc.org
Florida Military Family and Community Covenant
P.O. Box 883, Monticello, FL 32345 / 850-673-7981
Success Stories
• Madison, FL has become the community that truly, with civilian support, is
the example of what can be done given the opportunity to serve.
• Adopted a military spouse who's husband is deployed to North Africa.
Helped with household furnishings as she left the base in Texas 6 months
pregnant to find herself with no military base support.
• Dental care for a deploying Army reservist.
• Help for spouse of deployed soldier whose son has special medical needs
• Assisted veteran with a land use problem at the city level so he could obtain
a VA loan to purchase a home
• Wheel chair ramp for Korean war veteran to assist his disabled wife make
home visits from the nursing home.
• Through our version of "Paws for Vets" we assisted a disabled veteran by
save his dog. Our local vet took care of little Bear and now puppy and
eran are both doing well.
You have not lived today until you have done something for ("nn'la~
can never repay you. -John Bunyan
They need new battle buddies
Army Col. David Sutherland, special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for
warrior and family support. FORT BELVOIR, Va., Feb. 29, 2012
{{Troops don't come home to government programs", he noted {{they come home to their families,
their neighbors and their communities". The colonel cited a study that indicated the No.1 remedy
for dealing with combat's effects is a sense of community, a feeling that they fit in."Communities
must step up to embrace these troops and veterans", the colonel said, {{Particularly once their battle
buddies are no longer by their side. They need new battle buddies, he added, but this time from
their communities' people who can assist them in translating their skills, knowledge and attributes
into civilian life and organizations. Government programs can't do it alone; however, {{independent
organizations working together at a community level can."
lilt is the recognition that independent groups working together inside a ~ft""""""<iit.'
model that do things to improve long-term quality of life that government}f
General Martin Dempsey, 18th Chairman of the
~
*CBAB
The Civilian Battle Advocacy Buddy Battalion (CBAB) is a group of civilians who will answer tne ca
action. In this time of shortfalls and budget cuts we know we can play an important role of support by
standing in the gap and by:
1. Providing support for our military and veteran families, at home, in our communities.
2. Joining community forces to enable our military and veteran families to receive the much needed
community care they deserve.
3. Helping sustain and improve the quality of life for our military and veteran families utilizing local
community resources.
4. Building public awareness through our CBAB'S and Covenant teams.
5. Inspiring and encouraging total community involvement, action not words.
6. Re-tooling, promoting, and connecting community services to meet the needs of local military
and veteran families.
7. Connecting military and veteran families to existing support systems in the Armed Forces and
Veterans Affairs, where appropriate.
8. Assisting with transition services to ensure the long term welfare of our local military and veteran
families.
* CIVILIAN BATTLE ADVOCACY BUDDY BATTALION