As Governor Tim Pawlenty and First Lady Mary Pawlenty announced the continuation and expansion of her Military Family Care Initiative you got a sense this would be part of their legacy.  The First Lady said "My heart lies first and foremost with military families."  She says the burden she might feel is nothing compared to the burden military families feel during a deployment.  Mrs. Pawlenty said as first lady "you have an opportunity to pull along side one or two causes" and a speech from First Lady Laura Bush back in 2003 inspired her to take on military families as her priority.  She said absolutley this is the most important part of her legacy and something she is most proud of.

Gov. Pawlenty has also made military issues central to his eight years in office making numerous trips overseas to visit the troops and insisting veterans funding remain untouched during tough budget times.  It's a smart easy issue for him as Pawlenty considers national office which again today he said he hasn't decided if he's running for president.  The initiative was housed in the governor's office, but now as he leaves office the assistance to military families will move to the National Guard and expand to ask for businesses to help as well.