It's a huge understatement to say that military life is a unique experience. From complicated acronyms to on-base living, dealing with Tricare to transitioning out, many facets of military life can be completely baffling to outsiders.
It's not that civilians don't try to understand. It's just that for many folks, military life is something that happens "elsewhere" -- and that "elsewhere" is usually on their TV, through the news, movies or series. Often, those representations of military families, service members and military life aren't accurate and can even verge on reductive.
Military families want their civilian neighbors to have an authentic picture of their experiences. Research shows that community connectedness across service and civilian lines makes life better for everyone and improves mission readiness. That's why we want to set the record straight.
So tell us: What's one thing you wish civilians knew about military life? Send us your responses using the form below, and we'll publish your thoughts for a follow-up article.
Your personal information will not be shared, and your responses will only be used for editorial purposes.
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