U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and neighboring countries have resulted in the longest war since Vietnam, and a large population of service members and veterans with combat related mental health issues.While policy makers and advocates have made strides in improving ease of access to mental health care for the service member, military families have been left to sort through a confusing process to obtain such resources and programs when seeking help for themselves or their children.Military life presents a unique set of challenges for service member’s families regardless of component (active, reserve or National Guard).Spouses find their careers, residence, social circles and future plans are often dictated by their partners’ military careers which can leave one feeling like they have no control over their life.The environment of constant change and uncertainty understandably results in a much higher level of stress, anxiety, spousal resentment, and a whole host of other issues not typically experienced by the general population.Complicating the issue further, these challenges have been paired with frequent deployments, post-deployment reintegration, and the challenges a service member faces such as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) for over a decade. Unfortunately for many soldiers, veterans and their families, the results of this recipe are a toxic, unhealthy home life that goes unnoticed by many.The psychological effects of deployment not only impact the adults in a home, but also the children.A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry UCLA found that military children experience anxiety that persists after deployment.The length and frequency of deployments posed the greatest risk for children to experience prolonged issues.While the military offers a variety of behavioral health programs for children and adolescents often there is a long wait to see providers.According to a recent TRICARE report, there are 1.2 million military children between the ages of 10 and 23, many of which do not have immediate access to mental health or social programs due to the sheer volume of the population in need of care.Loneliness and lack of a social support system is another issue often cited by military spouses.Social interaction is an important aspect of well-being and while the military community offers a variety of opportunities to participate in social activities, it does not always provide a setting conducive to making meaningful connections or create a social support system for spouses.This negative aspect of military life is further complicated by individuals belonging to non-traditional teams (i.e. drill sergeants, recruiters), those with a soldier serving in Korea, and those belonging to Reserve and National Guard components.Individuals in these situations are often left without a family support group, or even an identifiable chain-of-command to assist in solving critical issues if they arise.Spouses who work outside the home find an additional roadblock in gaining support and access to resources, as many functions are held during the work week.Our nation’s military families are the strength behind the soldier defending our great country, and the veteran successfully transitioning back into civilian life.If we fail to provide families with the knowledge, resources and accessibility to resources in a clear, easily navigated manner, we ultimately fail at supporting the great soldiers and veterans who have made sacrifices for our freedom that very few can conceptualize.It is critical that we increase awareness and collaboration by advocates and senior leaders of all services and components, not only for soldiers and veterans suffering from the less visible damage of combat, but also for the families and spouses who are perhaps the greatest casualties of war.Through advocacy, the development of a behavioral health service delivery model that promotes collaboration with city, state and federal agencies to heal our service members and their families’ psychological and social injuries should be the critical focus.This begins with the objective evaluation of current programs and models to understand short-falls and overall effectiveness, and then using assessment data to develop a wholly integrated approach that is easy to use.Lastly, ensuring all soldiers, veterans and their families are aware of resources and educated on how to obtain assistance is imperative.As we transition our military out of the longest combat engagement since Vietnam, let us work to not only consider the individual soldier or veteran, but the family unit that is in direct support of the individual.As a nation, over 50 percent of the population is a current service member, veteran, parent of a soldier/veteran, spouse or child of soldier/veteran (U.S Census Bureau, 2011).As such, the needs of our families impact us all, and we cannot afford to ignore these issues any longer.(Editor’s note: Maj. Gen. (Ret) Marianne Mathewson-Chapman, PhD., Army National Guard and Army Reserve, contributed to this article. Sarah Sattelberg is the spouse of an active duty soldier, a former Army medic, new AUSA military spouse member, and the mother of three children ages 2, 5, and 6. Dr. Krista L. Selph, CEO/Owner, True North Consulting Group, LLC, is an Army combat veteran and mother of three children ages 4, 6 and 9.)