Governor Opens Military Networking Conference

Press Release

Governor Opens Military Networking Conference

Governor John E. Baldacci today opened a conference to educate people about the Maine Military and Community Network. The conference, called "From the War Zone to the Home Front: Engaging Communities to Support Service Members and their Families" is being held to establish a community network of agencies and providers to assist military members.

"Your being here today says that you want to make a commitment to building this network and having this support staff," Governor Baldacci told the conference attendees. "The support you are showing and are committing to is vitally important to our troops and their families."

The Maine Military and Community Network consists of regional taskforces and a monthly steering group, as well as a statewide network of professionals and volunteers who help veterans and their families. The statewide network includes members of the Maine National Guard and Family Programs, Chaplains, other Military groups, Veterans Affairs, Maine Bureau of Veterans Services and the Department of Health and Human Services. The group helps returning troops and their families make smoother transitions from the war zone back to the home front.

The daylong conference, held at Colby College, included panel discussions, exhibits and breakout sessions centered on the impact deployment can have on soldiers, their families and communities, and support that can be offered.

"We can never do enough to show our support for our troops," the Governor said, "but we must continue to ensure that they have every resource available to them."

People interested in joining the Maine Military and Community Network should send an e-mail to mainevetsupport@gmail.com. Those e-mailing will be signed up for the group's listserv, which will provide monthly e-mails of the calendar of events and notifications of relevant news and information.

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