Making Connections in the Military

Having strong social connections can smooth life’s rough edges and make the good times even better. As a single service member far from friends and family, you may feel cut off from your usual sources of support. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to forge meaningful new connections in the military.

A network of support can contribute to your overall well-being in a number of ways. Having friends and others to turn to:

• Reduces stress by providing emotional and practical support
• Gives you a greater sense of belonging by being part of a community who value and care about you
• Brings peace of mind from knowing that you have people to turn to when you need help
• Increases self-confidence through opportunities to help people you care about when they’re in need

Each military branch offers a program for single service members. These programs are a great way to develop new friendships and strengthen existing ones. Single service member programs typically offer recreational activities, day trips and opportunities to contribute to the local community.

Visit these available programs:

• Army BOSS
• Marine Corps Community Services, or MCCS, Single Marine Program
• Navy Liberty
• Air Force Military and Family Centers

The Defense Department and Military OneSource provide programs that can help you connect with others, no matter where in the world you are.