National Military Family Association

Strengthening and healing Military families: we strengthen and support children and families emotionally strained by the unique demands of Military life, including families of service members deployed to combat zones and other missions far away from home. We work to rebuild families coping with visible and invisible wounds of war, particularly post-9/11. We empower Military families by helping Military spouses pursue meaningful careers to better support their families, reduce financial stress, and promote Family wellness. 1,100 military-connected children attended operation purple camp at locations across the country in 2023, with an additional 1,600 registered families participating in our virtual operation purple summer challenge. In 2023, more than 500 spouses - including spouses across services, status, and those of wounded and fallen service members - received scholarships or in-kind support for education or workforce training.

Creating change: policy and awareness: we work with the departments of defense and veterans affairs, white house, congress and other leaders to improve the lives of all Military families. We advocate for policy and legislative change by engaging directly with Military families and working with them to share their stories in testimony to congress and conversations with policymakers. We work to improve support in all areas of Military life, including assisting Family members that are caring for the wounded, increased access to quality health care, and education support for children. We advise families about finances, medical care, mental health, respite care, and other available aid as they cope with the persistent effects of war and the Military lifestyle.

Engaging communities: Military families move every 2-3 years, leaving their support systems and starting over again. We connect families with critical information and resources to make those transitions easier. We provide a platform for open dialogue on the issues impacting their lives through our worldwide network of volunteers and ambassadors, our website, newsletters, and social media channels. Through these resources and our commitment to engage with partners, we help Military families, survivors, and caregivers connect with the information and tools they need to navigate frequent moves, deployments, service member injuries and the transition to veteran Family life. We anticipate families' needs and supply them with vetted information from trusted partners and government programs. We also help communities find ways to support the Military, surviving families, and caregiving families who become their neighbors.

Providing research and insights: we collect quantitative and qualitative data and analyze those findings in order to better understand and serve the Military community. We use the data to generate meaningful insights in areas critical to Military Family wellbeing, including health and wellness, financial security, education, and employment Military. In 2023, we focused heavily on Military children. We distribute our research to partners, policy makers, and legislative leaders as part of our advocacy efforts to generate broader support policies. We also use the insights to inform our own programming, ensuring Military families are getting the critical support they need.