North Carolina Becomes a 'Do Your Part' State for Military Families

FAYETTEVILLE TECH'S COMMITMENT TO MILITARY FAMILIES

• 🚀 Fayetteville Tech (FTCC) is a proud partner of Fort Bragg, prioritizing service to military families and earning a national designation as a top military-friendly institution.
• 💡 FTCC serves a significant population of active duty, veterans, and military dependents, with a dedicated All-American Veterans Center for benefits and enrollment, and an on-base Education Training Center for support and financial aid.
• 🤝 The college offers numerous engagement activities, including Warrior Wednesday and a Veterans Resource Fair, to connect military members and families with community resources.

INNOVATIVE MILITARY SUPPORT PROGRAMS

• 🔬 FTCC partnered with the Army Research Center on Project Pathfinder to train an AI system for identifying intelligence from satellite imagery, utilizing student labor in a dedicated lab.
• 🩺 The college provides nurses for clinical rotations at Womack Army Hospital and has a contract with the Army combat medical team, including a unique funeral service program for cadaver practice.
• 🛠️ The Transition Tech program, part of the Skills Bridge initiative, offers specialized training in areas like logistics, collision repair, and CDL truck driving, boasting a 95% hiring rate for participants.
• 🧬 FTCC also partners with the NC Biotech Center for the NC Bioworks program, training soldiers for employment in the biopharmaceutical industry.

MILITARY SPOUSE CHALLENGES AND ADVOCACY

• 🏠 Military families face unique challenges, including frequent moves (six times for one family) and children attending multiple schools (seven for one child), impacting their educational and social well-being.
• 🧠 For families with gifted and neurodiverse children, these challenges are amplified due to specialized educational and behavioral needs.
• 📊 A significant percentage of military families report their oldest child attending public school, with many having special education plans (IEP or 504).
• 📝 State policies like advanced enrollment can help schools prepare for incoming military students with special needs before their first day.

NORTH CAROLINA'S 'DO YOUR PART' INITIATIVE

• 🌟 North Carolina officially becomes a 'Do Your Part' state, a partnership with the National Governor's Association and Blue Star Families, aiming to support service members and their families holistically.
• ⚖️ The state is implementing policies such as the NC Service Members Civil Relief Act to assist with leases and has appointed a Blue Star Families representative to a child care task force.
• 📜 New legislation simplifies school enrollment and remote driver's license renewals for military families, and aids in transferring professional certifications for military spouses.
• 🤝 Becoming a 'Do Your Part' state signifies a commitment to continuous improvement and collaboration with other states to share best practices for supporting military families.

RECOGNITION AND COMMITMENT

• 🎖️ Lieutenant General Gwen Bingham (Ret.) highlights Blue Star Families' pride in Governor Stein's leadership and commitment to military families.
• 🏅 Governor Josh Stein is recognized as a member of the 'Do Your Part' Honorary Committee, underscoring his dedication to military families as a lasting legacy.
• ✍️ Governor Stein signs a proclamation officially declaring North Carolina a 'Do Your Part' state, reinforcing the state's dedication to its military community.