Powerful Legacy in Bronze: Mission of a Buffalo Soldier
When reflecting on her childhood, Dr. Aundrea Matthews recalls time spent at the United States Military Academy, also known as West Point. She was raised outside its historic walls in the Village of Highland Falls, New York. Beyond being close to West Point, her grandfather, Sergeant (Ret.) Sanders Haygood Matthews, was a member of the…
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More Than a Grocery Store: Everything You Need to Know About the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA)
In the military world, summer is the unofficial “PCS season.” Each year, about 600,000 military families relocate through a permanent change of station (PCS) or transition out of the military. Upon arriving at a new duty station, one of the first stops for a military family is the grocery store to replenish the food items…
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What You Need to Know About Male Military Spouses and How to Help
The upward trend in male presence in the military spouse community is uncovering a lack of inclusivity and representation. A recent article by Military OneSource raised concerns about male spouses’ feelings about isolation, public presumptions, and generalizations about gender roles. Blue Star Families took this opportunity to speak to male spouses to gain a better…
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Sleep Number Raises Its Hand Year-Round To Help Military Families Thrive Through Better Sleep
Murphy’s Law states that if anything can go wrong it will. Did you know that this phrase was first coined about a service member? Seriously. Edward J. Murphy was a major in the Air Force in the 1940s specializing in engineering. He was frequently faced with things that didn’t go to plan and as a…
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5 PCS Guides to Get You Through Your Next Move
A big part of the military experience is the inevitable Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move. Hundreds of thousands of service members and their families do it each year, and luckily, most things that could go wrong have before. Gleaning insights from experienced movers is a best practice, especially for newcomers, but even seasoned military…
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How Identity Affects Transition: A Veteran’s Perspective
The biggest issue facing Veterans during transition isn’t just a lack of resources. And the solution isn’t one-size-fits-all. Many in the field have tried to pinpoint one exact causality for the difficulties service members trading in their combat boots experience. However, if there’s one life-altering thing 1989 gave us, besides the 486 microprocessor — it’s…
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How You Can Turn a Military Move Into a Worthwhile Trip with Preparation
Welcome Vicki J., Army Veteran, active-duty Army spouse, and licensed social worker, to the Blue Star Families blog! As PCS season fast approaches and the stress of moving closes in, I would like to share some tips that have helped my family and I better navigate the relocation process. My husband just hit 20 years…
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Operation Family Resilience
Military families, we’re checking in on you. Are you taking care of yourself? We ask because you may be feeling a bit heavy with everything that’s happened these last two years. It’s a lot, this pandemic and civil unrest, right? We feel it, too. Why has it hit our military community particularly hard? Because, as…
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Your Voice Matters: The Importance of Participating in the 2022 Military Family Lifestyle Survey
Since 2009, Blue Star Families has been providing a comprehensive understanding of the experiences and challenges encountered by military families through the annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey (aMFLS). The results: Provide important insights and data that inform leaders, communities, organizations, and the philanthropic sector when assessing and acting on behalf of military and Veteran community…
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