Rollout of 2024 Questions Added to Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Targets Four Communities
[Washington, D.C.] — Blue Star Families (BSF) is launching centralized efforts to make on-the-ground, grassroots change in communities with its 2024 Campaign for Inclusion (CFI) survey.
The survey targets four regional areas as part of the larger, national fielding of the annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey (MFLS). The MFLS will run from March 27th through May 15th, with the CFI portion starting in early April and ending May 15th.
To better understand what makes diverse military families feel at home in the communities where they live and work, this latest iteration of the CFI study will explore how personal, military-specific, and community attributes intersect in the lives of military families in four distinct military communities: San Antonio, Texas; Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia; Hampton Roads, Virginia; and Davis County, Utah.
“This research will examine how specific characteristics of each community influence the degree to which diverse military families in each community feel welcomed, connected, and supported,” said Lindsay Knight, Chief Impact Officer, Blue Star Families. “These factors are crucial for better understanding social determinants of health and their overall well-being and ability to not just survive, but thrive.”
The final report will summarize the community attributes that set the conditions for diverse military families to feel belonging, and provide actionable recommendations that can be replicated across communities to set the conditions for belonging.
Military Family Lifestyle Survey respondents will be directed to the additional questions based on responses to regional and demographic self-identifier questions to include military, Veteran, and DOD Civilians and their families living within the four selected areas identifying as those in families of color and families with LGBTQ+ family members.
Since its inception in 2009, the MFLS has attracted more than 100,000 respondents and remains the largest and most comprehensive survey of active-duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members, Veterans, and their families. To learn more about the MFLS, click here.
History of CFI Studies
Blue Star Families’ Campaign for Inclusion reflects values of welcome and belonging at the heart of our work. Using our theory of change (listen, share, partner, and act), we empower stakeholders to implement best practices that help all military families feel welcomed and included on their journey.
In 2021, BSF researchers fielded the groundbreaking study: The Diverse Experiences of Military and Veteran Families of Color provides unparalleled insight into how military families experience military life. The Blue Star Families team interviewed more than 100 government, nonprofit, and community stakeholders to identify and prioritize viable recommendations and best practices to begin moving forward. That study brought to light that 54%of active-duty family respondents of color feared for their safety due to their race/ethnicity in their civilian community at least once since January 2020, and 46% of active-duty family respondents of color consider racial/ethnic discrimination when ranking installation preferences.
“Ensuring ongoing support for our diverse military families is essential for both recruiting service members and retaining their families. Given the evolving dynamics of modern families, it is incumbent upon us to guarantee that all diverse families receive the necessary support, resources, and a strong sense of community belonging,” says Army (Ret.) First Sergeant Carlandra “CT” Moss, Blue Star Families, Director, Campaign for Inclusion.
These studies are intended to help leaders prioritize action and start new conversations about how to create sustainable change.
To see results of past studies, click here.
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Media Contact
Adriene Engstrom
[email protected]
About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest Chapter-based military and Veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $200 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people annually. For more information, click here.
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