2 Things You Can Do To Help Military Families Every. Single. Day.

You — yes YOU — can help our soldiers.

Christopher Shea, Estee Kahn, Nancy Dreyfus, Sharon L. Davis, Stan Tatkin, YourTango Experts

Written on May 26, 2017

Once a year we take a day or two to honor the soldiers who defend our nation.

But let's be honest, the military deserves to be honored every day, not just Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

In WWII, the war effort was was more a national participatory event, and as such, people felt they were doing their bit. Food and items were rationed, and everyday people had to go work in the factories to pick up the slack left behind when the able-bodied men went off to war.

But now we live in a time where our country doesn't feel the effects of war like it once did.

So what can we, the average person who has no idea what war is really like, do to
help our brave men and women of the military overseas?

Our Senior VP of YourTango Experts, Melanie Gorman, asked a group of our relationship Experts — including Sharon Davis. Stan Tatkin, Nancy Dreyfus, and Chris Shea — how to show our support.

These Experts share the two main things you can do for the soldiers and their military families.

1. Be aware

Awareness comes in two forms:

First, be aware of the families in your community who have one or more family members overseas.

There is nothing better you can do to honor our soldier than to be there, supporting and helping their families.

Offer to help take the kids on a trip if your children are friendly. Offer friendship, comfort, and solace.

Maybe make a meal for them the night after their soldier returns to deployment.

But most importantly, just be a helping hand.

The second part of awareness involves the news. Be aware of what's really going on.

Unfortunately, we live in a world of fake news. Just because you hear the war is over in Iraq or Afghanistan is over doesn't mean you should go congratulate your neighbor that their husband or wife must be coming home soon.

Do your research and find out what's really going on instead of just trusting what you see on social media.

This will stop you from saying anything insensitive to military families, and will also help you know what's really going on so you can be sure to do your part and make your voice heard, if things need to change for our soldiers.

2. Do something

Don't just sit there wondering what you can do. Go find something.

Help volunteer to work with veterans or help make quilts to give soldiers a piece of home.

Write letters to our heroes or send them care packages of some of the things they might miss like American chocolate or home-baked cookies.

Find something that you are comfortable with and do it.

To you, it may seem like nothing but it puts a smile on a service member's face.

And putting a smile on a soldier or Marine's face, letting them know that someone cares, makes all the difference in the world.

If you or your partner is having trouble coping with a partner overseas, figuring out how to be a military family, or any other relationship problem please visit the websites of Sharon, Stan, Nancy, and Chris directly. They’re here to help.