5 Ways to Support Military Families in Your Community
Some of the bravest American citizens to ever grace America are the personnel with our military forces, including the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. At present, there are over 1 million military children under the age of 18 living with active-duty parents. Military families face a lot of difficulties that many people aren’t aware of. There are many ways in which you can help during times when their loved ones are deployed or relocated domestically or overseas, or during times when they are on a medical leave of absence.
1. Welcome New Families
Quite frequently, military families live far away from where they grew up and where their extended families live. They often can’t return to these places during holiday periods, so it is nice to have a family away from home. Extending an invitation to local events, places of worship, or even just a coffee is a great way to welcome families to their new military community. Even if the invitation is declined, it is a nice gesture and a step toward friendship. Also, gestures such as displaying a service member’s branch of service symbol and supporting their family business are thoughtful gestures of support.
2. Give Support During Deployment
As a member of the local military community, deployment is always a tricky time for families, especially families with kids. But offering a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on can be of great comfort to families with loved ones serving. Adopting a family is a great way to offer support when needed. Checking in on them periodically and helping with their day-to-day activities can be so helpful, especially when one parent is away.
For kids, school is one of the main sources of stability, so providing teachers and education staff with resources about the military and deployments to help these kids is a great way to support families from afar. The National Military Family Association can provide excellent information to help communities care for military families.
Al, the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) is an organization that helps transition the children of military families to new schools when their families are relocated, especially out of state. They ensure that each state follows a distinct set of rules set out by the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. This ensures that children are placed in appropriate classes, records are transferred quickly, previous work and credits earned are honored, and inclusion in extracurricular activities.
3. Celebrating Milestones
Celebrating military events such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Armed Forces Day, and the Month of the Military Child shows military families that you understand the sacrifice they are making and that you appreciate their hard work. During these times, community events such as hosting a freedom walk and writing letters in school can be done to talk about the military and what it means. Freedom walks include dressing up as heroes and parading through a specified route. It usually includes a stop at a “hero wall” which includes all the names of active duty, police, fire, and rescue, and veteran personnel. It is a fun activity for both young and old to get involved with.
4. Sending a Care Package
One of the things that keeps soldiers on deployment spirits up is a care package. By liaising with their family, you can ensure that it is personalized and full of items that will be utilized. Homemade baked goods are a really popular one and can be shipped if packaged correctly. Also, another thoughtful gesture is a care package to the soldiers’ children, even if it is just with small items such as coloring books and crayons, as it will give them a boost.
5. Volunteer with or Donate to a Military Organization
Another way to support your military community is to volunteer with a military group. These groups are nearly always in need of extra hands. Some groups like USO, Wounded Warrior Foundation, and The Fisher House Foundation could be found in an area near you.
Also, other military organizations that might need your help are Dogs on Deployment, which arranges foster care for pets while their owners are away, and Soldiers angels which is a network of people that work to support active-duty members emotionally. Another more usual military charity is Brides Across America, which accepts clean, used bridal gowns and accessories to ease the financial burdens of weddings on military couples. These groups and charities show there is a vast array of ways to care for military people in your community and throughout America.
Conclusion
Overall, military families are part of the wider USA military and can be supported in many ways. Anyway, both big and small will always be appreciated. If you would like to learn more about the military or the artillery that they use, MGS Trade School is your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the military and beyond.
Written by: Ryan Clancy, Mechanical Engineer
