Blue Star Stories
When Facing Back-to-Back Long-Term Separations, #MilFams Rely on Community Connections to Survive
When Facing Back-to-Back Long-Term Separations, #MilFams Rely on Community Connections to Survive When you think about the sacrifices military members make, your first thought might be of those on the frontlines―service members deployed overseas to defend and protect the freedoms we all enjoy. What most Americans don’t understand is that our military families are serving…
Read moreMilFams Struggle More Than Ever to Find a Place to Call Home
MilFams Struggle More Than Ever to Find a Place to Call Home Moving is a part of military life and a reality that all military families accept. In fact, 600,000 military-connected families move every single year. That’s a full third of our All-Volunteer Force packing up and reporting to new duty stations—some across the country,…
Read moreBlue Star Families Provides Volunteer Opportunities for #MilKids
Military families move on average every two to three years, with an average of 400,000 service members moving on permanent change of station (PCS) orders every year. We often talk about the implications for spouse employment and the difficulty of building a network of support as a result of moving frequently, but what about…
Read moreSupporting Black Business during Black Business Month
Supporting Black Business during Black Business Month August is recognized as National Black Business Month, a month devoted to supporting and celebrating black-owned businesses across the country. We’re highlighting thirteen black-owned businesses that strive to serve their communities and give back to the military community as well. Check out these entrepreneurs below! Meet Marla…
Read moreFinding Unique School Solutions to Support #MilKids
Meet Shevaun. She’s a navy spouse and mother of four. Shevaun is no stranger to the fact that military life can be unpredictable and challenging. In 13 years of active-duty service, her family has moved six times, faced three deployments, and one year-long unaccompanied tour. Despite all they’ve endured, 2020 presented their biggest challenge…
Read moreFirst-Time Blue Star Museums Participant, Mexic-Arte Museum, Shares Inclusive Space for MilFams to Learn and Connect
First-Time Blue Star Museums Participant, Mexic-Arte Museum, Shares Inclusive Space for MilFams to Learn and Connect “Art matters because it is the one true great connector in a world that seems to be very unconnected.” – Josh Groban In many ways, military life is extremely fractured. Life is broken up into blocks of time─two-year command,…
Read moreLessons Learned: How Schools Can Support Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Military Children
You may be surprised to know that nearly a quarter (24%) of active-duty family respondents to the 2020 Military Family Lifestyle Survey report their family was enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), a program that is intended to ensure family members’ special needs are considered during the assignment process. Most active-duty spouses…
Read moreCelebrate American Artists with Blue Star Museums!
August is synonymous with a lot of exciting things — most notably back to school, pool time, and family fun! But did you know August is also American Artist Appreciation Month? What better way to celebrate these observances than to get the family together to visit some of the amazing Blue Star Museums across the…
Read moreBlue Star Community Changemaker: Little Free Libraries
Blue Star Community Changemaker: Little Free Libraries Delivered by CSX Pride in Service The modern American military is an incredibly diverse group of individuals—many are married and have children. Ensuring that dependent children have support and opportunities to thrive is a major concern for those who serve. In fact, the 2020 Military Family Lifestyle Survey…
Read moreDayton Area Military Spouses Tackle a Lesson on Influence
Did you know that, according to the 2020 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, one in three (34%) active-duty family respondents reported they know nobody in their local civilian community well enough to ask them for a favor? Most civilians don’t realize that military families move into their neighborhoods with zero support and scarce job prospects…
Read more