Military Times  reports that “Tuesday marks President Obama’s final State of the Union speech, the commander in chief’s annual address to the nation that in recent years has largely shied away from military and veterans issues.”  

“During the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, President George W. Bush devoted the majority of his annual addresses to issues related to U.S. troops overseas and the ongoing fights. But with combat operations winding down, domestic concerns over employment and the economy have dominated Obama’s speeches.”  

The piece continues: “White House officials haven’t hinted whether those issues will take a larger role in Tuesday’s speech. In a video preview Jan. 5, Obama said his speech would focus on America’s ‘capacity to change for the better, our ability to come together as one family and pull ourselves closer to the America we believe in.’”