Resources

Emergency Aid

Air Force Aid Society (AFAS)

The Air Force Aid Society provides no-interest loans and grants to qualified Airmen and their families experiencing financial emergencies stemming from educational expenses, child care costs, car upkeep bills, and more.

Army Emergency Relief

The Army Emergency Relief program provides emergency financial assistance to qualified Soldiers and their families in the form of interest-free loans (or part loans) and grants (or part grants).

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA)

The Coast Guard Mutual Assistance program provides counseling, short-term interest-free loans, financial grants, referrals, and more to qualified Coast Guard service members and their families.

Fisher House Foundation

The Fisher House Foundation builds homes at military and VA medical centers where active duty and veteran’s families may stay while their loved ones are in the hospital.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society offers financial assistance and counseling, educational assistance, emergency travel, disaster relief, and more to qualified Sailors, Marines, and their families and survivors.

Operation Homefront

Operation Homefront is a national charity dedicated to helping military families build strong and stable lives in their communities. Their programs offer "RELIEF (through Critical Financial Assistance and transitional housing programs), RESILIENCY (through permanent housing and caregiver support services), and RECURRING FAMILY SUPPORT programs and services throughout the year that help military families overcome the short-term bumps in the road so they don’t become long-term chronic problems."

Suicide Prevention

Defense Suicide Prevention Office

Defense Suicide Prevention Office advances holistic, data-driven suicide prevention in our military community through policy, oversight, and engagement to positively impact individual beliefs and behaviors, as well as instill systemic culture change. Additional materials and resources are found on the Defense Suicide Prevention Office website.

Veterans/Military Crisis Line (VCL/MCL)

The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource and crisis hotline to support military veterans, service members, their families, and caregivers. The service is available 24/7 via the toll-free hotline number 988.

Career/Education

American Corporate Partners (ACP)

ACP is a nonprofit mentorship organization that provides career counseling, mentorship, and networking opportunities to military spouses and service members.

Army Community Service (ACS)

Army Community Services is an Army-wide activity that assists personnel and family members in transition and provides information, referrals, and resources, including Employment Readiness Programs (ERP).

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook is a resource explaining job growth (in pay or number of jobs) in America. Readers can choose to look at overall growth or at a particular industry.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop is a U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration-sponsored organization that provides career exploration resources, training opportunities, job search tools, and assistance in various local offices across the U.S. or online.

College Choice

College Choice is a resource geared towards helping students find college programs that meet their needs and career path goals. College Choice provides college rankings, admission advice, access to tools that generate a personalized list of degree recommendations, and information on scholarships and financial aid.

Family Member Employment Assistance Program (FMEAP)

FMEAP is a Marine Corps program that uses MSEP, SECO, MyCAA, and the Spouse Transition and Readiness Seminar (STARS) to help transitioning military spouses handle career changes, changes to military and insurance benefits, financial considerations, education, and employment.

Feds Hire Vets, Family Member Preference

Family Member Preference (or Derived Preference) is a subsection of Veteran’s Preference under the Department of Labor (DOL), wherein spouses of service members and veterans who meet specific criteria may be eligible to receive assistance with placement into federal jobs.

Hire Heroes USA

Hire Heroes USA provides transition workshops, personalized career coaching, and employment preparation counseling for military spouses, service members, and veterans entering the civilian workforce. These services are free of charge.

Hiring our Heroes (HoH)

Hiring Our Heroes is a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation initiative to connect service members, veterans, and military spouses with employment opportunities. Some municipalities are designated as Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone (MSEEZ), which means that increased resources are available to military spouses in the area, including training, employment forums, networking events, and hiring opportunities, along with many others.

Marine Corps Community Service Civilian Careers Spousal Preference Program

Marine Corps Community Service Civilian Careers Spousal Preference Program is a DoD instituted program to grant eligible spouses special preference in the selection of civilian jobs on military installations. These employment opportunities are also accompanied by special benefits that can be found at the program’s website.

The Military Spouse Career Connection at Walmart

As of Novermber 2018, Walmart has implemented a hiring preference for military spouses seeking employment at Walmart or Sam’s Club. Career counselors are provided to find the best job fit at Walmart or Sam’s Club. The application process requires a valid Uniformed Services Identification Card.

Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)

MSEP is a partnership with the Department of Defense under the SECO initiative that provides targeted recruitment and employment solutions for military spouses. MSEP partners with over 390 other groups to promote military spouse hiring.

Military Spouse and Family Educational Assistance Programs

This link leads to a variety of scholarships for military spouses looking to pursue higher education.

Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Program

A scholarship program providing up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible military spouses seeking an associate’s degree, license, or certification.

Military Spouse Jobs

Military Spouse Jobs provides no-cost employment placement and support services to military spouses, dependents of working age, and caregivers to wounded veterans.

MySECO

MySECO, also Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO), offers career coaching for military spouses to assist with accessing career exploration, education opportunities, employment readiness, and career connections resources. MySECO also assists spouses from identifying current skills to obtaining the necessary education to find employment and being hired. Coaching can also be tailored to interests in a particular industry.

