Military Family Appreciation Month

When is Military Family Appreciation Month?

Since 1993, Military Family Appreciation Month has been celebrated in November. It was originally established by the Armed Services YMCA and has been recognized each November since.

As is tradition, each year the President signs a proclamation recognizing the tremendous purpose Military Families have as the backbone of our Nation’s Military and officially declares November as Military Family Appreciation Month.

Military Families support their loved ones in more numerous ways and more critically than can be expressed. These families are asked to give so much, rising to unique demands and challenges seldom asked of others. This includes spending much of their time separated from their loved one while deployed, often taking on the heavy burden of supporting the family member from a distance while maintaining their home in their absence.

How You Can Get Involved

There are several ways you can participate in Military Family Appreciation Month. Here are a few. Consider:

• Donating to Veterans, Service Members, and their families in need. There are numerous organizations that support Veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their loved ones. For example, the Wounded Warrior Project operates programs that include mental health services, career counseling, and long-term rehabilitative care, and more. Operation Homefront provides relief for military families undergoing short-term hardships.^1,2
• Honoring Veterans in your workplace. If you work with Veterans, consider hosting a lunch celebration and invite their family members. Other ideas include organizing a volunteer event to benefit them or simply personally thanking them for their service.
• Volunteering as a caseworker for military families. Organizations such as the Red Cross accept volunteers that provide hands-on support for families in need. While volunteering requires training and some hard work, many people find the experience to be incredibly gratifying.³

The Impact of Substance Use on Military Families

Addiction is considered a family disease, meaning it doesn’t just harm the patient but also severely impacts the people close to the person. Substance use is not a unique problem faced by Veterans, Service Members, and their families. However, it is a problem that many in these populations face.

Factors that contribute to substance use issues among Veterans and service members include:⁴

• The high stress of military service.
• Stigmatization of mental health and addiction.
• Co-occurring mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression.
• Trauma and combat-related injuries.

Recovery is possible and resources that provide compassionate, evidence-based treatment are available both through the Bureau of Veterans Affairs (VA) and in the private sector. Veteran’s treatment for addiction may involve:⁵

• Behavioral therapy.
• Medications for substance use disorder.
• Peer support.
• Psychoeducation.
• Family therapy.
• Treatment for co-occurring disorders.

Rehab facilities often offer specialized treatment programs for Veterans. These programs enable Veterans and Service Members to undergo treatment surrounded by peers with similar experiences and benefit from approaches tailored to meet their needs.

American Addiction Centers (AAC) operates several facilities across the country, with specialized treatment tracks for Veterans. Many of these facilities contract with the VA and TRICARE to make treatment for Veterans more affordable.

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