The Department of Defense announced today the launch of its long-running biennial Active Duty Spouse Survey. For the first time, every active-duty spouse will have an opportunity to provide feedback about their military life experience. The Department encourages all active-duty spouses to participate in this survey.
“We are committed to taking care of our military spouses, and these surveys will allow us to engage in deeper dialogue with them and help us prioritize solutions that meet their most pressing needs,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Patricia “Patty” Montes Barron. “We’re proud of the progress we have made on important spouse issues, especially around stress, relationship support and employment. We know there is more to do, and these survey results will help guide our next steps.”
The Active Duty Spouse Survey provides the DOD with a barometer on how to adjust family policy and programs in the coming years, gathering data on issues, such as military benefits, financial stability, spouse employment, child care, and the overall health and well-being of spouses, children and families.
“Our surveys can create meaningful change for military families, and each one has highlighted important trends,” said Director of the Center for Retention and Readiness in the Office of People Analytics Dr. Paul Rosenfeld. “For example, the 2019 survey brought attention to the increasing lengths of time for spouses to find a job after a permanent change of station move, which led to adjustments to spouse licensure and other programs. Hearing the voice of all military spouses is critical for gaining the insight the DOD needs to deliver on its priority to help military families thrive.”
While some spouses will be randomly selected for the scientifically sampled survey, this year the department is also offering an opportunity to all active-duty spouses to provide their feedback on key issues, challenges, and concerns. Spouses can visit the Department of Defense Office of People Analytics survey portal to complete the short survey.
For important information about the military community, including the most recent survey results, infographics, research reports, and demographic profiles, visit Military OneSource.
About Military Community and Family Policy
Military Community and Family Policy is directly responsible for establishing and overseeing quality-of-life policies and programs that help our service members, their families and survivors be well and mission-ready. Military OneSource is the gateway to programs and services that support the everyday needs of the 5.2 million service members and immediate family members of the military community. These Department of Defense services can be accessed 24/7/365 around the world.