Blue Star Stories

Welcome to our blog where you'll find the stories from the lives of our Blue Star Families.

Macy’s sees you, and they salute you!

July 8, 2021

Being a military family comes with exciting adventures and wonderful benefits. But it can also be stressful. Deployments, long working hours, and additional time away for training are just a few of the difficult things military families have to navigate. As a result, those challenges, to name a few, affect the mental health and well-being…

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Here’s How Macy’s is Empowering Military Families This Summer

July 8, 2021

  Military families often struggle with time apart not just when service members are deployed or away for training. The day-to-day job demands and schedule can make it difficult for families to find time to connect. In fact, 47% of active-duty family respondents to the 2020 Military Family Lifestyle Survey reported “time away from family”…

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National Capital Region DEPLOY Fellow Focuses on Mentorship and Opportunities for Children

July 7, 2021

Meet Tonya. She’s a Navy spouse, mom to three school-aged boys, and recently started serving as the DEPLOY Fellow for Blue Star Families’ National Capital Region Chapter, a position made possible by Lockheed Martin. While Tonya found her lifelong partner in high school, middle school was not quite as fun. She struggled to fit in…

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Military Moves Prove Stressful for Families with Children on IEPs

July 3, 2021

  Did you know that 600,000 military and veteran families move with the military annually? While experiencing new locations is often cited as a highlight of military service, moving so often also presents real challenges, especially when you consider the family members who move with them. The reality is that today’s modern military is a…

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Blue Star Museums Open Up Opportunities for Military Families

July 2, 2021

  The approaching summer season looks a little different for many military families, compared to their civilian counterparts. While civilian families might be planning their family vacation or what summer camp to attend, military families are often anticipating orders that will tell them where they are moving next and how quickly. Oftentimes, families are given…

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Army Veteran Focuses Retirement on Building a Brighter Military Future for her Children

July 1, 2021

Meet CT. She’s a mom of two and recently retired from the Army after serving 24 years. What’s next on her journey? She’s taking on the important role of Racial Equity and Inclusion Director for Blue Star Families, managing the DEPLOY Fellow Program under Blue Star Families’ Racial Equity and Inclusion Initiative.  Why step into…

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As PCS Season Continues, Many Military Families Are Given Mere Months to Prepare

June 29, 2021

Military life is unpredictable. Between frequent moves, long-term separation due to deployments and training, and work schedules that aren’t family-friendly; many military families struggle to find stability, which compromises their mental well-being. In fact, according to the 2019 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, lack of control over military career and the uncertainty that accompanies military life…

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Creating a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ Families to Serve

June 25, 2021

Did you know that military families move 3x as often as their civilian counterparts, most moving every 2-3 years on average? Starting over every few years leaves many military families struggling to create connections. In fact, according to the 2020 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, only a quarter (27%) of active-duty family respondents feel a sense…

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Blue Star Families Aims to be a Home Away From Home as Military Families Prepare to Move

June 25, 2021

Moving frequently is an inevitable, but difficult, part of life as a military family. In fact, 600,000 service members and their families, 400,000 active-duty and 200,000 veterans, relocate with the military every year. While moving is an exciting adventure, it also means leaving support systems, friends, jobs, and the overall comfort of truly belonging to…

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