The Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University today released its latest report exploring recent trends among military and veteran families across the United States. Aimed at business and nonprofit leaders, policy makers, and community organizations, the Measuring Communities Spotlight Report: The Health, Legal and Educational Landscape of Military and Veteran Families in the United States is the second installment of the Spotlight Reports series and provides data and insights on the well-being of military-connected families across the domains of Behavioral Health, Medical Care, Legal, K-12 Education, and Post-Secondary Education.
Key findings from the report include:
- Increased Need for Medical Care: The number and percentage of veterans with a service-connected disability (SCD) rating is growing, representing an increased need for specialized care.
- Suicide Remains a Major Concern: Suicide is the leading cause of death for service members, and veteran suicide rates continue increasing at a faster pace than non-veteran suicide rates.
- Non-Routine Discharge Statuses: Service members with non-routine discharges may face significant barriers in accessing care and benefits, despite often having complex behavioral health needs.
- The Wellbeing of the Whole Military Family: A military-connected child’s wellbeing is directly impacted by the wellbeing of their parent or caregiver with instances of elevated risk.
- Benefit Use in Higher Education: Many veterans cite Post-9/11 GI Bill (PGIB) benefits as a reason for entering the military, yet only about half of eligible enlisted veterans use these benefits to pursue higher education.
“This report provides the latest data on the state of military-connected families across the country,” said Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, MFRI director and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in Purdue’s College of Health and Human Services. “We encourage community leaders and professionals to use this information when developing and implementing programs to better meet the unique needs of military-connected families.”
A launch event highlighted key trends and findings in the report and featured speakers Hope for the Warriors and Cohen Veterans Network showcasing how their organizations have used data from Measuring Communities to better inform their programmatic and financial decisions. A full recording of the event can be found on MFRI’s YouTube channel.
Measuring Communities Spotlight Report: The Health, Legal and Educational Landscape of Military and Veteran Families in the United States is now available for download at https://go.purdue.edu/2025-mc-report.
About Measuring Communities
Measuring Communities is a free, online data tool that allows professionals to learn about the current needs of military and veteran families, as well as how military-connected communities are changing over time. Data from more than 30 government and non-profit sources across the country are combined in the site to provide users with robust metrics all the way down to the county level to assist them with important policy, programming and funding decisions.
For more details about how to access the online data portal, which is free and open to the public, contact Katie Walter, MFRI senior community outreach specialist, at schmit59@purdue.edu.