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Today's Army Spouse Experiences In Garrison

daftandbarmy

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I would imagine these expereinces are similar to those in Canadian garrisons... except without the CANEX moments of course ;)


Today's Army Spouse Experiences In Garrison​


The U.S. Army provides many resources to help soldiers and their families cope with major life events associated with Army service, such as moves associated with new assignments or deployments, as well as resources that can help meet the daily needs of military families. These resources are available to all Army families, and they are administered at the local level through community-based services or Army garrisons, but families can have difficulties finding and accessing those resources.

The authors examine the experiences of Army spouses in navigating the resource system to find the help they need. Because the Army community can serve an important role for Army families, the authors focus on whether these experiences vary across garrisons and according to the connections that spouses make with each other and the Army community as a whole, as well as how these connections foster better resource navigation and resource use.

Key Findings​

  • Army spouses' experiences across garrisons are similar when it comes to navigating available resources.
  • Spouses experience challenges when navigating resources, and some experience getting "bounced around."
  • Spouses desire a "one-stop shop" that serves the function of providing an entryway to resources.
  • Army spouses learn about the resources available to them most frequently from other Army spouses, whether through social media or in person.
  • Spouses identify Army Community Service (ACS) and Army Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) as programs with positive reputations.
  • Connections with other spouses are helpful for a range of reasons: as social connections, guides to military life and culture, sources of information about available resources or services, and useful entry points when arriving at a new location.
  • Connection offers an opportunity to alleviate the challenges of military life, but not all Army spouses want greater connection: Some report being too busy with other commitments to want or need a higher level of engagement with the Army community.


 
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