North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced the state is joining the “Do Your Part” initiative, which is a joint initiative between Blue Star Families and the National Governors Association.
The formal “Do Your Part: State Leadership to Support Military Families” initiative helps states identify, prioritize, and implement the most effective policies and programs to support military families.
“Just as service members and their families have served us, we must serve them,” said Stein. “Supporting military families and ensuring they can focus on their core mission to keep us safe is critical to our nation’s security and the right thing to do. I am grateful that North Carolina is a Do Your Part State, and I am proud to reaffirm our state’s commitment to being a top state for military families.”
The Do Your Part initiative grew from Blue Star Families' mission to address the challenges faced by military families, such as spouse unemployment, frequent moves and a lack of community belonging.
The formal Do Your Part program was publicly announced in late 2024, with the National Governors Association joining forces with Blue Star Families. This partnership was designed to amplify existing efforts and create a standardized approach for states to adopt proven support policies.
Blue Star Families is a national nonprofit organization that supports military families – known as Blue Star families – through the challenges of military life by helping connect them with the communities where they live during their service members’ military assignments.
With North Carolina home to more than 281,603 Blue Star families and 619,000 veterans, Stein has said he is committed to making North Carolina even more welcoming to military families.
This year, he signed four bills into law that support service members and their families. The laws help military spouses transfer their professional licenses from out of state, making it easier to remotely renew drivers’ licenses, aid parents enrolling their kids in public school, and help military students afford tuition in the University of North Carolina System.
“North Carolina is home to more than 600,000 veterans and has the fourth-largest active-duty population of any state in the country,” Secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs Jocelyn Mallette said. “I am proud that North Carolina is becoming a Do Your Part State. We owe it to our service members and families to address the unique challenges they face and give them a bright future here in North Carolina.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore was named the initiative's first honorary chair in September 2024 to promote the effort in other states.
“Supporting our military families is not just the right thing to do — it’s essential to our nation’s strength and future. Maryland is proud to lead as a Do Your Part state, and I’m honored to chair this initiative with Blue Star Families and the National Governors Association," said Moore. "I’m excited to welcome Governor Stein and North Carolina to this growing collaboration. Together, we’re leading the way in supporting those who serve and the families who stand beside them.”