Blue Star Families Launches 11th Annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey; Calls on Hispanic and Black Military Families to Participate through October 16th, 2020

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Largest, Most Comprehensive Survey of its Kind Offers Opportunity for Active-Duty Service Members, Veterans, National Guard, Reserve, and Families to Be a Voice for their Community

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Blue Star Families

Oct 05, 2020, 08:30 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Blue Star Families (BSF), a non-profit dedicated to supporting military families and strengthening communities across the United States, has launched the 11^th annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey (aMFLS). For six weeks, members, families, and veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserves are encouraged to participate in the most comprehensive survey that highlights and analyzes the experiences and challenges facing military families today across the country.

This year's survey seeks data more representative of the collective voices of Black, Hispanic and Asian members of the military, and BSF is strongly encouraging and inviting members and veterans of all races to participate in this year's survey ensure a more representative and diverse set of data. While almost a third of active-duty forces are men and women of color, these groups are often underrepresented in measures of family stability and wellbeing. More diverse data collection and representation of their experiences as military members is integral to assisting BSF in helping to address the issues faced by those categories of members.

Black, Hispanic and Asian voices must be heard to help ensure the efficacy, and reaction to, the survey.

First launched in 2009 the aMFLS provides a yearly snapshot of the state of military families, offering crucial insight and data to help inform policymakers, national and local leaders, communities, and philanthropic actors about the key issues affecting military families and how to bridge the civilian-military divide. The survey addresses topics including the impact of military life on employment and finance, family stability, healthcare and mental health, childcare and education, among others. With more than 11,000 respondents having participated in 2019, the aMFLS is the largest survey of its kind.

"The annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey is our flagship initiative, and we are calling on military families from all backgrounds to be a voice for their community and drive action that improves the lives of those who serve our country," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. "With less than one half of one percent of the U.S. population serving today, we are putting a spotlight on the unique challenges facing these families and strengthening community ties with our civilian neighbors. Bringing these issues to the forefront is the first step in strengthening the welfare of our military personnel and the security of our nation as a whole."

The 2019 survey results revealed military family respondents ranked time away from family, military spouse employment, and dependent children's education as three of the top five issues of concern. The results highlighted that instability for military families, such as frequent relocation or separation from the service member, can affect their financial readiness, including the spouse's ability to find employment, or the ability to find available and affordable childcare.

Blue Star Families' mission is to be a voice for – and provide frontline resources to – America's service members and their families year-round, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. As military families face heightened challenges due to the pandemic, the 11^th annual survey will play a critical role in gathering data on financial stress, food insecurity, the need for emergency assistance, and more during this historic year.

The survey is open to all active-duty service members, veterans, National Guard, Reserve, and their families and individuals can participate in the survey HERE between September 8^th and October 16^th, 2020. The 2020 survey findings will be released in early 2021.To learn more about how to support or join Blue Star Families, click here.

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families builds communities that support military families by connecting research and data to programs and solutions, including career development tools, local community events for families, and caregiver support. Since its inception in 2009, Blue Star Families has engaged tens of thousands of volunteers and serves more than 1.5 million military family members nationwide. With Blue Star Families, military families can find answers to their challenges anywhere they are. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org or follow us on Facebook (@BlueStarFamilies) or Twitter (@BlueStarFamily).

SOURCE Blue Star Families