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/.