Pandemic Compounds Burdens on Military Families

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Career Development, Financial and Mental Health Strains Top Concerns

McLean, VA (December 14, 2020) – Military families sharing the risks taken by their service members on the front lines in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic face even more hardships in their personal lives, according to a newly released survey of military families.
 
More than three-quarters of children and spouses of our troops say the pandemic has negatively impacted career development and advancement opportunities. This according to a survey conducted by the national non-profit ThanksUSA, reporting from an audience of military family scholarship recipients nationwide.
 
“Our service members’ families don’t wear the uniform but serve alongside in countless ways. They’ve died, fallen ill, been separated from their loved ones deployed to help others and anguished over their proximity to the devastating virus,” says Jon Rosa, President and CEO of ThanksUSA. “Their burdens, including reliance on only one income compared to their civilian counterparts, are unique. What we discovered in our research is that the pandemic has only made their load heavier.” Rosa said.
 
With fears of being left behind, 58 percent reported that their internship, work-study or other job opportunities have been halted or curtailed; 45 percent noted a lack of access to instructors or mentors for career development advice.
 
Aside from education, a majority described financial strains due to job loss and mental health as profound concerns, by 54 and 51 percent respectively.

• The pandemic left Alison, a military spouse and hygienist student, jobless for almost two months. She is now juggling only part-time hours as well as costly wifi access with her children as they all learn online. “Work is scarce, money is scarce, stress is high, and I don’t want to give up on my goals,” she told researchers.

• Leticia’s husband contracted COVID-19 on duty; she became sick too. Still not fully recovered, studying and with small children at home, her load has only become weightier: “I am a teacher, mom, best friend, wife, maid, chef, nurse, etc. Of course, this pandemic and having to deal with the constant changes has affected my mental state.”

 
“The pandemic is expected to disrupt our lives well into 2021 despite the good news about vaccines,” said Rosa. “The concerns faced by military families are amplified by the added duties of their loved ones in uniform. The children and spouses of our military personnel are resilient, but there’s no doubt they also need a helping hand.” 

​Contact
Jon Rosa 
202-643-6175
Jon@ThanksUSA.org

About ThanksUSA
ThanksUSA is a 501(c)(3) organization that honors the men and women of the United States Armed Forces by providing need-based scholarships and pathways to employment for their spouses and children. Since 2006, ThanksUSA has awarded 4,850 scholarships valued at more than $15 million to military families in all 50 states and every branch of the military.