FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., March 12 (UPI) -- Michelle Obama, making her first trip on her own out of Washington as first lady, visited U.S. soldiers and their families Thursday at Fort Bragg, N.C.
When she arrived at the military base, Obama exchanged hugs and posed for snapshots with cheering soldiers. She ate lunch with 20 military family member and five volunteers who provide family support.
At the Prager Child Development Center, Obama read "The Cat in the Hat" to a group of about 12 preschoolers.
After she left the base, Obama spoke at the Fayetteville Arts Center on the need to provide better benefits for soldiers and their families. She mentioned men and women in uniform and couples who are both serving and leave their children with others.
"And as I speak, there are servicemen and women who at their posts across this nation and around the world, as I speak, they're standing watch, and they're providing the security of our daily lives," she said. "We keep them, the wounded who are recovering, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in safety and freedom, we keep them in our thoughts and our prayers every second of the day."
