Lieutenant Governor Gregory R. Francis has joined his counterparts from across the United States in sponsoring resolutions that support military families and continue the National Lieutenant Governors Association’s (NLGA) efforts to raise awareness about cervical cancer. Francis co-sponsored the resolutions while attending the federal-state meeting of the National Lieutenant Governors Association in Washington, D.C., according to a press release from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
A military veteran and former director of the Office of Veterans Affairs, Francis co-sponsored a resolution that would support military families and children through the distribution of the Strategic Outreach to Families of All Reservists (SOFAR) guide. The guide outlines coping mechanisms for children whose parents have been deployed through their service in the National Guard or other military reserves. “I am happy to be a sponsor of this resolution to support military families who are our unsung heroes for all they endure while their loved ones serve our country,” said Francis. He intends to work closely with the Department of Education and the National Guard to get this valuable guide into the hands of the children and families who have a relative who has been deployed or is returning from service.
Lt. Gov. Francis also supported a resolution to end cervical cancer by raising awareness of the disease. In 2007, Lt. Gov. Francis and Cheryl Francis hosted free screenings throughout the territory as part of an NLGA initiative to end cervical cancer. At the time, approximately 800 pap tests for the screenings were donated by a laboratory in Florida.