Written by: Chloe Pennington
Military-connected teens develop remarkable strengths, including resilience, adaptability, and a strong sense of purpose. At the same time, the unique challenges they face, such as frequent relocations, deployment cycles, and concerns for a parent’s safety, may increase the likelihood of turning to substances. Along with these stressors, teens face common developmental tasks, such as transitioning into adulthood, navigating relationships, and establishing a sense of self.
Substance misuse during adolescence is particularly concerning because psychoactive substances such as nicotine, cannabis, and alcohol can interfere with brain development. Research shows that military-connected adolescents are 50% more likely than civilian peers to report both recent and lifetime substance use (Gilreath et al., 2013). While many thrive despite these challenges, others may turn to substances as a way to cope. For professionals working with military families, prevention and early intervention are essential.
Vulnerability and Protective Factors
Substance misuse among teens does not occur in a vacuum. It often develops from a combination of developmental, environmental, and family stressors. Key vulnerability factors include:
- Early age of first use (a major predictor of later substance use disorder)
- Frequent relocations and school transitions
- Deployment-related stress and uncertainty
- Parental substance misuse or poor monitoring
- Peer influence and social modeling
At the same time, protective factors play a powerful role:
- Strong family cohesion and open communication
- Consistent parental monitoring with warmth and trust
- Engagement in meaningful activities such as school, athletics, or hobbies
- Connection to supportive peers and community resources
When protective factors outweigh risks, military-connected youth often demonstrate resilience, surpassing expectations even in stressful circumstances (Cederbaum et al., 2021).
What Prevention Looks Like
Protective factors play a powerful role, but prevention efforts are equally critical in helping teens build the skills to make informed, safe decisions about substance use. Evidence shows that prevention is most effective when it:
- Targets multiple levels through efforts at the individual, family, and community levels that address the issue more fully.
- Begins early. Middle school is often when experimentation starts.
- Emphasizes empowerment. Youth are important contributors and should be treated as such.
Research shows that approaches that truly resonate with youth move beyond the old “just say no” message. Instead, they acknowledge the real reasons teens may turn to substances, such as coping, “fun,” or belonging, and provide healthier skills to meet those needs. Programs such as Life Skills Training, along with newer cognitive-behavioral and harm-reduction approaches, have strong evidence for reducing substance use (American Psychological Association, 2024).
What Professionals Can Do Now
For those working with military-connected youth, consider the following strategies:
- Normalize conversations: Use resources like Military OneSource to help parents talk openly with their teens (Military OneSource, 2023).
- Promote community connection: Share resources and encourage families to engage in meaningful activities, such as school events, youth programs, sports teams, faith groups, or volunteering.
- Watch for warning signs: Look for sudden changes in behavior, declining grades, or withdrawal from typical activities.
- Engage in ongoing learning: Stanford’s REACH Lab offers open-access, evidence-based training programs for teen substance abuse prevention.
Moving Forward
Military teens face both the everyday challenges of adolescence and the unique demands of military life. Addressing substance use isn’t just about lowering risk, but about supporting the long-term health, readiness, and resilience of the whole military family. Prevention is not a single conversation, but an ongoing effort that adapts to the realities young people face. By staying informed and proactive, we can all help military teens make safe and empowered choices.
OneOp programming on the topic of substance misuse can be found on the Substance Use, Stigma, and Recovery: Trends in Military Contexts series homepage.
References
American Psychological Association. (2024, March). New approaches to youth substance misuse. APA Monitor on Psychology. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/03/new-approaches-youth-substance-misuse
Cederbaum, J. A., Gilreath, T. D., Benbenishty, R., Astor, R. A., Pineda, D., & Atuel, H. R. (2021). Well-being and mental health of military-connected youth: Current research and future directions. Military Medicine, 186(3–4), e409–e415. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usaa342
Gilreath, T. D., Cederbaum, J. A., Astor, R. A., Benbenishty, R., Pineda, D., & Atuel, H. (2013). Substance use among military-connected youth in California. JAMA Pediatrics, 167(10), 922–927. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.3081
Military OneSource. (2023). Talking to your military teen about substance use. U.S. Department of Defense. https://www.militaryonesource.mil/health-wellness/prevention-care/talking-to-your-military-teen-about-substance-use/
Stanford Medicine. (2025). Halpern-Felsher REACH Lab. https://med.stanford.edu/halpern-felsher-reach-lab.html
Blog image by SHVETS production from pexel
