Like in any profession, there are pros and cons to life in the military and out in the civilian sector after transitioning out of service, so when it comes to concerns looking for solutions the Blue Star Family annual survey highlights several issues.
“In the top five, historically, are military spouse under employment, financial stressors, access to childcare, access to mental health, not understanding your benefits,” said Geri Maples, Dayton and Southwest Ohio Chapter director of Blue Star Families.
She says the participation in their annual survey provides great insight into the military community by providing anonymous and honest feedback from those experiencing the issues firsthand.
“The biggest thing is that it gives our families who participate and actually complete the survey of voice to share and get the concerns out that are most important to them,” Maples said.
Over 7,400 people took part in the 2023 survey, according to the nonprofit’s website. The results showed concerns from active-duty service members tied to family separation, pay, housing, spouse employment and children’s education.
Out of those surveyed over the years there’s been a decline in the willingness to recommend military service to the next generation.
Blue Star Family data shows a drop from 55% of those surveyed recommending military service in 2016, to just 32% surveyed in 2023.
Geri Maples says the data collected helps their mission help veterans, active-duty and their family by being an advocate to take their message to those in charge.
“We take that, and we use that in a number of ways. It could be from leadership, Blue Star Family Leadership, actually communicating that with Department of Defense or our legislators, even here locally, we use that with our community partners,” Maples said.
Anyone and everyone who is military connected is encouraged to take the survey.
“It could be a spouse, the service member themselves a veteran, their spouse, their dependent children,” Maples said. “We want to hear from them.”
She said that Blue Star Families has also launched a new initiative called Do Your Part.
“There are many ways that families and businesses can do their part. One way is sharing your voice with the survey, if you are connected, you know, with the military, in any way,” Maples said.
Aside from sharing the survey with their employees who might be military connected Maples encourages companies to look at past data to see how they can do their part to employ more veterans or military spouses. In addition, to learn how to better understand what a veteran or National Guard member’s situation might be and how to give them a hand up to succeed in their civilian sector.
“Read the data, add your voice, and together we can make a difference,” Maples said.
The survey is currently underway and runs through May 15. You can click here to go to the Blue Star Families website to take the survey or look at past data.
If you have a veteran story to tell in your community, email homefront@wcpo.com. You also can join the Homefront Facebook group, follow Craig McKee on Facebook and find more Homefront stories here.
