Survey: Military families volunteer more than others

Raquel Enero

Serving in the U.S. military is one of the highest civic duties one can take on, but a recent survey found that their family members are also more inclined to lend a hand. The survey, conducted by Blue Star Families, an organization devoted to supporting military families, found that military families are engaged in volunteer service at a much higher rate than the general American population.

The annual survey included about 4,000 military families, and 80 percent of respondents said they had volunteered in the past year, with 10 percent having clocked more than 30 hours a month. Compared with the general population, whose volunteer and civil service rate hovers around 27 percent, the findings are even more impressive.

Dr. Vivian Greentree, director of research and policy at Blue Star Families, said the findings are "powerful."

"It speaks to their belief in service, in that their families are doing something amazing, and that even given the sacrifices they make, they think it is worth it in the end to serve their country," she said. "The results of the survey in the area of community engagement show the true civic assets of the military community and the resilience that resides there."

<hr/>

News brought to you by PCS-Lodging.com - your one stop shop for military lodging.