Resources
Resources
Emergency Aid
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.
Emergency Aid
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).
Emergency Aid
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.
Emergency Aid
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.
Emergency Aid
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.
Emergency Aid
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
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.
Suicide Prevention
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
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.
Career/Education
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).
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
Military Spouse and Family Educational Assistance Programs
This link leads to a variety of scholarships for military spouses looking to pursue higher education.
Career/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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
Pat Tillman Foundation
The Pat Tillman Foundation offers educational scholarships and academic fellowships to qualified active duty service members, veterans, and their spouses.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
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.
Career/Education
USA Wage
USA Wage is a website containing information about the most profitable and most popular jobs in major cities in every state.
Career/Education
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
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.
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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).
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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.
Programs/Policies
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
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.
Children/Youth
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.
Children/Youth
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.
Children/Youth
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.
Children/Youth
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.
Children/Youth
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.
Children/Youth
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.
Children/Youth
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
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.
Family
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.
Family
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.
Family
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.
Family
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."
Family
Make the Connection
Make the Connection is an online resource that connects veterans and their families with resources and support networks in their area.
Family
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.
Family
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
Family
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.
Family
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.
Family
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.
Family
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.
Family
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.
Family
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.
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.
Family
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.
Family
VA Caregiver Support
The VA Caregiver Support provides education, peer and professional support, and training for veterans and their caregivers.