The Five

The Why

Military family quality of life has strategic implications for our military and national security as it directly impacts recruitment, readiness, and retention.

The Mission

Tackle the top 5 quality-of-life (QoL) issues military families face

The Vision

A culture where all military families thrive

A man, woman, and their son stand together in front of an airplane, smiling and enjoying their time outdoors.

Taryn C., Air Force Spouse

100+
Organizations

amplified by connecting military families to vital resources to improve their quality of life.

4
Thrive Guides

offer military families essential information and resources, empowering them to navigate the challenges they face.

60+
Spotlights

highlighting military spouse stories and achievements, showcasing the resilience and talent within our community.

530K+
Social Impressions

helped spread awareness, drive engagement, and foster a stronger, more connected community.

4K+
Leaders

empowered to use the Five & Thrive QX model to bring community partners and military families together to solve quality of life challenges at their local, state, and national levels.

100+
Events

united military leaders, community partners, and military-connected families are providing critical resources and support to strengthen our community.

The Plan

The 5 Lines of Effort

  • Advocate for Quality-of-Life Improvements
  • Foster Community Partnerships
  • Consolidate Quality-of-Life Resources in 1 Convenient Location
  • Educate Military Families, Leaders, and Community Partners on Existing Efforts and Best Practices
  • Promote the Exceptional Value of the Military-Connected Spouse
Meet the Thrive Team
A family poses together outdoors in Washington, D.C., showcasing a joyful moment.

The Bottom Line: Five & Thrive strengthens our national security.

The Model

Military Community Quality-of-Life Experience (QX)

A positive QX builds a stronger Total Force, improving readiness, recruitment, retention, and resilience. Through collaboration with military leaders, military-connected families, and community partners, our model helps create solutions that empower military members and their families to thrive.

Five and Thrive logo featuring a stylized design representing growth and community support.

In the trenches of our mission lies a fundamental truth, the strength and readiness of our military families are not just essential components of our societal fabric, they are critical pillars of our national security. – Marian Wilcox

All Military Families Should Have Access To:

  • Safe and affordable child care.
  • Quality education, seamless educational transitions during relocations, and equitable resources for special education and other essential services.
  • Quality healthcare, including mental health services for the whole family.
  • Safe and affordable housing.
  • Equitable and meaningful employment for every military-connected spouse.
A woman and 3 children joyfully building structures with colorful blocks on a play mat.

The Statistics

86%

86% of military families report child care costs are too high.1 67% report lack of availability or waitlists as a major issue.1

6–9  moves

Over 1.1 million military students move schools 6–9 times during their k-12 education,
3x more than their civilian peers.2

70%

Of the military spouses who reported being employed, 70% report being underemployed.1

5 times

The military spouse unemployment rate is nearly 5x the national unemployment rate.

40%

More than 40% of active-duty families report negative experiences accessing healthcare appointments.3

68%

After PCSing, 68% of EFMP families wait over 4 months for medical services,
and 34% for special education services.4

80%

Almost 80% of military families are burdened with paying more than they can comfortably afford for housing.3

Out of the 80%, 56% reported monthly housing expenses not covered by their BAH were in excess of $200 out-of-pocket each month.3

Although the order and degree of these 5 issues vary from installation to installation, they consistently rise to the top according to feedback from military families and surveys from multiple organizations. Note: Members of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) are impacted in unique ways by each of the “Five & Thrive” Quality of Life issues.

  1.  Blue Star Families: Military Family Lifestyle Survey 2025 Comprehensive Report Executive Summary

  2. Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3): Guide for Parents, School Officials and Public Administrators

  3. 2023 Military Family Advisory Network: Military Family Support Programming Survey Executive Summary

  4. Partners in Promise: The State of Military-Connected Children with Disabilities Report 2025

Sources current as of April 2026.

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