Each year Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Institute for Veteran and Military Families at Syracuse University, administers the Military Family Lifestyle Survey to service members, Veterans, and their families. This year over 10,000 people responded. In the table below, each cell presents the percentage of respondents who identified that variable as being significant. For example, the top concern for active duty members and their spouses was time away from the family while military pay and benefit was the Veterans’ priority. In general, top concerns were related to quality of life, economic stability, and social isolation.
Active Duty Spouses | Active Duty Members | Veterans | |
Time away from family | 51% | 52% | 34% |
Military spouse employment | 45% | 28% | 19% |
Military child education | 42% | 34% | 22% |
Impact of deployment on children | 39% | 35% | 28% |
Military pay and benefits | 35% | 33% | 37% |
Military family quality of life | 33% | 35% | 21% |
Change in retirement benefits | 19% | 22% | 26% |
Veteran employment | 10% | 14% | 36% |
PTSD combat stress/TBI | 14% | 10% | 33% |
Service member and Veteran suicide | 11% | 9% | 26% |
For more information about survey results, visit https://bluestarfam.org/survey/.