U.S. Sen. John Boozman has been recognized by the Military Officers Association of America with its 2026 Colonel Arthur T. Marix Congressional Leadership Award for efforts supporting military spouses and families.
The association cited Boozman’s bipartisan work advancing policies aimed at improving employment opportunities and quality of life for military families.
Boozman said his upbringing in a military household shaped his understanding of the sacrifices made by servicemembers’ families.
“Growing up in a military family, I learned firsthand about the sacrifices servicemembers’ loved ones endure to support them, and how this calling truly is a family affair,” Boozman said. “It is an honor to advocate policies like our military spouse hiring initiative that can help raise their quality of life and strengthen our military community.”
MOAA President and CEO Brian Kelly said Boozman’s work reflects a strong commitment to military families.
“Senator Boozman’s commitment to expanding employment opportunities for military spouses reflects a deep understanding of our military families,” Kelly said. “MOAA is proud to recognize him with this award.”
Boozman joined Sens. Tim Kaine, Maggie Hassan and Mike Rounds in introducing the Military Spouse Hiring Act. The legislation would expand the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program to include military spouses, providing incentives for employers to hire individuals who face barriers to employment.
Military spouses often experience higher rates of unemployment and underemployment than the national average due to frequent relocations tied to military service.
MOAA also featured Boozman in an interview in its Military Officer magazine, highlighting his support of the legislation and his background as the son of a U.S. Air Force master sergeant.
Boozman serves on several committees related to defense and veterans policy, including Senate Appropriations subcommittees that oversee funding for the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, and he is a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
MOAA is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan organization representing about 350,000 members, including active-duty, retired and former military officers, as well as National Guard and Reserve members and surviving spouses.