Pat Tillman Foundation

The Pat Tillman Foundation offers educational scholarships and academic fellowships to qualified active duty service members, veterans, and their spouses.

The Rosie Network

The Rosie Network empowers military family members who want to be entrepreneurs by providing services to establish a business profile at no cost and connecting consumers who want to support military families with these small businesses.

Society of Military Spouses in STEM (SMSS)

The Society of Military Spouses in STEM (SMSS) was formed by two military spouse engineers determined to overcome the challenges of maintaining a career with the military lifestyle. SMSS is a member-run organization focused on helping military spouses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields reach their full potential and create a positive impact.

Silent Professionals

Silent Professionals is a FREE employment website for military and law enforcement veterans. It offers job listings within the defense and private security industry as well as corporate security job opportunities.

Student Training & Education in Public Service (STEPS)

STEPS is a comprehensive resource of career development and training resources for driven professionals and students to further their education and training and develop career skills.

Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program

The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program is a guide for aspiring veterans interested in starting their own business. The guide offers a step-by-step process of how to get a business up and running, as well as additional tips on skills such as organization, funding, networking, and other beneficial skills.

Tutor.com

Tutor.com is a tutoring service funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance and is a "no-cost, online tutoring and homework help, 24/7" for U.S. Military Service members and their families. Tutors are vetted and available in more than 150 subjects with options for bilingual Spanish tutors as well.

USA Wage

USA Wage is a website containing information about the most profitable and most popular jobs in major cities in every state.

USAJOBS

USAJOBS is an employment initiative under the United States Federal Government to offer non-competitive hiring opportunities. Military spouses may be eligible for the Military Spouse Noncompetitive Appointing Authority if they meet the appropriate criteria.

Programs/Policies

Association of the United States Army (AUSA)

The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) serves the U.S. Army, Soldiers, Army civilians, and their families by (1) educating its members about land warfare and the Army's role in national defense, (2) informing its members about issues affecting the U.S. Army, and (3) connecting the Army to civilians at various organizational levels.

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness

The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness assists professionals who serve military families with identifying, selecting, and implementing evidence-based programs and practices that address a range of topics from family matters to mental health.

Coaching Into Care

Coaching Into Care is intended to for adults caring for a veteran who may benefit from mental health services. This is a telephone-based resource in which callers can speak with a licensed social worker or psychologist for free consultations and connections to other services.

Defense-State Liason Office (DSLO), USA4Military Families

DSLO seeks to engage and educate state leaders about the needs of military members and their families. The organization examines 10 key, nationwide issues and provides a brief overview of services from the DOD level.

Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS)

DVIDS is a resource owned and operated by Defense Media Activity (DMA). They keep Department of Defense audiences around the world connected to media outlets by providing access to up-to-date news and information about service members through a variety of digital mediums.

inTransition

inTransition is a free, confidential program available to all military members (i.e., past service members, active duty, guard, and reservists) and offers access to mental health care and coaching to those who need it for any reason (e.g., relocating, returning from deployment, transitioning from the military service).

OneOp

OneOp is an extension program that offers educational resources and trainings to practitioners, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the lives of military families and service members. OneOp trainings offer the opportunity to share and engage with direct service providers, and they offer certificates of completion for most webinars, learning events, courses, and podcasts.

The Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University

MFRI is a university-based program that pairs research with outreach. Their team conducts and analyzes research studies that relate to experiences of military and veteran families, and they train communities, organizations, and professionals to gain a better understanding of these families' needs. They also create supportive programs and services for student veterans.

Military VA Loan

Military VA Loan is an online resource that offers a variety of tools built to guide military personnel and veterans through the process of applying for VA loans.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Project Homefront

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Project Homefront is available to adults who are related to, or care for, a veteran who has experienced deployment and has a mental health condition. The program is composed of six peer-led classes and topics such as problem solving, effective communication, connecting with resources, and understanding PTSD and mental illness are discussed.

Reaching out to Educate and Assist Caring, Healthy Families (REACH) Program

The REACH Program is for veterans and their family members that are dealing with PTSD. REACH utilizes a multifamily group model divided into three different phases. In the first phase, families attend alone and focus on building rapport and setting goals. In the second phase, four to six veterans and their families attend six 90-minute sessions. In the third phase, families attend once-a-month sessions, with the goal being maintenance of skills learned and benefits gained in the program. Topics covered in the program include problem solving, psychoeducation about symptom management, communication, and stress management.

Veteran's Guide to Talking with Kids about PTSD

The Veteran’s Guide to Talking with Kids about PTSD is a twenty-five-page interactive pamphlet that is designed to be used by veteran parents, but it can also be adapted to be used in a class or therapy format for veteran parents to attend. This resource covers topics such as family challenges and empowering veterans and families to use their strengths.

Children/Youth

Military Child Education Coalition

Military Child Education Coalition provides military-connected children and families with the resources and support they need to be college, workforce, and life-ready.

