State of the Military FamilySM Programs

More Than A Spouse image

Since 1969, the National Military Family Association (NMFA) has been a dedicated advocate for military families, collaborating with them to identify challenges and create lasting solutions. Through education and partnerships with government officials, members of Congress, and key decision-makers, NMFA ensures that the voices of military families are heard in the policymaking process. While its advocacy efforts focus on long-term policy change, NMFA also directly supports military families through programs that promote financial security, well-being, and a better quality of life. 

Under the State of the Military Family Programs umbrella, NMFA offers crucial resources to military-connected children, teens, and spouses, helping them navigate the unique demands of military life. Programs like Operation Purple® Camp, the Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship Program, and Military Teen Programs provide direct support in areas such as coping with deployments, managing frequent relocations, overcoming financial stress, and addressing the emotional challenges of military service. These initiatives help bridge gaps while NMFA continues to advocate for systemic change, ensuring that military families receive both immediate support and long-term solutions.

State of the Military FamilySM Summit

The National Military Family Association’s annual State of the Military Family Summit brings together senior leaders, policymakers, partners, and military family members to discuss the unique challenges of military life. We develop programs to address these challenges and actively work on policy solutions to alleviate them through discussions from this Summit.

Operation Purple® Camp

At NMFA, we believe that Military Kids Serve Too®. Since 2004, we have been celebrating this service by providing free weeklong summer camp experiences across the country, exclusively for military-connected children. NMFA enhances the traditional camp experience with a curriculum focused on intentional skill-building and fostering connections among kids who share similar military life experiences.

Additionally, campers and their families have access to various resources, including support from mental health professionals, to improve their well-being during camp and create a framework for ongoing support even after the camp experience concludes.

Operation Purple® Summer Challenge

Join us for our sixth year of virtual programming and our third year of the Operation Purple Summer Challenge. This is a free, accessible experience that allows military kids and families from around the globe to stay connected and have fun together during the summer.

Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship

Since 2004, NMFA has supported military spouses by awarding scholarships to assist with various educational needs, from GEDs to PhDs, as well as professional licenses and certifications, including re-licensure, business expenses, entrepreneurial costs, supervised clinical hours, and continuing education courses.
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