Connecting to the Community

Joining a community of military spouses gives you a place where you can ask questions, offer support and make life-long friends. Here are a few ideas on how to build your network of friends and fellow military spouses.

Join your installation’s Family Readiness Group

If you’re looking for support close to home, then consider joining your installation’s Family Readiness Group. These military spouse support groups are committed to connecting you to the resources you need to thrive.

In addition to providing support for dealing with deployment and separation, some of these groups host social activities to help you feel as connected as possible.

Each service branch has a Family Readiness Group, but the names and resources available may differ. Depending on your service branch, there are different ways to get involved:

• Army: In the Army, each brigade has an assigned Family Readiness Support Adviser that oversees a unit’s Family Readiness Group. Visit the Army FRG website to learn more and how you can get involved.
• Marine Corps: Your spouse’s unit will be assigned a Family Readiness Officer. This full-time civilian is responsible for providing you with information and support during the deployment cycle.
• Navy: The Ombudsman Program provides information, resource referrals and additional support for military families. An Ombudsman, usually a civilian spouse, is your point of contact for information regarding your spouse’s unit. While they aren’t officially responsible for leading the Family Readiness Group, they can find out if your command has one.
• Air Force: Most squadrons have a Key Spouse Program that provides ongoing community support, especially during the deployment cycle. However, if your squadron doesn’t have a support group, you can reach out to your installation’s Airman & Family Readiness Center to connect with other military spouses.
• Reserves/Guard: Your installation’s Family Support Programs and Family Readiness Group can provide a wide range of information, resources and unit activities that can help you stay connected to other military families.

Learn about the Spouse Ambassador Network

You may also want to check out the Spouse Ambassador Network, a group of organizations that promotes military spouse career resources in communities where military spouses live and work. The network supports the mission of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, which:

• Connects military spouses with hundreds of partner employers who recruit, promote and retain military spouses in portable careers
• Helps military spouses build on their education and experience
• Supports military spouses in achieving their career and personal goals

As a military spouse, you can take advantage of the services, support and networking opportunities provided by the Spouse Ambassador Network.

Connect with the online military spouse community

If you find that you don’t have time to attend military spouse events, consider joining an online community like the Blog Brigade. This blog is a place where you can read tips from military spouses around the world.

You can also find location-based Facebook groups that are service branch specific and can connect you with spouses in your area, as well as local military spouse clubs.

Talk to someone who gets it

Talking with someone who understands military life can help you feel more connected. Military OneSource offers confidential peer-to-peer specialty consultations. The peer consultants have a master’s degree in psychology or in a social science field and they have firsthand life experience as service members and military spouses.

Make the most out of military life and join forces with military spouses worldwide in getting the support you need, every step of the way.