Research on Military and Military Veteran Families

Abstract: Research on families of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans is important given the role families play in supporting serving members and Veterans and the potential impacts military service can have on families. CAF recognizes the importance of families in supporting serving members in their mission, their satisfaction with military service and retention in the military. The mission of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is “to provide exemplary, client-centred services and benefits that respond to the needs of Veterans, other clients and their families, in recognition of their services to Canada; and to keep the memory of their achievements and sacrifices alive for all Canadians.” Recognizing the lack of research on Veteran families in Canada, the VAC Research Directorate undertook a series of consultations (Ogden and Lockhart, 2011) with more than 75 VAC staff and external experts to help set priorities for research related to family issues. Participants identified more than 25 research questions for possible investigation (see Appendix A for details). These questions fall into four main areas: the impacts of military service, the needs of Veteran families, protective or success factors, and effective interventions.