Military family survey reveals experiences vary, gaps in support remain

WASHINGTON — Service members and their families make major sacrifices for our country. But many of them often have trouble making ends meet.

Now, a new survey from the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN) reveals more about the experiences of military families and where gaps in support remain.

The group said more than 10,000 military family members and service members responded to the survey.

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It found military life experience varies a great deal, depending on where a family lives, the size of the family, and the service member’s rank. But the families share a similar vulnerability brought on by the need to frequently pack up and move to a new location.

“When you’re having a permanent change of station, it creates this full restart and that’s everything from the military spouse’s career to first and last month’s rent, figuring out where you’re going to live, getting your kids enrolled in school,” said Shannon Razsadin, Chief Executive Officer of MFAN.

The survey found food insecurity continues to be a serious concern. One in five people who answered said they didn’t always have enough to eat last year.

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Another big concern?

Access to childcare. About half of the military families with kids who responded said they rely on support from their family or friends or get no support at all with caregiving.

When it comes to housing, the findings show military families are getting faster responses about maintenance problems in privatized housing. But more families are having a harder time finding affordable housing.

“We’re seeing about 20% of our respondents spending between 31 and 60 nights in temporary lodging and so you think about that and the impact that has on your budget, on your family’s well-being,” Razsadin said.

The group said it wants lawmakers and the Defense Department to take a closer look at the findings and ensure military families aren’t being left behind.

“We have to make sure we don’t necessarily just put out a one-size-fits-all solution,” Razsadin said.  “A junior or middle enlisted family’s experience is going to be very different from an officer’s family’s experience and a lot of that comes down to their income.”

The survey also revealed more military families are seeking mental health support. Razsadin said it’s a positive step and a trend MFAN hopes will continue.

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