Have you taken the Military Family Lifestyle Survey with Blue Star Families? The survey is officially open between now and June 6th. If you are a service member, veteran, National Guard/Reserve, or family member please take the time to have your voice heard. As an added bonus five survey recipients will win $100 gift cards. The Blue Star Families Survey is so important. Not only to help Blue Star Families determine what military families need. But the results are used for advocacy at the city, state, and national level.
This post was paid for by Blue Star Families
The survey findings offer insight and data. This data allows decision-makers who have the power to advocate and drive reform. But without your voice, they will not know what military families (past and present) need. I am both a military spouse and a veteran. Because of this I am given the option to take the survey with my focus of being a veteran or a military spouse. Each year, the organizers have worked to bleed the two stories of both military spouse and veteran/or service member together. I appreciate the opportunity to share my story as both a veteran and military spouse. The work BSF has done is giving a voice to all.
How the survey helps
The stories and information shared with Blue Star Families become the fuel and information leaders need to help create change that directly affects military families. One great example is last year’s survey opened shortly after the pandemic began. Blue Star Families was able to collect timely data about how the pandemic affected military families in their careers, their children’s education, and more. This year they continue to gather data on how the pandemic has affected military families. Our family decided to homeschool this year because of the pandemic. The survey specifically asked about what children’s school systems looked like and if the pandemic affected our choice to home school. It is great to see that the survey is not only gathering the data it has used for advocacy in years past but also adapting and changing to address current needs as they arise.
Last year’s findings covered topics like discrimination in the military with the finding that nearly one out of ten veterans of color reported racial discrimination was one of the reasons they left the military. Unit communication and leadership led to findings that fewer than half of the service members reported feeling a sense of belonging to their unit. The number was even lower for female service members. Women in the military overall face greater challenges than their male counterparts in service. They also found that families needed support through deployment and COVID-19 caused an unanticipated extension of their time apart causing greater hardship. They also covered the challenges that COVID-19 brought with virtual schooling, childcare barrier for unemployment, food insecurity, and spouse employment. You can learn about last year’s survey results here.
Take the Military Family Lifestyle Survey today!
The 2021 Military Family Lifestyle Survey closes June 6th. It’s not too late to share your military family experience. Be a voice for change! – In addition to telling your story to bring about positive change for your family and other military-connected individuals. You’ll have a chance to win one of five $100 gift cards! Share your voice here.
