How to Help Military Families Right Now
Thousands of military families are dealing with sudden activations and deployments to the Middle East. Other families have been displaced entirely — packed up and moved, many on short notice, leaving behind homes, communities, and even pets as military families evacuated Bahrain and other bases. Children who had no say in any of it are now sitting in overcrowded schools in Germany on 90-day visas, trying to accumulate enough credits to graduate on time or move to the next grade—going home to base hotels already at capacity before PCS season even begins.
And quietly, in households across the country, other military families are losing sleep over ICE encounters—even families where every member is here legally. The fear is real, and it doesn’t wait for a convenient time.
This is military life right now. And NMFA is not standing by.
If your family is living this, we want to hear from you.
If your family has been displaced—we want to know where you were, where you are now, and what your most immediate needs are.
For displaced families: Tell us what you’re going through.
If your family is navigating an activation or deployment right now—do you know who to call if there’s a family emergency? Do you have a Family Readiness Group or an officer you can reach? Are you well-connected with the other families in your unit? This happened fast, and we want to know what’s working and what isn’t.
For families affected by deployment: Tell us what you need.
If your family has experienced an ICE encounter—even as a fully legal military family—you are not alone. Share what you’re going through; we want to hear your story.
For families facing immigration concerns: Share your experience.
If you want to help, here’s how.
The most important thing anyone outside a military family can do right now is refuse to let these families be alone and unseen.
Support our programs.
Your donation goes directly toward building support for families dealing with displacement and deployment—from dedicated programming for kids whose lives have been upended, to resources for spouses holding everything together at home. Donate today.
Educate your leaders.
Activations and deployments are leaning heavily on our Guard and Reserve forces right now, and that means kids in communities not accustomed to responding to the stresses of military family life need more help than ever. Our own military kids are here to help with their Field Guide to the Military Teen: A guide for military teens, by military teens, for communities with military teens. Share it with your schools, your school board, your scouts and youth leaders, and anyone else who will interact with the military kids in your midst.
Share this with your community.
If you’re a teacher, an employer, a neighbor, a coach—you may already have a military family in your life who could use someone paying attention right now. Share this page. Ask how they’re doing. Mean it.
Together, we’re stronger. That’s not a slogan—right now, it’s the whole point.
