Turn a week of welcome into a community for life - VA News

Over 600,000 military families move or transition out of service every year. As a Veteran family, you may not live close to a military installation, or you may be living in a new location. Likewise, finding common ground with those in your community, including those who’ve never served, can cause feelings of isolation. Enter Blue Star Welcome Week.

Through Blue Star Welcome Week, we raise these questions: What if we could prevent the isolation that leads to mental health challenges and financial insecurity? What if we turned those stressful weeks and months following a move into a community-building opportunity?
Blue Star Families ensures that wherever Veterans and military families go, they always feel connected, supported and empowered to thrive—in every community across the nation. Our research from the annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey (MFLS) helps guide us. It captures the experiences of thousands of military and Veteran families, spotlighting concerns such as transition, employment and sense of belonging. According to the 2022 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, 1 in 3 Veteran and Veteran spouse respondents (29% and 33%, respectively) have concerns about the transition from military to civilian life. In addition, military spouse employment is a top concern for 30% of Veteran spouses.