Blue Star Stories

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

Carol Feature

After 50 Years as a Military Caregiver, Carol Finds Support Through Blue Star Families

May 5, 2021

There are 5.5 million military and veteran caregivers in the U.S. today. These hidden heroes make incredible sacrifices in support of caring for a loved one—whether a parent, grandparent, child, or wounded warrior; they also face unique experiences and struggles based on their circumstances. Even those caring for a wounded warrior may be in very…

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Misty Caregiver Cohort

Military Connected Caregivers Learn to Focus on Self Care: Misty’s Story

May 5, 2021

Meet Misty. She’s an Army veteran and mom of two. In 2001, Misty was living in New York, just an hour from New York City, waiting for her Officer Candidate School class assignment. The 9/11 terror attacks further fueled her desire to serve. “It [9/11] was the most surreal time, and everyone just came together,”…

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One Choice MilFams Shouldn’t Have to Make

May 3, 2021

One Choice MilFams Shouldn’t Have to Make Military life comes with a unique set of challenges for all families—from deployments to frequent moves, time away for training, and the general unpredictability of not knowing what lies ahead, just to name a few. But what happens when your family is thrown an extra curveball? For example,…

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Starbucks Understands the Sacrifices MilFams Make & Raises Its Hand Year-Round to Help!

May 3, 2021

Did you know military families move three times more often than their civilian counterparts? Most move every two to three years. Restarting in new communities can often be extremely isolating, and many military families don’t feel heard or understood by their civilian neighbors. In fact, according to the 2020 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, less than…

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A Senior Spouses run in with Murphy’s Law of Deployments #MilitarySpouseAppreicationDay

April 30, 2021

It doesn’t take long for a military family member to learn about Murphy’s Law , Murphy’s Law of deployment that is. Anything that can break will break. Or, more generally, anything that can go wrong will go wrong.  The washer explodes, causing a flood? Sure. One of the kids breaks an arm attempting a double…

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Illustration of the state of Illinois

Meet the Illinois Army National Guard MFRs

April 30, 2021

Needless to say, 2020 was a year like no other. The year had a particular impact on one segment of the American public: those serving in uniform and their families. Did you know that, based on Blue Star Families’ annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey, more than half (55%) of National Guard family respondents and a…

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starbucks

Here’s How to Get Free Starbucks Coffee for You, Veteran (and Family)!  

April 28, 2021

There are days when military life’s got you feeling like… via GIPHY … because, seriously, we deal with some stressful stuff, y’all! But even if you’re no longer active duty, you know what we’re talking about because you’ve been there, done that (hello, nine moves and six deployments!). Here at Blue Star Families we’re forever…

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Meet Courtney: #BSFBeatCOVID19

April 21, 2021

Meet Courtney: #BSFBeatCOVID19 Meet Courtney. She’s a proud Army Spouse, mom of two,  a DOD civilian registered dental hygienist, and a military child as well.  Courtney is no stranger to the unpredictability of military life and prides herself on being able to roll with the punches. But this past year has really tested her mental…

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Volunteering Month of the Military Child Blue Star Families 2021

Presidential Volunteer Service Awards for Blue Star Families in 2020

April 20, 2021

Nothing Can Stop These Dedicated Volunteers Blue Star Families volunteers do it all—from planning special events to helping us tell their Blue Star Families stories, and leading activities for military families across the nation and around the world. Despite a global pandemic, these volunteers stepped up and continued to support military families, and they deserve…

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