Translating Research into Support for Military Families
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Military and veteran family articles, summaries, and reports.Research Summaries
Summaries of military and veteran family research.Research Reports
Comprehensive reviews on family readiness topics.REACH Dictionary
Terms and definitions used in research summaries.Newsletters
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Our Research Process
Identify
current research on military and veteran families
Evaluate
research based on credibility, contribution, and readability
Translate
complex findings into practical implications
Archive
resources in the Military REACH online library
Distribute
research to target audiences
Learn More
Explore our process in depth
Latest News. Stay updated on the recent team happenings.
2025 Southeastern Council on Family Relations Conference
Members of the Military REACH team attended the annual Southeastern Council on Family Relations conference, the regional conference for the field of Human Development and Family Science. During the conference, we had the privilege of sharing about Military REACH and showcasing our team's work. It was a great experience where we reconnected with old friends and networked with colleagues, and one of our team members even returned home with an award. ________________________________________ Bridging the gap: Examining institutional support needs for families in adolescent mental health transitions through a qualitative lens Presenter: Sheila Sjolseth - Received the Graduate Poster Award Leveraging public use data to advance family science and policy: Steps for success Presenter: Dr. Erin Cooper
Auburn University Research Symposium
This month, Auburn University hosted its annual research symposium. The goal is for students to have the opportunity to present their research and scholarly discoveries to their peers and colleagues. Among the presenters were two members of the Military REACH team, Emily Hanson and Melike Coskun, PhD students. Read about their presentations below. What matters and for whom? Risk and protective factors associated with food insecurity severity among military-connected families Presenter: Emily Hanson, PhD Student and REACH Research Associate Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that Service members experience food insecurity at nearly twice the rate of civilians. Indicators of financial instability tend to explain many antecedents to food insecurity among civilians, yet risk factors of food insecurity may be different for military-connected families (active duty and Veteran). Active-duty families have access to a regular income and other resources positioned to promote economic stability. However, for these currently serving families, the military lifestyle can also be highly mobile, introducing unique barriers to stability (e.g., spouse unemployment). For formerly serving (i.e., Veteran) families, differences in the civilian job market and community systems at play may impact employment and access to resources, all possible risk factors of food security and resource utilization. There are also unique facilitators that can bolster well-being among this population, such as shared culture and social support. The primary objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity among 1,304 military-connected families – both active duty and Veteran – who participate in Blue Star Families, a nonprofit with the mission of strengthening military families by creating communities of support. Multinomial logistic regression models identified risk (e.g., unemployment, number of children) and protective factors (e.g., nonprofit support) associated with the severity of food insecurity. These models were fit separately based on military status, specifically, active-duty Service members, active-duty spouses, Veterans, and Veteran spouses. Findings are positioned to advance the conversation on the prevalence of food security, assist in the screening and identification of families at risk of food insecurity, and enhance understanding of how nonprofits can support at-risk families. Exploring prenatal predictors of childhood obesity in a comprehensive literature review Presenter: Melike Coskun, PhD Student and REACH Graduate Research Assistant Abstract: Childhood obesity is a significant health issue in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), data from 2017 to 2020 show that almost 1 in 5 children and adolescents were obese. In Alabama, the CDC reported that in 2023, nearly 2 in 5 people (39.2%) had obesity, ranking Alabama as the fifth highest state for obesity. Childhood obesity is linked to a wide range of health problems, including stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, asthma, depression, anxiety, chronic diseases, and increased morbidity later in life (Ayine et al., 2020). In 2019, the medical cost of obesity among children was $1.3 billion US dollars. Therefore, identifying the early life risk factors for childhood obesity is essential to implementing effective prevention. Most research has focused largely on identifying the risk factors for childhood obesity during early and late childhood, including high birth weight, excessive weight gain, shorter breastfeeding duration, problematic eating patterns, poor nutritional diet, lack of physical activity, poor sleep, and sociodemographic factors. However, emerging evidence highlights the importance of identifying the risk factors as early as prenatal periods. The primary aim of this literature review is to explore the perinatal risk factors for childhood obesity, with a specific focus on the mother’s gestational weight gain or prior obesity, tobacco use, poor maternal nutrition and diet, sleep problems, lack of physical activity, and maternal psychological problems during pregnancy (Baidal et al., 2016; Córdoba-Rodríguez et al., 2022; Sacco et al., 2013; Qureshi et al., 2018). The literature review will be guided by the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework, which suggests that environmental factors during early life can permanently affect the onset of health problems by increasing the risk of diseases in later life (Lacagnina, 2019).
Military REACH at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
While abroad this month on official duty, Drs. Lucier-Greer and O'Neal visited Spangdahlem Air Base. They connected with Military Family Readiness consultants to brief them about how Military REACH can be a tool for creating a research-informed culture of service provision at their Military and Family Readiness Center. If your team or organization would like a brief, virtual briefing on the mission of Military REACH and the products that our team produces, contact us at MilitaryREACH@auburn.edu.
Allison Tidwell Shares Her Study Findings
Allison Tidwell, Military REACH GRA PhD student, recently conducted a study focused on participants' reactions to a mobile app-based training program designed to enhance military cultural competence among helping professionals. Feedback from participants was positive and suggests a favorable training experience that may facilitate the program's desired outcomes. She presented her findings to her colleagues and peers within the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Auburn University, where she is now officially a Doctoral Candidate and expected to graduate this year.!
