Statement on President Trump’s Military Spouse Commission

Military families are the backbone of the all-volunteer force and, as such, are a critical component of our national security. MFAN welcomes the creation of the President’s Military Spouse Commission and the attention it brings to the people who make military service possible.

Our research consistently shows that military families are strong, resourceful, and deeply committed to service. It also shows how frequent moves, time apart, employment disruptions, housing challenges, access to health care, and the often-invisible work of holding a family together can compound over time. In our latest Military Family 360, nearly half of respondents fell within a moderate range of family well-being—families who are managing, but who may be especially vulnerable when faced with a move, deployment, financial strain, or disruption in care.

Military families understand their lives and their needs better than anyone. Through the MFAN Advisory Board, military family voices help inform and validate our work. When we listen to families, believe what they tell us, and pair their experiences with rigorous, evidence-based research, we can build solutions that strengthen families and the force.

We are encouraged by this renewed focus and look forward to sharing MFAN’s research and the perspectives of families across ranks, services, locations, and stages of military life. This Commission has an important opportunity to build on what is already working, bring greater coordination to longstanding challenges, expand public-private collaboration, and help ensure military families have what they need not only to navigate military life but to thrive.