Military Child Education Coalition: Supporting Military Children through School Transitions

The Military Child Education Coalition's Supporting Military Children through School Transitions is a day-long training for professionals and the main topic covered is challenges associated with family transitions.

Our Military Kids

Our Military Kids offers grants for extracurricular activities for children of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, or post 9/11 combat-injured service members with the goal of building the child's confidence, their family well-being, and strengthening the family's sense of community. Grants are offered for children in grades K-12.

Parenting for Veterans and Service Members (Corresponding app is Parenting2Go)

Parenting for Veterans and Service Members is an online parenting course composed of six modules that offer interactive exercises and handouts. These exercises and handouts cover topics such as reconnecting with children after deployments, positive parent-child communication, and managing stress as a parent.

Project Y.E.S.! Youth Extension Service

Project Y.E.S.! is a national program that offers college student interns the ability to develop professional career goals and plans. The program also gives back to its community by meeting the needs of military families and by working closely with the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.

PTSD Family Coach Smartphone App

The PTSD Family Coach app is designed for veterans and covers skills such as breathing exercises, mindfulness, and behavioral activation. The PTSD Family Coach app is designed for family members of veterans and provides information on PTSD and self-care suggestions.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Community Provider Toolkit

The Department of Veterans Affairs Community Provider Toolkit is comprised of websites and handouts that offers providers with information about screenings for military families and trainings on military culture and veteran behavioral health.

United Through Reading

United Through Reading was founded in 1989 to keep military families reading together, no matter the distance between them. Families stay connected through storytime video recordings and books sent to military families. These stories ease the stress of time apart due to military duty, maintain positive emotional connections, and cultivate a love of reading and early childhood literacy.

Family

Airmen and Family Division

There are 76 Airmen and Family Readiness Centers available to Airmen and their families that provide SECO services and in-person career counseling, employment opportunities, education and scholarship opportunities, and job search strategies.

Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families conducts research to bring awareness to the unique challenges faced by military families with the goal of ensuring military families feel connected, supported, and empowered to thrive in their communities and across the nation.

Child Care Aware

Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) works with a national network of more than 400 child care resource and referral (CCR&Rs) agencies and other partners to ensure that all families have access to quality, affordable child care. CCAoA leads projects that increase the quality and availability of child care, conducts research, and advocates for child care policies that positively impact the lives of children and families. CCAoA also provides child care assistance for military families through Fee Assistance and Respite Child Care Programs that have served more than 150,000 families and worked with more than 60,000 child care providers over nearly two decades.

Families OverComing Under Stress (FOCUS)

FOCUS helps military-connected children, families, and couples to overcome the challenges of military life by providing resilience education and training.

Macho Spouse

Macho Spouse assists male civilian spouses with navigating the stressors and challenges associated with military life. Macho Spouse provides information and resources on topics ranging from "Male Military Spouse 101" to "Leveraging LinkedIn to Find Career Opportunities."

Make the Connection

Make the Connection is an online resource that connects veterans and their families with resources and support networks in their area.

Marine Corps System Command

The Marine Corps System Command provides resource information, support services, and community engagement opportunities to Marines and their families with the goal of improving their personal and family readiness.

Military OneSource

Military OneSource is an all-encompassing resource for military personnel and their families that promises to be the one source that stands ready to assist in mastering military life. Topic areas include the military life cycle, family & relationships, moving & housing, financial & legal matters, education & employment, health & wellness, recreation, travel & shopping, and service providers & leaders

Military Spouse Advocacy Network

The Military Spouse Advocacy Network consists of military spouses that advocate, mentor, educate, and empower new military spouses to overcome the challenges of military life.

National Military Family Association

The National Military Family Association helps to mediate the challenges of military life by providing resources, including scholarship programs and military child exclusive summer camps, to qualified military families.

Navy Fleet and Family Readiness

The Navy Fleet and Family Readiness program provides relocation assistance, new parent support, deployment services, as well as other transition assistance programs to service members and their families.

Psychological Health Center of Excellence

Psychological Health Center of Excellence provides education in the form of information, trainings, and webinars. Their mission is to increase awareness of mental health and to ultimately improve readiness and prevent psychological health disorders.

Real Warriors Campaign

The Real Warriors Campaign is geared toward helping to change the stigma associated with psychological health, and helping military families strengthen and maintain their relationships.

Sesame Street for Military Families

Sesame Street for Military Families is intended for veterans, spouses of veterans, and their children. Once families are signed up for the program, they are emailed twelve online modules that include newsletters, videos, and activities for the families to do together. Some topics covered include communication, making new friends, and connecting as a family.

Stress Network (NCTSN) After Service Pamphlet

NCTSN pamphlets are available to military families and providers. The pamphlets discuss the experiences of families who have left the military and provide family-based resources. Providers can also find information about assessment considerations.

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)

TAPS offers care and support to those grieving the loss of a loved one while serving in the Armed Forces. TAPS provides support to the surviving loved ones in the form of education assistance, grief counseling, and connection to mentors and peers.

VA Caregiver Support

The VA Caregiver Support provides education, peer and professional support, and training for veterans and their caregivers.