Substance use disorders (SUDs) affect individuals across all walks of life, but those serving in the military often face unique challenges when dealing with these conditions. The pressures of military service, combined with the pervasive stigma surrounding SUDs, create significant barriers to seeking treatment. Addressing the challenges surrounding stigma and SUDs is critical for ensuring the well-being of service members and veterans while promoting a culture of wellness and support.
The holiday season is a time of giving, gratitude, and togetherness—a chance to show our loved ones just how much they mean to us.
Caregiving is often a 24/7 commitment filled with emotional and physical challenges, yet it stands among the most impactful roles in a person’s life (Schulz & Eden, 2016). Recognizing the journey of family caregivers and the support they need is essential to building a compassionate community for these unsung heroes.
In the OneOp blog post, Climate Resilience in Coastal Military Communities, we shared examples of some of the disaster preparedness work that professionals within the Department of Defense (DoD) are doing to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters on coastal military communities. Through conservation work with the Coastal Resilience DoD Liaison Program, military leadership looks to safeguard not only the environment for wildlife but also the livelihoods of military service members and their families. Coastal military communities especially have been grappling with an array of issues—from surging sea levels to scorching heat waves—all exacerbated by the changing climate.
The annual report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau highlights issues reported by service members in 2023. The report is relevant for service providers working with military families navigating financial challenges and barriers. For example, credit or consumer reporting remains the highest complaint overall for both civilians and the military community. Service providers provide support for military families before, during, and after an issue arises.
November marks National Family Caregivers Month, a time to honor, celebrate, and recognize the dedicated individuals who selflessly provide care to loved ones in need. A caregiver is someone who helps bridge the gap between the needs of the individual and their abilities, including, but not limited to illness, disability, or age-related challenges (Easterseals, n.d.).
Natural disasters like coastal flooding, heat waves, and hurricanes are just a few of the issues that can affect military families and military installations that are on or near coastlines. As we see year after year with each hurricane season, these storms have far-reaching impacts to infrastructure and communities.
Students receiving special education services (IDEA, 2004) periodically transition to new programs (e.g., early intervention [EI] to early childhood special education [ECSE], middle to high school). Many students, including students from military families, will move to a new location at various points in their lives (see Williams et al., 2020).
Whether you’re supporting a service member transitioning to civilian employment, alongside a military spouse, or helping both as they explore options for their child(ren), discover four ways for military families to plan for education expenses.
Military life is synonymous with change. Military family practitioners know that, for service members and their families, transitions are a constant companion. From relocations to deployments, the military lifestyle demands adaptability, resilience, and a strong support system. Understanding these transitions and learning how to navigate them can make all the difference in maintaining family cohesion and individual well-being.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of Defense under Award Number 2023-48770-41333.
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