Keep driving change: Participate in the 2025 Military Family Lifestyle Survey

The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on the part of VA. Veterans should verify the information with the organization offering.

Last year, Blue Star Families invited all Veteran families to take the Military Family Lifestyle Survey (MFLS) to give you a direct say in improving the lives of military and Veteran families. This year, you’re invited again to participate in driving real change for families like yours.

Blue Star Families is continuously seeking ways to address the issues that military and Veteran families face. Its annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey is an essential part of the work to understanding the challenges unique to military and Veteran families.

Veterans, your experiences are shaping the future of military family support. The Military Family Lifestyle Survey is the largest and most comprehensive survey of its kind, with over 107,000 responses worldwide. Your participation directly influences policy changes that impact our community and directly affects policies set forth in the National Defense Authorization Act.

In the 2025 (NDAA), your input led to significant improvements:

• 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted members (E-4 and below), benefiting approximately 500,000 service members.
• Expansion of child care programs, including fee assistance and competitive staff salaries, to support military families.
• Increase in the Basic Needs Allowance, addressing food insecurity for low-income families.
• Enhanced employment support for spouses, including expanded child care for job searches, easier professional licensure transfers, and the permanent establishment of the Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot Program.

These advancements are a direct result of your feedback. By taking part in the 2025 MFLS, you continue to shape policies that improve the quality of life for military families. Your experiences and insights are invaluable in driving meaningful change

Your feedback in the Military Family Lifestyle Survey has already directly influenced policy changes that support military families. In 2024, VA became the first federal agency to adopt the 4+1 Commitment, a collaborative initiative by Blue Star Families, Hiring Our Heroes and the Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership. This commitment encourages employers to implement policies that enhance employment opportunities for military spouses. VA’s adoption of all four key policies—facilitating job transferability, offering remote or telework options, providing flexible work hours and granting paid or permissive Permanent Change of Station leave—demonstrates a significant step toward addressing employment challenges faced by military spouses.

While progress has been made, the journey isn’t over. Continued participation in surveys like MFLS and open forums ensures that your concerns remain at the forefront of policy discussions. Your voice is a catalyst for change, driving initiatives that aim to improve the quality of life for all Veteran families. Take this year’s survey and help continue to drive change.

After completing the survey, watch for the 2026 results release event early next year.