“Providing quality care to America’s Veterans doesn’t end with the Veteran himself or herself. It extends to the family member or loved one who tends to the everyday needs of a disabled, chronically ill, or aging Veteran: the caregiver.” – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Military service members experience unique stressors during service: high responsibility at a young age, financial stress and frequent relocation, and the demands of training to be mission-ready during life threatening conditions. These are ubiquitous experiences for anyone serving in the Armed Forces, regardless of branch, rank, or role in a military unit. If someone deploys or has experienced combat, countless additional variables augment the already unique challenges a person faces.

As the Service Member transitions to Veteran status, any number of those experiences can leave a person vulnerable to personal stress. Even after the transition, the stress can elevate to a more concerning condition, and those conditions can be mentally or physically disabling.

During each stage from Military to Veteran, the military family plays a vital role in supporting their service member. Just as the veteran served their country, family members also experience unique stressors.  The family plays a vital role in improving the health and quality of life of veterans and they serve willingly, generously, and without request for special treatment. Offering financial support, emotional support, medical assistance, and even simple transportation needs is often a way of life for family members who care for their veteran.

Over time, family members often experience needs of their own and caring for their veteran can take a significant toll on their well-being.   According to a 2014 RAND study that identified areas of need by military family members of veterans, the following categories were found to be some of the most critical areas:

• local community support
• mental and physical health
• employment and workplace support

To address the needs of the family, organizations such as Blue Star Families and Hiring Our Heroes provide family support and employment opportunities for military families, but additional efforts are necessary.  Continued efforts are needed to help support and empower military family members from all corners of our society, including the business community.

A-G associates have assisted several Government agencies and nonprofits that support programs for military families and veterans, including the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA)and Health and Human Services (HHS).  Our efforts have ranged from strategic planning, data driven decision making, program evaluation services, coordination and outreach and impact analysis.   A-G also strengthens programs via stakeholder engagement and enhances the implementation of programs and services.

Caring for the veteran is a given, and we must continue to strive for better services for anyone in the veteran community, including family members. Together, we can support programs for both our veterans and the spouses, children, parents, and other loved ones who care for our country’s “hidden heroes.”