The Military Family Research Institute is proud to salute the United States Navy, which on Oct. 13, 1775 was created by an act of the Continental Congress. Meeting in Philadelphia, Penn., the Congress outfitted two ships and charged them with the mission of intercepting munitions and stores for the British army. The ships soon deployed, manned by crews of eighty service members. Other vessels, authorized under subsequent legislation, deployed around the same time.
Today, there are more than 433,000 active duty and reserve service members in the U.S. Navy – more than 17 percent of the nation's armed forces. More than half are married (54 percent of active duty; 58 percent of reserve), and collectively Navy families are raising more than 340,000 children in cities, towns and bases across the world.
Last year, the Surgeon General of the Navy asked for MFRI's help to better understand the variety of families being served by his office. In response, MFRI researchers conducted focus groups at Naval Station Norfolk as part of a project to investigate the strengths and gaps in current programs, policies and support services related to the mental health of Navy and Marine Corps families, specifically those from diverse backgrounds. This year, MFRI's work with the Navy enters a second phase as we seek to understand and support Navy and other military families.