Military Family Quality of Life
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Spouse Employment
The military spouse unemployment rate has remained persistently high for decades, reflecting a systemic challenge that continues to impact the financial stability and well-being of military families. In 2024, BSF found that 23% of active-duty military spouses report being unemployed — a rate more than three times the national average. This gap is not due to a lack of willingness or qualification but is often the result of frequent relocations, limited access to affordable childcare, licensing barriers, and employer bias related to military affiliation.
Addressing military spouse unemployment is not only a matter of economic equity but also a critical component of overall military readiness, retention, and family resilience. Robust policy solutions and sustained public-private partnerships are essential to ensure military spouses have meaningful, portable career opportunities that align with their skills and support their unique lifestyles.
Recomendations:
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Adopt the Military Spouse Hiring Act that provides tax incentives to hire military spouses.
Childcare
Childcare continues to be one of the most significant barriers to employment for military spouses. According to the 2024 MFLS, many report taking two or more months to secure childcare following a relocation — delaying their ability to reenter the workforce and exacerbating financial strain on their families. These delays are often compounded by long wait-lists at base child development centers, a lack of available providers, and insufficient access to affordable care. Additionally, many military families are either unaware of existing fee assistance programs or face other challenges that limit their ability to utilize them effectively.
Addressing these childcare gaps is critical to improving military spouse employment and enhancing military well-being and readiness. To meet the unique demands of military life, childcare solutions must be flexible, accessible, and portable, ensuring that military families can thrive wherever they serve.
Recomendations:
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Reauthorize the pilot program for fee assistance to in-home providers of childcare in the FY26 NDAA.
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Support the development and advancement of childcare initiatives aimed at improving access and affordability for military and veteran families.
Mental Healthcare & Suicide Prevention
Military families seeking mental healthcare — whether for themselves or their children — frequently encounter significant challenges, including difficulty finding providers who accept TRICARE and long wait times even after a provider is located. These access barriers are especially concerning given the increasing demand for mental health support and the troubling rise in suicide rates within the military community.
Nearly 1 in 10 (8%) active-duty service member respondents and 5% of active-duty spouse respondents reported seriously considering suicide in the past year — figures that exceed the national average of 4.84% among U.S. adults. These numbers underscore the urgent need to improve timely access to quality mental healthcare for service members and their families.
Recomendations:
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Fund community suicide prevention efforts for service members and their families like Blue Star Support Circles | Upstream Solutions to Crisis.
Military Families Outdoors
Access to outdoor experiences is vital for the health and well-being of military families, offering meaningful opportunities for connection, stress relief, and resilience-building. Frequent relocations, long separations, and the demands of military life can lead to isolation and burnout among service members and their loved ones. Nature-based activities — such as hiking, camping, and family recreation — provide a restorative outlet that supports mental, emotional, and physical health.
These experiences also foster stronger family bonds and help create a sense of community and belonging, which are especially important for families stationed far from extended support networks. Expanding access to outdoor programming and public lands not only enhances quality of life but also contributes to overall military family readiness and retention.
Recomendations:
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Maintain and expand Defense Health Agency funding to promote health and readiness of military families through outdoor activities on public lands and waterways.