Military Recognition of Family Concerns: Revolutionary War To 1993

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of military recognition of family concerns from the Revolutionary War to the present, culminating in the development of a federally funded, worldwide network of military Family Centers. Demographic change played a large role in the military capacity to maintain itself as a dramatic influx of family members during the 1960s and the need to maintain a large volunteer force, in synergy with a strong tradition of spouse volunteerism, led to the development of the family center system. The military's relationship with its families from 1775 to 1993 has been characterized by several trends: from neglect to concern; from informal mechanisms and an implied obligation to a formal, institutionalized policy response; and from locally determined, ad hoc, reactive measures to comprehensive, federally funded, planned services. As work and family boundaries shift, both the military and private corporate sectors are examining ways to better accommodate the needs of both family and workplace through programmatic and policy initiatives.