The military is one of the most trusted institutions in America. If service members, veterans, and their families are still willing to commit their lives to protecting the set of principles and values that define the American way of life, perhaps civilian Americans should follow their lead.

Being a military spouse is challenging, and for foreign-born spouses, there are even more stressors to keeping a family running — applying for work permits, passing citizenship tests, cannonballing into new American and military cultures, to name a few. But it’s really hard to know how foreign-born spouses are doing, because we don’t often ask them.

Managing a military household is no small feat. Between frequent moves, unpredictable schedules, and the demands of military life, finding and maintaining a career can seem nearly impossible for military spouses. However, in today’s digital world, there are more opportunities than ever for flexible jobs that allow you to manage your household while building a fulfilling career. Here’s a practical guide for military spouses on how to secure flexible jobs that fit into the unique rhythm of military life.

Blue Star Families (BSF) recently unveiled the results of the 2023 Military Family Lifestyle Survey of over 7400 respondents in Washington, D.C., shedding light on the pressing challenges military families face. Only 32% of military family respondents would recommend military service.

Every year, more than 600,000 active duty military families move because of new deployments. And most of those families are living off military bases and installations – meaning they need to get used to new towns and cities on a regular basis. That’s why Blue Star Families, a nonprofit supporting military households, is kicking off it’s 5th annual “welcome week” on September 21st to help servicemembers and their loved ones adjust to their new surroundings.

Hoping to provide service members more affordable housing options near military bases, a bipartisan pair of House members wants to offer developers a tax incentive to build that housing.

Blue Star Families – an organization founded in 2009 to help support military families through connection – launched Blue Star Welcome Week, a celebration launched in 2020 intended to bridge the military-civilian divide and create a greater sense of belonging and community for everyone.

After the 9/11 attacks, military enrollment jumped in the U.S. — but that has plummeted to record-low numbers today.

Moving may be a part of military life, but for families of color and other groups, military moves pose more than an inconvenience: They threaten their safety. That puts our nation’s readiness at risk.

The Department of Defense estimates there are roughly 1 million military spouses of active duty, reserve, and National Guard members. The U.S. Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce estimates there are an additional 11.2 million spouses of veterans, bringing the total number of military spouses to 12.2 million. But, according to the 2023 Blue Star Families Military Families Lifestyle Survey, the number of spouses who would recommend military service is grossly dwindling.