MANCHESTER, NH — As the remaining Democratic candidates assemble on stage at Saint Anselm tonight for the final debate before voters head to the polls Tuesday, a Manchester woman will have a reserved seat, next to Dr. Jill Biden. Stephanie Ouellette, a Gold Star sister, will be Dr. Biden’s guest to the debate. Her brother, Corporal Michael Ouellette, was killed in the line of duty in 2009 and was posthumously honored with a Navy Cross for his heroism.
Stephanie Ouellette makes sure the spirit of her brother’s ultimate sacrifice lives on by organizing annual service projects that benefit local veterans. She also persists in memory of her mother, Donna Ouellette, who died in Nov. 2017. Stephanie Ouellette remains active among New Hampshire’s Gold Star Family community. She is an honorary board member for the Gold Star Family Memorial Monument, Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation.
“Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden have been unwavering in their support of military and Gold Star families, from their time in the Obama-Biden administration to today. As military parents, the Bidens know the anxiety of having a loved one serving overseas — and having spent so much time working with and listening to military families, they know our unique struggles and needs,” said Stephanie Ouellette. “I support Joe Biden for president because I know his proven, steady, and compassionate leadership will never forget families like mine.”
Marine Cpl. Michael Ouellette of Manchester was killed after an improvised explosive device detonated underneath him while he was patrolling in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on March 22, 2009. Cpl. Ouellette continued to lead his squad by directing fire from his riflemen and calling in the ambush over the radio, despite his mortal wounds. Ouellette succumbed to his injuries as he was evacuated from the battlefield. His mother, Donna Ouellette, was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously in 2010.
Because of their own experience as parents of a service member deployed in Iraq, the Bidens have a deep understanding of the family commitment to military service. As such, they will honor the sacrifice of Corporal Ouellette during Friday’s debate, and have mapped out a plan to support U.S. military families as part of Biden’s election platform. You can read more about the plan here.
