About Participation

A primary objective of SOAR is to understand how military life influences the psychological and physical health, academic success, and future career aspirations of military-connected youth. By gathering comprehensive data from both parents and their children, the study aims to identify crucial risk and protective factors. These insights are pivotal in shaping policies and enhancing programs designed to bolster the resilience and prosperity of military families, ensuring their readiness and stability.

The Naval Health Research Center, a leading entity within the Naval Medical Research Center located in Silver Spring, Maryland, conducts the SOAR study. As one of eight specialized laboratories under the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, we are dedicated to supporting military mission readiness through rigorous research. Our work addresses the health and readiness challenges faced by our military personnel—both in the field and at home—by developing solutions that have substantial impact and value.

SOAR receives robust support from The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP). This office is integral to the development and oversight of community quality of life programs for service members—active-duty, National Guard, reserve—and their families across the globe. It also coordinates quality of life initiatives within the Department of Defense to ensure comprehensive support and resource availability.

By participating in SOAR, you contribute directly to a broader understanding that informs the development of support programs under the Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP). Our findings are communicated to both military and civilian leadership, ensuring that initiatives such as Military OneSource, the Military and Family Life Counseling Program, and Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) are well-informed and effectively tailored to meet the needs of military families.

For more detailed information about these programs and additional resources, please visit Military OneSource.

The U.S. Department of Defense determined a need to collect data to better understand the health and well-being of military-connected adolescents. The Millennium Cohort Study of Adolescent Resilience (SOAR) is designed to determine if, and how, military experiences impact adolescents’ health and well-being. This study also provides a unique opportunity to explore the impact of military experiences on parenting and the parent-adolescent relationship. The study is embedded within the larger Millennium Cohort Program, which includes the Millennium Cohort Study of service members and veterans and the Family Study of military spouses. Millennium Cohort Study participants with adolescent children were invited to participate in this study. A comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by military-connected adolescents and their parents can inform support programs and services. Participation in this study is completely voluntary.

Eligibility for SOAR extends to service members and veterans enrolled in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) who have children aged 11 to 17. MCS parents are asked to provide contact information and consent for their family members to be invited to participate in the study.

The Millennium Cohort Study of Adolescent Resilience (SOAR) is a project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The study is being conducted by the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego, California.

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of military experiences on adolescents’ health and well-being. There are a limited number of participants in this study, so every individual response is needed for this to be a successful study. Your participation is a critical step in developing programs and services to increase the well-being of military-connected youth.

There is minimal risk to participating in this study. These risks could include possible discomfort in answering questions of a sensitive nature and data breach. You are able to skip any questions you do not wish to answer. All data are maintained securely on servers meeting DoD security standards (see "How safe is my information" below). Your answers are confidential and will not be shared with military commands, disability evaluators, insurance companies, or anyone not directly involved in data analysis. Only summary information from the entire sample, with no identifying information, will be published.

SOAR is designed as a longitudinal study, where follow-up surveys are administered to adolescents every 18-24 months spanning adolescence and early adulthood (approximately 5-7 follow-up surveys). Your choice to participate in this study is completely independent of your choice to accept or reject any future research invitations. You are free to withdraw from this study at any time by contacting the study Principal Investigator. However, your continued input in the study will be of great value to the advancement of military support services.

If you move, we ask that you contact us via email to update your new contact information.

Very safe. The information you provide on your survey is protected and stored in conjunction with a Subject ID number instead of your name. Only researchers working on this study have access to the data. Information stored on computers is protected by all measures required by DoD computer security regulations. Additionally, information cannot be obtained through requests from organizations such as insurance companies.

No. The scientific validity of this study requires researchers to follow certain protocols, which means that only those who receive invitations can participate in this study. However, the information gleaned from this study will be applicable to military-connected families with adolescent children.