WTS

WTS-Boston DEI in Motion: National Veterans and Military Families Month

A smiling military service member in dress uniform stands with their spouse and young child in front of a government building. The image has a navy blue header reading "DEI-in-Motion" and an orange banner at the bottom stating "November is National Veterans and Military Families Month." The WTS Boston 45th anniversary logo appears in the bottom right corner.
Photo Credit: Military One Source

November 2025

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month which honors the sacrifices made by service members and their families. While the celebration of Veterans Day on November 11th has a longstanding history dating back to Armistice Day in 1919, the month-long focus, established in 1966 by the Armed Services YMCA [1], extends beyond service members to the broader military network, including spouses, children, caregivers and other families of those who serve.

Military families make extraordinary sacrifices that often unfold quietly behind the scenes – relocations that uproot careers and friendships, long separations that test resilience, and the daily uncertainty that comes with supporting a loved one in uniform. Yet amid these challenges, military families also embody strength, adaptability and purpose.

Military service members and their families often face significant challenges, ranging from employment and economic instability, housing, family life, mental health, and disparities by race/ethnicity. For example, the 2021 Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Active-Duty Spouse Survey found that military spouse unemployment was 21% nationwide, roughly six times the U.S. national average, with racial/ethnic-minority spouses this unemployment being even greater, at 26% [2]. Additionally, military families report elevated mental health challenges – one study found that 24% of active-duty military spouses reported a current diagnosis of general anxiety disorder; 9% reported major depressive disorder; 7% reported PTSD; 4% of spouses and 6% of children reported suicidal thoughts in the past year [2].

With this in mind, honoring military families means not only recognizing their endurance, but also ensuring they have the resources, opportunities, and stability they deserve to thrive. Check out the following organizations that provide resources to military service members and their families in the Boston Area:

  • Home Base — a partnership of the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, providing clinical care, wellness, education and research for veterans, service members and their families. 
  • Fisher House Boston — provides free lodging for military families (active, guard, veteran) when a loved one receives treatment at Boston hospitals. 
  • Boston Veterans Collaborative — a Massachusetts network connecting veteran and military-family-serving organizations across Greater Boston. 
  • Boston Veterans Services (City of Boston) — offers resources and supports for veterans and their families, including employment, housing, legal and health services. 

If you are looking for ways to support Veterans and Military Families this month, consider the following:

  • Consider adopting a soldier for the holidays
  • Donate school supplies to programs run by the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation like Backpack4Kids which provides school supplies for children of military and veteran families in Massachusetts.
  • Volunteer your time at a local organization that supports veterans and military families such as Project New Hope
  • Support initiatives that help military spouses find and maintain employment, as frequent relocations can make it difficult to build a career.

Sources:

  1. Veteran.com. “Veterans & Military Families Month 2025”. Available at Veterans & Military Families Month 2025
  2. Department of Defence, Office of People Analytics. “2021 Active Duty Spouse Survey (ADSS): Results from the 2021 Active Duty Spouse Survey”. Available at 2021 Active Duty Spouse Survey (ADSS): Results From the 2021 Active Duty Spouse Survey – OPA.gov