Research is the cornerstone of our work. In 2021, we fielded our fourth Military Family Support Programming Survey to gain insight into the support needs of our nation’s military, veterans, and their families. This biennial qualitative survey provides a comprehensive review of their lived experiences, covering topics like child care, family relationships, finances, food security, health and well-being, housing, and transition.

The findings from this research shape our programming, as they illuminate areas where military families seek additional support, education, and resources. This allows us to bring together and inform nonprofit organizations, armed forces leadership, policymakers, and other stakeholders to enact positive change for the military community.

MFAN’s research team has conducted in-depth analysis of more than 8,500 survey respondents to identify the areas of urgent need. We are grateful to our sponsors for funding this critical initiative and for all who have joined us to support military and veteran families.

MFAN is proud to have earned the trust of military families as well as those who are entrusted with their well-being. Elevating these experiences through a rigorous, qualitative method is paramount. As an organization guided by research, we will continue to seek deeper understanding of the families who serve so that we can collectively work to improve their experiences and the well-being of those who follow.

– Dr. Gabby L’Esperance, MFAN’s Director of Insights

Housing

We looked at the experiences of families living in privatized military housing.

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Food Insecurity

We take an in-depth look at hunger in the military community and how it has evolved over recent few years.

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Healthcare & Telehealth

We collected data on military families’ experiences with health care, mental health, and growing telehealth resources.

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Transition

We looked at military families’ use of transition support programs, and what resources they wish would have been available to them.

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Family Well-being

We sought to understand how military life can affect overall family well-being including familial relationships and loneliness.

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Financial Readiness

We looked at military families’ financial situation including their ability to save and overcome a financial hardship.

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Military families face unique challenges from employment to healthcare to housing. That’s why MFAN is so critical. We need an accurate, comprehensive picture of military families so that we in Congress can make policies that best serve this community.

– U.S. Representative Seth Moulton (MA-06), Marine Corps Veteran